Xiaopeng Bi

Mr Xiaopeng Bi

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

PhD Candidate/ Research Associate

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

I am enthusiastic in using experimental and instrumental methods to understand complex multiphase turbulent flows involving non-linearly coupled particle-fluid interactions, currently relevant to a range of low-carbon technologies (e.g. flash calciners for iron ore reduction or alumina and lithium calcination, solar thermal receivers for clean energy generation and etc). The distributions of particulate matters and their motions greatly affect the processes of heat transfer and chemical reactions in high-temperature industrial systems. My research aims to help advance the relevant knowledge and address industrial challenges typically including particles stick/settle to walls, wall surface erosion, process efficiency and product quality (agglomeration, deformation, breakup, contact surface/area, residence time and etc), system design, scale-up capability and dust generation.

My PhD studies, under the supervision of Professor Graham ‘Gus’ Nathan (@Adelaide AU), experimentally investigated highly loaded particle-laden flows (2-way, 4-way to granular flows), where conventional methods cannot probe well due to significant optical blockage and phase interactions. New laser diagnostic techniques were therefore developed in this process, while other advanced optical methods were also employed to support the measurements.

Our group and the centre for energy technology actively recruit motivated PhD students to work with us across disciplines in several important projects aligning with national key developments. Reach out if you are interested.

Laser technique: simultaneously measuring both particle- and fluid-phase velocities in particle-laden flows by two-color optical phase discrimination.

 

Supervisors: Professor Graham ’Gus’ Nathan (Principal),  Dr Timothy Lau  and  Dr Zhiwei Sun.

Activities: multiple research conferences and industry-engaged activities, e.g. Selected speaker at the Gordon Research Conference on Laser Diagnostics (US 2021), Presenter at the 22nd -24th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference (AU 2020-2024, volunteer at the 21st in 2018), Australian Combustion Symposium (AU 2023), the 27th SolarPACES Conference (US 2021) and the 3rd-4th High Temperature Mineral Processing Forum - HiTeMP-3 (AU 2022-2024), as well as Mentee in the Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (AU IMNIS - ATSE, 2020-2021).

 

Particle-based concentrating solar power technology (G3P3-Sandia DoE - US) 2019-2023

Fundamentally and experimentally study lab-scale densely-seeded particle-laden flows in the development of next-generation commercially up-scaled renewable energy system, a concentrating solar thermal system, named “falling particle receivers”, under the G3P3 project led by the Sandia National Laboratories (US), in partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian National University (ANU). 

Free-falling particle curtains with distinct particle clustering patterns

  
Particle-based thermal reactor for renewable mineral processing (Calix - AU) 2023-Present

Experimentally study particle residence time and particle dynamics in impulsively seeded particle-laden flows, for the development of Calix’s (AU) next-generation thermal flash reactors, which utilise renewable energy to advance mineral processing in the production of lime/cement and green metals, while benefiting CO2 capture/reduction. 

  
High flux thermal pre-treatment of low-grade iron ores for improved liberation, beneficiation and quality (FMG, Roy Hill, Liberty Steel & CSIRO - AU) 2023-2024

 

This work under the project of HILT CRC Iron ore, systematically and experimentally studies a series of processing techniques (comminution / beneficiation) integrated with novel thermal pre-treatment methods using high heating fluxes and high heating rates for up-grading low-quality iron ores and reducing crushing energy cost.

  

2020 - 2021 Teaching Assistant (MECH ENG4107/7029 - Air Conditioning)

2019 - 2019 Teaching Assistant (CHEM ENG 1009 - Materials I)

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Experimental study of particle residence times related to drop-tube reactor design The University of Adelaide Master by coursework Master Full Time Shizhen Hu, Tiankuo Jiao, Yaoyao Yang
  • Position: PhD Candidate/ Research Associate
  • Phone: 83136385
  • Email: xiaopeng.bi@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Engineering South, floor 3
  • Org Unit: Research Scholars (Positions)
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