Robust Control and System Identification of Highly Resonant Systems. The modelling and control of complex and highly resonant systems is of increasing engineering importance due to their occurence in a wide variety of emerging areas in aerospace, acoustics, robotics and ``smart'' structures. At the same time, effective tools tailored towards identifying the necessary models, and synthesising the necessary controllers for these systems are in their infancy. This arises from special difficulties ....Robust Control and System Identification of Highly Resonant Systems. The modelling and control of complex and highly resonant systems is of increasing engineering importance due to their occurence in a wide variety of emerging areas in aerospace, acoustics, robotics and ``smart'' structures. At the same time, effective tools tailored towards identifying the necessary models, and synthesising the necessary controllers for these systems are in their infancy. This arises from special difficulties encountered via the high dimensionality of the structures involved. This research project will employ new methods from the fields of robust control and multivariable system identification theory to lead to new and high performance solutions in this area.Read moreRead less
Vibration-based health monitoring of aero-engine bearings . This project will develop new vibration-based techniques to greatly improve the detection and diagnosis of faults in aero engine bearings from in-flight measurements. To achieve this goal, advances will be made on source separation algorithms to extract the weak bearing signals, and signal processing techniques to extract features for diagnosing bearing fault severity and lubrication conditions, under a wide range of operating condition ....Vibration-based health monitoring of aero-engine bearings . This project will develop new vibration-based techniques to greatly improve the detection and diagnosis of faults in aero engine bearings from in-flight measurements. To achieve this goal, advances will be made on source separation algorithms to extract the weak bearing signals, and signal processing techniques to extract features for diagnosing bearing fault severity and lubrication conditions, under a wide range of operating conditions. A bearing degradation model will estimate the remaining useful life. Since rolling element bearings are among the most critical components in most machines, the results of this research will also provide massive benefits in other sectors such as mining, transportation, energy production and manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Diagnostics and Prognostics of Turbine Engine Bearings. Rolls Royce are a leading supplier of engines world-wide, but in particular (with respect to this application) to airlines operating in and from Australia, including Qantas, as well as to the Australian armed forces. The methods to be developed will give greater security to the flying public, and to the Defence Forces, allowing them to carry out their role more reliably. Collaboration with Rolls Royce will add prestige to this Australian de ....Diagnostics and Prognostics of Turbine Engine Bearings. Rolls Royce are a leading supplier of engines world-wide, but in particular (with respect to this application) to airlines operating in and from Australia, including Qantas, as well as to the Australian armed forces. The methods to be developed will give greater security to the flying public, and to the Defence Forces, allowing them to carry out their role more reliably. Collaboration with Rolls Royce will add prestige to this Australian developed technology, and increase the likelihood of it (and related technology) being used in the Joint Strike Fighter.Read moreRead less
Reduction of Legionnaires' Disease from Cooling Towers. Inhaled water droplets containing Legionella bacteria can cause potentially fatal Legionnaires? disease. Algae are the main source of organic matter in cooling towers on which Legionella feed. If droplets are prevented from leaving the tower they cannot cause disease. If no light enters a cooling tower no algae grow. This project aims to identify and develop designs and measurement methods for cooling towers which give low levels of drople ....Reduction of Legionnaires' Disease from Cooling Towers. Inhaled water droplets containing Legionella bacteria can cause potentially fatal Legionnaires? disease. Algae are the main source of organic matter in cooling towers on which Legionella feed. If droplets are prevented from leaving the tower they cannot cause disease. If no light enters a cooling tower no algae grow. This project aims to identify and develop designs and measurement methods for cooling towers which give low levels of droplets leaving and light entering. The new designs will reduce Legionnaires? disease infections by hundreds of times which eliminates a major urban hazard in Australia.Read moreRead less
Building Australia's Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Infrastructure. This project aims to enhance the resilience, safety, and efficiency of electricity grids operated with fast-charging Electric Vehicles (EVs) by developing new control and optimisation frameworks. This project expects to develop new robust controllers for EV fast-charging infrastructure operated in coordination with wind and solar generated electricity. Expected project outcomes include enabling fast-charge EV infrastructure to b ....Building Australia's Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Infrastructure. This project aims to enhance the resilience, safety, and efficiency of electricity grids operated with fast-charging Electric Vehicles (EVs) by developing new control and optimisation frameworks. This project expects to develop new robust controllers for EV fast-charging infrastructure operated in coordination with wind and solar generated electricity. Expected project outcomes include enabling fast-charge EV infrastructure to be developed and deployed in Australia by the industry partner SwitchDin. Expected benefits including enabling significant reduction in carbon emissions from the transportation sector, accelerating the energy transition to renewables, and placing Australian industry at the forefront of EV grid integration technology.Read moreRead less
The Interplay of Feedback Control and Digital Communications. This project deals with two research topics in digital communications and control. The first is concerned with feedback communications for control systems, aiming to develop new design methods for network-based automation and control. The second studies new decoding and detection algorithms for digital communications. Applications of the proposed research work include network-based industrial control, wireless communication devices, a ....The Interplay of Feedback Control and Digital Communications. This project deals with two research topics in digital communications and control. The first is concerned with feedback communications for control systems, aiming to develop new design methods for network-based automation and control. The second studies new decoding and detection algorithms for digital communications. Applications of the proposed research work include network-based industrial control, wireless communication devices, and high density digital storage media. The cross-fertilisation of control systems and digital communications will help strengthen Australia's research expertise in the National Research Priority area "Information and Communications Technology" (ICT). Read moreRead less
Investigation of Thermotransport in Liquid Metal Alloys. This project aims to improve understanding of thermotransport to support the use of liquid metal allows in manufacture and energy transfer. The coupled flow of heat and mass (thermotransport) rapidly produces segregation in liquid metal alloys in a temperature gradient. This is a major problem in optimising the solidification from melts in manufacturing and for the design of liquid alloys for transfer of heat. Thermotransport is very poorl ....Investigation of Thermotransport in Liquid Metal Alloys. This project aims to improve understanding of thermotransport to support the use of liquid metal allows in manufacture and energy transfer. The coupled flow of heat and mass (thermotransport) rapidly produces segregation in liquid metal alloys in a temperature gradient. This is a major problem in optimising the solidification from melts in manufacturing and for the design of liquid alloys for transfer of heat. Thermotransport is very poorly understood. The project aims to achieve an understanding of the process through a combination of new theory, corresponding new experiments and advanced computer simulations. This would be a major advance in the area, supporting the development of new systems to prevent segregation.Read moreRead less
Control of Thermodiffusion in Liquid Multicomponent Alloys. Aims: The project aims to comprehensively study heat and mass coupling in liquid alloys by describing it mathematically, measuring it experimentally and calculating it by simulation. Significance: When a liquid alloy exists at different temperatures, the coupling of heat and mass flows causes rapid segregation of its components. This is a major complication in controlling solidification from liquid alloys in manufacturing and in the des ....Control of Thermodiffusion in Liquid Multicomponent Alloys. Aims: The project aims to comprehensively study heat and mass coupling in liquid alloys by describing it mathematically, measuring it experimentally and calculating it by simulation. Significance: When a liquid alloy exists at different temperatures, the coupling of heat and mass flows causes rapid segregation of its components. This is a major complication in controlling solidification from liquid alloys in manufacturing and in the design of liquid alloy coolants for efficient heat transfer. It has never been addressed. Expected outcomes: This research is expected to be the pioneering foundation of the area. Benefits: It is anticipated that the research would provide the means to properly control the engineering use of liquid alloys. Read moreRead less