Thermal stratification, overturning and mixing in riverine environments. Thermal stratification is common in Australia's rivers due to our hot, drought-prone climate and high human demands relative to available supply, which has led to a significant reduction in flows relative to natural levels. Thermal stratification inhibits mixing, creating stagnant conditions characterised by low oxygen levels and increased concentrations of contaminants, leading to algal blooms, fish kills and systemic dama ....Thermal stratification, overturning and mixing in riverine environments. Thermal stratification is common in Australia's rivers due to our hot, drought-prone climate and high human demands relative to available supply, which has led to a significant reduction in flows relative to natural levels. Thermal stratification inhibits mixing, creating stagnant conditions characterised by low oxygen levels and increased concentrations of contaminants, leading to algal blooms, fish kills and systemic damage to ecosystems. The aim of this project is to develop predictive models for the effects of physical processes such as night-time cooling, wind, turbulence and currents on riverine thermal stratification. This is expected to enable a more accurate determination of the flow rates required to maintain the health of our river systems.Read moreRead less
Tree water use, bushfires, and the implications for urban and rural water supplies. After bushfires, regrowing trees in catchments may use water much faster than before the fire. This project will develop simple tests for whether this is the case for a particular area of forest, and why, and how such effects can be incorporated in planning for rural and urban water supplies.
Bubble clouds in ocean waves. This project aims to predict the behaviour of bubble clouds in ocean waves. Bubble clouds are used in Europe to shield marine mammals from the dangerous noise of offshore wind-turbine construction, but would be dispersed by Australia's ocean swell and turbulence; and unlike in Europe, Australia's offshore-wind sites are frequented by endangered whales. Bubble clouds from breaking waves may also dissolve up to third of humanity's carbon in the ocean. Experiments and ....Bubble clouds in ocean waves. This project aims to predict the behaviour of bubble clouds in ocean waves. Bubble clouds are used in Europe to shield marine mammals from the dangerous noise of offshore wind-turbine construction, but would be dispersed by Australia's ocean swell and turbulence; and unlike in Europe, Australia's offshore-wind sites are frequented by endangered whales. Bubble clouds from breaking waves may also dissolve up to third of humanity's carbon in the ocean. Experiments and coordinated numerical simulations would predict the displacement and dispersion of bubbles in oceanic conditions. Experiments and simulations would then predict the acoustic behaviour of bubble clouds. This outcome would benefit new offshore-wind industries and climate science.Read moreRead less
A study of China’s south to north water transfer project. This project aims to investigate the motives, processes, and socio-political and hydrological consequences of the South-North Water Transfer (SNWT) in China, the world’s largest inter-basin water network. It connects four major river basins, six provinces, three megacities and over 700 million people. This project will analyse the SNWT's governance regime; its effects on local and regional flows of water, money, people, pollutants, produc ....A study of China’s south to north water transfer project. This project aims to investigate the motives, processes, and socio-political and hydrological consequences of the South-North Water Transfer (SNWT) in China, the world’s largest inter-basin water network. It connects four major river basins, six provinces, three megacities and over 700 million people. This project will analyse the SNWT's governance regime; its effects on local and regional flows of water, money, people, pollutants, production and political authority; and the interactions between these systemic and local changes. This project expects to produce knowledge about the politics of vast technologies, and the management of inter-basin water schemes in Australia and globally.Read moreRead less
Methodologies for resolving high Rayleigh number transitions in convection and elucidating instabilities in polar vortices. This project will develop new methods for modeling complex rotating convection flows such as polar vortices found in the Antarctic atmosphere. This work has the potential to provide insight into important physical processes impacting Australian and global weather patterns, which is crucial for understanding the evolution of our climate.
