Future Energy and Resources (Past Projects)

Hydrogen is a promising new sustainable fuel, as burning hydrogen only produces water. However, many current methods of producing hydrogen require fossil fuels and produce greenhouse gases. In our project we work on a system that can use solar energy to produce hydrogen from water. We make tiny particles out of cutting-edge carbon-based semiconductors. These particles absorb visible light and convert the energy of the light to electrical charge, which is used to split water, producing hydrogen. These particles are catalysts, which means that they aren't used up during the reaction and can be used over and over. In our project, we use lasers to understanding the conversion of light to electrical charge inside these particles, so that we can improve their performance towards commercial viability.

Group members

• Jessica de la Perrelle
• Andrew Dolan
• Zi Goh
• Harrison McAfee

Concrete is at the core of civil construction across almost all infrastructure, being the second most produced and used resource on Earth. The production phase of concrete alone, contributes upwards of 6% of all carbon dioxide emitted directly through human activities. A renewable form of concrete known as “Geopolymer concrete” has shown to be an innovative solution to this environmental problem. Geopolymer concrete is manufactured through chemical reactions with inorganic molecules such as fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast slag (GGBS) and metakaolin. Since the materials used for manufacturing geopolymer concrete are industrial waste products, carbon dioxide production can be significantly minimised. This project focuses on investigating the material and structural behaviour of Ultra High Performance Geopolymer Concrete (UHPGC). Using structural analysis software – ‘Abaqus’ – simulations were conducted to assess the suitability of UHPGC for offshore wind turbine construction.

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Group members

• Daniel Morbidelli
• Benjamin Cirocco
• John Palumbo
• Zenith Hales
• John Metevelis

Renewable energy will be the energy source of the future, but how do we store it? Traditional lithium-ion batteries can be expensive and scale poorly. Using renewable energy to power the production of hydrogen through water electrolysis is a promising alternative to traditional batteries. This would effectively give us the ability to store renewable energy in the form of green hydrogen gas. There has been significant research and development made in hydrogen production through the electrolysis of freshwater. However, fresh water is scarce and highly essential for use in other sectors. Therefore, there is rapidly growing interest in generating hydrogen gas from the electrolysis of seawater. Seawater is readily available and highly abundant, meaning it could help reduce the costs associated with hydrogen production. However, the complexity of seawater electrolyses far surpasses that of freshwater due to the presence of various anions and cations. Therefore, material simulation software PWmat was utilised to simulate the various cathode materials and measure their effectiveness at producing hydrogen.

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Group member

• Louis Covington

Completed work consists of the artificial cores being 3D printed from modelling six stacked layers all with straight vertical and horizontal holes through them to simulate rock characteristics like porosity and permeability. This project aimed to address a limitation of previous work done in this area by including more complex fluid flow paths within the 3D printed artificial cores which in general better represents porous media. A sub-goal of this work was to increase confidence of the resultant permeability of the artificial cores prior to 3D printing. MATLAB and Autodesk Inventor was used to generate fractal points and model the artificial cores, respectively.

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Group members

• Faisal Wael Y Aldulaijan
• Matthew Steed

Low-cost hydrogen (H2) production with minimal greenhouse gas emissions is required to move the energy sector away from CO2 intensive fossil fuels. Methane Pyrolysis in molten metal bubble column reactors (MMBCR) is a process in which methane gas is dispersed as bubbles into a bath of liquid metal, where the methane bubbles separate into H2 and carbon as they rise has been found to be a competing technology to produce hydrogen. In order to become a marketable alternative, the gas-liquid interaction needs to be well-understood as the performance significantly depends on the interaction of methane bubbles and the liquid metal. The aim of this project is to develop and evaluate a method for measuring the amount of gas present in liquid metal, known as gas hold-up. An experimental test-rig was designed and tested to measure the expansion of liquid volume in the reactor and compared with existing methods.

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Group members

• Jedidiah Kurtzer
• Annie Nguyen
• Kim Quaghebeur

Enhanced Oil Recovery operations are techniques used to increase the amount of crude oil that can be extracted from an oil reservoir beyond what can be achieved using natural pressure and water flooding recovery methods. Due to the lack of available technology, a vast portion of oil is left underground which even exceeds half of the amount of petroleum initially in place. Among all EOR techniques, gas injection, including CO2 flooding, is the dominant process thanks to the adequate reservoir pressure and availability of CO2.

