A Fundamental Study on Redox Behaviour of Oxygen Carriers in Chemical Looping Combustion. Our goal here is to acquire fundamental knowledge about the redox behaviour of metal oxide oxygen carriers which, arguably, underpins the feasibility of the Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) concept. Although the proposed work is fundamental and will contribute to the advancement of knowledge, the results will have immediate practical applications in power generation industry at both national and internatio ....A Fundamental Study on Redox Behaviour of Oxygen Carriers in Chemical Looping Combustion. Our goal here is to acquire fundamental knowledge about the redox behaviour of metal oxide oxygen carriers which, arguably, underpins the feasibility of the Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) concept. Although the proposed work is fundamental and will contribute to the advancement of knowledge, the results will have immediate practical applications in power generation industry at both national and international levels. This should significantly contribute to the Australian Government's efforts in producing world class solutions for abatement of greenhouse emissions (Research Priority 1: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, Priority Goal 1.4 - Reducing and capturing emissions in transport and energy generation).Read moreRead less
Hollow-core microstructured polymer fibres for optical sensing applications. A range of remarkable new optical fibres will be fabricated utilising the capabilities of a unique polymer fibre fabrication facility and focussing on the highly demanding class of microstructured fibres in which guidance in a hollow core is achieved through photonic band gap or Bragg guidance. Long lengths of low-loss fibres of this type will be developed, and applications in optical gas sensing, spectroscopy, voltage ....Hollow-core microstructured polymer fibres for optical sensing applications. A range of remarkable new optical fibres will be fabricated utilising the capabilities of a unique polymer fibre fabrication facility and focussing on the highly demanding class of microstructured fibres in which guidance in a hollow core is achieved through photonic band gap or Bragg guidance. Long lengths of low-loss fibres of this type will be developed, and applications in optical gas sensing, spectroscopy, voltage sensing and telecommunications will be explored.Read moreRead less
The Role of Naturalism in Ontology and Scientific Methodology. Naturalism is the philosophical doctrine perhaps best described as a respect for the methods of the natural sciences. Although most contemporary philosophers would describe themselves as naturalists, exactly how this important doctrine is spelled out is a matter of much controversy. What is more, many substantial issues in both philosophy of science and in metaphysics depend crucially on how we understand naturalism. This project ....The Role of Naturalism in Ontology and Scientific Methodology. Naturalism is the philosophical doctrine perhaps best described as a respect for the methods of the natural sciences. Although most contemporary philosophers would describe themselves as naturalists, exactly how this important doctrine is spelled out is a matter of much controversy. What is more, many substantial issues in both philosophy of science and in metaphysics depend crucially on how we understand naturalism. This project will investigate the various conceptions of naturalism, looking at both their motivations and their implications for philosophy and scientific and mathematical methodology.Read moreRead less
OPTIMISATION OF COMPACT BOILING HEAT EXCHANGERS USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK. Compact heat exchangers are increasingly considered for duties in many industrial applications, involving phase change processes of boiling and condensation. In many cases such applications are completely new and no previous experience or information is available for constructive design of compact heat exchangers. This project aims to develop a commercially-viable design methodology that will be innovative and novel ....OPTIMISATION OF COMPACT BOILING HEAT EXCHANGERS USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK. Compact heat exchangers are increasingly considered for duties in many industrial applications, involving phase change processes of boiling and condensation. In many cases such applications are completely new and no previous experience or information is available for constructive design of compact heat exchangers. This project aims to develop a commercially-viable design methodology that will be innovative and novel with in mind of robust and speedy computations of key design parameters of compact boiling heat exchangers through the artificial neural networks (ANN) model and maintaining the inherent accuracy associated with the solutions of the boiling flow and heat transfer processes from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and validated using experimental data. It will provide a cutting edge to the Industry Partner to compete successfully on the local and global market fronts in designing and manufacturing compact boiling heat exchangers.Read moreRead less
Causes that make a difference: A philosophical theory of token-causation. Discussions of causation in philosophy and other disciplines raise matters of practical concern: for example, about how to improve causal explanations in economics, how to devise better ways of testing causal hypotheses in medicine, and how to automate procedures for discovering causal relations in agriculture. By clarifying the structure of causal concepts, the project will help in the efforts to address these problems, a ....Causes that make a difference: A philosophical theory of token-causation. Discussions of causation in philosophy and other disciplines raise matters of practical concern: for example, about how to improve causal explanations in economics, how to devise better ways of testing causal hypotheses in medicine, and how to automate procedures for discovering causal relations in agriculture. By clarifying the structure of causal concepts, the project will help in the efforts to address these problems, and so contribute indirectly to the national benefits that will accrue from solving them. A central aim of the project is to train several PhD students, the next generation of researchers, in this important field of enquiry.Read moreRead less
