Multiscale Modelling and Thermal Design Optimisation of Large-Scale Biomass Stockpiles for Use in Renewable Energy Products. By minimising the risk of spontaneous combustion this project will significantly contribute to the ability of the Australian sugar industry to store wet bagasse (sugar cane fibre residue) in large stockpiles. This will facilitate the year-round availability of biomass as a feedstock in renewable energy production. The mathematical models developed in this project deliver a ....Multiscale Modelling and Thermal Design Optimisation of Large-Scale Biomass Stockpiles for Use in Renewable Energy Products. By minimising the risk of spontaneous combustion this project will significantly contribute to the ability of the Australian sugar industry to store wet bagasse (sugar cane fibre residue) in large stockpiles. This will facilitate the year-round availability of biomass as a feedstock in renewable energy production. The mathematical models developed in this project deliver an enabling mechanism for facilitating the diversification of the sugar industry with the potential to produce significant financial returns for the industry. This research has the potential to initiate considerable and extremely positive, down-stream environmental impacts for Australia by enhancing feedstock production for ecologically sustainable power generation systems.Read moreRead less
Improving the wool product. Using mathematical modelling to improve the efficiency of wool scouring. Our aim is to improve the quality of scoured wool by improving the efficiency of wool scouring. Wool scouring is the process of washing greasy wool once it has been removed from the sheep's back. After being rinsed to remove sweat and salt the wool is passed through a scour bowl consisting of settling tanks from which dirty water is periodically expelled. Mathematical modelling will optimise us ....Improving the wool product. Using mathematical modelling to improve the efficiency of wool scouring. Our aim is to improve the quality of scoured wool by improving the efficiency of wool scouring. Wool scouring is the process of washing greasy wool once it has been removed from the sheep's back. After being rinsed to remove sweat and salt the wool is passed through a scour bowl consisting of settling tanks from which dirty water is periodically expelled. Mathematical modelling will optimise use of the scour bowl, reduce consumption of water, increase the recovery of wool grease and improve the quality and cleanliness of the wool.Read moreRead less
Mathematical modelling of dye-sensitised titania solar cells: a route to improved efficiency in production. Dye-sensitised titania solar cells (DSCs) provide a technically and economically credible alternative to silicon photovotaic devices. Increasing the efficiency of commercially produced DSCs to 12% from the current production cell efficiency of 6%,will result in significantly lower delivered energy costs than the current alternative photovoltaic devices. This project will develop a mathemat ....Mathematical modelling of dye-sensitised titania solar cells: a route to improved efficiency in production. Dye-sensitised titania solar cells (DSCs) provide a technically and economically credible alternative to silicon photovotaic devices. Increasing the efficiency of commercially produced DSCs to 12% from the current production cell efficiency of 6%,will result in significantly lower delivered energy costs than the current alternative photovoltaic devices. This project will develop a mathematical model of a DSC as a first stage in the development of a decision support capability for the manufacture of more efficient DSC's. The model will extend existing models to incorporate full transport modelling and side-reactions in the electrolyte and will be validated by experimental work.Read moreRead less
Three dimensional computational models of geological basin and hinterland evolution incorporating lithospheric mantle and surface processes. Petroleum exploration in deepwater areas offshore Australia is becoming increasingly important as more accessible, shallow water oil reserves near exhaustion. Geological simulation is an important tool for understanding deep water basins where geophysical imaging techniques are less effective. This project will develop 3D computational models relevant to un ....Three dimensional computational models of geological basin and hinterland evolution incorporating lithospheric mantle and surface processes. Petroleum exploration in deepwater areas offshore Australia is becoming increasingly important as more accessible, shallow water oil reserves near exhaustion. Geological simulation is an important tool for understanding deep water basins where geophysical imaging techniques are less effective. This project will develop 3D computational models relevant to understanding the development and evolution of geological basins and the sediments that fill them. The models will be integrated with available offshore data for potentially prospective Australian basins in the Northwest Shelf and the Southern Australian margin.Read moreRead less
Economic Operability Assessment of Leaching Process at Kwinana Nickel Refinery. Process operability is concerned with systematic analysis and improvement of process performance in the face of variable operating conditions. This project will develop a rigorous methodology for analysis of process operability with respect to short-term and transient disturbances. The proposed technique will be applied to the Kwinana Nickel Refinery Leach section, in order to reduce the plant variability and increas ....Economic Operability Assessment of Leaching Process at Kwinana Nickel Refinery. Process operability is concerned with systematic analysis and improvement of process performance in the face of variable operating conditions. This project will develop a rigorous methodology for analysis of process operability with respect to short-term and transient disturbances. The proposed technique will be applied to the Kwinana Nickel Refinery Leach section, in order to reduce the plant variability and increase nickel throughput and plant availability. This can be considered as significant move by a process industry to embrace advanced theoretical developments and will act as a benchmark to promote future links between Australian industry and academia.Read moreRead less
