Chemical Engineering - The University of Queensland, … UQ summer... · Chemical Engineering ... with some interest / background in water supply, wastewater treatment and recycling

Chemical Engineering

Project title: Using an ‘urban water metabolism evaluation framework’ to evaluation water efficiency, supply security and resilience at a whole-of-city scale.

Project duration: 10 weeks

Description: This project will contribute to an UQ research project being conducted as part of the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (CRC WSC) Project B1.2. The project titled “Urban Metabolism for Planning Water Sensitive Cities” aims to develop and test a concept for a whole-of-city scale water metabolism model for Australian cities. The proposed model will quantify water flows through Australian cities and their surrounding regions, so decision makers can better plan urban water futures in the light of urban growth and climate change. An ‘urban water metabolism evaluation model’ has been developed by the CRC researchers, and is to be applied to a selection of Australian city-regions (South East Queensland, Melbourne and Perth) to generate indicators of water efficiency, supply security, and resilience which can inform the strategic planning of cities. The aim of the student project is to assist the CRC researchers with the collection and compilation of data for one of the city case studies (yet to be decided), and to use this data in the (Excel-based) model to generate some preliminary results. The data collection process may involve use of urban hydrology models (such as MUSIC) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Expected outcomes and deliverables:

The deliverables will be compiled datasets of urban water flows (in various formats), population of selected data into the urban water metabolism evaluation model and generation of urban metabolism indicators. These will be described into a report that documents the data sources, assumption, the generated results, and some interpretation of the results. The student may also have the opportunity to present the results at a seminar.

Suitable for: Students enrolled in an Engineering (Chemical, Metallurgical, Civil) degree, or related discipline, who are currently in their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th

year are welcome to apply. An interest in resource efficiency / sustainability in the urban context is desirable. As this project relates strongly to urban water systems, it would particularly suit a student with some interest / background in water supply, wastewater treatment and recycling.

Primary Supervisor: Dr. Marguerite Renouf

Further info: Dr. Marguerite Renouf ([email protected]) Dr. Steven Kenway ([email protected])

http://watersensitivecities.org.au/

http://watersensitivecities.org.au/

mailto:[email protected]

Project title: Mercury in bauxite and bauxite residue


Description: Mercury is a toxic element that enters the Bayer process in trace levels with the Bauxite feed. This project aims to determine the state of the mercury in the Bauxite and digested Bauxite residue using staged chemical leaching and analysis using a combination of analytical techniques.


Develop staged leaching procedures to determine the deportment of mercury in Bauxite and Bauxite residue.

Suitable for: Metallurgical / Chemical / Environmental Engineering or possibly Chemistry students.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. James Vaughan

Further info: Dr. James Vaughan ([email protected])

Project title: Silicate management in the Bayer process


Description: Silicate minerals and reactive silica are very costly impurities for the Bayer process as the desilication product waste includes sodium and aluminium which are the key process reagent and product respectively. This project is focussed on developing alternative process options to more cost efficiently process bauxite with elevated levels of silicate.


Experimental trials on alternative process options will be carried out in the hydrometallurgy laboratory and the results will be assessed in the context of developing an alternative/improve approach to dealing with this major impurity.

Suitable for: Metallurgical / Chemical Engineering students.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. James Vaughan

Further info: Dr. James Vaughan ([email protected])

Project title: Influence of novel processing methods on the electromagnetic shielding of carbon nanoparticle-based thermoplastic composites


Description: The current high-speed circuitry (> 30 MHz) used in most digital electronics generate undesirable electromagnetic pollution that may lead to electromagnetic compatibility problems. Different types of electromagnetic coupling can potentially cause a variety of problems, which include from interference and malfunctioning to the total failure of these systems [1]. Moreover, as the vast majority of the population is exposed to the harmful effects of such high-frequency signals emitted from personal computers and other telecommunication devices, their impact on the users’ health has become a matter of public concern [2]. Materials capable of providing shielding protection are therefore necessary. Conductive materials are typically used to shield susceptible circuitry components from high levels of electromagnetic fields. Likewise, these materials can be used to contain the radiation emitted from high frequency circuitry. Most commonly, metallic materials are used for these purpose due to their high electrical conductivities [3]. Nonetheless, metals display disadvantages such as high density and corrosion issues. On top of that, metals tend to be highly reflective materials, which limits their application as barriers to containing this type of emissions. Because of this, there is currently a search for alternative conductive materials that may supply these needs [1, 2]. Within the possibilities it has been found that carbon nanoforms-based conductive polymeric composites display no corrosion problems, light-weight and better processability, as well as the ability of being readily shaped into different forms [4]. So far most research studies have been devoted to assess the influence of the concentration of various types of carbon nanoparticles on the electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of these composite materials [5]. However, recent studies suggest that the processing methodology also has an impact on the reached conductivity levels [6]. Therefore, in the proposed research project, the influence of novel processing methodologies of polymer-carbon nanoparticle nanocomposites on the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness and mechanical performance of these composites will be assessed. Thus, thermoplastic crystalline polymeric materials, like polypropylene (a commodity) and nylon (an engineering plastic) will be used in their powder form to be pre-mixed with the nanoparticles of different morphologies in order to create an electrical network surrounding the polymer powder particles. Then, the coated plastic particles will be processed by specialized industrial melt-mixing schemes that yield the largest possible electrical interconnection for the particles’ networks and retain most of the composite shielding and mechanical performance. References

