Dr Woei Saw

Woei Saw
Postdoctoral Fellow
School of Chemical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences

Dr Woei Saw is a senior Research Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Adelaide (UA). He has research and hands on experience in designing and operating pilot scale systems, and expertise relevant to thermal conversion technologies. He has been heavily involved in concentrated solar thermal (CST) research projects funded by ARENA. Currently, he is project managing one of the ARENA funded R&D projects, 'Integration of CST energy into the Bayer process'.

Prior to his position at UA, he held a research position at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, as the project leader leading one of the four research programs, 'Thermal conversion of biomass to H2-rich syngas and liquid fuel', funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.

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Dr Woei Saw

Dr Woei Saw is a senior Research Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Adelaide (UA). He has research and hands on experience in designing and operating pilot scale systems, and expertise relevant to thermal conversion technologies. He has been heavily involved in concentrated solar thermal (CST) research projects funded by ARENA. Currently, he is project managing one of the ARENA funded R&D projects, 'Integration of CST energy into the Bayer process'.

Prior to his position at UA, he held a research position at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, as the project leader leading one of the four research programs, 'Thermal conversion of biomass to H2-rich syngas and liquid fuel', funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.

✓ Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD — email supervisor to discuss availability.

Research Interests 

  • Concentrated solar thermal for power generation, liquid fuel production and mineral processing 
  • Biomass gasification
  • High temperate particle storage 
  • Process modelling and Techno-economic assessment 
  • Torrefaction

Appointments

Date Position Institution name
2017 Senior Research Fellow University of Adelaide, Adelaide
2013 - 2017 Research Fellow University of Adelaide, Adelaide
2009 - 2013 Research Fellow University of Canterbury, Christchurch

Language Competencies

Language Competency
Chinese (Mandarin) Can read, write and speak
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
Malay Can read, write and speak

Education

Date Institution name Country Title
2009 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia PhD
2004 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia BE Mechatronics

Research Interests

Chemical Engineering Energy Generation, Conversion and Storage Engineering Mechanical Engineering Renewable Power

Journals

Year Citation
2018 Nathan, G., Jafarian, M., Dally, B., Saw, W., Ashman, P., Hu, E., & Steinfeld, A. (2018). Solar thermal hybrids for combustion power plant: A growing opportunity. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 64, 4-28.
DOI
2018 He, Z., Lane, D., Saw, W., van Eyk, P., Nathan, G., & Ashman, P. (2018). Ash-bed material interaction during combustion and steam gasification of Australian agricultural residues. Energy and Fuels.
DOI
2017 Guo, P., Saw, W., Van Eyk, P., Stechel, E., Ashman, P., & Nathan, G. (2017). System optimization for Fischer-Tropsch liquid fuels production via solar hybridized dual fluidized bed gasification of solid fuels. Energy and Fuels, 31(2), 2033-2043.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2017 Guo, P., Saw, W., Van Eyk, P., Stechel, E., De Nys, R., Ashman, P., & Nathan, G. (2017). Gasification reactivity and physicochemical properties of the chars from raw and torrefied wood, grape marc, and macroalgae. Energy and Fuels, 31(3), 2246-2259.
DOI Scopus1 WoS2
2017 Davis, D., Müller, F., Saw, W., Steinfeld, A., & Nathan, G. (2017). Solar-driven alumina calcination for CO₂ mitigation and improved product quality. Green Chemistry, 19(13), 2992-3005.
DOI
2017 Saw, W., Guo, P., van Eyk, P., Nathan, G., & van Eyk, P. (2017). Approaches to accommodate resource variability in the modelling of solar driven gasification processes for liquid fuels synthesis. Solar Energy, 156, 1-12.
DOI Scopus1
2016 Hongrapipat, J., Pang, S., & Saw, W. (2016). Removal of NH3 and H2S from producer gas in a dual fluidised bed steam gasifier by optimisation of operation conditions and application of bed materials. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 6(1), 105-113.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2015 Hongrapipat, J., Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2015). Co-gasification of blended lignite and wood pellets in a dual fluidized bed steam gasifier: The influence of lignite to fuel ratio on NH<inf>3</inf> and H<inf>2</inf>S concentrations in the producer gas. Fuel, 139, 494-501.
DOI Scopus10 WoS8
2015 Lim, M., Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2015). Estimation of Solids Circulation Rate from Risers at High Solids-to-Gas Density Ratios. Chemical Engineering Communications, 202(3), 356-360.
DOI
2015 Lim, M., Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2015). Effect of fluidizing velocity on gas bypass and solid fraction in a dual fluidized bed gasifier and a cold model. Particuology, 18, 58-65.
DOI Scopus5 WoS2
2015 Guo, P., Van Eyk, P. J., Saw, W. L., Ashman, P. J., Nathan, G. J., & Stechel, E. B. (2015). Performance assessment of Fischer-Tropsch liquid fuels production by solar hybridized dual fluidized bed gasification of lignite. Energy & Fuels, 29(4), 2738-2751.
DOI Scopus11 WoS11
2015 Kueh, K., Nathan, G., & Saw, W. (2015). Storage capacities required for a solar thermal plant to avoid unscheduled reductions in output. Solar Energy, 118, 209-221.
DOI Scopus15 WoS12
2014 Hongrapipat, J., Yip, A., Marshall, A., Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2014). Investigation of simultaneous removal of ammonia and hydrogen sulphide from producer gas in biomass gasification by titanomagnetite. Fuel, 135, 235-242.
DOI Scopus9 WoS6
2014 Mwandila, G., Pang, S., & Saw, W. (2014). Semiempirical determination of overall volumetric molar transfer coefficient for the scrubbing of gaseous tars in biodiesel. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 53(11), 4424-4428.
DOI Scopus1
2013 Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2013). Co-gasification of blended lignite and wood pellets in a 100 kW dual fluidised bed steam gasifier: the influence of lignite ratio on producer gas composition and tar content. Fuel, 112, 117-124.
DOI Scopus38 WoS33
2012 Hongrapipat, J., Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2012). Removal of ammonia from producer gas in biomass gasification: integration of gasification optimisation and hot catalytic gas cleaning. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 2(4), 327-348.
DOI Scopus14
2012 Saw, W., McKinnon, H., Gilmour, I., & Pang, S. (2012). Production of hydrogen-rich syngas from steam gasification of blend of biosolids and wood using a dual fluidised bed gasifier. Fuel, 93(1), 473-478.
DOI Scopus26 WoS25
2012 Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2012). Influence of mean gas residence time in the bubbling fluidised bed on the performance of a 100-kW dual fluidised bed steam gasifier. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 2(3), 197-205.
DOI Scopus9
2012 Saw, W., & Pang, S. (2012). The influence of calcite loading on producer gas composition and tar concentration of radiata pine pellets in a dual fluidised bed steam gasifier. Fuel, 102, 445-452.
DOI Scopus11 WoS8
2010 Saw, W., Hupa, M., Nathan, G., & Ashman, P. (2010). Influence of stoichiometry on the release of atomic sodium from a burning black liquor droplet in a flat flame with and without boron. Fuel, 89(9), 2608-2616.
DOI
2010 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Ashman, P., & Hupa, M. (2010). Influence of droplet size on the release of atomic sodium from a burning black liquor droplet in a flat flame. Fuel, 89(8), 1840-1848.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2010 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Ashman, P., Alwahabi, Z., & Hupa, M. (2010). Simultaneous measurement of the surface temperature and the release of atomic sodium from a burning black liquor droplet. Combustion and Flame, 157(4), 769-777.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5
2009 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Ashman, P., & Alwahabi, Z. (2009). Assessment of the release of atomic Na from a burning black liquor droplet using quantitative PLIF. Combustion and Flame, 156(7), 1471-1479.
DOI Scopus10 WoS8
2009 Saw, W., Forssen, M., Hupa, M., Nathan, G., & Ashman, P. (2009). The influence of boron on the emission of sodium during black liquor combustion under oxidative conditions. Appita Journal, 62(3), 219-225.
Scopus2 WoS2

