The Role of Energy Absorbing Rubber Grid on Ballast Track Performance. Breakage and excessive displacement of ballast lead to instability and regular maintenance of railways. The project aims to study the fundamental mechanics of ballast aggregates interacting with the apertures of recycled-Rubber Energy Absorbing Grids (REAG). The role of REAG on enhanced track performance by damping the cyclic wheel loading and impact will be quantified via rigorous mathematical methods complementing a compute ....The Role of Energy Absorbing Rubber Grid on Ballast Track Performance. Breakage and excessive displacement of ballast lead to instability and regular maintenance of railways. The project aims to study the fundamental mechanics of ballast aggregates interacting with the apertures of recycled-Rubber Energy Absorbing Grids (REAG). The role of REAG on enhanced track performance by damping the cyclic wheel loading and impact will be quantified via rigorous mathematical methods complementing a computer-based numerical model and validated by laboratory & field data. When placed within the rail substructure REAG will enable reduced ballast movement and breakage while attenuating noise/vibration. The research outputs will facilitate improved rail track design enabling enhanced longevity and reduced cost of maintenance.Read moreRead less
High-Grade CO2 Concrete for Low Life-Cycle Costing and Emissions. This proposal solves Australia’s concrete-waste-storage problems, and lowers the life-cycle costs and greenhouse-gas emissions by creating CO2 Concrete as a world-first material for high-grade applications. Using an automation system with high-tech software, innovative mixing techniques are proposed to maximise bonding at interfacial transition zones, strengthening CO2 Concrete's quality. The new material CO2 Concrete is created, ....High-Grade CO2 Concrete for Low Life-Cycle Costing and Emissions. This proposal solves Australia’s concrete-waste-storage problems, and lowers the life-cycle costs and greenhouse-gas emissions by creating CO2 Concrete as a world-first material for high-grade applications. Using an automation system with high-tech software, innovative mixing techniques are proposed to maximise bonding at interfacial transition zones, strengthening CO2 Concrete's quality. The new material CO2 Concrete is created, whose strength and durability are comparable to virgin concrete's, leading to new CO2-Concrete specifications for trials in the construction industry. This diversifies the construction industry, reduces landfill area, greening up Australia on a global scale.Read moreRead less
Maximising Bioenergy Recovery from Sewage Sludge. Sewage treatment is producing large amounts of sewage sludge, which represents a substantial, but largely untapped, energy source. This project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, economically attractive and environmentally friendly technology, and the underpinning science, to maximize bioenergy recovery from sewage sludge. The technology is based on the treatment of sludge using free ammonia, a by-product of sewage treatment. This pro ....Maximising Bioenergy Recovery from Sewage Sludge. Sewage treatment is producing large amounts of sewage sludge, which represents a substantial, but largely untapped, energy source. This project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, economically attractive and environmentally friendly technology, and the underpinning science, to maximize bioenergy recovery from sewage sludge. The technology is based on the treatment of sludge using free ammonia, a by-product of sewage treatment. This project is expected to benefit Australia by substantially reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating a shift to affordable renewable energy. The outcomes of the project would provide significant energy, economic, environmental and social benefits for Australians. Read moreRead less
Overcoming microplastics induced inhibition on waste-to-energy conversion . This project aims to develop an innovative technology and the underpinning science to achieve stable and efficient mitigation of emerging microplastics induced inhibition that is becoming a key barrier hindering waste-to-energy conversion in anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a low-cost technology widely used to divert sewage sludge to renewable energy production. However, the increasing levels of microplastics ....Overcoming microplastics induced inhibition on waste-to-energy conversion . This project aims to develop an innovative technology and the underpinning science to achieve stable and efficient mitigation of emerging microplastics induced inhibition that is becoming a key barrier hindering waste-to-energy conversion in anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a low-cost technology widely used to divert sewage sludge to renewable energy production. However, the increasing levels of microplastics captured in sludge leads to low methane yield and process failure due to their small size and specific characteristics. The outcome of the project will remove the emerging barrier to enhance energy recovery that can be applied in existing anaerobic digestion infrastructure for addressing Australia’s increasing energy demand.Read moreRead less
Long-term chemically induced crumbling of unsaturated brittle geomaterials. This project will investigate the crumbling of geomaterials such as soil and rock by analysing the microscopic mechanisms controlling their deterioration in acidic water. The project will help predict weathering processes using an experimentally validated theory and innovative pore-scale numerical simulations. Expected outcomes include a detailed knowledge of the multi-scale interactions between brittle geomaterials and ....Long-term chemically induced crumbling of unsaturated brittle geomaterials. This project will investigate the crumbling of geomaterials such as soil and rock by analysing the microscopic mechanisms controlling their deterioration in acidic water. The project will help predict weathering processes using an experimentally validated theory and innovative pore-scale numerical simulations. Expected outcomes include a detailed knowledge of the multi-scale interactions between brittle geomaterials and acidic water, leading to accurate forecasts of the long-term response of large-scale geotechnical structures. This project should provide significant benefits by improving soil management for mining remediation, increasing carbon dioxide storage efficiency, and preventing the deterioration of tailings dams.Read moreRead less