1. Byron Villacorta, Todd Hubing, Amod A. Ogale. Compos. Sci. Technol., 2013, 89, 158-166.

2. Ali Zamanian and Cy Hardiman, Electromagnetic Radiation and

Human Health: a Review of Sources and Effects. High Frequency Electronics, 2005, 1, 16-26.

3. Byron S. Villacorta, Amod A. Ogale, Todd H. Hubing. Polym. Eng. Sci., 2013, 53, 417-423.

4. Byron Villacorta. Electromagnetic Shielding of Carbon Modifiers/Polyethylene Composites. ISBN-13: 978-3-639-71750-1, ISBN-10: 3639717503, Scholars’ Press, Germany, 2014

5. Al-Saleh MH, Sundararaj U. Carbon 2009, 47, 1738–46. 6. Byron Villacorta, Amod A. Ogale. Influence of Melt-Mixing on the

EM Shielding Effectiveness of Carbon Nanofiber-Based LLDPE Nanocomposites. In SPE ANTEC 2013, 1589729, 2013.


Conductive nanocomposites capable of providing significant absorptive types of shielding levels (> 20 dB) will be developed.

Suitable for: Undergraduate students, including honours, who have completed at least one year of study at the time of application and Masters by coursework students.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. Byron Villacorta ([email protected]) Prof. John Zhu ([email protected])

Further info:

Project title: Chemical Stimulation of Coal Seams


Description: The coal seam gas industry in Queensland is growing at an exponential rate and the School of Chemical Engineering is actively involved in assisting the industry to solve key issues that it currently faces. One of which surrounds coal permeability. Gas productivity from coal seams is directly dependant on the permeability of the coal. One of the current methods for increasing permeability is hydraulic fracturing which involves injecting fluids at high pressure to break up the coal and consequently increase permeability. Another idea, currently being explored in the School of Chemical Engineering involves injecting chemicals that are designed to react with parts of the coal, including the minerals or the coal macromolecular structure and consequently increase permeability. This project will firstly involve testing the ability of a number of different chemicals to react with the coal macromolecular structure. Tests will involve using a small batch leaching vessel and characterising the leaching solution using a variety of different analytical instruments to determine the reaction products. The student will work alongside a PhD or post-doctoral research fellow to undertake the analytical work. From this, a hypothesis for the likely reaction pathways will be formed. This step will require a review of the literature to help build the hypothesis. Following this, the chemicals that react significantly and form desirable reaction products will be tested in a flow-through permeability rig to determine the change in permeability for a number of pre-selected coal core samples. This part of the project will also be carried out alongside a PhD student/post-doctoral research fellow.


The outcomes/deliverables expected from this project are: 1. A hypothesis on the likely reaction pathways of certain chemicals with coal 2. An assessment of the change in permeability of certain coal types following treatment with certain chemicals. The student on this project will gain insights into the various operations of the coal seam gas industry. They will gain an understanding of coal structure and how this relates to coal permeability. Students will be required to write their findings up in a professional-standard report and may be required to present results to the industry partners that are involved in this project.

Suitable for: Students enrolled in Engineering (Chemical, Metallurgical) or Science (Chemistry) degrees, or related discipline, who are currently in their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year are welcome to apply. A strong interest in the coal seam gas industry and an interest in organic chemistry are desirable.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Karen M. Steel

Further info: Please contact Karen: [email protected]


Project title: Plugging Coal Seam Gas Wells with Bentonite and other Expansive Clays


Description: This project which is funded by oil and gas industries and the Centre for Coal Seam Gas (CCSG) aims at a cheaper and more effective method to plug and abandon coal seam gas wells and most other oil and gas wells. Currently coal seam gas wells and all oil and gas wells are required to be plugged with cement. But this process has limitations because cement is expensive and prone to shrinking, cracking and unsealing. Our plan is to use a naturally occurring clay called bentonite to plug the wells. Bentonite is cheaper and easier to handle and when hydrated it creates a more reliable plug


Characterization of bentonite plugs which combines different polymers as binding agents, including measurement of swelling index and plug mass, plug density over time; determination of the optimal binding condition for the bentonite plugs; analysis of experimental data, elucidation of the mechanism and eventually doing a field trial.

Suitable for: Undergrad or postgrad students with a passion for learning about new materials in the field of oil and gas, understanding clay properties and performing experiments to demonstrate the plugging ability of bentonite (and other expansive clays) under different conditions. The candidate will be working in a team of postgrad students with adequate supervision to achieve the goals.

