The Department of Chemical Engineering has an academic staff of 17, and includes the Australian Pulp and Paper Institute (APPI) and the Dairy Process Engineering Centre (DPEC). APPI was set up with very substantial support from the Australian pulp and paper industry, and undertakes teaching and research into aspects of the chemical and process engineering of pulp and paper manufacture. DPEC is supported by the DRDC (Dairy Research and Development Corporation) and undertakes research and technology transfer that addresses the needs of the Australian dairy industry.
The department has established a strong research emphasis on the application of adsorption processes to the separation of gases. Experimental pressure and vacuum swing adsorption processes are being developed for a wide range of gas systems. Process research includes development of novel cycle configurations for gas separation as well as effective control for optimal product yield. Numerical modelling and optimisation studies are also being undertaken to facilitate the design and optimisation of adsorption processes. Experimental adsorbent characterisation equipment is available to accurately determine equilibrium and kinetic information for adsorbents.
The department has substantial on-going interests in aspects of waste treatment and biochemical engineering. It has expertise and facilities suitable for studies in fermentation technology (microbial kinetics and product synthesis, novel fermenter design and analysis, biological process analysis and development). Recent studies have involved yeasts (ethanol), bacteria (Bacillus for enzyme synthesis) and algal culture. Downstream processing including isolation and purification of biological products - analysis; optimisation and scaleup of affinity chromatography; supercritical gas extractions; process analysis and development is also studied. Wastewater treatment studies include kinetics and mass transfer in anaerobic digesters; trickling filters; sulphide generation and corrosion problems in sewers; analysis and development of wastewater treatment arrangements for specific wastes; disposal of sludges from treatment facilities. A new research area in environmental engineering currently being explored is the oxidation of hazardous chemical wastes in a supercritical water environment. Experimental and theoretical studies are being conducted to elucidate the reaction pathways for the oxidation of simple model compounds in supercritical water.
Research is an important component of the activities of the Dairy Process Engineering Centre. The centre has strong industry links and many of its programs are undertaken collaboratively with industry. Present research programs focus on biofouling and control of biofilm development through equipment design and operation; conceptual design and process plant utilisation within the dairy industry; the influence of process design and operation on the characteristics of dairy foods.
The department has had a long standing interest in the area of reaction engineering, especially in fluidised bed reactors and gas-liquid reactors. Projects in this area include drying of brown coal and other mineral products; hydroliquefaction of coal; catalytic oxygen removal from low rank coals; catalyst development; polymerisation reactions and mechanisms; fluidised bed reactors; gas-liquid oxidations.
Modelling of unit operations used in mineral processing includes screens; hydrocyclones; sluices and spirals; jigs and shear flocculation. Thermodynamic modelling involves complex metallurgical systems; the electrochemistry of sulphide surfaces in flotation; the treatment of refractory gold ores; the solvent extraction separation of metal ions; the kinetics of leaching nonferrous sulphide materials; the recovery of cyanide ions from gold tailings streams; the fixation of arsenic.
Research is being conducted on the dynamic modelling of complex counter-current transfer processes, and their control. Also of current interest are modelling behaviour of fluid-particle systems. The control of batch reaction processes is being studied, with particular emphasis on the role of model-based controls.
Particular research emphasis is placed on pulping, bleaching, chemical recovery, fibre suspension, fibre and paper properties, stock preparation and papermaking. Present research programs focus on effects of fibre properties on kinetics of pulping; bleaching and washing; understanding the effect of recycling on paper properties; development of techniques for measuring the properties of single fibres and determination of the effects of species, refining, humidity and temperature on these properties; increasing our understanding of the effect of fibre properties on the properties of paper; analysis of sheet structure and determination of its contribution to paper properties; modelling of paper mechanical properties and of papermaking processes; characterising the drainage properties of fibre suspensions with and without additives; fractionation of fibre suspensions.
Current projects include rheology of polymer solutions and liquid crystalline polymers; suspensions including mineral and food products; effect of rheology on roll coating; measurement of elongational viscosity; relationship between the molecular structure in dilute polymer solutions and rheology.
The following research projects are typical of those available in this area: impact of greenhouse gas reduction on process industries; analysis and modelling of performance trends for process technologies; evaluating scale economies; design and costing of cooling-water systems within Australia; capital cost estimation at the R and D phase of a project.
Research is being done into the physical modelling of bubbling fluidised beds and circulating fluidised beds with reference to such processes as gasification, combustion and gas-phase catalytic reactions. Experimental work and theoretical modelling concerning the upward flow of gas-particle suspensions is in progress. Research into the imaging of fluidised bed processes; the dispersion of fine powders in air with applications to drug delivery to the lung and the measurement of particle size is also part of this area. Studies of the influence of humidity on interparticle forces and the relationship with changes in the bulk properties of powders are being carried out.
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