A Green and Fire-resistant Magnesium Oxychloride Cementitious Composite . This project aims to develop a novel and green fibre reinforced magnesium oxychloride cementitious composite with durability and resilience for buildings subject to fire/bushfire attack via well-integrated multiscale numerical and experimental studies. This enhances integrity and safety of buildings and increases the energy efficiency for buildings. The project will significantly advance the research and application of gre ....A Green and Fire-resistant Magnesium Oxychloride Cementitious Composite . This project aims to develop a novel and green fibre reinforced magnesium oxychloride cementitious composite with durability and resilience for buildings subject to fire/bushfire attack via well-integrated multiscale numerical and experimental studies. This enhances integrity and safety of buildings and increases the energy efficiency for buildings. The project will significantly advance the research and application of green cement, and find a solution for recycle and reuse a large amount of waste/industry by-products in construction towards circular economy. The research outcomes are innovative material, models, experiment technology and modelling methods, with significant impact and benefits to environment, economy and society. Read moreRead less
Flame stabilisation and structure in axially staged combustion. We aim to improve fundamental understanding of flame stabilisation and structure in conditions relevant to axially staged combustion employed in gas turbines, in which an initial ultra-lean premixed stage is followed by a short residence time stage at higher equivalence ratios. This concept enables high turbine entry temperatures and thus high efficiency while limiting emissions of nitrogen oxides, and, importantly, enables improved ....Flame stabilisation and structure in axially staged combustion. We aim to improve fundamental understanding of flame stabilisation and structure in conditions relevant to axially staged combustion employed in gas turbines, in which an initial ultra-lean premixed stage is followed by a short residence time stage at higher equivalence ratios. This concept enables high turbine entry temperatures and thus high efficiency while limiting emissions of nitrogen oxides, and, importantly, enables improved operational flexibility in turndown and in burning fuels with different reactivities, such as hydrogen. This project will apply large-scale direct numerical simulations to advance fundamental understanding of this unusual combustion mode, and develop practical models able to predict its behaviour.Read moreRead less
Tandem Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 to High Value Hydrocarbon Products. Converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into hydrocarbon products is ideal for combating anthropogenic emissions whilst reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Despite the significant advantages, CO2 valorisation is hindered by barriers such as high energy requirements and low-value products (methane and carbon monoxide). This project will establish a sustainable approach to CO2 valorisation using a unique tandem solar-driven hie ....Tandem Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 to High Value Hydrocarbon Products. Converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into hydrocarbon products is ideal for combating anthropogenic emissions whilst reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Despite the significant advantages, CO2 valorisation is hindered by barriers such as high energy requirements and low-value products (methane and carbon monoxide). This project will establish a sustainable approach to CO2 valorisation using a unique tandem solar-driven hierarchical catalyst array to offset energy requirements and directly yield high-value hydrocarbon products, such as ethane (C2H6) and ethanol (CH3CH2OH), from captured CO2.Read moreRead less
Advanced chemical recycling of mixed plastics for monomer recovery. This project aims to develop innovative catalytic routes to the chemical recycling of mixed plastics for recovery of their molecular building blocks. Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to the Australian ecosystem. Efficient recycling technologies are urgently needed as Australia only recycles ~4% of its 3.4 million tons of mixed waste plastics. This project expects to design highly efficient catalysts for the stepwise ....Advanced chemical recycling of mixed plastics for monomer recovery. This project aims to develop innovative catalytic routes to the chemical recycling of mixed plastics for recovery of their molecular building blocks. Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to the Australian ecosystem. Efficient recycling technologies are urgently needed as Australia only recycles ~4% of its 3.4 million tons of mixed waste plastics. This project expects to design highly efficient catalysts for the stepwise breakdown of mixed polyolefin plastics into monomers for the subsequent manufacturing of virgin plastics in a circular economy, and to elucidate fundamental underpinning reaction mechanisms. Outcomes will stimulate the Australian waste plastic recycling industry, and minimise plastic accumulation in the environment.Read moreRead less
Understanding combustion in gasoline compression ignition conditions. This project aims to provide the first fundamental-level understanding of the processes of ignition, combustion, and pollutant formation relevant to a new, highly efficient combustion mode known as gasoline compression ignition (GCI). This project aims to provide information using a unique combination of direct numerical simulations, advanced transported probability density function modelling and a suite of laser measurements ....Understanding combustion in gasoline compression ignition conditions. This project aims to provide the first fundamental-level understanding of the processes of ignition, combustion, and pollutant formation relevant to a new, highly efficient combustion mode known as gasoline compression ignition (GCI). This project aims to provide information using a unique combination of direct numerical simulations, advanced transported probability density function modelling and a suite of laser measurements in a high-pressure combustion chamber. GCI engines have significant potential to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions harmful to health and the environment. The outcomes from this project will lead to accelerated development of the GCI engine, and more optimal GCI solutions to be found.Read moreRead less