Primary Supervisor:

Professor Brian Towler

Further info: For further information please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

Project title: Gaseous reduction of metal oxides - Microstructures and reaction mechanisms


Description: The reduction of solids through the use of reactive gas atmospheres has application in a wide range of industrially important processes. These reactions are also critical to the development of solid oxygen carriers for Chemical Looping Combustion technologies providing an alternative approach to combustion of hydrocarbon materials; this technology has the potential to significantly decrease the cost of carbon capture and Storage for Greenhouse gas reduction. Important metallurgical examples include the reduction of iron, manganese and nickel oxides in H2/H2O/CO/CO2 gases. Some key aspects of the fundamentals of these reduction reactions particularly relating to the transformation from metal oxide to metal remain poorly understood, but recent theoretical analysis of these systems has shown that there is a clear analogy between these reactions and those occurring during the solidification of metals. This theory has provided a sound basis for further systematic studies of these systems under controlled laboratory conditions, and the potential to explain the role of impurities in solid solution of the reaction kinetics. The project will involve experimental studies to determine the structures formed on reduction of selected metal oxides under controlled temperature and gas conditions. The resultant product microstructures will be examined at room temperature to determine the reaction mechanisms present at temperature.


The aim here is to construct “morphology maps” that define the conditions for particular reaction mechanisms as a function of temperature and thermodynamic driving force for given chemical systems.

Suitable for: Undergraduate vacation and thesis project for metallurgy, materials, chemical engineering.

Primary Supervisor:

Prof Peter Hayes [email protected]

Further info: www.chemeng.uq.edu.au/pyrosearch

http://www.chemeng.uq.edu.au/pyrosearch

Project title:

Catalytic Conversion of Bioethanol to Hydrocarbons


Description: Hydrocarbons are raw materials for the synthesis of polymers, medicines and some everyday products. The main source of hydrocarbons is oil. However oil resources, especially petrochemical reserves, are exhaustible and the need of oil substitutes will be required in the near future. One possible substitute is synthetic hydrocarbons. The current research project will focus on a way of converting bioethanol to hydrocarbons. The inorganic microporous materials, zeolites with different compositions, will be employed as catalysts. The influence of reaction time, temperature and zeolite composition on the hydrocarbon formation will be studied during the project. The reagents and reaction products will be characterized by employing FTIR, Gas chromatography and HPLC analysis techniques.


The project outcome is expected to promote understanding of the influence of the zeolite structure and chemical composition on the formation of hydrocarbons from ethanol.

Suitable for: The project is suitable for chemistry and chemical/environmental engineering undergraduate students (2-4y).

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Julius Motuzas

Further info: Please contact Dr Julius Motuzas ([email protected])

Project title: Oxygen Sorbent Technology for Air Separation


Description: The technology works based on cycles of oxygen sorption and desorption at high temperatures. Oxygen is released from the sorbent at 900 ˚C and is incorporated into the sorbent as the temperature cools down to ~700 ˚C. The release of oxygen from the sorbent is greatly improved if air or enriched nitrogen is removed, preferentially by a vacuum pump.


Aspen simulation

Design of Air Separation Unit

Laboratory test of sorbents

Suitable for: Chemical Engineering students preferentially going into year 4, particularly for those interested in design.

Primary Supervisor:

Prof. Joe da Costa and Prof. Victor Rudolph

Further info: Please contact Prof. Joe da Costa ([email protected])

Project title: Advanced oxidation technologies for wastewater treatment


Description: The disposal of organic pollutants into water resources is an issue of environmental significance, particularly due to the scarcity of potable water facing our contemporary society. Therefore, it is imperative that efficient wastewater treatment technologies are put in place to remove these toxic contaminants prior to discharge into natural water bodies. Advanced oxidation technologies (AOT) using Fenton or Fenton-like reaction have been proven as promising and attractive treatment method attributed to the simplicity of the Fenton reaction operation. This project focuses on characterisation of catalysts coupled with the investigation of oxidation reactions including degradation and sorption of dyes.


Characterisation of catalysts

Understanding the fundamental properties of catalysts

Catalytic tests including sorption, reaction and kinetics

Suitable for: Chemical and or Environmental Engineering students (year 3 or 4).

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Julius Motuzas and Prof. Joe da Costa

Further info: Please contact Dr Julius Motuzas ([email protected])

Project title: Energy supply chains to Base of the Pyramid consumers in India


Description: This project will map the supply chains in the current Indian energy market that extend to ‘Base of the Pyramid’ (‘BoP’) consumers. Specific tasks are:

- Identify the companies and utilities that have direct (B2C – business to customer) relationships with Indian BoP consumers in supplying energy, including grid off-grid connections, household and individual offerings, and quantify market share parameters and available levels of energy use.

- Investigate the B2B (business-to-business) supply chain of each of these B2C relationships, with a focus on energy and raw material sources, and value-added intermediate products.

- Produce a BoP energy marketplace network map for India using supply chain mapping software such as Aemrigom, to show connections between key entities across the supply chains.