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Group members

• Jeng Christer Wong
• Tuan Dung Pham

This project will investigate the techno-economic feasibility of renewable power generation in the Northern Territory. Motivated through the Northern Territory's global positioning and abundance of natural resources, the project focuses on site selection and hybrid renewable resource analysis. Extensive literature has been reviewed to inform a multi-criteria site selection methodology and guide further work into applying renewable energy generation analysis and models to the Northern Territory. This analysis includes considering characteristics of the region, including the climate, topography, and other exclusion and assessment criteria specific to different renewable energy types. Current progress includes a preliminary desktop assessment of the Northern Territory using a multi-criteria analysis based on the reviewed literature with a Northern Territory focus, utilising open-source data and GIS software. Based on this assessment, sites have been selected for the generation of solar, wind, ocean, and pumped hydro power, with the goal of optimising the amount of energy generated and the levelised cost of energy. Further work will be completed in investigating the specific uses of the generated power and their requirements to refine the optimisation of hybrid generation scenarios. This will be completed by developing a model to assess the techno-economic feasibility of different renewable energy configurations on the sites selected. The results of this analysis will provide an important foundation for the Northern Territory to unlock its clean energy potential, as the world transitions to a renewable energy powered future.

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Group members

• Lucy Avard
• Daniel Belperio
• Emily Osborne
• Samuel Schultz

We all use electricity every day, but sometimes it can get a little wild and change too fast. This can cause problems, like lights flickering or devices not working well. We wanted to solve this and make electricity safer for everyone, without spending a lot of money. So, we made something called an "inexpensive RoCoF Detector." It's like a tiny electric superhero that watches over the power and makes sure it behaves nicely. We used a small computer called a "microcontroller" and a smart technique called "Direct Quadrature Demodulation" to build our superhero. Our superhero detector listens to the electricity and tells us if it's changing too fast. It's like having a super-quick referee for the power game! Our project is all about making electricity safer for you and me, and we did it without breaking the bank.

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Group members

• Qiujin Zong
• Lushi Li

In 2019, the aircraft industry alone produced 920 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. That’s a lot. This contributes significantly to the global warming effect and hence the  climate change effect. At full capacity, a Boeing 737-400 has a fuel capacity of 16,140kg carrying about 200 passengers. Now we can’t completely get rid of gas run engines on all aircraft. But we can start somewhere. Our project is to replace the standard jet engine with small electric motors (with propellers). The outcome of this project is to create a wing section and test distributed electric propulsion so we can minimise the use of petrol run engines and aircraft. The distributed electric propulsion means that electric motors and propellers are placed along the length/span of the aircraft to improve take off and landing performance. The physical testing will be done by a wind tunnel.

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Group members

• Muhammad Rabay
• Mahmad Ouban

Nowadays, CO2 emissions had made a significant impact not only on the human being environment but also on the natural surroundings. This gas is contributed mainly to the greenhouse gas which lead to the global climate change. To be more specific, the concentration of CO2 has already reached 417 ppm in May 2020 on our atmosphere (Navarro-Jaén, 2021). One of the best strategies to reduce that huge amount of CO2 exists is producing Methanol (CH3OH). Methanol has a numerous industrial application, but traditional methods such as heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation, as well as enzymatic catalysis, photocatalysis are still too expensive. Therefore, electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to CH3OH is auspicious. However, most of the electrocatalysts are running low in selectivity for Methanol. Hence, it is necessary to deeply explore the reaction mechanism of CO2 reduction to methanol as well as the design and development of efficient electrocatalysts for methanol generation.

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Group member

• Thanh Nguyen Phuc Nguyen

The principle of solvent extraction lies at the forefront of many metals extraction and purification process. This technique involves mixing the aqueous phase containing metal salt with an organic phase containing an extraction agent (scavenger). However, the large consumption of organic solvent is not environmentally friendly concerning safety and toxicity during usage and storage. A seek for an environmentally friendly solvent and technology switch is important in the hydrometallurgy industry. As an alternative for conventional solvent, eutectic solvents with their excellent properties as high tunability of their physicochemical properties may overcome the shortcoming of organic solvents. Comparing to other designer solvents, eutectic solvents are significantly cheaper easy to produce. Especially with recent discovery of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADEs), eutectic solvents have become greener and far more biocompatible. 

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Group members

• Duc Tuan Dat Nguyen
• Faradibah Gurdev

With the rise of electric vehicles taking over Australia's roads, it is reported that approximately 6.3% of car owners in Australia own an electric vehicle. While electric vehicles are considered to be the a "green" solution for greenhouse gas emissions when compared to traditional fuel powered vehicles, there is a lack of discussion regarding the recovery of spent LIBs. DES, a mixture of chlorine chloride and an organic acid. The organic acid acts as a reducing agent which allows the rare metals in LIBs to oxidise and leach out into the solvent which then can be recovered by using an anti-solvent for selective precipitation. Hence, this research focuses on utilising different molar ratios of chlorine chloride, organic acids and the use of different anti-solvents to determine the best leaching and recovery efficiency.

