The micro-mechanics of faulting and fluid flow in porous reservoir rocks. The project will improve the understanding of the mechanics and physics of reservoir rocks under various loading conditions. This will have impact on the recovery of hydrocarbon energy resources, storage of carbon dioxide in depleted oil reservoirs, and extraction of energy from geothermal reservoirs in Australia.
Modelling fluid-solid interaction in micro- and nano-porous media. This project aims to develop a state-of-the-art computational tool for modelling the coupled fluid transport-solid deformation behaviour in micro- and nano-porous media. A significant portion of the world’s water and energy resources are stored in fractured rocks, many of which contain characteristic pores with size ranging from nanometres to micrometres. The pore-scale particle-based modelling method will provide for better unde ....Modelling fluid-solid interaction in micro- and nano-porous media. This project aims to develop a state-of-the-art computational tool for modelling the coupled fluid transport-solid deformation behaviour in micro- and nano-porous media. A significant portion of the world’s water and energy resources are stored in fractured rocks, many of which contain characteristic pores with size ranging from nanometres to micrometres. The pore-scale particle-based modelling method will provide for better understanding and opportunities for manipulating fluid flow through fractured micro- and nano-porous media. Successful application of the model will improve the performance of diverse energy and environmental systems including carbon geo-sequestration, unconventional oil and gas recovery, enhanced geothermal energy generation and groundwater contamination.Read moreRead less
Development of High Performance Ceramic Based Thermoelectric Materials for Power Regeneration Applications. Thermoelectric materials offer an opportunity for economic recovery of the waste heat from exhaust gases to reduce operational costs and CO2 emissions. An increase in thermoelectric conversion efficiency of a few percent, in power production, would translate to significant cost saving on a national scale, which is about several billions of Australian dollars worth of products per year in ....Development of High Performance Ceramic Based Thermoelectric Materials for Power Regeneration Applications. Thermoelectric materials offer an opportunity for economic recovery of the waste heat from exhaust gases to reduce operational costs and CO2 emissions. An increase in thermoelectric conversion efficiency of a few percent, in power production, would translate to significant cost saving on a national scale, which is about several billions of Australian dollars worth of products per year in this area alone. Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean a stronger economy, a cleaner environment and greater energy independence for Australia. Success of this program will facilitate the development of thermoelectric materials and renewable energy technologies, which have enormous national and international markets.Read moreRead less
Charge transfer mechanism in 3-dimensional pore-solid nanoarchitectures for electrochemical systems. This project represents a significant scientific and economic advance for Australia because: 1) it is likely to create advanced energy storage and conversion devices, with excellent working efficiency and kinetics, which will induce dramatic improvements to our environment 2) the project will establish local expertise and scientific know-how on electrochemical energy storage and conversion system ....Charge transfer mechanism in 3-dimensional pore-solid nanoarchitectures for electrochemical systems. This project represents a significant scientific and economic advance for Australia because: 1) it is likely to create advanced energy storage and conversion devices, with excellent working efficiency and kinetics, which will induce dramatic improvements to our environment 2) the project will establish local expertise and scientific know-how on electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems, which will place Australia at the forefront of this important area of lithium ion battery and PEM fuel cells; 3)relevant Australian enterprises in electric vehicle and portable device manufacturing will reap the benefits of these discoveries.
