Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH130200012
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,748,358.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). This Research Hub aims to undertake simultaneous modelling of deep Earth and surface processes, spanning basin scales to individual sediment grains. The Hub will develop and apply cutting-edge basin simulation approaches to transform the seeding and testing of basin exploration models, extending their viability to complex, ....ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). ARC Research Hub for Basin GEodyNamics and Evolution of SedImentary Systems (GENESIS). This Research Hub aims to undertake simultaneous modelling of deep Earth and surface processes, spanning basin scales to individual sediment grains. The Hub will develop and apply cutting-edge basin simulation approaches to transform the seeding and testing of basin exploration models, extending their viability to complex, inaccessible remote and deep exploration targets. The Hub will fuse multidimensional data into five dimensional basin models (space and time, with uncertainty estimates) by coupling the evolution of mantle flow, crustal deformation, erosion and sedimentary processes, achieving a quantum leap in basin modelling and petroleum systems analysis.Read moreRead less
Integrated dynamic models of subduction initiation, slab evolution, arc - back-arc deformation and mantle convection. A major debate in plate tectonics concerns the driving mechanism for formation of extensional back-arc basins in the overriding plate along a convergent tectonic boundary, where a subducting plate is thrust into the mantle underneath an overriding plate. One hypothesis states that such extension results from sinking and rollback of the subducting plate. The physical validity of t ....Integrated dynamic models of subduction initiation, slab evolution, arc - back-arc deformation and mantle convection. A major debate in plate tectonics concerns the driving mechanism for formation of extensional back-arc basins in the overriding plate along a convergent tectonic boundary, where a subducting plate is thrust into the mantle underneath an overriding plate. One hypothesis states that such extension results from sinking and rollback of the subducting plate. The physical validity of this hypothesis will be tested using both laboratory and numerical modelling techniques. The modelling will investigate overriding plate - subducting plate - mantle interaction in three-dimensional space and quantify the role of key physical parameters on the subduction process.Read moreRead less
Confined comminution and particle flow: a general model for large-scale canonical solutions. The project integrates recent advances in continuum mechanics to develop a novel theory of comminution for large-scale problems of grain-size reduction, beyond the reach of particle-based simulations. We will deliver new knowledge and predictive tools by solving fundamental and significant comminution problems. Underpinning this development will be a direct link between energy and particle kinematics. Th ....Confined comminution and particle flow: a general model for large-scale canonical solutions. The project integrates recent advances in continuum mechanics to develop a novel theory of comminution for large-scale problems of grain-size reduction, beyond the reach of particle-based simulations. We will deliver new knowledge and predictive tools by solving fundamental and significant comminution problems. Underpinning this development will be a direct link between energy and particle kinematics. This unique methodology will enable the prediction of energy flow in fault zones, and energy losses from machine to particle and between particles.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100058
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,000.00
Summary
Three dimensionally compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar . 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar: The 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar allows determination of the dynamic mechanical properties and fracturing behaviour of materials under such confinement. Understanding material behaviour under dynamic loading is essential in dealing with many engineering problems as excavation, fragmentation, earthquake, blasting, and structure design. In geotechnical and structure projects, materi ....Three dimensionally compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar . 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar: The 3D compressed and monitored Hopkinson bar allows determination of the dynamic mechanical properties and fracturing behaviour of materials under such confinement. Understanding material behaviour under dynamic loading is essential in dealing with many engineering problems as excavation, fragmentation, earthquake, blasting, and structure design. In geotechnical and structure projects, materials are often subjected to existing confining stresses. The full-field optical techniques, with an ultra-high speed and resolution camera in the system, aims to assist the quantitative measurement of deformation fields including small strain induced in brittle material's failure and identification of constitutive parameters.Read moreRead less
A study of high temperature transformation of oil shale - In-situ mineral reactions and structure analysis. In the current energy market, non-traditional fuels like oil shale are becoming more economically important. Australia has >33 billion tonnes of oil shales resources with potential for >1800 million tonnes of recoverable oil. This potential multi-billion dollar industry depends upon development of an efficient technology leading to economical oil production and much cleaner organic liquid ....A study of high temperature transformation of oil shale - In-situ mineral reactions and structure analysis. In the current energy market, non-traditional fuels like oil shale are becoming more economically important. Australia has >33 billion tonnes of oil shales resources with potential for >1800 million tonnes of recoverable oil. This potential multi-billion dollar industry depends upon development of an efficient technology leading to economical oil production and much cleaner organic liquid fuels. Retorting and combustion, which are core parts of oil shale conversion technology, would benefit from improved process conditions. This research proposal intends to investigate the in-situ complex oil shale thermal conversion reactions that occur during the retorting and combustion processes. Improved understanding of these complex reactions could lead to substantial economic and environmental improvements in oil shale processing.Read moreRead less
