Synthesis of oligomers in dense carbon dioxide. The aim of the project is to develop a novel technique for the synthesis of low molecular weight polymers (oligomers) using dense carbon dioxide as a polymerisation solvent. The use of elevated pressure is the major impediment to the commercialisation of such technology. The technique proposed in this project will enable oligomers to be produced at greatly reduced operating pressures and may lead to a more general procedure for conducting other t ....Synthesis of oligomers in dense carbon dioxide. The aim of the project is to develop a novel technique for the synthesis of low molecular weight polymers (oligomers) using dense carbon dioxide as a polymerisation solvent. The use of elevated pressure is the major impediment to the commercialisation of such technology. The technique proposed in this project will enable oligomers to be produced at greatly reduced operating pressures and may lead to a more general procedure for conducting other types of polymer synthesis in dense carbon dioxide.Read moreRead less
Catalytic conversion of Australia's natural gas to value added products. While natural gas (of which methane is the primary component) is an abundant source of energy, it is normally found in remote areas and for its successful exploitation it needs to be processed. The processing usually requires significant energy and resources input. In this project we will develop a fundamental understanding to a single step catalytic process that can utilise natural gas and nitrous oxide (both potent greenh ....Catalytic conversion of Australia's natural gas to value added products. While natural gas (of which methane is the primary component) is an abundant source of energy, it is normally found in remote areas and for its successful exploitation it needs to be processed. The processing usually requires significant energy and resources input. In this project we will develop a fundamental understanding to a single step catalytic process that can utilise natural gas and nitrous oxide (both potent greenhouse gases) and oxygen to produce selectively methanol and hydrocarbons from a natural gas feedstream in a controlled manner. A single step process for natural gas conversion utilising waste green-house gases is expected to be of great benefit to the Australian economy, environment and energy securityRead moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100211
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,000.00
Summary
3D Gamma Ray Tomography for Multiphase Flow Characterisation. We will establish a new tomographic facility which will allow a greater insight on the flows in industrial multiphase equipment which have opaque containers. The facility will provide a platform for Australian researchers to conduct fundamental research on complex flows, particularly those encountered in our mineral processing industry.
Data-based Control of Process Feature Dynamics through Latent Behaviours. This project aims to develop a novel data-based approach to control the feature dynamics of complex industrial processes. The dynamic features of desired process operations (leading to high energy and material efficiencies and good product quality) are often not directly measured but can be distilled from high-dimensional big process data. However, little effort has been made to develop process control approaches to achiev ....Data-based Control of Process Feature Dynamics through Latent Behaviours. This project aims to develop a novel data-based approach to control the feature dynamics of complex industrial processes. The dynamic features of desired process operations (leading to high energy and material efficiencies and good product quality) are often not directly measured but can be distilled from high-dimensional big process data. However, little effort has been made to develop process control approaches to achieve desired dynamic features. This project aims to develop such a data-based approach by controlling latent variable dynamics, using the behavioural systems framework integrated with big data analytics and artificial neural networks. The outcomes are expected to help build a cornerstone for future smart manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Particle motion and particle-convective heat transfer near the walls of fluidized beds. Background: Fluidized bed technology has important industrial applications ranging from petrol production to mineral processing for metal production. Such processes take advantage of the high rates of heat transfer in gas-fluidized beds.
Objective of project: To improve understanding and modelling of heat transfer in gas fluidized beds through the application of state-of-the-art experimental (Positron Emiss ....Particle motion and particle-convective heat transfer near the walls of fluidized beds. Background: Fluidized bed technology has important industrial applications ranging from petrol production to mineral processing for metal production. Such processes take advantage of the high rates of heat transfer in gas-fluidized beds.
Objective of project: To improve understanding and modelling of heat transfer in gas fluidized beds through the application of state-of-the-art experimental (Positron Emission Particle Tracking) and modelling (Discrete Element Method simulation) techniques.
Expected outcomes of project: New knowledge of the mechanisms of fluidized bed heat transfer. Improved the prediction of heat transfer coefficients with consequent improvements in the design and operation of fluidized bed processes.
Read moreRead less
An Integrated Framework for Optimisation and Control of Key Product Properties in Emulsion Polymerisation. Emulsion polymerization is of major industrial importance. In addition to process efficiency, the use of water as the reactor medium provides environmental benefits. This proposal is aimed at building an integrated framework to analyse, model, control and optimise emulsion polymerisation systems in order to understand, design and operate such complex systems to obtain desired polymer produc ....An Integrated Framework for Optimisation and Control of Key Product Properties in Emulsion Polymerisation. Emulsion polymerization is of major industrial importance. In addition to process efficiency, the use of water as the reactor medium provides environmental benefits. This proposal is aimed at building an integrated framework to analyse, model, control and optimise emulsion polymerisation systems in order to understand, design and operate such complex systems to obtain desired polymer product characteristics. Complex kinetic, transport and evolution equations will be analysed and solved for predicting and controlling key product properties. This project will provide not only a significant advance in fundamental knowledge of polymerisation systems but will also enable production of cost-effective ?designer polymers? for a wide-range of applications.Read moreRead less
Improving performance of solvent extraction equipment for the minerals processing industry. This project will develop a fundamental understanding of how a new type of solvent extraction column, which was recently introduced to the mining industry, responds to changes in process conditions and operating parameters. This will enable the potential for optimal and efficient use of these assets and ensure a competitive advantage for Australia's biggest export earner.
The elutriation of ultrafine particles according to their density. This study is concerned with exploiting a new and powerful mechanism for separating particles according to their density, with strong potential for recovering and concentrating tens of billions of dollars worth of valuable minerals annually. By coupling the new separation mechanism with a centrifugal force it should be possible to apply gravity separation technology, arguably for the first time, to the recovery of ultrafine parti ....The elutriation of ultrafine particles according to their density. This study is concerned with exploiting a new and powerful mechanism for separating particles according to their density, with strong potential for recovering and concentrating tens of billions of dollars worth of valuable minerals annually. By coupling the new separation mechanism with a centrifugal force it should be possible to apply gravity separation technology, arguably for the first time, to the recovery of ultrafine particles from 200 microns to well below 10 microns, at high separation efficiency, and high feed rates. This study is also ideal for training new researchers, especially at the PhD level, in an area of importance to Australia's economic future. Read moreRead less
Carbon-Supported Iron Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO. Nitric oxide (NO) is a major pollutant from combustion systems. This project aims to develop cost-effective and environmentally benign zerovalent iron catalysts supported on carbon material for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO using CO and unburned hydrocarbons as in-situ reductants. By applying differential reactor experimentation, kinetic modelling and advanced material characterisation techniques, the research w ....Carbon-Supported Iron Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO. Nitric oxide (NO) is a major pollutant from combustion systems. This project aims to develop cost-effective and environmentally benign zerovalent iron catalysts supported on carbon material for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO using CO and unburned hydrocarbons as in-situ reductants. By applying differential reactor experimentation, kinetic modelling and advanced material characterisation techniques, the research will unravel complex relationships among catalyst structural features and activity, NO reduction mechanisms, and catalyst performance under practically relevant combustion conditions that underpin the development of an effective yet affordable SCR technology to control NO emission from industrial utilities and automobiles.Read moreRead less
Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based ....Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based waste (including food, garden, paper, and wood) and fossil-fuel derived materials (plastics). Using an innovative and environmentally-sustainable catalytic process, the outcomes of this project are aimed alleviating Australia’s dependence on diesel fuel imports and better waste management solutions in Australia.Read moreRead less