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Multiphysics instabilities during diagenesis of shale gas reservoirs. This project aims to understand the formation, geometry and fluid connectivity of unconventional high-temperature and high pressure shale gas reservoirs using volumetric instabilities of ductile materials. Unconventional shale gas/oil are the most abundant fossil fuel resources on Earth, but are inaccessible to conventional techniques. This project will investigate the mechanisms, critical parameters and applicability of the t ....Multiphysics instabilities during diagenesis of shale gas reservoirs. This project aims to understand the formation, geometry and fluid connectivity of unconventional high-temperature and high pressure shale gas reservoirs using volumetric instabilities of ductile materials. Unconventional shale gas/oil are the most abundant fossil fuel resources on Earth, but are inaccessible to conventional techniques. This project will investigate the mechanisms, critical parameters and applicability of the theory to unconventional reservoirs. It will do so by testing the theory under controlled laboratory experiments, fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) modelling and analytical modelling. The outcomes should allow a rigorous assessment of the potential of unconventional reservoirs under Australia’s extreme conditions.Read moreRead less
Quantification of Multiphysics phenomena of Gas flow in organic rich shales. We address the scientific question of the nature of gas extraction from nominally impermeable rocks such as shales. Our main aim is to develop a fully coupled microstructurally enriched thermodynamic continuum model to predict the Multiphysics behaviour of shale reservoirs during gas production and verify the model with representative experiments conducted on formations from three Australian Basins including Cooper, Per ....Quantification of Multiphysics phenomena of Gas flow in organic rich shales. We address the scientific question of the nature of gas extraction from nominally impermeable rocks such as shales. Our main aim is to develop a fully coupled microstructurally enriched thermodynamic continuum model to predict the Multiphysics behaviour of shale reservoirs during gas production and verify the model with representative experiments conducted on formations from three Australian Basins including Cooper, Perth and Beetaloo, where the samples are available to the investigators. We approach this problem in a hybrid theoretical-numerical-experimental study. This is the first international attempt to develop such experimentally verified thermodynamic based model, particularly for Australian shales.Read moreRead less
The Effects of Pyrolysis Conditions on Combustion and Gasification Reactivities of Biomass Chars and the Quality of Their Ash. Considerable efforts are being made to minimise the environmental impacts of fossil fuels by utilising renewable energy sources like biomass. Many of the challenges associated with the thermal conversion of biomass relate to its char characteristics. The aim of this project is to gain a fundamental understanding about the impact of reaction conditions during the pyrolyti ....The Effects of Pyrolysis Conditions on Combustion and Gasification Reactivities of Biomass Chars and the Quality of Their Ash. Considerable efforts are being made to minimise the environmental impacts of fossil fuels by utilising renewable energy sources like biomass. Many of the challenges associated with the thermal conversion of biomass relate to its char characteristics. The aim of this project is to gain a fundamental understanding about the impact of reaction conditions during the pyrolytic stage on the structural and compositional transformations of the resultant char, its combustion and gasification reactivities, and the release of inorganic matter and ash formation. This holistic and integrated approach should reveal the underlying science necessary to support existing and future biomass use.Read moreRead less
Carbon surface oxides: the key to understanding the chemical rate of carbon combustion. This project employs a unique combination of experimental measurements and fundamental quantum chemical calculations to study the oxides which form on the surface of carbon as it burns. Our objective is to develop a quantitative model for the kinetics of carbon combustion which will be a profound improvement over existing approaches. Such a model would provide the basis for the improved prediction of carbon c ....Carbon surface oxides: the key to understanding the chemical rate of carbon combustion. This project employs a unique combination of experimental measurements and fundamental quantum chemical calculations to study the oxides which form on the surface of carbon as it burns. Our objective is to develop a quantitative model for the kinetics of carbon combustion which will be a profound improvement over existing approaches. Such a model would provide the basis for the improved prediction of carbon combustion and gasification in current (coal-burning) power generation appliances, as well as catering for new approaches to lowering greenhouse emissions which also depend on the combustion and gasification of carbon as coal, biomass or refuse-derived fuel.Read moreRead less
Controlled synthesis of well-aligned single crystalline one-dimensional semiconducting nanomaterials for energy application. This proposal is at the forefront of a number of important fields, and therefore the outcomes are expected to be of great interest to a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including advanced materials, nanotechnology, and sustainable energy. The novel synthetic methods and the targeting material system could lead to advanced materials for energy application. The outcomes o ....Controlled synthesis of well-aligned single crystalline one-dimensional semiconducting nanomaterials for energy application. This proposal is at the forefront of a number of important fields, and therefore the outcomes are expected to be of great interest to a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including advanced materials, nanotechnology, and sustainable energy. The novel synthetic methods and the targeting material system could lead to advanced materials for energy application. The outcomes of this project will place Australian researchers among the pioneering groups in this area and will benefit several major technology-related fields including materials manufacture technology and sustainable energy.Read moreRead less
Designing integrated photocatalytic systems for simultaneous clean energy generation and water remediation. The proposal addresses the core issues of energy and water, two highly critical resources in Australia as well as worldwide. Utilising our geographically-abundant solar energy and through designing novel photocatalytic systems, the proposed research provides an ultimately clean solution by efficiently harnessing and converting the solar energy to hydrogen while remediating wastewater. Give ....Designing integrated photocatalytic systems for simultaneous clean energy generation and water remediation. The proposal addresses the core issues of energy and water, two highly critical resources in Australia as well as worldwide. Utilising our geographically-abundant solar energy and through designing novel photocatalytic systems, the proposed research provides an ultimately clean solution by efficiently harnessing and converting the solar energy to hydrogen while remediating wastewater. Given the high intensity and consistent solar output in Australia, such technology provides an almost ideal and sustainable outcome in terms of clean energy and water supply. Success in this area will place Australian researchers at the forefront of practical and functional photocatalytic technologiesRead moreRead less