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Group member

• Kye Leon Wong 

The aims of this project to add improvement to Line of Sight (LoS) communication by aligning pan-tilt mechanisms with advanced algorithms. It is like making two robot friends who can always find and turn to facing at each other in the field. Using MATLAB, CAD, and 3D printing, a robust system was equipped with cameras and LED light patterns to stabilize the LoS link between stations. The mechanism leverages rough GPS data to start the auto-align, ensuring reliable communication. Tested in a lab environment, our solution is optimized for quick alignment, promising advances in aerospace, defence, and disaster management. 

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Group member

• Mengyuan Li

With increasing pressure on the energy industry to transition to renewable energy sources, the increased likelihood of a transition from Gas to Hydrogen is becoming more apparent. With hydrogen production not being limited by deposits like gas, there will no longer be a need to transport gas over vast distances via transmission pipelines. This implies that such a transition will result in thousands of kilometres of gas transmission pipelines needing to be decommissioned. 

This project aims at exploring the implications of utilising these pipelines as hydrogen storage tanks. However, the varying gas demand and hence, flow rate implies that there will be significant pressure fluctuations within the pipelines. This project analysed the fatigue life of a pipeline storage vessel as it undergoes cyclical pressure loading by means of a computational model. Further to this, the effects of various defects were also analysed allowing for increased maintenance and lifecycle assessment. 

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Group members

• Luke Allen
• Matthew Draper
• Lewis Blazincic
• Yannik Hansen

The World Solar Challenge is a prestigious race spanning from Darwin to Adelaide. The length of the race is over 3000 Kilometres and must be completed using only power generated from the solar panels on Adelaide University's Lumen II solar car. The harsh environment and endurance style race leaves a heavy reliance on the aerodynamics to reduce the required amount of work on the car and improve aerodynamic efficiency. The design process of aerodynamic improvements is assisted using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Using CFD software such as ANSYS provides its own challenges to overcome in modelling the correct turbulence, ensuring the model is as accurate as possible as well as visualising the data and getting meaningful results. These results can then be used in conjunction with physical testing to maximise the reliability and effectiveness of aerodynamic improvements.

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Group members

• Declan Redden
• Henry Watson
• Brayden Walden

How to race using sunshine:

As the energy requirements and the greenhouse gas emissions of the world increase exponentially every year, the search for a cleaner and greener energy source becomes more important. One of the largest clean energy sources is solar power. The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) is a 3000km race from Darwin to Adelaide, where the cars are fully electric with the only allowed energy source being the sun, collected through solar panels on the roof of the car. The mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering students from the University of Adelaide have designed and built a solar race car, “Lumen II,” to compete in the most difficult class in the BWSC: The “Challenger” class. This project is specifically focusing on the design of the battery system of Lumen II. Competing in the BWSC drives innovation in the world of solar power and solar powered vehicles.

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Group members

• Ruby Allen
• Junhui Li
• Adam Palkovics
• Bojun Wu

This mechanical engineering project is aimed at delivering an improvement in the safety systems installed into the University of Adelaide 'Lumen II' solar car in preparation for its entry into the 2023 World Solar Challenge. The project primarily targets the roll hoop, brakes and seatbelt of the solar car. Testing and verification of modifications has consisted of a combination of stress simulations and regularly scheduled track day test sessions. The roll hoop was redesigned using CAD which was approved by the Solar team's certifying engineer. A new roll hoop has been installed into the car which meets the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge regulations for 2023. Other modifications include a new, more user friendly handbrake, stronger brake cylinder mount and new seatbelts. This project has also explored the possibility of using a smart windshield which automatically adjusts the tinting to maximise the driver's visibility for use in Lumen III.

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Group members

• Mohammad Muhtasim Mirza
• Benjamin Holloway
• Jordan Hunting

As global energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions continue to surge year after year, the goal of cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions grow increasingly vital. Solar power emerges as a prominent contender in this pursuit. Enter the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC), which is a gruelling 3000km endurance competition stretching from Darwin to Adelaide. Here, participating vehicles are exclusively electric, harnessing the sun's energy through rooftop solar panels as their sole energy source. Stepping into the spotlight are the mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering scholars from the University of Adelaide, the team behind the "Lumen II," a cutting-edge solar race car set to compete in the most demanding category of the BWSC—the "Challenger" class. A major component of the Lumen II's upgrades for 2023 is a new and improved aerodynamics package. By engaging in the BWSC, these innovators are propelling advancements in the realm of solar energy and solar-powered transportation.

