Research
Thematic Areas
The research strengths of the Centre and its areas of focus are identified and classified under the following thematic areas:
Frontier Energy Technologies
- Low emission technology (LET) options for mining and process industries
- Low emission technology (LET) options for power generation from fossil fuels
- Renewable energy systems
- Energy efficiency & process intensification
Fuels, Materials and Energy Utilisation
- Novel options for CO2 capture and storage
- Transportation fuels
- Energy conversion
- Fuel utilisation in non-energy applications
- Energy and the environment
Frontier Energy Technologies
Thematic Areas, Programs and Projects
1. LET Options for Mining and Process Industries | |
---|---|
VAM (Ventilation Air Methane) | * VAM Abatement Safety project ($25 M) |
* Chemical Looping VAM Abatement project ($5.5 M) | |
* Stone Dust project (ACARP) | |
* DDT project (ACARP / PhD) | |
* Scoping Study on VAM Abatement Technologies (ACARP) | |
* Catalytic Reduction of VAM by EK and MS (ACARP) | |
Waste Heat Recovery | * GRANEX / Solar project (Wallsend Public Pool) |
* GRANEX Koppers project (Koppers plant Newcastle) | |
* Heat pumps | |
Waste Minimisation | * Biochar |
* Chailing (char from coal tailing generated at coal mines) | |
* H2 products from MSW (Chemical Looping of MSW) |
2. LET Options for Power Generation from Fossil Fuels | |
---|---|
Coal | * Oxy-Fuel |
* Chemical Looping (Air Separation, Combustion, Gasification, Reforming, etc) | |
* Underground coal gasification | |
* Ultra Low Ash Coal: * Direct Injection Carbon Engines (DICE) * Direct Carbon Fuel Cells | |
Gas | * Coal Seam Gas |
3. Renewable Energy Systems | |
---|---|
Renewables | * Biomass Utilisation (co-firing, Chemical Looping Gasification, etc) |
* Geothermal (Direct / In-direct) | |
* Solar Thermal | |
* Small Wind Systems | |
Hybrids | * Geothermal Assisted Power Generation (GAPG) |
* Solar Assisted Power Generation | |
* Geothermal / Solar |
4. Energy Efficiency & Process Intensification | |
---|---|
Building Thermal Efficiency | * Currently an ARC-Linkage project (many ARC and industry projects in the past 10 years) |
Micro Energy Systems | * Various projects about micro H2 generators |
Energy Efficient Desalination | * GRANSAL projects |
Energy Efficient Wastewater Treatment Plants | * Aeration power reduction * Dewatering * Enhanced oxygen transfer efficiency |
Metallurgical Processing | * Slag granulation * Inclusion reduction |
Fuels, Materials and Energy Utilisation
Thematic Areas, Programs and Projects
1. Novel options for CO2 capture and storage | |
---|---|
Mineral carbonation | * MCI project ($9 M) |
Post combustion capture | * Various projects with CSIRO |
2. Transportation fuels | |
---|---|
Coal and biomass to liquid | * New catalysts for the Fischer–Tropsch process |
* Optimisation of the Fischer–Tropsch process | |
Energy carriers | * Ammonia, methanol and H2 as energy carriers |
3. Energy conversion | |
---|---|
Fuel cells | * Direct carbon fuel cells |
Batteries and super-capacitors | * Advanced materials for batteries and super-capacitors |
4. Fuel and material utilisation in non-energy applications | |
---|---|
Fuel and material utilisation in manufacturing | * Coking coal in Iron making (various existing projects funded through BHPB Centre for Iron-making Research and ARC Linkage scheme) |
Fuel and material utilisation in the process and chemical industries | * CO2 utilisation (food industries, enhanced oil recovery, chemicals, fire suppressants, etc) |
5. Energy & the Environment | |
---|---|
Environmental repair and pollution abatement | * Energy efficient contaminated soil treatment |
Integrated waste processing | * Waste processing / utilisation with energy recovery and generation |
Industrial ecology | * GRANSAL projects |
Sustainability | * Life cycle analysis, sustainability principles, sustainable waste processing |
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.