Western Australia severe weather prediction: optimising forecasts using new data sources and improved high-resolution models. WA suffers unusually high exposure to severe tropical and extra-tropical weather, from its size and geographical location. This project will develop enhanced data assimilation and modelling techniques, using emerging high-resolution satellite and other data to improve the timeliness, accuracy and reliability of weather forecasts for WA. Outcomes include: improved forecas ....Western Australia severe weather prediction: optimising forecasts using new data sources and improved high-resolution models. WA suffers unusually high exposure to severe tropical and extra-tropical weather, from its size and geographical location. This project will develop enhanced data assimilation and modelling techniques, using emerging high-resolution satellite and other data to improve the timeliness, accuracy and reliability of weather forecasts for WA. Outcomes include: improved forecast systems for predicting severe weather affecting WA (and consequently Australia), and ensemble forecast systems that provide valuable probabilistic information, such as confidence limits in the forecasts. Better forecasts issued earlier for severe weather events will allow appropriate planning and management measures, thereby reducing their present high social and economic cost.Read moreRead less
Investment Approaches and Applications in Financial Markets: Evolutionary Kernel Based Subset Time-Series Using Semi-Parametric Approaches. The project will develop new investment assessments based on subset time-series modeling. Innovative evolutionary kernel smoothing algorithms using semi-parametric approaches will be introduced. The project will make three important applications of this modeling in financial markets: a) benchmarking and evaluation of inflation-indexed bonds; b) evaluation of ....Investment Approaches and Applications in Financial Markets: Evolutionary Kernel Based Subset Time-Series Using Semi-Parametric Approaches. The project will develop new investment assessments based on subset time-series modeling. Innovative evolutionary kernel smoothing algorithms using semi-parametric approaches will be introduced. The project will make three important applications of this modeling in financial markets: a) benchmarking and evaluation of inflation-indexed bonds; b) evaluation of the performance of global diversified investment funds; and c) prediction to provide early warning of the emergence of destabilising deflation or inflation. These three applications will lead to improved risk management practices and investment performance. Recursive algorithms will provide new statistical methods to study investment asset price movements and market volatility.
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Investment approaches and opportunities in renewable energy and financial resource markets, using semi-parametric approaches to evolutionary subset time-series lattice-ladder modelling. The project findings will help Australian exporters and importers understand and manage energy and resource price risks more effectively. The investment community will benefit through selecting optimal asset allocations and enhancing value to investors. It will also benefit many other agencies, particularly in th ....Investment approaches and opportunities in renewable energy and financial resource markets, using semi-parametric approaches to evolutionary subset time-series lattice-ladder modelling. The project findings will help Australian exporters and importers understand and manage energy and resource price risks more effectively. The investment community will benefit through selecting optimal asset allocations and enhancing value to investors. It will also benefit many other agencies, particularly in the service industries. It is not well recognised that in developed countries, including Australia, the financial service and related sectors account for more than 60 percent of economic activity and employment, so it is critical that more sophisticated statistical methods be established, and practical applications conducted, in order to advance the understanding of complexity management in the financial service and related sectors.Read moreRead less
The improvement of investment approaches by developing and applying bootstrap methods to innovative evolutionary kernel-based subset time-series modelling. With over $1 trillion of investors' monies in the hands of fund managers, the importance of efficient investment decisions across all industry sectors is self evident. Even if the modest target of systematically improving decision making by 1 or 2 % is set, the aggregate economic benefit achieved, given the compounding effects will be enormou ....The improvement of investment approaches by developing and applying bootstrap methods to innovative evolutionary kernel-based subset time-series modelling. With over $1 trillion of investors' monies in the hands of fund managers, the importance of efficient investment decisions across all industry sectors is self evident. Even if the modest target of systematically improving decision making by 1 or 2 % is set, the aggregate economic benefit achieved, given the compounding effects will be enormous. Any developed or developing country will profit from such advanced decision-making approaches. Therefore it is critical that more sophisticated statistical methods be established, and practical applications conducted, in order to advance the understanding of complexity management in the financial investment and other relevant sectors.Read moreRead less
New models and valuation methods for portfolio credit derivatives. Portfolio credit derivatives provide a mechanism to simultaneously transfer credit exposures to a large number of counterparties within a single transaction. However, no generally accepted valuation model for such credit portfolios is currently available. This project aims to develop new mathematically-based technologies to allow institutions such as Westpac (the Industry Partner) to optimally manage their credit exposures. The o ....New models and valuation methods for portfolio credit derivatives. Portfolio credit derivatives provide a mechanism to simultaneously transfer credit exposures to a large number of counterparties within a single transaction. However, no generally accepted valuation model for such credit portfolios is currently available. This project aims to develop new mathematically-based technologies to allow institutions such as Westpac (the Industry Partner) to optimally manage their credit exposures. The outcome will be a class of superior models and operational risk management tools that will ensure the value and risks of these transactions are properly understood and accurately quantified. These models will enhance both the knowledge base of the industry and academic scholarship.
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