Faculty/School
Faculty of Science
Topic status
We're looking for students to study this topic.
Primary Supervisor
- Position
- Senior Lecturer in Applied and Computational Mathematics
- Division / Faculty
- Faculty of Science
Other QUT supervisors
- Position
- Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering
- Division / Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
Overview
The capture of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) produced in industrial processes is a vital part of Climate Change reduction. Industrial carbon capture methods involve absorption columns, which contains a counterflow of Carbon Dioxide-rich gas and solvent (such as Monoethanolamine or MEA), which absorbs the CO2. As the absorption of CO2 is exothermic, and reaction rates are dependent on temperature, the control of the temperature profile in the column is of high importance.
This project will involve the development and solution of either a spatial ordinary differential equation (ODE) or partial differential equation (PDE) model that describes the interchange of heat, Carbon Dioxide, and other species (such as water), in an absorption column.
Research engagement
The student will engage in literature review, model development, mathematical analysis and writing of computer code.
Research activities
The student will follow the working of one or a small number of published studies in model development with both supervisors, and will carry out numerical simulations and any mathematical analysis that ends up being appropriate, led by the main supervisor.
Research skills
The skills in this project are modelling of physical/industrial processes, critical analysis of literature, and mathematical techniques in differential equations.
Outcomes
The aim of the project will be to understand how relatively simple physical models can be used to describe and optimise the performance of industrial processes involved in carbon capture. An aspirational goal is the discovery of novel theoretical results that will be of interest to industrial stakeholders involved in the design of Carbon Capture facilities.
Skills and experience
This project would be highly suitable for a double-degree mathematics/engineering student in the latter part of their degree, preferable with some experience in
- Ordinary Differential Equations (exact and numerical methods)
- programming (e.g. MATLAB)
- Some concepts from fluid mechanics and/or thermodynamics
Start date
2 November, 2026End date
19 February, 2027Location
QUT Gardens Point Campus
Keywords
Contact
Michael Dallaston
31384298
michael.dallaston@qut.edu.au