Development of a Trickle Filter for Treating Sour Water from Oil Shale Processing Plants. Oil is extracted from oil shale by pyrolysing pre-dried crushed shale. Despite drying , the shale retains a residual moisture level of approximately 5% which ultimately ends up as an aqueous phase in the condensate stream from the pyrolysis process. This aqueous phase, know as sour water, contains a range of organic compounds, including carboxylic acids, nitorgen heterocyclics and ketones. This aim of thi ....Development of a Trickle Filter for Treating Sour Water from Oil Shale Processing Plants. Oil is extracted from oil shale by pyrolysing pre-dried crushed shale. Despite drying , the shale retains a residual moisture level of approximately 5% which ultimately ends up as an aqueous phase in the condensate stream from the pyrolysis process. This aqueous phase, know as sour water, contains a range of organic compounds, including carboxylic acids, nitorgen heterocyclics and ketones. This aim of this proposal is to develop trickle filters to treat the sour water. The biofilms that develop in trickle filters are ideal for supporting slow growing microbial species. Research is needed to transfer native microorganisms in the oil shale desposit to the durable gravels that will be used in the filter.Read moreRead less
Low Temperature Catlytic Wet Oxidation of Organics from Strippped Sour Water. The commercialisation of a ~$3billion Australian oil shale industry heavily depends upon environmental sustainability of its technology. One key environmental issue of this technology is a need to remove organics from an aqueous industrial stream (stripped sour water). This proposal aims to develop a method based on catalytic wet oxidation for removing organics from stripped sour water. Research will be focused to deve ....Low Temperature Catlytic Wet Oxidation of Organics from Strippped Sour Water. The commercialisation of a ~$3billion Australian oil shale industry heavily depends upon environmental sustainability of its technology. One key environmental issue of this technology is a need to remove organics from an aqueous industrial stream (stripped sour water). This proposal aims to develop a method based on catalytic wet oxidation for removing organics from stripped sour water. Research will be focused to develop and study potential catalytic systems to lower the activation energy of the rate-determining step and to increase the rate of organics oxidation. The development of such a method would be a substantial technology achievement with many applications in pollution control for wastewater treatment in many other industries.Read moreRead less
Novel technology for enhanced coal seam gas production utilising mechanisms of stimulated cleat permeability through graded particle injection. This cross-disciplinary project will develop a new integrated technology for well productivity enhancement in coal seam gas, shale, tight gas and geothermal reservoirs - the world’s fastest growing unconventional clean energy resources. It will improve our understanding of the multi scale physics of natural gas and energy production.
Multiphysics instabilities during diagenesis of shale gas reservoirs. This project aims to understand the formation, geometry and fluid connectivity of unconventional high-temperature and high pressure shale gas reservoirs using volumetric instabilities of ductile materials. Unconventional shale gas/oil are the most abundant fossil fuel resources on Earth, but are inaccessible to conventional techniques. This project will investigate the mechanisms, critical parameters and applicability of the t ....Multiphysics instabilities during diagenesis of shale gas reservoirs. This project aims to understand the formation, geometry and fluid connectivity of unconventional high-temperature and high pressure shale gas reservoirs using volumetric instabilities of ductile materials. Unconventional shale gas/oil are the most abundant fossil fuel resources on Earth, but are inaccessible to conventional techniques. This project will investigate the mechanisms, critical parameters and applicability of the theory to unconventional reservoirs. It will do so by testing the theory under controlled laboratory experiments, fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) modelling and analytical modelling. The outcomes should allow a rigorous assessment of the potential of unconventional reservoirs under Australia’s extreme conditions.Read moreRead less
Quantification of Multiphysics phenomena of Gas flow in organic rich shales. We address the scientific question of the nature of gas extraction from nominally impermeable rocks such as shales. Our main aim is to develop a fully coupled microstructurally enriched thermodynamic continuum model to predict the Multiphysics behaviour of shale reservoirs during gas production and verify the model with representative experiments conducted on formations from three Australian Basins including Cooper, Per ....Quantification of Multiphysics phenomena of Gas flow in organic rich shales. We address the scientific question of the nature of gas extraction from nominally impermeable rocks such as shales. Our main aim is to develop a fully coupled microstructurally enriched thermodynamic continuum model to predict the Multiphysics behaviour of shale reservoirs during gas production and verify the model with representative experiments conducted on formations from three Australian Basins including Cooper, Perth and Beetaloo, where the samples are available to the investigators. We approach this problem in a hybrid theoretical-numerical-experimental study. This is the first international attempt to develop such experimentally verified thermodynamic based model, particularly for Australian shales.Read moreRead less