Optimal Ethylene Oxide Manufacturing via Advanced Process Modelling and Control. This project aims at improving plant efficiency and safety to a world's best level for the Ethylene Oxide (EO) plant of Huntsman Corporation Australia (HCA). EO is a key chemical intermediate for making polyesters (clothing, PET bottles, insulation) and surfactants. To remain globally competitive, it is essential to improve the efficiency of the plant, which has a small capacity and supports important Australian mar ....Optimal Ethylene Oxide Manufacturing via Advanced Process Modelling and Control. This project aims at improving plant efficiency and safety to a world's best level for the Ethylene Oxide (EO) plant of Huntsman Corporation Australia (HCA). EO is a key chemical intermediate for making polyesters (clothing, PET bottles, insulation) and surfactants. To remain globally competitive, it is essential to improve the efficiency of the plant, which has a small capacity and supports important Australian markets. The goals will be achieved by developing advanced operational and control strategies (through computer modeling, process optimisation and intelligent systems approach), which will assist in better understanding the process and in providing optimal HCA plant operation.Read moreRead less
An Intelligent/Smart Framework for Total Process Monitoring And Supervision. Operator failures have an adverse effect on product quality, process safety, occupational health and environmental impact. The management of abnormal operating conditions is a major responsibility and depends critically on information management. A recent report indicates that the total cost attributable to preventable losses in petrochemical companies in U.S. amounts to twenty billion dollars per year. The objective o ....An Intelligent/Smart Framework for Total Process Monitoring And Supervision. Operator failures have an adverse effect on product quality, process safety, occupational health and environmental impact. The management of abnormal operating conditions is a major responsibility and depends critically on information management. A recent report indicates that the total cost attributable to preventable losses in petrochemical companies in U.S. amounts to twenty billion dollars per year. The objective of this project is to develop the theoretical framework and implementation of an Advanced Integrated Support System (ISS) for process monitoring, data analysis and interpretation, event detection and diagnosis, and operations support in chemical and petrochemical processes manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Process for treatment of fluorine-containing synthetic greenhouse gases. It is generally agreed that increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are leading to higher average atmospheric temperatures. This research pursues the development of an energy-efficient, non-destructive process for transforming fluorine-containing greenhouse gases (GHGs) into valuable and environmentally benign products. The application of research will lead to the development of a new non-destructive proce ....Process for treatment of fluorine-containing synthetic greenhouse gases. It is generally agreed that increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are leading to higher average atmospheric temperatures. This research pursues the development of an energy-efficient, non-destructive process for transforming fluorine-containing greenhouse gases (GHGs) into valuable and environmentally benign products. The application of research will lead to the development of a new non-destructive process and will benefit Australia, socially by reducing emission of GHGs and thus protecting the environment, and economically through licensing of the technology for treatment of the growing stockpiles of synthetic GHGs.
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Clean technologies for the synthesis and purification of a biohybrid and biodegradable polymer. The project aims to transform an Australian industry in the forefront of the global market for manufacturing biodegradable polymers and boost export earnings derived from CO2 based biohybrid polymers. The project will develop cost-effective and clean methods for processing CO2 based polymers and demonstrate its potential for packaging and biomedical applications.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101618
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$389,000.00
Summary
Tailoring multifunctional single site catalysts for carbon dioxide conversion. This project aims to develop multifunctional single site catalysts and collaborative surface sites to complete multi-step reactions using carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation to higher alcohols with enhanced selectivity for large-chain alcohols. CO2 is an abundant and renewable carbon source for use as a feedstock, and closing the carbon cycle in an energy efficient manner has the potential for significant environmental ....Tailoring multifunctional single site catalysts for carbon dioxide conversion. This project aims to develop multifunctional single site catalysts and collaborative surface sites to complete multi-step reactions using carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation to higher alcohols with enhanced selectivity for large-chain alcohols. CO2 is an abundant and renewable carbon source for use as a feedstock, and closing the carbon cycle in an energy efficient manner has the potential for significant environmental benefits. The project is expected to advance the knowledge in rational design of new catalysts for CO2 conversion and understanding the catalyst structure-property induced reaction mechanism. This will result in an improved understanding of the reaction kinetics of utilising CO2 as a feedstock.Read moreRead less