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Group members

• Nicholas Calvo
• Reily Clavell
• Christian Sanderson

Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) is the most prestigious solar challenge to push the limit of solar-powered vehicles with a 3000km race which the Adelaide University Solar Car Team (AUSRT) has taken part in since 2015. The project aimed to evaluate, modify, and redesign the suspension systems to support Lumen II’s (solar car) weight at legal ride height without compromising the car’s performance. Adjustable shock mounts have been developed to balance out the air shock absorber pressure. Stronger (safety factor of 2) wishbones were also developed to increase the system's reliability. SolidWorks was used for 3D modelling prototypes and Ansys Workbench’s Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to test the structural integrity of the design with different material selections. We successfully developed an adjustable shock mount and more reliable (minimum safety factor of 2.5) wishbones that comply with Vehicle Standards Bulletin (VSB) 14 section LS.

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Group members

• Nhat Quang Dinh
• Meng Chun Teoh
• Allen Sieng Wei Kong

Imagine a car that runs totally on electricity, pretty sure everyone just simply thought of the famous car TESLA. Don't worry, we're not trying to undermine them. We wanted to create a solar car that purely runs on electricity which applies the uses of batteries and solar panels to compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Car. The car would mirror any normal car with the shape and size as well as the functionality. In this project, we tested different types of solar cells and chose the best ones to create a solar panel for the top of the car by soldering and wiring each one. The solar panels were, and all the other electric and mechanical components were attached to complete the solar car. Overall, this helps to create and study the electrical subsystems of cars to create a version of our own.

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Group members

• Fahrul Razi Zainal Abidin
• Matthew Phillips
• Amira Syahdina Ahmad Suffian
• Yuanhao Li

Renewable energy resources are a constantly growing area due to the global need to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind power is one sustainable technology, with a relatively new interest in floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT) to target stronger and steadier wind speeds. This leads to wind turbines installed on floating platforms and the need to understand the platform dynamics to guarantee stable power production. The project aims to understand the dynamics of a scaled down 15MW FOWT platform and to identify the limitations of reproducing hydrodynamic, aerodynamic and mooring loads. A 100x smaller model of the VolturnUS-S platform is to be built and tested under different wave conditions to understand the platform motions. The results will be used to further demonstrate the practicality of small-scale testing that produces comparable results to a full-scale prototype.

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Group members

• Jordan Yin
• Daozheng Zhou

Currently millions of tons of emissions are being created due to greenhouse gas emissions and burning of fossil fuels, what if there was a cheaper and more importantly a greener alternative to the current fuels that are commonly used today? Our aim was to use Hydrogen Peroxide as a fuel source and see how it can be used in flameless combustion to produce no emissions and see how the impact of hydrogen peroxide production will be in the future. In this project we used computer simulations to create multiple scenarios involving hydrogen peroxide to create flameless combustion. We also created a model of current hydrogen peroxide production to predict the future price, emissions, and impact of hydrogen peroxide. The model and simulations have found that flames combustion is possible and that the price of hydrogen peroxide will go down resulting in a future with much less greenhouse gas emissions.

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Group members

• Sourav Banerjee
• Tuvshinzaya Magsarjav

The project aimed to find a sustainable way to recover copper minerals at Kapunda mine. The real-world challenge addressed here is the declining copper industry in the area due to traditional mining methods becoming less viable. To achieve this, we employed advanced modelling techniques. Instead of traditional mining methods that can harm the environment, we focused on in-situ recovery. This method involves injecting solutions underground to dissolve and extract copper minerals, minimising ecological disturbance. Computer simulations played a crucial role in refining and optimising this process for maximum safety and efficiency. The results of the project were highly promising. In-situ recovery emerged as an eco-conscious alternative that could potentially revive the local economy, create jobs, and boost copper production without causing harm to the environment. By restoring Kapunda's copper legacy, this will offer a great hope for a sustainable future, preserving the community's mining heritage while embracing modernisation in mining.

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Group members

• Moriba Maxime Loua
• William George Murkins

The human brain is truly marvellous! It has lots of tiny channels that help it function by sending charges from one place to another. Now imagine if we could create certain materials that can perfectly copy their functions, that's what this project aims to do. Membranes similar to those in our brain to control the flow of tiny charged particles are crafted using a three-step process. It begins with the creation of the said membrane using special materials suitable for our requirements. Next, they're modified with coatings that can react to light and chemicals. Finally, it is seen if these membranes can help generate clean osmotic energy. By studying and mimicking how our brain works, we not only get to know more about its operations but also explore new ways to generate sustainable osmotic power.

