Modelling and Characterisation of Stringy/Compressible Bulk Materials. The development of new technologies in the treatment of waste products, recycling of green and paper waste and the use of biomass fuels has created the need for a new approach in the handling of non-conventional bulk solids. The Mohr-Coulomb models that are traditionally used to characterise granular materials do not adequately describe the nature of these stringy and compressible bulk solids. This project will address this ....Modelling and Characterisation of Stringy/Compressible Bulk Materials. The development of new technologies in the treatment of waste products, recycling of green and paper waste and the use of biomass fuels has created the need for a new approach in the handling of non-conventional bulk solids. The Mohr-Coulomb models that are traditionally used to characterise granular materials do not adequately describe the nature of these stringy and compressible bulk solids. This project will address this problem by developing new constitutive models and characterisation techniques for this class of materials. This work will provide the necessary tools to address a series of pressing problems in several emerging technologies.Read moreRead less
Modelling and Optimisation of Belt Conveyor Systems. Belt conveyors are the arteries of Australia's heavy industries. Their efficiency and cost are critical to the productivity of our major export markets. A current trend in this area is the introduction of high-speed and long distance conveying. This has placed tremendous pressure on the current design standards which are in drastic need of re-evaluation. This project will address these deficiencies and build a strong foundation for future conv ....Modelling and Optimisation of Belt Conveyor Systems. Belt conveyors are the arteries of Australia's heavy industries. Their efficiency and cost are critical to the productivity of our major export markets. A current trend in this area is the introduction of high-speed and long distance conveying. This has placed tremendous pressure on the current design standards which are in drastic need of re-evaluation. This project will address these deficiencies and build a strong foundation for future conveyor design. This will be achieved by developing rigorous mechanical models for conveyor mechanics and the application of state-of-the-art optimisation methods based on Darwinian natural selection. This will lead to significant improvements in the efficiency and running costs of belt conveyor systems.Read moreRead less
Passive Control of Dust Emissions from Belt Conveyor Systems. Belt conveyor systems are employed extensively to transport bulk materials in a great many industries, particularly those associated with mining and mineral processing. Belt conveyor installations are becoming longer and belt speeds significantly faster, resulting in increased dust emissions. An estimated 16 billion litres of water per annum is used by the Australian Black Coal Industry alone on dust suppression. This project will dev ....Passive Control of Dust Emissions from Belt Conveyor Systems. Belt conveyor systems are employed extensively to transport bulk materials in a great many industries, particularly those associated with mining and mineral processing. Belt conveyor installations are becoming longer and belt speeds significantly faster, resulting in increased dust emissions. An estimated 16 billion litres of water per annum is used by the Australian Black Coal Industry alone on dust suppression. This project will develop passive dust control technology, requiring no external energy or suppressants. This will be achieved through the development of numerical methods verified by rigorous experimental work. This will lead to significant cost savings, improved employee health and safety and reduced environmental impact.Read moreRead less
Analytical, Numerical and Testing Procedures for Improved Design and Performance of Bulk Solids Systems. Mining and minerals production is Australia's most important export industry. Despite the global financial crisis, the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resources Economics (Australian Commodities, December Quarter 2008) has forecast that earnings from Australia's energy and minerals exports will increase by 37% during 2008-09 to A$160 billion. Bulk materials handling operations constitute ....Analytical, Numerical and Testing Procedures for Improved Design and Performance of Bulk Solids Systems. Mining and minerals production is Australia's most important export industry. Despite the global financial crisis, the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resources Economics (Australian Commodities, December Quarter 2008) has forecast that earnings from Australia's energy and minerals exports will increase by 37% during 2008-09 to A$160 billion. Bulk materials handling operations constitute a major component of the minerals production and transportation costs. Through the research conducted in this project, greater efficiencies with reduced operating costs will be achieved while, at the same time, meeting the stringent environmental controls in accordance with the National priority goal of 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia'.Read moreRead less
WAVELET-BASED MODELLING AND MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL OF COMPLEX MULTIDIMENSIONAL CRYSTALLISATION PROCESSES. The results of this project will directly contribute to a better understanding of crystallisation which is an important unit operation to achieve high purity separations. Many Australian industries for example, mineral processing, sugar processing, pharmaceuticals, etc will benefit from the results in order to enhance optimal operation and control to ensure globally competitive production ....WAVELET-BASED MODELLING AND MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL OF COMPLEX MULTIDIMENSIONAL CRYSTALLISATION PROCESSES. The results of this project will directly contribute to a better understanding of crystallisation which is an important unit operation to achieve high purity separations. Many Australian industries for example, mineral processing, sugar processing, pharmaceuticals, etc will benefit from the results in order to enhance optimal operation and control to ensure globally competitive production which is on time, minimize wastes and raw materials and inventories. The leading edge results will increase the contributions of these industries to the Australian economy and our global competitiveness necessary to maintain our culture and the beauty of our environment. Read moreRead less
