Novel technology for enhanced coal seam gas production utilising mechanisms of stimulated cleat permeability through graded particle injection. This cross-disciplinary project will develop a new integrated technology for well productivity enhancement in coal seam gas, shale, tight gas and geothermal reservoirs - the world’s fastest growing unconventional clean energy resources. It will improve our understanding of the multi scale physics of natural gas and energy production.
Direct geothermal energy: Reducing the rural industries’ carbon footprint. Direct geothermal energy: Reducing the rural industries’ carbon footprint. This project aims to design poultry brooder houses using geothermal technology. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global priority. The lack of natural gas in rural areas and brooder houses’ heating and cooling needs make geothermal ideal. Direct geothermal systems use shallow ground both as a heat source and as a heat sink for cooling, using h ....Direct geothermal energy: Reducing the rural industries’ carbon footprint. Direct geothermal energy: Reducing the rural industries’ carbon footprint. This project aims to design poultry brooder houses using geothermal technology. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global priority. The lack of natural gas in rural areas and brooder houses’ heating and cooling needs make geothermal ideal. Direct geothermal systems use shallow ground both as a heat source and as a heat sink for cooling, using heat pumps. Their application to poultry brooder houses could reduce electricity consumption by up to 75% and thus greenhouse gas emissions, since 91% of electricity comes from fossil fuels in Australia; minimise the need for expensive bottled gas heating; reduce the levels of ammonia emissions; and increase farm productivity.Read moreRead less
Supercritical Highly-Integrated and Modular, Continuous Solid-Catalysed Biodiesel Production from Plant and Animal Feedstocks. We propose to revolutionise biodiesel production by creating a new reactor type and associated process that allows the production of 160,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year in a supercritical reactor volume of one cubic metre after scale-up. In this project, we propose to design the appropriate catalysts and pilot plant to study our ideas which should lead to a highly effici ....Supercritical Highly-Integrated and Modular, Continuous Solid-Catalysed Biodiesel Production from Plant and Animal Feedstocks. We propose to revolutionise biodiesel production by creating a new reactor type and associated process that allows the production of 160,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year in a supercritical reactor volume of one cubic metre after scale-up. In this project, we propose to design the appropriate catalysts and pilot plant to study our ideas which should lead to a highly efficient and sustainable system that offers a real alternative to current mineral oil-based technologies.Read moreRead less
Development of a novel desalination process. The process proposed in this submission provides a simple, flexible and cost effective platform for small-scale desalination applications. The proposed process can be an integral part of a more comprehensive approach to resolve the shortage of freshwater in arid to semi-arid regions of rural Australia. This will contribute to the Federal Government's National Research Priority 1: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, particularly the priority goal ....Development of a novel desalination process. The process proposed in this submission provides a simple, flexible and cost effective platform for small-scale desalination applications. The proposed process can be an integral part of a more comprehensive approach to resolve the shortage of freshwater in arid to semi-arid regions of rural Australia. This will contribute to the Federal Government's National Research Priority 1: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, particularly the priority goal 'Water - a Critical Resource'.Read moreRead less
Measurement and Prevention of Membrane Fouling for Water Reuse in Biorefineries. The effluent streams from molasses based fermentation contain dark-coloured melanoidins (recalcitrant COD) which limit discharge options and make water recovery via membrane technology challenging. Understanding membrane fouling to a level where its behaviour can be reliably predicted is a vital step in gaining widespread acceptance of this technology. Advances made here have a built-in multiplier effect, as insight ....Measurement and Prevention of Membrane Fouling for Water Reuse in Biorefineries. The effluent streams from molasses based fermentation contain dark-coloured melanoidins (recalcitrant COD) which limit discharge options and make water recovery via membrane technology challenging. Understanding membrane fouling to a level where its behaviour can be reliably predicted is a vital step in gaining widespread acceptance of this technology. Advances made here have a built-in multiplier effect, as insights from yeast production (core business for our industrial partner A B Mauri) can be readily applied to large-scale fermentation producing fuel alcohol from molasses as well as the emerging use of lignocellulosics. This project will contribute significantly to sustainability by reducing industrial water consumption.Read moreRead less