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Group member

• Chikako Matsuda

The Australian sun brightens our lives, warming our beaches and raising indoor temperatures during hot months. To combat this, 80% of South Australians turn to air-conditioning in summer, straining power resources with environmental and financial consequences. Amid global net-zero carbon efforts, enhancing efficiency and reducing energy consumption becomes critical. Passive cooling methods offer a solution for homes by reducing the reliance on air-conditioning. As roofs absorb and transmit solar heat, improved insulation is a necessity. Proposed double-layered tiles aim to prevent heat transmission through roofs via passive insulation. Our project focuses on designing, testing, and comparing biplane tiles to alleviate air-conditioning demand. We have reviewed passive roof innovations, assessed user needs, and set design criteria. Two preliminary tile designs have been manufactured, and have undergone experimental testing to determine structural/thermal performance. The top-performing design will be compared to regular tiles to validate our findings, and support sustainability efforts.

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Group members

• Orton D'Silva
• Benjamin Fitzgerald
• Liam Harrison

The university is working in collaboration with NeuRizer (NRZ) – a leading national carbon-neutral organisation to develop a South Australia-based project to convert underground coal resources into syngas to be used for manufacturing low-cost, high-quality urea fertiliser. This project aims to establish a 2D numerical model to assess and quantify the environmental impacts of underground coal gasification (UCG), particularly with a focus on underground cavity development and surface subsidence. The model is constructed using ANSYS - a finite element analysis (FEA) software. A parametric study is done regarding the change in pillar width, chamber geometry, overburden strata properties, in-situ stresses and temperature changes. The successful development of the model enables the prediction of surface subsidence and allows assessments of environmental impact in comparison with threshold values.

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Group members

• Yutong Zheng
• Shirui Wang
• Qian Gao

The increase in the price of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases has motivated researchers and industry to develop numerous processes and technologies to produce renewable energy. An interesting development is the process of producing methane-containing biogas from organic waste through anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a process where bacteria breaks down organic matter such as animal manure or food wastes in the absence of oxygen. is when Our project will investigate the effectiveness of various anaerobic filter packing materials to produce biogas from municipal solid waste. Municipal solid waste is made up of general garbage such as product packaging, grass clippings, and food scraps. With this understanding, we will be able to investigate the process efficiency of anaerobic digesters.

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Group members

• McKale O'Flaherty
• Jonathan Richards

Only 30% of waste heat is currently recaptured. Recovering heat, especially at lower temperatures, remains a challenge. Our goal with the high-temperature heat pump is to harness the heat wasted in industrial activities. Using heat pump technology, we'll transform this waste heat into reusable thermal energy suitable for different industrial needs. We're using Matlab to simulate the heat pump's effectiveness. The CoolProp library assists us in gathering key data points: temperature, pressure, flow rate, and specifics about the compressor and evaporator.  Ultimately, we'll determine the system's Coefficient of Performance (COP) to deeply understand the potential of our high-temperature heat pump system. Three industrial heat pumps will be researched and analysed to achieve the project's objectives. A comprehensive understanding of the performance characteristics and potential benefits of high-temperature heat pumps in various industrial settings will be obtained by studying these specific applications. 

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Group members

• Yichen Tang
• Yuhan Xia

The current hydrogen production process involves steam methane reforming which has a large carbon dioxide footprint. Its alternative - green hydrogen - is made through electrolysis using renewable energy sources, however is comparatively costly. Ultra-Green Hydrogen uses a photocatalyst with a Linear Fresnel Concentrator (LFC) to reduce costs, and maintain a green production process. LFC's utilise flat mirrors and electrical control systems to track the sun's location, concentrating sunlight onto a photocatalyst which chemically splits hydrogen from water. This project aims to develop a small-scale LFC system to showcase the capabilities of hydrogen production with the photocatalyst under real on-sun conditions. Initial system design focused on optimising solar incidence through ray-tracing techniques, which led to a 3D-system model and electrical controls design to account for seasonal and daily changes of solar conditions in Adelaide. Successful implementation of the small-scale LFC system will assist in future endeavours to upscaling the Ultra-Green Hydrogen technology.

