Dehumidification and cooling driven by solar/waste heat using liquid desiccants. The provision of comfort cooling is responsible for a considerable and increasing portion of the world energy demand and electricity peak demand. To substitute electrically driven vapour compression machines with their high electrical energy consumption and especially high peak loads, the use of solar energy or waste heat for a cooling and dehumidification system driven by liquid desiccants is a promising opportunit ....Dehumidification and cooling driven by solar/waste heat using liquid desiccants. The provision of comfort cooling is responsible for a considerable and increasing portion of the world energy demand and electricity peak demand. To substitute electrically driven vapour compression machines with their high electrical energy consumption and especially high peak loads, the use of solar energy or waste heat for a cooling and dehumidification system driven by liquid desiccants is a promising opportunity. The project utilises the complementary strengths in the research groups to develop practical and economically feasible cooling/dehumidification systems for different types of buildings with different moisture removal and cooling requirements at different locations (Australia, Southern Europe).Read moreRead less
New understanding and models for two-phase solar thermal particle receivers. The project aims to provide the new understanding of, and computational design tools for, next generation solar thermal particle receivers and their hybrids. Particle receivers, which heat fine particles in suspension, offer much greater efficiency than current tubular receivers, but are presently unreliable due to the poor understanding of the complex and coupled mechanisms that govern their performance. The results ar ....New understanding and models for two-phase solar thermal particle receivers. The project aims to provide the new understanding of, and computational design tools for, next generation solar thermal particle receivers and their hybrids. Particle receivers, which heat fine particles in suspension, offer much greater efficiency than current tubular receivers, but are presently unreliable due to the poor understanding of the complex and coupled mechanisms that govern their performance. The results are expected to speed up the development and roll-out of these devices, to deliver cost-effective, low-emissions energy technologies for future power generation and thermo-chemical processes. The aims will be met by the parallel application of advanced laser diagnostic measurements and computational fluid dynamics modelling techniques.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453629
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$322,077.00
Summary
Integrated Combustion Research Facility for Biomass Derived Fuels. Bio-mass derived fuels are gaining in importance because they can contribute to solving the problems arising from the world wide decline in the reserve to production ratio of crude oil, the emission of greenhouse gases and energy security. In Australia they can also assist in mitigating dry-land salinity by increasing the viability of large-scale plantation of locally indigenous trees. However significant technical and political ....Integrated Combustion Research Facility for Biomass Derived Fuels. Bio-mass derived fuels are gaining in importance because they can contribute to solving the problems arising from the world wide decline in the reserve to production ratio of crude oil, the emission of greenhouse gases and energy security. In Australia they can also assist in mitigating dry-land salinity by increasing the viability of large-scale plantation of locally indigenous trees. However significant technical and political issues remain to be addressed before this potential can be realised. The Integrated Combustion Research Facility for Biomass Derived Fuels to be established by this grant will provide the necessary infrastructure to address these issues.Read moreRead less
Investigation of the coupled dependence of concentrated solar radiation and combustion in a novel solar hybrid technology. The project will develop the models necessary for the optimisation of a novel solar-combustion hybrid technology and a novel heat exchanger component. It will deliver a solar thermal technology that lowers the cost of solar energy with immediate potential in off-grid sites, such as in remote mines, in Australia and throughout the world.
Quantification of heat release, NOx emissions and soot from high temperature gaseous flames. The ongoing importance of Australia's minerals processing sector depends on advanced combustion technology to minimise the emission of NOx and other greenhouse gases. The heat release and NOx emissions from the high temperature flames used in such processes is known to depend strongly on the presence of soot. However their optimisation and design is limited by a lack of fundamental data under relevant c ....Quantification of heat release, NOx emissions and soot from high temperature gaseous flames. The ongoing importance of Australia's minerals processing sector depends on advanced combustion technology to minimise the emission of NOx and other greenhouse gases. The heat release and NOx emissions from the high temperature flames used in such processes is known to depend strongly on the presence of soot. However their optimisation and design is limited by a lack of fundamental data under relevant conditions. To address this need, new measurements and analysis will be performed to quantify the complex relationship between turbulent mixing, soot formation, heat release and NOx emissions under high temperature conditions of both fundamental and practical significance.