Supply chain model Final written report detailing findings Presentation of findings to Energy & Poverty Research Group

Suitable for: BE students and dual degree program students [ BE/BBusMan, BE/BCom, BE/BEcon] (Year 3+)

Primary Supervisor:

Tony Heynen

Further info: [email protected]

Project title: Energy security in Nepal: disaster recovery and preparedness


Description: This project explores concepts of adaptive capacity and resilience of energy systems in the preparation and response to disaster situations. Underpinning this work is the recognition that energy security can play a fundamental role in the capacity of communities to respond in a crisis - to communicate, mobilise and transport, operate health clinics and meet basic human needs such as lighting, heating and cooking. Specific tasks for this project include:

- Identify characteristics of Nepal’s energy infrastructure, including but not limited to: energy access rates, the diversity of the energy supply mix, energy demand and projections, energy industry profile and planned infrastructure projects;

- Investigate the impact of the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake in April 2015 on Nepal’s highly vulnerable energy infrastructure, and evaluate strategies that have been deployed in response;

- Develop a report on energy security in Nepal, including policy recommendations in relation to building resilience and adaptive capacity to environmental change and adversity.


Final written report detailing findings Presentation of findings to Energy & Poverty Research Group and submission of the report to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

Suitable for: Chemical Engineering student (Year 3+)

Primary Supervisor:

Matthew Herington



Project title: Technical evaluation of ionic liquid processes for CO2 capture from natural gas


Description: This project aims to understand the feasibility of processes based on state-of-the art ionic liquid solvents for capture of CO2 from very sour natural gas. The project will involve development of a base case amine-absorption process flowsheet and a ionic liquid flow sheet for simulation in Aspen HYSYS. The student will need to develop a set of metrics to evaluate and compare the ionic liquid processes to existing commercial technologies.


The student is expected to deliver: 1. A set of Aspen Hysys simulation files for the described cases including

documentation for use of these modes, 2. A set of process metrics to be used to evaluate CO2 capture processes

for natural gas, including for capture onboard floating LNG production technologies or micro LNG facilities,

3. A report on the model development, metrics and outcomes from the study (includes a written report and a seminar)

Suitable for: 3rd year or higher chemical and process engineering students.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Tom Rufford



Project title: Technical evaluation of micro-scale liquefied natural gas production processes


Description: This project aims to (1) review the current technologies available for small scale, or micro scale, liquefied natural gas production plants, and (2) identify key constraints in microscale LNG technologies that require new research and development. The project will involve use of a process simulator such as Aspen HYSYS.


The student is expected to deliver: 1. A review of microscale LNG technologies, 2. A set of Aspen Hysys simulation files for the described cases including

documentation for use of these modes, 3. A set of process metrics to be used to microscale LNG technologies, 4. A report on the model development, metrics and outcomes from the

study (includes a written report and a seminar)

Suitable for: 3rd year or higher chemical and process engineering students.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Tom Rufford



Project title: Optimisation of clay swelling inhibitors for coal seam gas wells


Description: Fine particles form clay layers in coal seam gas reservoirs can damage pumps and affect gas production. This project aims to develop better understanding of the commercial clay stabiliser used commonly (KCl) and new combinations of chemicals to prevent swelling of clay in coal seam gas wells.


The student is expected to deliver: 1. A critical literature review on one type of clay swelling inhibitors, 2. A set of experiments to show the effectiveness of a range of clay

swelling inhibitors, 3. A report summarising experimental results and providing

recommendations to continue the work. (written report plus a seminar)

Suitable for: 3rd year or higher chemical and process engineering students. 3rd year chemistry, physics or geology students. MSc Petroleum Engineering students.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Tom Rufford



Project title: What choices would people make about climate change adaptation and mitigation, if they were fully informed?


Description: Future climate change is already locked in. This proposal investigates how to meaningfully inform the community about the costs and trade-offs of climate change adaptation and mitigation. Specifically this project looks to develop an innovative way to communicate information about global consequences, risks and uncertainty of individual choices in terms of personal energy usage, food and transport decisions. Currently greenhouse gas mitigation is targeted through a combination of regulatory and market-based solutions, but individual action is limited by a shortage of quantitative information. Many studies have quantified footprint of individuals, organizations and nations in various forms, and concluded that globally we are living beyond our means. Indeed, whilst the “sustainable” individual greenhouse gas emission rate has been calculated, the way in which this information is conveyed to the broader public will strongly affect its potential for uptake. For example, emphasizing the most damaging consequences of climate change can actually be counter-productive in encouraging either acceptance of scientific evidence, or motivating action. In contrast, people may be willing to pay more for conservation projects when provided with information about uncertainty in the effectiveness of those projects.


Final written report detailing findings Presentation of these findings to relevant UQ Energy Initiative / School of Chemical Engineering groups.