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Group members

• Benjamin Adams
• Jisu Park

In recent decades climate change has strongly increased coastal erosion due to rising sea levels and harsh weather events. Reportedly, over half of Australia's coastlines are vulnerable to erosion and over $226 billion in infrastructure is at risk due to rising sea levels. As current methods of erosion mitigation are either temporary or negatively impact the natural flow of sand, there exists significant need to develop a technology capable of reducing the impact on shorelines without harshly altering ecosystems. Our project aims to address this by providing evidence that devices called 'Wave Energy Converters' can serve as this solution. Through the experimental testing and numerical modelling of a group of small-scale wave energy converters the project has provided evidence of the technology's ability in effectively altering and absorbing a wave-front. Demonstration of this capability allows future wave energy converters to function as both electricity providers and coastal erosion mitigators.

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Group members

• Cory Brown
• Thomas Goodrich
• Caitlin Pitt
• Karim Hassan

There are very intricate dynamics involved in man-made caves in the context of mining operations. The central goal of this project is to comprehensively understand the growth patterns and structural evolution of these caves, allowing for safer and more efficient mining strategies. To achieve this, we employ an analytical methodology known as 'fuzzy logic'. Through diligent analysis of substantial data acquired from a South Australian sub-level caving mine, this tool allows us to discern and predict subtle cave propagation behaviours. As a result, we've formulated a tool which can be used to estimate cave propagation for miners, aiming to enhance both safety and operational efficiency. Preliminary findings not only validate the usefulness of our model but also underscore its significance in the broader scope of predicting constantly changing cave shape. The model is a useful tool for the South Australian Sub-level caving mine who supplied the data and can be used to reasonably estimate cave shape.

Group members

• Sean Lancaster
• Roman Tunno 

Grinding is the most energy intensive part of most mineral recovery processes. Design and operation of grinding units usually requires constant testing since the composition of the ore being processed is constantly changing. This testing is expensive and time consuming. It would be extremely beneficial to produce a model which could replace this testing. This model would use the pure minerals within the ore to model the ore. The experiment looks at the grinding energy required to grind pure minerals from different sources. A mill and a laser sizer are utilized to find the grinding energy required. Then the energy requirement is compared. This is done for quartz, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. a model is then developed to estimate the grinding energy for a mineral blend.

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Group member

• Sebastian Rueda Paez

Traditional approaches to mineral exploration are leading to a reduction in success rates at a time or rapidly increasing demand for critical minerals to decarbonise the economy. In our project for the global competition Next Generation Exploration Award, we develop a new approach based on large language models (LLMs) to generate mineral prospectivity maps in South Australia. The ChatGPT 4 LLM can be used to develop Python code and statistical maps based on multiple geophysical and geochemical data sets that would not be possible by even the most experience operator. Additionally, we also use the LLM to translate data sets into the medical imaging format DICOM so that images can be shared easily and cheaply, avoiding proprietary data formats.

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Group members

• Rumi Daruso
• Britney Russell
• Daniel Gamble
• Joseph Taylor
• Satyaveer Pattanaik

Combustion is a heavily relied-on means of power generation throughout society and it is projected that combustion will still provide 70% of the world's energy consumption by 2050. However, there has been a major societal shift towards cleaner power generation. The University of Adelaide has been assisting in this shift through research into new combustion technologies. A new laser laboratory is being developed at the North Terrace campus, where laser diagnostics can be used for improved insights from combustion, providing valuable information on emissions. The aim of the project was to plan, manage and document the processes involved in decommissioning a pressurised combustor from the Thebarton laboratory and recommissioning it at the new laser laboratory. The combustor systems achieve high temperatures and pressures, and the purpose, components and connections of these systems were identified. To detail the procedures for decommissioning and recommissioning a manual with supporting documentation was prepared.

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Group members

• Charlotte Lyford
• Brittany Munchenberg

Tailings are waste material left after mining an ore. They can potentially impact the surrounding ecosystem negatively. Our aim was to find ways to repurpose these tailings into valuable resources while preserving the surroundings. The research project conducted a comprehensive literature review to discover efficient methods for extracting valuable material from the tailings, with proposed techniques like cementation, encapsulation, and electrochemical methods. In the bigger picture, our project aims to achieve zero waste, carbon neutrality, and reduced water usage while making the old mining area safe and useful again. The project also developed strategies to manage risks related to technology, costs, and stakeholder involvement. Think of our study as a treasure hunt, but instead of searching for gold, we are focused on finding ways to make the Earth happier and healthier by taking care of the waste from mines. It's turning trash into treasure, and that's good for our planet!

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Group members

• Ashili Emasha Senaratne
• Kollura Mudiyanselage

South Australia is becoming a global leader in fighting climate change by using solar and wind farms to generate clean energy. However, there's a challenge: the sun and wind aren't always constant, so the energy they produce varies. To combat this, researchers are creating something called thermal energy storage (TES).