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Heat transfer in novel solar thermal reactors to process minerals and solar fuels. The project will develop new design tools for optimising novel solar reactors for the production of solar fuels and for low emission minerals processing. It will enable substantial cost reductions in these technologies and establish a unique and leading program in solar power tower technology within Australia.
A theoretical investigation into the effect of nonlinear wave interactions in promoting transition-to-turbulence. The problem of transition-to-turbulence remains one of the fundamental unanswered questions in fluid dynamics. An understanding of the processes leading to transition is necessary if the active control of turbulence is to be achieved. This project will focus attention on a new class of waves, which have only recently been described the CI, in order to determine how they are triggered ....A theoretical investigation into the effect of nonlinear wave interactions in promoting transition-to-turbulence. The problem of transition-to-turbulence remains one of the fundamental unanswered questions in fluid dynamics. An understanding of the processes leading to transition is necessary if the active control of turbulence is to be achieved. This project will focus attention on a new class of waves, which have only recently been described the CI, in order to determine how they are triggered and how they may serve to actively promote the early development of turbulence in a broad class of fluid flows.Read moreRead less
The effect of diffusive mass transfer on interfacial fluid instabilities. A wide variety of industrial and physiological fluid flows fall into the general class of two-layer fluids wherein a fluid of one density/viscosity flows over another of a different density/viscosity. Such flows can ultimately become turbulent (that is, chaotic) through the growth of small background disturbances. An understanding of this process is important in controlling fluid dynamical mixing. This project will conside ....The effect of diffusive mass transfer on interfacial fluid instabilities. A wide variety of industrial and physiological fluid flows fall into the general class of two-layer fluids wherein a fluid of one density/viscosity flows over another of a different density/viscosity. Such flows can ultimately become turbulent (that is, chaotic) through the growth of small background disturbances. An understanding of this process is important in controlling fluid dynamical mixing. This project will consider two layer flows in the case when diffusive mass transfer acts at the fluid interface with the aim of determining how diffusion affects the process of transition-to-turbulence.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101293
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Nanoporous Iron-Based Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting. This project aims to develop high-performance water splitting devices based on nanoporous iron-based oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. The devices, which will produce hydrogen to relieve the energy shortage in Australia, can be powered by photovoltaic and wind-generated electricity or directly use solar energy. The development of new energy materials that can be used to make renewable and clean fuels from abundant and ....Nanoporous Iron-Based Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting. This project aims to develop high-performance water splitting devices based on nanoporous iron-based oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. The devices, which will produce hydrogen to relieve the energy shortage in Australia, can be powered by photovoltaic and wind-generated electricity or directly use solar energy. The development of new energy materials that can be used to make renewable and clean fuels from abundant and easily accessible resources is among the most challenging and demanding tasks today. The combination of iron doping and nanoporous structure are intended to improve both the intrinsic and extrinsic catalytic activities of the electrocatalysts to be developed in the project.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101306
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,000.00
Summary
Porous Metal Phosphonate Ion Exchange Membranes for Redox Flow Batteries. The high-performance storage and utilisation of renewable energy, such as solar and wind energy, will provide a direct response to Australia's energy and climate issues. This project aims to develop porous metal phosphonate ion exchange membranes, which can be used in the redox flow battery, one of the most powerful, large-scale energy storage devices, with large capacity, high efficiency, long life and low cost. The proje ....Porous Metal Phosphonate Ion Exchange Membranes for Redox Flow Batteries. The high-performance storage and utilisation of renewable energy, such as solar and wind energy, will provide a direct response to Australia's energy and climate issues. This project aims to develop porous metal phosphonate ion exchange membranes, which can be used in the redox flow battery, one of the most powerful, large-scale energy storage devices, with large capacity, high efficiency, long life and low cost. The project aims to improve the overall performance and fabrication of redox flow batteries, promote capacity and efficiency, and reduce the cost of renewable energy storage thereby benefiting the Australian economy and environment.Read moreRead less