Primary Supervisor:

Kate O’Brien / Simon Smart

Further info: Dr Kate O’Brien [email protected] or Dr Simon Smart [email protected]



Project title: Detailed simulation of a circulating fluidised bed gasifier


Description: To develop an Aspen simulation of a circulating fluidised bed gasifier based on the following:

- The use of high ash (35% to 45%) Indian coal with a high ash melting point.

- The use of CO2 and fines re-circulation as additional feed streams. - Raw gas treatment (including heat recovery in an HRSG,

particulate removal and water scrubbing) to a quality suitable for use in water gas shift (WGS) reactors.

- Technology based on the gasification technology institute (GTI) type gasifiers currently operational in China.


Aspen Model Final written report detailing findings Presentation of findings to Energy & Poverty Research Group

Suitable for: 4th or 5th year Chemical Engineering student

Primary Supervisor:

Jannie Grove

Further info: Email [email protected]


Project title: Simulation of a syngas cleaning process


Description: To develop a simulation of a syngas cleaning process based on the following:

- Syngas produced by a circulating fluidised bed gasifier (downstream of the water scrubber)

- Syngas compression to roughly 60 bar - A partial sour water gas shift (WGS) to obtain a H2 to CO ratio of

roughly 2:1

- Using the Selexol process as a means of capturing CO2 and sulphur

- The use of the Claus and SCOT processes to recover sulphur - Compression of the recovered CO2 (for purposes of geologic

storage or recirculation)




Primary Supervisor:

Jannie Grove



Project title: Simulation of a syngas to methanol process


Description: To develop an Aspen simulation of a syngas to methanol process and based on the following:

- Syngas (partially shifted and from which sulphur and most of the CO2 has been removed) but initially derived from a circulating fluidised bed gasifier (and therefore still containing 4% to 8% methane).

- Evaluating the use of both steam reforming and auto thermal reforming to remove the methane.

- The production of methanol using a Davy type, MP (roughly 50 bar), process.

- Power generation using a combination of gas and steam turbines.




Primary Supervisor:

Jannie Grove



Project title: Simulation of a CO2 to DME process, via methanol


Description: To develop a simulation of a CO2 to DME process, via methanol, based on the following:

- Supply and recovery of CO2 from a cement plant flue gas stream. - Supply and recovery of H2 from a commercially available

electrolysis unit.

- Production of methanol in a reactor configuration in which the CO2 and H2 is combined

- Dehydration of methanol to DME.




Primary Supervisor:

Jannie Grove



Project title: The right to energy: is a global standard possible?


Description: This project will investigate the idea that energy could be considered a basic human right and that as such every refugee has the right to a certain amount of energy, in both camp and non-camp contexts. The project team should create a guide for energy provision including a decision on the factors energy rights should be based on. According to the World Energy Council (2014) the average Australian electrified household consumes just under 7,000kWh of electricity compared to an electrified Ethiopian household where annual use is approximately 500kWh. With this in mind does the amount that can be demanded depend on social, economic, geographic factors? What is the minimum level of energy that a refugee could realistically demand? This study should also investigate global energy use to produce a model that can be used by the UNHCR to predict likely energy demands for camp planning.


Final written report detailing findings Presentation of findings to Energy & Poverty Research Group / Engineers Without Borders


Primary Supervisor:

Simon Smart



Project title: Bio-alcohol separation from water using Forward Osmosis


Description: This project will examine the feasibility of bio-alcohol separation from water using thin-film composite (TFC) Forward Osmosis (FO) membranes. Membrane flux, rejection and stability will be examined over a multi-week study for separating mixtures of ethanol/water and butanol/water. Successful demonstration of FO assisted bioalcohol separation could significantly reduce the energy intensity of biofuel production by replacing traditional distillation as the primary purification step(s).


Final report detailing findings Presentation of findings to FIM2Lab group

Suitable for: Chemical Engineering Student (Year 3+) Lab experience preferred

Primary Supervisor:

Simon Smart



Project title: Viscosity Model of Solid-containing Slags


Description: The fluidity of slag, which is the by-product of pyro-metallurgical process, significantly influence the smooth operation of the production, such as slag tapping, heat and mass transfer and etc. in various pyro-metallurgical processes. The slags are often present as the solid-liquid heterogeneous fluid at high temperature. The fraction, size and shape of the solid will affect the apparent viscosity of the fluid. Present project will focus on the effects of solid to the slag viscosity which will provide fundamental information for the development of viscosity model of solid-containing slags. The viscosity measurements will be undertaken using solid particles in silicon oils at room temperature ranges.


The viscosities at different solid fractions will be measured and compared to the data from literatures. A brief mathematical model will be built based on the results and validated by high temperature viscosity data. A report is expected at the end of the project and a publication may be generated from this research.

Suitable for: This project is suitable for the students from relevant majors in engineering /materials / chemistry who have completed at least two years undergraduate study.