TES can be likened to a giant battery that stores sunlight and wind power for when we need it most. The goal of the project is to see if TES can collect, store, and release this special energy effectively to meet the demand for electricity and heat.

To test this idea, we will use computer models and real lab experiments. The goal is to know how well TES can hold onto the energy and how much it costs. This includes using maps to figure out the best places for solar and wind farms. It's like solving a big scientific puzzle and South Australia is leading the way!

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Group members

• George Andresakis
• Jack Burgemeister
• Jabez Bullas
• Dongxu Sun
• Danny Ngo

Aim:- This goal of this project is to study the effects of coal gasification and CO2 flooding on the coal matrix, focusing on changes in pore structure and permeability. This research will help determine the feasibility of CO2 storage in deep coal seams and assess the associated risk.

Method:- The methodology of this project is to imitate coal gasification and CO2 flooding on a coal plug sample. Multiple tests will be undertaken throughout the course of the project to determine the changes in the pore structure and fracture network after it has been thermally treated and after it has been flooded with CO2. The equipment that will be used throughout the project is a tube furnace, helium porosimeter, micro-CT scanner, and the equipment used for the CO2 flooding procedure.  

Outcome:-The result of this study can be used to develop more effective CO2 storage strategies for large-scale applications and inform policy decisions related to coal gasification and CO2 flooding for emissions mitigation. 

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Group members

• Ahmad Abdulhussein
• Harrison parker

This project's objective is to create an affordable and efficient digital platform tailored for geologists performing core logging. Specifically designed for use on Chromebook devices, it primarily utilizes the Google Sheets environment for straightforward data entry and project management.

To maintain clarity during development, Maptek assigns internal project names inspired by rivers worldwide. In this case, it goes by the name "Project Kasai," named after the African Congo River.

Core logging involves systematically recording essential details from drill holes, crucial for the initial exploration phase of mining. It aids in comprehending geological features and assessing ore potential.

The Geological Core Logging App aims to revolutionize core logging methods by incorporating machine learning for data input and validation. Additionally, it streamlines project management through Google's collaborative workspaces. By doing so, it addresses the critical need for time and cost optimization in the mining industry while improving geological and mining processes.

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Group members

• Tsz Wang Chiu
• Tomas Wilson
• Jack Tonkin

In our quest for cleaner and more efficient energy sources, photovoltaic (PV) systems have emerged as a crucial player. However, the efficiency of PV panels remains a challenge typically ranging from 15-20%. To tackle this issue, our project focuses on using passive cooling techniques, involving heat transfer through materials and fluids, to reduce the surface temperature of solar panels. By doing so, we aim to boost the overall system efficiency, specifically in the context of 5Bs Maverick solar panel setup. 

our methodology involves setting up an experimental system with two panels simulating real-world conditions. We use heat lamps raise the temperature of the panels and then expose them to varying wind speeds up to 12m/s. This allows us to study how different conditions, particularly wind speed and passive cooling methods, affect surface temperature fluctuations. 

ultimately, this project has the potential to significantly contribute to improving PV panel efficiency, benefiting future PV panel developments for renewable energy applications in challenging environments like the outback. 

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Group members

• Massimo Ferraro
• Joel Pasalo
• Nabil Zouein
• Zachary Hoyle
• Kashish Sharma

To enable the transition to a totally renewable grid, several totally new problems have emerged: zero-emission fuel production, multi-day to seasonal length energy storage, and an exportable energy storage technology. Hydrogen gas could be used in all of these areas, and there is excitement around a “green” hydrogen production technology: Electrolysis. Renewable electricity is used to split water into oxygen and emission-free hydrogen. Solid Oxide Electrolysis cells (SOECs) are a type of electrolysis technology that use affordable materials and offer high efficiency and flexibility. The main challenge is extremely high operating temperatures and associated materials and safety problems. Commercially available models regularly operate above 750 °C. Proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cells (H-SOECs) are an emerging type of SOEC that can operate between 400-600 °C, but suffer from reduced performance. This project aims to develop a highly efficient and stable H-SOEC for operation between 400 and 600 °C.