Understanding and modifying vortex structures in wind turbine wakes. At a fundamental research level, Australia's active participation in this area of national priority and research strength will be advanced through our published research, which will increase our understanding of wind turbine wakes and their effects in wind farms. This understanding will then be used to produce improved methods of predicting wind turbine performance. Such methods are needed by wind energy designers to produce b ....Understanding and modifying vortex structures in wind turbine wakes. At a fundamental research level, Australia's active participation in this area of national priority and research strength will be advanced through our published research, which will increase our understanding of wind turbine wakes and their effects in wind farms. This understanding will then be used to produce improved methods of predicting wind turbine performance. Such methods are needed by wind energy designers to produce better wind farms. It will also be used to recommend how to improve the aerodynamic design of turbine components, such as the blades and hub. Numerical tools will be developed for industry use, and training will be provided to personnel, thereby increasing the capabilities of Australia's growing wind energy industry.Read moreRead less
Carbon in a Bubble: Cavitation in Ionic Liquids. This project aims to investigate the potential of pressure-driven phase change as an energy-efficient mechanism for removing dissolved gases from low melting point salts, by advancing understanding of the cavitation behaviour of ionic liquids. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of fluid mechanics through an innovative combination of advanced computational simulations and synchrotron X-ray measurement techniques developed by ....Carbon in a Bubble: Cavitation in Ionic Liquids. This project aims to investigate the potential of pressure-driven phase change as an energy-efficient mechanism for removing dissolved gases from low melting point salts, by advancing understanding of the cavitation behaviour of ionic liquids. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of fluid mechanics through an innovative combination of advanced computational simulations and synchrotron X-ray measurement techniques developed by the investigators. Expected outcomes of this project include expanded understanding of the physics of ionic liquids, and the ability to engineer more efficient gas separation systems. The project aims to benefit the chemical and energy sectors through improved energy efficiency.Read moreRead less
Tracking flood waters over Australia using space gravity data. This project aims to assess the utility of near-real-time data from the currently operating space gravity satellite mission to quantify and track flood waters in Australia. Through analysis of the satellite data and fusion of observed signals with rainfall, river flows and conventional hydrological modelling, it expects to create new knowledge of soil moisture and movement of flood waters. Expected outcomes include a capability to im ....Tracking flood waters over Australia using space gravity data. This project aims to assess the utility of near-real-time data from the currently operating space gravity satellite mission to quantify and track flood waters in Australia. Through analysis of the satellite data and fusion of observed signals with rainfall, river flows and conventional hydrological modelling, it expects to create new knowledge of soil moisture and movement of flood waters. Expected outcomes include a capability to improve hydrological models by including the information of water signals obtained from the near-real-time observations. This should provide significant benefits such as more accurate land saturation maps and better predictions of runoff and flood risk.Read moreRead less
The fluid mechanics of dynamically constricted tubes in pulsatile flow. This project is aimed at advancing the fundamental understanding of flow instability, the transition to turbulence and the effect on wall shear stress, in a dynamically constricted tube flow. The project will provide the first accurately resolved experimental flow analysis, using tomographic particle imaging velocimetry and 3D laser doppler anemometry, conducted on a novel experimental model, and will resolve, for the first ....The fluid mechanics of dynamically constricted tubes in pulsatile flow. This project is aimed at advancing the fundamental understanding of flow instability, the transition to turbulence and the effect on wall shear stress, in a dynamically constricted tube flow. The project will provide the first accurately resolved experimental flow analysis, using tomographic particle imaging velocimetry and 3D laser doppler anemometry, conducted on a novel experimental model, and will resolve, for the first time, turbulence characteristics of the dynamic constriction, using direct numerical simulation with a novel moving boundary implementation. The outcomes will provide the key link between fluid mechanics and wall shear stress, allowing future progress to be made in elucidating the causes of cardiovascular disease.
Read moreRead less
Dynamics of Suppressed Mixing Regimes in Australian Rivers. This study aims to further the fundamental science of turbulent mixing in the context of flow in Australian rivers. The focus is on prolonged low flow conditions which when coupled with warm surface temperatures cause the water column to become thermally stratified which then suppresses turbulent mixing. The extreme scale of the river systems has made investigating the true dynamics of the strongly stratified mixing regimes particularly ....Dynamics of Suppressed Mixing Regimes in Australian Rivers. This study aims to further the fundamental science of turbulent mixing in the context of flow in Australian rivers. The focus is on prolonged low flow conditions which when coupled with warm surface temperatures cause the water column to become thermally stratified which then suppresses turbulent mixing. The extreme scale of the river systems has made investigating the true dynamics of the strongly stratified mixing regimes particularly challenging. By taking world first in-situ measurements of turbulent mixing and undertaking high resolution numerical simulations this study will provide definitive data which will allow correct characterization of the mixing regimes and how they are associated with river flow conditions.Read moreRead less