Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100213
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
x-ray transparent core flood apparatus . X-ray transparent core flood apparatus: This facility is a novel X-ray transparent flow vessel and ancillaries for achieving direct, near-real-time, 3D measurement and visualisation of material flow inside rock samples. It will enable direct evaluation of how liquid, liquid-solid, gas-liquid and gas-liquid-solid flows behave in cores replicating conditions in underground reservoirs. The coal seam gas, shale gas and oil, and geothermal energy recovery rely ....x-ray transparent core flood apparatus . X-ray transparent core flood apparatus: This facility is a novel X-ray transparent flow vessel and ancillaries for achieving direct, near-real-time, 3D measurement and visualisation of material flow inside rock samples. It will enable direct evaluation of how liquid, liquid-solid, gas-liquid and gas-liquid-solid flows behave in cores replicating conditions in underground reservoirs. The coal seam gas, shale gas and oil, and geothermal energy recovery rely on precise understanding and simulation of subsurface flow. This apparatus will provide a new method to measure and visualise otherwise inaccessible flow behaviour, at a high level of detail, providing characterisation and model validation data underpinning reservoir simulations.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100058
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,000.00
Summary
Three dimensionally compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar . 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar: The 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar allows determination of the dynamic mechanical properties and fracturing behaviour of materials under such confinement. Understanding material behaviour under dynamic loading is essential in dealing with many engineering problems as excavation, fragmentation, earthquake, blasting, and structure design. In geotechnical and structure projects, materi ....Three dimensionally compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar . 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar: The 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar allows determination of the dynamic mechanical properties and fracturing behaviour of materials under such confinement. Understanding material behaviour under dynamic loading is essential in dealing with many engineering problems as excavation, fragmentation, earthquake, blasting, and structure design. In geotechnical and structure projects, materials are often subjected to existing confining stresses. The full-field optical techniques, with an ultra-high speed and resolution camera in the system, aims to assist the quantitative measurement of deformation fields including small strain induced in brittle material's failure and identification of constitutive parameters.Read moreRead less
Qualitative and quantitative modelling of hydraulic fracturing of brittle materials. Few technologies have caused more concern in the general population than the so called hydraulic fracturing technique, applied to enhance the hydraulic conductivity of resource-bearing rocks by injecting high pressure fluids. The concern revolves around uncertainty with leakage of used chemicals to overlying aquifers, unwanted seismic events and surface subsidence. This research, combining experimental and compu ....Qualitative and quantitative modelling of hydraulic fracturing of brittle materials. Few technologies have caused more concern in the general population than the so called hydraulic fracturing technique, applied to enhance the hydraulic conductivity of resource-bearing rocks by injecting high pressure fluids. The concern revolves around uncertainty with leakage of used chemicals to overlying aquifers, unwanted seismic events and surface subsidence. This research, combining experimental and computational investigations, aims to establish fundamental understanding of key processes controlling fracture formation in brittle materials (coal seams and porous rocks) under the action of hydraulic fracturing. The research outcomes will help to assess and minimise the risks associated with the hydraulic fracturing technology. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100117
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,000.00
Summary
An advanced, macro-scale, hydro-thermo-mechanical testing chamber for sustainable deep geological applications. The Advanced Macro-scale Testing Chamber (AMTC) is a novel laboratory testing device capable of recreating deep geological conditions which can occur at depths of up to 13km underground. The AMTC will help scientists and engineers understand the Earth's behaviour during deep geological activities such as geothermal energy collection, pollutant disposal, underground mining and earthquak ....An advanced, macro-scale, hydro-thermo-mechanical testing chamber for sustainable deep geological applications. The Advanced Macro-scale Testing Chamber (AMTC) is a novel laboratory testing device capable of recreating deep geological conditions which can occur at depths of up to 13km underground. The AMTC will help scientists and engineers understand the Earth's behaviour during deep geological activities such as geothermal energy collection, pollutant disposal, underground mining and earthquake modelling.Read moreRead less
Supercomputer Simulation of Multiscale Dynamic Behaviour in Multiphase Deformable Porous Media. This project will establish and consolidate links between leading groups in China and Australia to develop a new and unique multiscale computational model and algorithm for simulating multiphase nonlinear behaviours of the porous media under dynamic loading conditions, and improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow. This will aid Australian geosc ....Supercomputer Simulation of Multiscale Dynamic Behaviour in Multiphase Deformable Porous Media. This project will establish and consolidate links between leading groups in China and Australia to develop a new and unique multiscale computational model and algorithm for simulating multiphase nonlinear behaviours of the porous media under dynamic loading conditions, and improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow. This will aid Australian geoscience and mining industry, such as in HFR geothermal/UCG energy facility design, construction, risk assessment and production and could help Australia shift away from greenhouse gases and become a world leader in the emerging worldwide HFR geothermal/UCG industry.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101183
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$361,880.00
Summary
Next-generation expanders for renewable power applications: dealing with variability and uncertainty. This project will develop new strategies to design optimum expanders capable of maintaining good performance under uncontrollable working conditions. If these innovative design methods can be applied to engineering applications they will assist Australia to meet the Renewable Energy Target and to become an international leader in the field.
Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable ....Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable energy economy. The research program will contribute significantly to knowledge advancement in nanomaterials, surface chemistry, and photochemistry, and falls in the National Research Priority Area of 'Environmentally Sustainable Australia' addressing the key goals of Climate Change and low emission energy supply.Read moreRead less
Developing a competitive H2 production suystem based on engineered cells of green algae. The depletion of oil reserves and the effects of global warming make the development of new, clean, sustainable fuel production systems critically important. This frontier technology has the ability to drive solar-powered hydrogen production from water. Extending the system to marine algal cells provides the possibility of coupling clean fuel production with water purification as the product of H2 combustion ....Developing a competitive H2 production suystem based on engineered cells of green algae. The depletion of oil reserves and the effects of global warming make the development of new, clean, sustainable fuel production systems critically important. This frontier technology has the ability to drive solar-powered hydrogen production from water. Extending the system to marine algal cells provides the possibility of coupling clean fuel production with water purification as the product of H2 combustion is pure water. We have already engineered green algae that produce H2 from H2O at a rate ~1000% higher than the Wild-type and through this project will incorporate further improvements with the aim of developing a competitive H2 production system.Read moreRead less
Development of Reliability Driven Rural Electricity Supply. Australia is sparsely populated with SWER systems covering a large part of the rural supply. It is expected that a portion of the population will move to some areas of semi-urban/rural areas as the cost of housing and land will be cheaper in these regions. This will result in the development of new townships. In addition the growth in air conditioners and other electrical goods is leading to a rise in consumption per customer which is o ....Development of Reliability Driven Rural Electricity Supply. Australia is sparsely populated with SWER systems covering a large part of the rural supply. It is expected that a portion of the population will move to some areas of semi-urban/rural areas as the cost of housing and land will be cheaper in these regions. This will result in the development of new townships. In addition the growth in air conditioners and other electrical goods is leading to a rise in consumption per customer which is occurring across all parts of the country not just in 'green change' areas. With this scenario in mind, the aim of this project is to plan for rural electricity supply that can have a defined reliability, with a potential for a performance that can be designed to approach that of urban centers.Read moreRead less
Novel Concept for Wastewater Treatment with Integrated Power Production based on Microbial Fuel Cells. Microbial fuel cells are a novel process concept that enables organics, such as sugars, to be converted directly to electricity with the help of naturally occurring microorganisms. This technology has particularly exciting applications in the environmental field, namely in wastewater treatment. It offers significant benefits over current processes, particularly reduced energy consumption or eve ....Novel Concept for Wastewater Treatment with Integrated Power Production based on Microbial Fuel Cells. Microbial fuel cells are a novel process concept that enables organics, such as sugars, to be converted directly to electricity with the help of naturally occurring microorganisms. This technology has particularly exciting applications in the environmental field, namely in wastewater treatment. It offers significant benefits over current processes, particularly reduced energy consumption or even electricity generation and lower sludge production. This project will demonstrate the performance and application of such microbial fuel cells for the removal of organic and nitrogen-based pollutants from wastewater. If successful, this technology offers major advances in both water treatment and renewable energy aspects.Read moreRead less