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Group member

• Tom Arnold

The surging demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in consumer electronics, vehicles, and renewable energy storage raises concerns over raw material scarcity for battery manufacturing and the environmental impacts of battery disposal. To promote environmental sustainability, stringent regulations have been imposed on recycling spent LIBs. These batteries contains valuable metals like lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) currently facing scarcity. In response to the unsustainable conventional methods, predominantly reliant on inorganic acids, this project explores the viability of greener leaching reagent alternatives through solvent extraction. The study assesses the technical feasibility of this approach, comparing it with traditional inorganic leaching solutions. Results will be benchmarked against similar tests to address advantages or drawbacks inherent to the proposed method. This exploration lays the groundwork for future large-scale experiments, showcasing the project's potential to shape sustainable leaching practices in the recycling of spent LIBs.

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Group members

• Regina Chan
• Lionel Thompson Mends

Agriculture with Difference. The development of Agriculture requires innovative methodologies to enhance the farming conditions or project characteristics in Australia. In this project, with the need to solve the environmental challenges of chemical synthesis, the application of non-thermal plasma aims to produce a large amount of ammonium and/or nitrate ions in aqueous solutions. This formation could generate nutritious ions as N fertilizers for small-scale production.

The experiment approach uses a current monitor and a high-voltage probe to create the N-product species, which is ready to be measured by the UV-Vis spectrophotometry for process data and quality records. As a result, the reaction mechanism, ingredient properties, and homogeneous catalysis capability are fully clarified to enhance the non-thermal plasma bubble processing.

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Group members

• Khanh Ngan
• Pengyang Dou

As resources continue to be utilised on Earth, the need to look for new sources of materials is paramount in ensuring that resources will be available to future generations. In-Situ Resource Utilisation aims to exploit materials and resources from nearby lunar bodies. This project aims to find a suitable leaching and extraction agent to recover phosphorus and potassium from lunar regolith. Various parameters will be investigated to determine each agent's suitability. A motivation for this project is to eventually develop a process where fertilizer can be made from the materials that can be extracted from lunar regolith, in hopes to making space farming viable. This will also be beneficial if the need ever arises to export phosphorus and potassium products from the Moon to Earth.

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Group member

• Bailey Schiller

With non-renewable energy sources being consumed at an alarming rate, hydrogen as an energy vector is produced from wind power to reduce the amount of carbon emissions and non-renewable energy consumption. Tasmania invested $20 million into a hydrogen plant in 2020 and hydrogen is being used to power homes across the country. With the dangers and safety concerns that come with the use of hydrogen, the energy source’s storage options are evaluated for their ability to hold hydrogen until there is demand for it.

The goal of this project is to evaluate hydrogen storage for its safety, efficiency and reliability in delivering hydrogen on demand under different hypothetical scenarios.

A combination of simulations and consumption data from previous years are compared to see how existing hydrogen storage options are effective in terms of their maintenance pressure and temperature, volume, and mass for their cost.

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Group members

• James Hollingworth
• Andrew Sze

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) storage in aquifers or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs has become a relevant area of interest in the energy industry, with the technique promising immense potential in limiting atmospheric CO2 levels globally. The mechanisms that influence CO2 storage in porous media are often modelled by two-phase conservative laws which include Darcy's law, law of conservation of mass, and equations of state. Current predictive tools are limited and present formidable challenges for engineers to accurately predict flow dynamics and manage storage interventions. The aim of this project is to develop a robust model that features variations in domain dependent properties such as fluid density, angle of inclination, and permeability of storage beds. By adopting relevant mathematical methods and sourcing data from current field projects, this novel tool offers a reliable and accurate alternative for managing CO2 storage projects across the globe.

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Group member

• Parker George

In recent times, global warming has emerged as a prominent concern. Scientists assert that harnessing the subsurface environment for carbon dioxide (CO2) storage holds great promise in advancing the net-zero agenda. Nevertheless, the intricate mechanisms governing these storage efforts pose challenges for engineers. A notable hurdle lies in the potential for formation damage during the injection process. This research endeavour delves into the capacity for CO2 storage within heterogeneous systems, while evaluating the impact of formation damage on injectivity and sweep efficiency.

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Group member

• Parker George

The Solar Expanding Vortex Receiver (SEVR) is a new design concept of solar receiver. It can be used to generate electricity by converting solar energy into heat. The current configuration of the SEVR is windowless as it can avoid damage by the thermal stress effect. However, it will lead to the problem of particle and airflow egress from the open aperture, which may impact the thermal efficiency of the solar receiver. The wind effect is one of the important natural factors for flow egress, so it is necessary to investigate it. In this project, we explore the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation and Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) imaging technology to the investigation of wind effect on the egress of the SEVR. So far, two validated CFD models and a BOS imaging experimental setup have been established for the subsequent research and further improvement of the SEVR design.

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Group members

• Bowen Zhang
• Sichen Yang
• Hongkai He