Combined strategies to extinguish underground coal fires and to extract geothermal energy. This project addresses two serious environmental issues that occur worldwide. Firstly, it aims to develop strategies to combat underground coal fires which are a serious environmental problem. It has been estimated that underground coal fires in China alone contribute 2 to 3 per cent of the total world output of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuel. Concentrations of CO2 and CO (carbon monoxide) o ....Combined strategies to extinguish underground coal fires and to extract geothermal energy. This project addresses two serious environmental issues that occur worldwide. Firstly, it aims to develop strategies to combat underground coal fires which are a serious environmental problem. It has been estimated that underground coal fires in China alone contribute 2 to 3 per cent of the total world output of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuel. Concentrations of CO2 and CO (carbon monoxide) of up to 2200 ppm and 1000 ppm, respectively, have been measured in gases produced by underground coal fires. Secondly, the project is a proof of concept to validate the feasibility of production of geothermal energy from burning coal seams. This aspect has the potential to harvest large amounts of geothermal energy which is currently wasted.Read moreRead less
eSorghum as a bio-fuel feedstock for arid environments. Increasing fuel costs, finite resources and the need to develop more carbon neutral and cleaner fuels have created a need for renewable sources. Ethanol and future generation biofuels (butanol and more energy-rich alcohols) can be extracted from biomass sources. Sorghum is an ideal bioenergy feedstock in the hotter, drier areas of Northern Australia, where starch (grain), sugar and lignocellulose (stover) can be amassed in this water effi ....eSorghum as a bio-fuel feedstock for arid environments. Increasing fuel costs, finite resources and the need to develop more carbon neutral and cleaner fuels have created a need for renewable sources. Ethanol and future generation biofuels (butanol and more energy-rich alcohols) can be extracted from biomass sources. Sorghum is an ideal bioenergy feedstock in the hotter, drier areas of Northern Australia, where starch (grain), sugar and lignocellulose (stover) can be amassed in this water efficient plant. Identifying and manipulating the genes to enable the improvement of sorghum as a dedicated bioenergy crop, will enable the increased efficiency of the Australian biofuels industry and create sustainable rural industries.Read moreRead less
Salty gas: the ecological risk of saline effluents from coal seam gas and other hydrocarbon resources. The objective of this project is to predict the effect of saline water produced from coal and coal seam gas extraction activities on freshwater systems. The findings will assist decisions on whether to permit discharge of such waste water, and if permitted under what conditions (e.g. water quality criteria) so as to prevent environment damage.
Controlling density, viscosity and crystallisation in emulsion explosives to enhance safety and efficiency of blasting operations. The performance of emulsion explosives used throughout the mining industry can be severely compromised by the effects of shear arising from pumping and detonation shock waves. Understanding how shear affects droplet coalescence and crystallisation is critical in differential energy blasting, where emulsion density and composition vary widely along the bore hole. This ....Controlling density, viscosity and crystallisation in emulsion explosives to enhance safety and efficiency of blasting operations. The performance of emulsion explosives used throughout the mining industry can be severely compromised by the effects of shear arising from pumping and detonation shock waves. Understanding how shear affects droplet coalescence and crystallisation is critical in differential energy blasting, where emulsion density and composition vary widely along the bore hole. This project aims to contribute to the understanding of the effects of shear, and develop new methods and additives to stabilise droplets and bubbles over a wide range of compositions and conditions. The goal of this project is to improve the efficiency and safety of rock-blasting operations, reduce environmental impact, and reduce operating costs, giving the Australian mining industry a competitive edge.Read moreRead less
Optimisation and Control of Bagasse Handling System in a Sugar Mill. Bagasse, the fibre residue from sugar cane, is used as fuel in suspension fired boilers for energy production for the sugar milling process. The use of bagasse as a fuel is currently gaining more prominence as the sugar industry looks to co-generation joint ventures with traditional electricity supply and generation authorities. This project is aimed at applying optimisation and control techniques to bagasse handling system in ....Optimisation and Control of Bagasse Handling System in a Sugar Mill. Bagasse, the fibre residue from sugar cane, is used as fuel in suspension fired boilers for energy production for the sugar milling process. The use of bagasse as a fuel is currently gaining more prominence as the sugar industry looks to co-generation joint ventures with traditional electricity supply and generation authorities. This project is aimed at applying optimisation and control techniques to bagasse handling system in a CSR sugar mill so that the fibre residue from sugar cane can be used to gain maximum efficiency in generating energy supplies in the sugar mill. If the project succeeds, other sugar mills from CSR would implement the advanced control system.Read moreRead less