Primary Supervisor:

Prof Baojun Zhao Dr Mao Chen

Further info: [email protected] or [email protected]



Project title: Modelling the settlement of copper matte in slag


Description: The copper loss in slag is an essential economic issue for copper making industry. It is strongly desirable to minimise the mechanically entrained matte droplets in smelting slag. This project aims to develop a model of settlement of copper matte in slag for better understanding and controlling the direct recovery of copper in both smelting and slag cleaning processes. The work includes establishing a theoretical model by low-temperature experiments and validation of the model by high-temperature experiments.


The candidate will gain skills in review and analysis of literature, lab experiments and analyses of experimental data. The candidate is expected to produce a report at the end of the project and a publication may be generated from this research.

Suitable for: This project is suitable for the students with good knowledge background of fluid mechanics or transaction phenomena in relevant majors. Students who have completed at least two years undergraduate study will be considered.

Primary Supervisor:

Professor Baojun Zhao Dr Xiaodong Ma

Further info: Contact [email protected] or [email protected] for details.



Project title: Development of new tools to define cumulative light stress on seagrasses in the Great Barrier Reef


Description: This project develops a new tool to quantify cumulative seagrass light stress. Light reduction associated with turbidity and water quality decline is a major threat to Great Barrier Reef seagrass. Extensive and already collected datasets from two previous projects on seagrass response to light deprivation and ocean warming will be combined in a unique and novel way to define temperature-dependent indicators of light stress. The output will be a simple software tool which evaluates seagrass light stress status, accounting for both chronic and acute light deprivation. The software can be used to define dynamic ecological targets, and applied spatially to assess seagrass vulnerability and guide management decisions.


Systems dynamics, process-based and statistical-based modelling and data analysis techniques will all be used in the project. In addition to providing information about light stress, the developed tool can also be applied spatially to assess temperature-dependent cumulative light stress for seagrass across the Great Barrier Reef, under current and future conditions. This information is essential for reporting current seagrass health, and guiding environmental decision-making ranging from short-term dredging activities to long-term water quality management.

Suitable for: An environmental or chemical engineer, especially with interest in developing and applying skills in quantitative analysis and programming to help protect an ecosystem of critical importance (Great Barrier Reef).

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Matthew Adams Ph: +61 7 3365 3687 Email: [email protected] Web: http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/3058

Further info: Project presents an opportunity for multidisciplinary collaboration with researchers from James Cook University.


http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/3058

Project title: Analysis of benthic light and seagrass habitat predictions using eReefs: a coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model of the Great Barrier Reef


Description: This project takes advantage of a strong collaboration between researchers at UQ and CSIRO, and availability of the national supercomputer Raijin for multiple simultaneous simulations of the entire Great Barrier Reef, using the eReefs coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model developed by the CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship. Using the output of several eReefs model simulations under different environmental conditions and assumptions regarding hydrodynamic and benthic processes, this project will investigate the impacts of local, regional and global environmental change on seagrass in the Great Barrier Reef, a key indicator of coastal ecosystem health. Project outcomes will include assessment of current conditions and maps of seagrass risk from environmental change.


Data analysis techniques will be an essential part of the project, supplemented by the development of skills in programming and process-based modelling. This project would be one of the first to use the fully developed eReefs model to provide insights into the ecological and physical dynamics of the Great Barrier Reef. This project could potentially lead to reduced monitoring requirements, and provide high spatial resolution of important ecosystem health indicators of the Great Barrier Reef.

Suitable for: An environmental and chemical engineer, especially with interest in developing and applying skills in quantitative analysis and programming to help protect an ecosystem of critical importance (Great Barrier Reef).

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Matthew Adams Ph: +61 7 3365 3687 Email: [email protected] Web: http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/3058

Further info: Project presents an opportunity for multidisciplinary collaboration with researchers from CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere Flagship.


http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/3058

Project title: Precipitation of mixed nickel-cobalt hydroxide using lime (CaO)


Description: Production of nickel and cobalt from lateritic ores typically involves leaching in sulphuric acid followed by precipitation of the valuable metals with magnesia (MgO) to form a mixed nickel-cobalt hydroxide precipitate. The use of lime (CaO) has been suggested as an alternative precipitation agent due to its lower cost and faster reaction kinetics. This project will investigate the use of lime as an alternative precipitation agent for nickel and cobalt at industrial conditions in terms of the reaction rate, the co-precipitation of other dissolved metal species and contamination of product with the calcium containing solid, gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O).


Development of experimental methods for comparison of lime and magnesia Mixed Nickel-Cobalt Hydroxide Precipitate production.

Project report comparing Mixed Nickel-Cobalt Hydroxide precipitation with lime or magnesia including discussion on the optimal conditions for precipitation rate, product grade and key impurity exclusion.

Suitable for: 3rd year Chem/Met or Chem Eng student

Primary Supervisor:

William Hawker



Project title: Upgrading precipitated solids through incongruent growth and physical separation


Description: Precipitation of metal species from sulphate solutions with calcium based precipitation agents such as lime (CaO) and limestone (CaCO3) results in the co-crystallisation of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O). The gypsum solid forms long, needle shaped crystals whereas most precipitated metal phases form spherical agglomerates of plate-like crystals. This project will investigate the conditions which enhance the physical differences in gypsum and metal hydroxide phases and the potential for separating the two solid precipitates through physical means.