Characterisation of Pyrolytic Thermal Regions in Coal Macerals using Computer Aided Thermal Analysis. The research will assist in the fundamental understanding of coal pyrolysis mechanisms. All coal contains proportions of different fossilised plant material, which behaves differently when heated. This proposal studies thermal behaviour of the density separated fractions in Australian coals using a highly sensitive technique. The characterisation adds value and use to current coal reserves and ....Characterisation of Pyrolytic Thermal Regions in Coal Macerals using Computer Aided Thermal Analysis. The research will assist in the fundamental understanding of coal pyrolysis mechanisms. All coal contains proportions of different fossilised plant material, which behaves differently when heated. This proposal studies thermal behaviour of the density separated fractions in Australian coals using a highly sensitive technique. The characterisation adds value and use to current coal reserves and is aimed towards producing an advanced modelling capability to promote efficient coal usage in existing and future technologies. Such innovative approaches support the sustainability of Australian coal reserves, particularly in the transition towards decarbonised energy.Read moreRead less
Scaleable Microstructured Chemical Process Systems. This project seeks to revolutionize the way bulk chemicals are made industrially. By combining highly integrated process designs, with profound process intensification, we will create the basis for chemical process technology that is efficient and economical at relatively small scale. This development will reinvigorate the Australian chemical industry, with enormous benefits to the country in terms of improved security of supply of chemicals an ....Scaleable Microstructured Chemical Process Systems. This project seeks to revolutionize the way bulk chemicals are made industrially. By combining highly integrated process designs, with profound process intensification, we will create the basis for chemical process technology that is efficient and economical at relatively small scale. This development will reinvigorate the Australian chemical industry, with enormous benefits to the country in terms of improved security of supply of chemicals and fuels and reduced trade deficit. This new type of plant will be scaleable and without the technical risk normally associated with plant scale-up. At the smallest scale, it will be mobile and able to utilise remote and dispersed feedstocks such as stranded natural gas, coal bed methane, or biogas. Read moreRead less
Unsteady-State Operation of Slurry and Fixed-Bed Fischer-Tropsch Reactors for Improved Process Performance. The development of efficient gas-to-liquid processes via the Fischer-Tropsch reaction is the most economically viable route for the production of non-petroleum based chemicals and environmentally-friendly fuels from abundant natural gas. This investigation proposes the exploitation of both reactor and catalyst dynamics behaviour to obtain higher hydrocarbon synthesis rate and selectivity n ....Unsteady-State Operation of Slurry and Fixed-Bed Fischer-Tropsch Reactors for Improved Process Performance. The development of efficient gas-to-liquid processes via the Fischer-Tropsch reaction is the most economically viable route for the production of non-petroleum based chemicals and environmentally-friendly fuels from abundant natural gas. This investigation proposes the exploitation of both reactor and catalyst dynamics behaviour to obtain higher hydrocarbon synthesis rate and selectivity not attainable under conventional steady-state operation. With current market conditions of about US$30/bbl for crude oil, even modest process improvements of 30-60% will make the process competitive. Whilst individual national energy policy goals are promoted, the research will further strengthen closer economic and technology ties between France and Australia.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560662
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$204,157.00
Summary
Flow Diagnostics Facility for Microstructured Systems. This Project will establish Australia's only world-class facility for the interrogation of steady and fluctuating flows in microstructured components, enabling detailed characterisation of the flow patterns and velocities that occur in single phase and multiphase flows in miniature devices. Such devices are currently being developed by the Chief Investigators in the area of microreactor technology and chemical process intensification, in mic ....Flow Diagnostics Facility for Microstructured Systems. This Project will establish Australia's only world-class facility for the interrogation of steady and fluctuating flows in microstructured components, enabling detailed characterisation of the flow patterns and velocities that occur in single phase and multiphase flows in miniature devices. Such devices are currently being developed by the Chief Investigators in the area of microreactor technology and chemical process intensification, in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and in high efficiency membrane separation systems. The new Facility will enable them and others to enhance their research through visualisation and quantification of flow behaviour at the scale of a few micrometres.Read moreRead less
Novel Metal Carbide Catalysts For Gas-To-Liquid Conversion Processes. The development of efficient gas-to-liquid fuels processes is driven by the availability of abundant natural gas reserves and environmental advantages of synthetic liquid fuels. In this study, a new molybdenum-tungsten carbide catalyst that with excellent performance but 80 times cheaper than noble metal catalysts is proposed. It is especially attractive for industrial applications because it can be used for steam reforming of ....Novel Metal Carbide Catalysts For Gas-To-Liquid Conversion Processes. The development of efficient gas-to-liquid fuels processes is driven by the availability of abundant natural gas reserves and environmental advantages of synthetic liquid fuels. In this study, a new molybdenum-tungsten carbide catalyst that with excellent performance but 80 times cheaper than noble metal catalysts is proposed. It is especially attractive for industrial applications because it can be used for steam reforming of natural gas to synthesis gas, and subsequent conversion to gasoline. This represents huge cost savings in catalyst and energetically-efficient reactors in the global petrochemical industry where millions of dollars are spent annually on catalyst improvement and rehabilitation.Read moreRead less