An Integrated Bridge Monitoring System Based on the GPS and Pseudolite Technologies. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology can be used for precise deflection measurement of manmade structures such as buildings, bridges, etc. When integrated with additional signals from pseudolites (PL) that transmit GPS-like signals, changes in the height(s) of the monitored point(s) can be measured to millimetre accuracy. In collaboration with University of Nottingham researchers, a bridge structure in the ....An Integrated Bridge Monitoring System Based on the GPS and Pseudolite Technologies. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology can be used for precise deflection measurement of manmade structures such as buildings, bridges, etc. When integrated with additional signals from pseudolites (PL) that transmit GPS-like signals, changes in the height(s) of the monitored point(s) can be measured to millimetre accuracy. In collaboration with University of Nottingham researchers, a bridge structure in the U.K. will be used as a testbed, and will be the first time that PLs have been used for such an application. The expected outcomes include a suite of deformation monitoring algorithms capable of online analysis of the combined GPS-PL outputs.Read moreRead less
The Identification and Development of Strategies for Increasing Engineering Enrolments. There is a continuing nation-wide decline in high school student enrolment in higher level mathematics and science. This is already leading to a reduction in the number of students undertaking university engineering programs in Australia and the situation is expected to worsen. This project is directed toward a better understanding of the reasons for the trend and the development of strategies to reverse it. ....The Identification and Development of Strategies for Increasing Engineering Enrolments. There is a continuing nation-wide decline in high school student enrolment in higher level mathematics and science. This is already leading to a reduction in the number of students undertaking university engineering programs in Australia and the situation is expected to worsen. This project is directed toward a better understanding of the reasons for the trend and the development of strategies to reverse it. It aims to 1. Evaluate the most effective strategies that increase student's interests and understanding of engineering and increase participation in engineering studies. 2. Develop an optimised national communication strategy for promoting engineering studies to secondary students.Read moreRead less
Mathematics, the science of real structure: an Australian realist philosophy of mathematics. The project will strengthen the already strong Australian philosophical tradition of realism, extending it into philosophy of mathematics. It will develop a robust alternative to the nominalism, Platonism and idealism that dominate northern-hemisphere philosophizing about mathematics, an alternative that is in tune with how mathematicians really apply mathematics. Australian philosophy will thus be stren ....Mathematics, the science of real structure: an Australian realist philosophy of mathematics. The project will strengthen the already strong Australian philosophical tradition of realism, extending it into philosophy of mathematics. It will develop a robust alternative to the nominalism, Platonism and idealism that dominate northern-hemisphere philosophizing about mathematics, an alternative that is in tune with how mathematicians really apply mathematics. Australian philosophy will thus be strengthened in general, giving it a greater attractiveness to the many overseas visitors and students who already appreciate its unique strengths. The nature of the project will also lead to closer ties and interdisciplinary work between philosophers and mathematicians.
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Advanced computational techniques for micro/nano multiscale systems of NEMS/BioMEMS. The outcome of this project will have the following benefits to Australia.
1) It will improve the research level in the area of multiscale simulation of NEMS/BioMEMS;
2) The project will be beneficial to possibly establish new industries in the areas of nanotechnology as well as to make good use of today's microelectronics, mircofabrication and computer technology that have already established in Australia;
....Advanced computational techniques for micro/nano multiscale systems of NEMS/BioMEMS. The outcome of this project will have the following benefits to Australia.
1) It will improve the research level in the area of multiscale simulation of NEMS/BioMEMS;
2) The project will be beneficial to possibly establish new industries in the areas of nanotechnology as well as to make good use of today's microelectronics, mircofabrication and computer technology that have already established in Australia;
3) The manpower trained by this project in the areas of multi-scale simulation of MEMS/NEMS/BioMEMS will provide a crucial support for the future industry of Australia.
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Contemporary scientific explanations of religion: A methodological and philosophical analysis. The idea that religion is an evolved feature of human nature plays a key role in the ongoing culture war between those critical of some aspects of the scientific worldview, especially the theory of evolution, and those who take it upon themselves to defend science against the perceived threat of religion, notably the so-called 'new atheist' media stars. Analysing the philosophical and methodological is ....Contemporary scientific explanations of religion: A methodological and philosophical analysis. The idea that religion is an evolved feature of human nature plays a key role in the ongoing culture war between those critical of some aspects of the scientific worldview, especially the theory of evolution, and those who take it upon themselves to defend science against the perceived threat of religion, notably the so-called 'new atheist' media stars. Analysing the philosophical and methodological issues raised by naturalistic explanations of religion will clarify the potential relationships between science and religion in a pluralist and predominantly secularist society like Australia in which the claims of science are accorded a special authority.Read moreRead less