Development of experimental methods for precipitation of dissolved metals including nickel, cobalt and copper from sulphate solutions using lime

Development of experimental methods for physical separation of co-crystallised gypsum from metal hydroxide precipitates

Project report outlining method development and discussion on optimal precipitation conditions for maximum separation of gypsum from metal hydroxide precipitates


Primary Supervisor:

William Hawker



Project title: Impurity Deportment in the Synergistic Copper Process


Description: The UQ metallurgy group has developed a process for primary production of copper which utilises synergies between the current hydro- and pyro-metallurgical routes. The process involves using a hydrometallurgical leaching and precipitation process to produce a copper product suitable for addition to the final stages of the pyrometallurgical process. The aim of this project is to experimentally demonstrate the separation of key impurities in the precipitation stage of the proposed synergistic process. This will be done by carrying out a series of staged reagent addition experiments to determine elemental deportment over a wide pH range and at varying temperature. The results of this series of experiments will be used to select conditions for a second series of experiments at a fixed pH.


Project report showing element deportment through pH swing experiments, fixed pH experiments and final solids characterisation with discussion on optimal conditions for impurity removal and copper product quality.


Primary Supervisor:

William Hawker



Project title: In-use physics of pharmaceutical skin creams for topical drug delivery


Description: The project will apply chemical engineering principals to the study of drug delivery through topologically applied creams, which will include advanced characterisation of rheology and tribology that are may be related to feel and efficacy of topical drug delivery on skin. The project is in collaboration with the Therapeutics Research Centre at UQ based in the Translational Research Institute.


The student will develop of expertise in tribology and rheology as well as general laboratory experience, critical thinking and research skills. In addition, it will involve presenting and discussing results with the Rheology and Biolubrication Research Group and collaborators in the Therapeutics Research Centre. It is anticipated the student will have an opportunity to prepare a written report and potential contribute to a journal publication arising from work undertaken.

Suitable for: Chemical engineering students (2nd year and onwards). Good students from other disciplines (e.g. Physics, Pharmacy etc.) also considered.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. Heather Shewan A/Prof Jason Stokes

Further info: If you would like further information please contact Heather Shewan on: [email protected]

Project title: Lubrication of Non-Newtonian model food systems.


Description: Tribology is the study of friction, lubrication and wear, and signification interest from industry in applying this to understanding the behaviour of food systems in mouth has grown in recent years thanks to ground-breaking research led by UQ researchers. This project seeks to address how high shear viscosity controls the response of rheological complex fluids in the tribometer. It also seeks evaluate and assist in the development of a new tribological cell that can be attached to a rheometer, and it will compare this rheotribo cell to measurements made on a tribometer.


- Development of expertise in tribology, rheology and food science - General laboratory experience - Operational experience with a tribometer and advanced rheometer. - Collect and critically analyse data (develop critical thinking) - Research aptitude development - Report writing and presentation skills development. It may involve

presenting results to industrial collaborators and there may be an opportunity for the student to be involved in a journal publication arising from work undertaken during this summer project.

Suitable for: Chemical engineering students (2nd year and onwards). Good students from other disciplines (e.g. mechanical engineering, physics) also considered.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. Heather Shewan A/Prof Jason Stokes

Further info: If you would like further information please contact Heather Shewan on: [email protected]

Project title: Fabrication and swelling property of mucilage-based beads


Description: Mucilages are hyper-branched polysaccharides extruded by many common plant seeds upon hydration. Typically they form a gel-like capsule around the seed. This capsule, called mucilage envelope, plays an important role in water retention and seed dispersal. They are an important source of soluble dietary fibre necessary for healthy human nutrition. Our recent findings demonstrate that mucilage envelope of Plantago ovata seeds comprises two layers with distinct rheological and swelling properties (see the figure below). Inspired by nature, we aim to fabricate micro-/macro-gel beads using polysaccharides extracted from different mucilage layers. These materials can be prominent vehicles for drug delivery and food applications. In this project, the successful candidate will be given a task to explore a number of key micro-/macro-bead fabrication methods, as well as characterise their swelling behaviour, and mechanical and rheological properties using a range of techniques.


1. Literature review on bead fabrication and swelling kinetics 2. Fabrication of Several mucilage-based beads with distinct swelling

properties 3. Rheo-Mechanical characterisation, and the assessment of the

swelling kinetics of mucilage-based beads

Suitable for: Chemical engineering students (2nd year and onwards). Good students from other disciplines (e.g. physical chemistry) also considered.

Primary Supervisor:

Mr. Long YU Dr. Gleb Yakubov A/Prof Jason Stokes

Further info:

If you would like further information please contact Long Yu <[email protected]>

Project title: Discrete simulation of soft-particle suspensions


Description: The Discrete Element Method (DEM) allows the simulation of large systems of elastic and viscoelastic particles through numerical solution of Newton’s equation of motion. This method is becoming common place in mineral processing, but it has not been fully exploited in the analysis of suspensions of soft particles. In this project, the student will set up DEM simulations in the open-source software LAMMPS to examine the rheology of polydisperse viscoelastic microgels suspensions, which are of great interest in food and biomaterials science.


