Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH230100011
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,955,854.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Underutilised Carbon Waste. This Hub aims to advance upcycling technologies and associated regulatory and social engagement for processing underutilised carbon waste within Australia. Its anticipated goal is to deliver value-added products, and improved technology readiness levels for full exploitation of carbon wastes from agriculture, tyres and plastics. It will also train a large talent pool providing interdisciplinary knowledge and entrepreneuri ....ARC Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Underutilised Carbon Waste. This Hub aims to advance upcycling technologies and associated regulatory and social engagement for processing underutilised carbon waste within Australia. Its anticipated goal is to deliver value-added products, and improved technology readiness levels for full exploitation of carbon wastes from agriculture, tyres and plastics. It will also train a large talent pool providing interdisciplinary knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for post-hub commercialisation. The Hub will benefit rural Australia by transforming local job markets and manufacturing capability. Ultimately, this Hub will make a significant contribution towards achieving Australia’s National Waste Action Plan goal by 2030, and a circular economy for a sustainable future. Read moreRead less
Unlocking mine waste potential: carbon sequestration and metals extraction. This project aims to systematically investigate a proof-of-concept engineering process for transforming mine waste into value. The research will develop and employ state-of-the-art tools to advance our knowledge of efficiently sequestering carbon dioxide using ultramafic nickel mine tailings, while also enabling the extraction of critical metals—particularly nickel—and the production of value-added products, such as high ....Unlocking mine waste potential: carbon sequestration and metals extraction. This project aims to systematically investigate a proof-of-concept engineering process for transforming mine waste into value. The research will develop and employ state-of-the-art tools to advance our knowledge of efficiently sequestering carbon dioxide using ultramafic nickel mine tailings, while also enabling the extraction of critical metals—particularly nickel—and the production of value-added products, such as high-purity magnesium carbonate hydrate and silica. Successful outcomes from this research will provide benefits for mitigating global warming, supplying critical metals for renewable energy technologies, and facilitating the transition of Australia's mining industry towards sustainability.Read moreRead less
On-line monitoring of cyanobacteria to predict coagulant doses and powdered activated carbon application in water treatment. Cyanobacteria, more commonly known as blue-green algae, can impact water quality by releasing toxins that can be harmful to human health and imparting unpleasant taste and odours to the water. This project will support the water industry in managing these risks by providing a rapid, on-line tool to assist in their removal during water treatment.
Mitigating the risk of cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater ponds. Cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater treatment plants impact on effluent quality and the utility of recycled water, posing a significant risk to the economy, the environment and public health. To understand the causes of cyanobacterial blooms in pond-based wastewater treatment plants and the risk they pose, this project will use the latest molecular techniques to examine how the microbial communities within these systems interact w ....Mitigating the risk of cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater ponds. Cyanobacterial blooms in wastewater treatment plants impact on effluent quality and the utility of recycled water, posing a significant risk to the economy, the environment and public health. To understand the causes of cyanobacterial blooms in pond-based wastewater treatment plants and the risk they pose, this project will use the latest molecular techniques to examine how the microbial communities within these systems interact with each other and their surrounding environment to form blooms and produce toxins and other harmful metabolites. Such knowledge will inform risk assessment and provide strategies for the mitigation of future bloom events, improving the security of our increasingly valuable recycled water resources.Read moreRead less
Fate of PAPs and short-chain PFAS in biosolids amended soils. Biosolids generated during wastewater treatment contain PFAS which are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. Application of biosolids to agricultural land may result in soil, groundwater and surface water PFAS contamination via leaching and run-off and pose unknown potential risk to soil health, crops and beneficial biota. This study aims to generate novel knowledge on the PFAS fate in biosolid amended soils, crops and toxicity to ke ....Fate of PAPs and short-chain PFAS in biosolids amended soils. Biosolids generated during wastewater treatment contain PFAS which are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. Application of biosolids to agricultural land may result in soil, groundwater and surface water PFAS contamination via leaching and run-off and pose unknown potential risk to soil health, crops and beneficial biota. This study aims to generate novel knowledge on the PFAS fate in biosolid amended soils, crops and toxicity to key soil and aquatic biota at environmentally relevant concentrations. This study is supported by Australian water and its allied industries, as it is important for them to ensure that biosolids application to agricultural land is an environmentally sustainable solution to the Australian farmers and communities.Read moreRead less
Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures. This project aims to reduce risk in the mining industry from failing mine tailings by producing a methodology for predicting the susceptibility of these tailings to static liquefaction. The impact of a mine tailing failure is catastrophic to the downstream community. The project brings together a number of industry partners committed to assisting with verification and adoption of characterisation and designed tools develop ....Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures. This project aims to reduce risk in the mining industry from failing mine tailings by producing a methodology for predicting the susceptibility of these tailings to static liquefaction. The impact of a mine tailing failure is catastrophic to the downstream community. The project brings together a number of industry partners committed to assisting with verification and adoption of characterisation and designed tools development in this project. This proposal will integrate results from laboratory element, centrifuge and calibration chamber tests with numerical modelling and in-situ tests to produce a methodology for predicting the susceptibility to static liquefaction.Read moreRead less
Multi-scale modeling of transport through deformable porous materials. Understanding solute transport through porous materials is essential because it provides a technical basis for answering many important questions in society today-how can humans avoid 'brittle bones', how to design durable infrastructure, how to safely store wastes (e.g. hazardous and municipal). Solution of each of these problems requires innovation in model development, new method of analysis, and insightful interpretation ....Multi-scale modeling of transport through deformable porous materials. Understanding solute transport through porous materials is essential because it provides a technical basis for answering many important questions in society today-how can humans avoid 'brittle bones', how to design durable infrastructure, how to safely store wastes (e.g. hazardous and municipal). Solution of each of these problems requires innovation in model development, new method of analysis, and insightful interpretation of results. While theoretical developments of this project are general, in the sense that they are not restricted to particular engineering disciplines, the four chosen applications closely align with two major research priorities namely An Environmental Sustainable Australia and Promoting and Maintaining Good Health.Read moreRead less
Hydrogen carbon waste into concrete: AI assisted nanoscience approach. The carbon waste from hydrogen production will be converted into carbon nanosheets on abundant construction materials for the creation of stronger and more durable concrete. Cutting-edge nanoscience-based experiments, as well as sophisticated modelling techniques including machine learning and finite element modelling, will be employed. The findings will drive advances in clean hydrogen production, carbon waste utilisation, c ....Hydrogen carbon waste into concrete: AI assisted nanoscience approach. The carbon waste from hydrogen production will be converted into carbon nanosheets on abundant construction materials for the creation of stronger and more durable concrete. Cutting-edge nanoscience-based experiments, as well as sophisticated modelling techniques including machine learning and finite element modelling, will be employed. The findings will drive advances in clean hydrogen production, carbon waste utilisation, cement hydration, nanotechnology and concrete technology for the next generation of an upskilled workforce and the promotion of a circular economy. This project will be carried out in collaboration with Australian and international renowned experts in computational modelling, nanomaterials and concrete materials.Read moreRead less
Differential solidification of steel slag to create a fertiliser co-product. The project aims to develop a process to separate phosphorus from steelmaking slag while the slag is still molten. Changing iron ore grades in Australia, especially increasing phosphorus content, places Australian iron ore products at a competitive disadvantage and attracts a significant financial penalty. The separation process is intended to facilitate recycling of an iron rich stream within the steelworks and product ....Differential solidification of steel slag to create a fertiliser co-product. The project aims to develop a process to separate phosphorus from steelmaking slag while the slag is still molten. Changing iron ore grades in Australia, especially increasing phosphorus content, places Australian iron ore products at a competitive disadvantage and attracts a significant financial penalty. The separation process is intended to facilitate recycling of an iron rich stream within the steelworks and production of a phosphorus rich co-product for agriculture. Benefits are anticipated to include increased utilisation of steel slag, creation of a valuable fertiliser co-product, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and a reduction in the penalty applied to Australian iron ores.Read moreRead less
Fume resistant explosives for critical areas. Fume resistant explosives for critical areas. This project aims to understand how a new explosive works and how it can be used in critical areas. This ammonium nitrate (AN) emulsion explosive provides excellent resistance against emissions of mono-nitrogen oxide (NOx) fumes. This project will investigate physical and chemical parameters of the key emulsion components and formulate new blends for higher-strength applications. This project will researc ....Fume resistant explosives for critical areas. Fume resistant explosives for critical areas. This project aims to understand how a new explosive works and how it can be used in critical areas. This ammonium nitrate (AN) emulsion explosive provides excellent resistance against emissions of mono-nitrogen oxide (NOx) fumes. This project will investigate physical and chemical parameters of the key emulsion components and formulate new blends for higher-strength applications. This project will research the surface burning process of AN prills and other materials to understand possible NOx production and mitigation pathways. The results from the project are expected to overcome the limitations of the new technology, and make Australian industries more competitive.Read moreRead less