The development of particle-depleted regions in dense suspensions of neutrally buoyant particles. We aim to measure the spatial variation of fluid speed and particle speed, and of particle concentration, across and along a pipe into which has been introduced a mixture of said particles and fluid. This problem has significance in mechanical and chemical engineering wherever particle/fluid mixtures are flowing. The expected outcomes are recognition of a major contribution to world research, as w ....The development of particle-depleted regions in dense suspensions of neutrally buoyant particles. We aim to measure the spatial variation of fluid speed and particle speed, and of particle concentration, across and along a pipe into which has been introduced a mixture of said particles and fluid. This problem has significance in mechanical and chemical engineering wherever particle/fluid mixtures are flowing. The expected outcomes are recognition of a major contribution to world research, as well as technological applications; one that motivates us is the blood shear in the bearings of a revolutionary Australian blood pump for cardiac assist that avoids both pivots and magnetic suspension for the single moving part.Read moreRead less
Fundamental Studies of the Packing of Cohesive Particles. Particle/powder technology is of paramount importance to Australia in view of its heavy dependence on the handling and processing of raw materials. Particle packing is here a most basic operation. This project will examine the underpinning physics of the packing of cohesive particles and develop novel generic theories and mathematical models for solving packing problems. Its outcomes can lead to better process or product control, a decrea ....Fundamental Studies of the Packing of Cohesive Particles. Particle/powder technology is of paramount importance to Australia in view of its heavy dependence on the handling and processing of raw materials. Particle packing is here a most basic operation. This project will examine the underpinning physics of the packing of cohesive particles and develop novel generic theories and mathematical models for solving packing problems. Its outcomes can lead to better process or product control, a decrease in energy consumption and an improvement in productivity in many processes/operations in mineral/material and relevant industries, which, together with the research training offered, will help strengthen and maintain Australia's leading position in particulate science and technology.Read moreRead less
Hydrophobic particle recovery using permeable hydrophobic media. This project aims to solve an intractable problem in froth flotation. Bubbles will be replaced by permeable, hydrophobic media, minimising the viscous hydrodynamic resistance that limits ultrafine particle recovery. The project expects to generate new knowledge relating the efficacy of the novel media to its underlying physical structure, composition, geometry, and interfacial structure. Expected outcomes include a framework for de ....Hydrophobic particle recovery using permeable hydrophobic media. This project aims to solve an intractable problem in froth flotation. Bubbles will be replaced by permeable, hydrophobic media, minimising the viscous hydrodynamic resistance that limits ultrafine particle recovery. The project expects to generate new knowledge relating the efficacy of the novel media to its underlying physical structure, composition, geometry, and interfacial structure. Expected outcomes include a framework for developing alternative, highly permeable, hydrophobic media, and new high performance separation technologies. This is expected to benefit large scale, low-cost, ultrafast processing of particulate suspensions in mineral processing and waste water treatment.Read moreRead less
Surface characteristics and hydrodynamics in detachment of coarse particles. Froth flotation is widely used for separating coal and minerals from the gangue. The largest particles that can be floated in the industry are 10 times smaller than the particles that can be floated under quiescent conditions. This project aims to better understand and quantify the detachment of large particles from the bubble surface. It aims to develop innovative modelling and experimental approaches to examine the ef ....Surface characteristics and hydrodynamics in detachment of coarse particles. Froth flotation is widely used for separating coal and minerals from the gangue. The largest particles that can be floated in the industry are 10 times smaller than the particles that can be floated under quiescent conditions. This project aims to better understand and quantify the detachment of large particles from the bubble surface. It aims to develop innovative modelling and experimental approaches to examine the effect of particle surface characteristics and hydrodynamic conditions on coarse particle detachment and flotation. New ways to save energy by floating coarse composite particles are proposed to be developed. This research is at the forefront of flotation science and technology, and is expected to deliver significant outcomes to the mining industry.Read moreRead less
Enhanced Fractionation of Mineral Particles According to Density. Aims: -to achieve a significant advance in the hydrodynamic fractionation of particles on the basis of density, and develop an algorithm to deconvolve the fractionation data to produce the underlying density distribution of the particles. Significance: This density distribution, which is used in resource assessment, plant design, and process evaluation in mineral processing, is currently produced using toxic, and environmentally d ....Enhanced Fractionation of Mineral Particles According to Density. Aims: -to achieve a significant advance in the hydrodynamic fractionation of particles on the basis of density, and develop an algorithm to deconvolve the fractionation data to produce the underlying density distribution of the particles. Significance: This density distribution, which is used in resource assessment, plant design, and process evaluation in mineral processing, is currently produced using toxic, and environmentally damaging heavy liquids, despite the emergence of alternative mineral analysers. Expected Outcomes: -a safe, cost effective basis for generating the density distribution. Benefits: -increasing mineral resource recovery through improved access to critical data, while eliminating the need for the toxic heavy liquids.
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