A LAMMPS procedure/script that sets up a simulation with a given number of particles in a simulation cell, with the particles following a desired particle size distribution. We must be able to provide a given set of mechanical properties for the particles and boundary conditions for the cell, in order to simulate shear, compression and other external forces on the system.

Suitable for: Chemical engineering, Mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics or IT students interested in simulation of soft-matter systems. Basic knowledge of LINUX is highly desirable. Familiarity with LAMMPS is desirable but not necessary.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. Mauricio Rincon Bonilla A/Prof Jason Stokes

Further info: [email protected] Ph. +61 (07) 334 54920 Cel: +61 431 32 56 93

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrete_element_method


Project title: Finite element simulation of cellulose-hemicellulose networks


Description: The primary cell wall of dicotyledons is mostly a hydrated structure comprised of cellulose and hemicelluloses embedded in a pectin gel. This project aims at understanding the influence of cellulose-cellulose and cellulose-hemicellulose interactions on the micromechanics of plant cell walls. In order to do this, the student will use the MATLAB-COMSOL interface to create cellulose-hemicellulose networks and subject them to mechanical stress using the Finite Element method. This analysis will provide useful insight on how these interactions impact cell wall viscoelasticity.


A MATLAB-COMSOL interface that creates a given plant cell wall configuration and allows setting-up compositions, interaction parameters and mechanical properties for simulation of shear, stretching, compression and indentation of plant cell walls.

Suitable for: Chemical engineering, Mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics or IT students interested in simulation of soft-matter systems. Basic knowledge of LINUX is highly desirable. Good command of Matlab is required. Basic Comsol knowledge is desirable but not necessary.

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. Mauricio Rincon Bonilla A/Prof Jason Stokes

Further info: [email protected] Ph. +61 (07) 334 54920 Cel: +61 431 32 56 93


Project title: Water holding capacity of Polymers, Foods and Cellulose gels


Description: The water holding capacity (WHC)of a food gel is of relevance for its stability, microbial safety, functional properties, texture and last but not least the cost of production. There are surprisingly limited methods available to characterise this important property in a convenient way. We seek to apply a new rheological test procedure (developed for entirely different purpose) to the study of WHC of a range of gels. If successful this could have wide-reaching application across many fields of research that utilise the concept of WHC. The project will require both a literature review and extensive experimentation, and it will use an existing computation model to assist in data analysis.


The student will develop of expertise in rheology and gels, as well as general laboratory experience, literature searching, critical thinking and other research skills. In addition, it will involve presenting and discussing results with the Rheology and Biolubrication Research Group. As this study has some very novel aspects, it is anticipated the student will have an opportunity to prepare a journal paper for publication.

Suitable for: Chemical engineering students (2nd year and onwards). Good students from other disciplines would also be considered.

Primary Supervisor:

A/Prof Jason Stokes

Further info: If you would like further information please contact Jason Stokes: [email protected]

Project title: Model-driven approach to optimize microalgae as chemical cell factories


Description: A gradual shift in the chemical and energy industries from utilising non-renewable resources to employing renewable resources has been taking place for quite some time. The techniques and strategies for developing microbial strains for chemicals production have advanced rapidly, and it is becoming feasible to develop microbes for producing additional types of chemicals, including non-natural molecules. With the high interest in renewable resources, microalgae have the potential to be used as a biofactory for producing chemicals, biofuels, bioplastics, neutraceuticals and supplements. However, algal metabolism is complex and engineering algae is not an intuitive task. A recurrent challenge is that rarely the cell will produce viable amounts of the product without rational genetic engineering interventions. The aim of the project is to use a genome-scale metabolic model as a framework for pathway, metabolic flux analysis and strain design. The metabolic algae model (AlgaGEM) will be used to calculate the flux distribution (in silico fluxomics) and to explore the algal metabolic capabilities while producing a bioproduct of interest (E.g.: biopolymer). Ultimately, this systems-based framework will be used for strain improvement.


The outcomes/deliverables expected from this project are: 1. Model highlights for new targets and optimized pathways for the

production of bioplastics; 2. Model hypothesis driven for finding possible bottle necks when

producing the bioproduct of interest. 1.

Suitable for: Students enrolled in Chemical engineering, who are currently in their 3rd or 4th year are welcome to apply. A strong interest in metabolic engineering and pathway analysis are desirable

Primary Supervisor:

Dr. Cristiana Dal’Molin Professor Peer Shenk

Further info: Please contact Dr. Cristiana Dal’Molin for more information: [email protected]


Documents

Chemical Engineering - The University of Queensland, … UQ summer... · Chemical Engineering ... with some interest / background in water supply, wastewater treatment and recycling