Conference Papers

Year Citation
2017 Coventry, J., Arjomandi, M., Asselineau, C., Chinnici, A., Corsi, C., Davis, D., . . . Saw, W. (2017). Development of ASTRI high-temperature solar receivers. In AIP Conference Proceedings Vol. 1850 (pp. 030011-1-030011-9). Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: AMER INST PHYSICS.
DOI
2016 Hinkley, J., McNaughton, R., Pye, J., Saw, W., & Stechel, E. (2016). The challenges and opportunities for integration of solar syngas production with liquid fuel synthesis. In V. Rajpaul, & C. Richter (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings Vol. 1734 (pp. 8 pages). Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA: AMER INST PHYSICS.
DOI
2015 Saw, W., Kaniyal, A., Van Eyk, P., Nathan, G., & Ashman, P. (2015). Solar Hybridized Coal-to-liquids via Gasification in Australia: Techno-economic Assessment. In Z. Wang (Ed.), Energy Procedia Vol. 69 (pp. 1819-1827). Beijing, PEOPLES R CHINA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2015 Guo, P., Saw, W., Van Eyk, P., Ashman, P., Nathan, G., & Stechel, E. (2015). Fischer-tropsch liquid Fuel Production by Co-gasification of Coal and Biomass in a Solar Hybrid Dual Fluidized Bed Gasifier. In Z. Wang (Ed.), Energy Procedia Vol. 69 (pp. 1770-1779). Beijing, PEOPLES R CHINA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6
2012 Saw, W., Hongrapipat, J., & Pang, S. (2012). Effect of steam to biomass ratio and calcite bed material on the performance of a 100kwth dual fluidised bed gasifier. In Chemeca 2012: Quality of life through chemical engineering: 23-26 September 2012, Wellington, New Zealand (pp. 308-318). Barton, A.C.T., Australia: Engineers Australia.
2009 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Ashman, P., & Hupa, M. (2009). Influence of droplet size on the release of atomic sodium during the combustion of black liquor. In Proceedings of the Australian Combustion Symposium 2009 (pp. 163-166). CD: University of Queensland.
2009 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Ashman, P., Alwahabi, Z., & Hupa, M. (2009). Surface temperature measurement of a burning black liquor droplet using two-colour optical pyrometry. In Proceedings of the Australian Combustion Symposium 2009 (pp. 167-170). CD: University of Queensland.
2008 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Ashman, P., & Alwahabi, Z. (2008). Assessment of the release of high concentration Na using quantitative PLIF. In P. O'Neill (Ed.), Proceeding of the Fifth Australian conference on laser diagnostics in fluid mechanics and combustion (pp. 67-70). Australia: UWA.
2007 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Ashman, P., Alwahabi, Z., Forssen, M., & Hupa, M. (2007). Assessment of the release of sodium from a burning liquor droplet using planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) and smelt analysis. In Andrew Jones (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2007 International Chemical Recovery Conference (pp. 97-100). Canada: PAPTAC.
2007 Saw, W., Hupa, M., Ashman, P., Nathan, G., Forssen, M., & Alwahabi, Z. (2007). Insight into the fate of atomic sodium from black liquor combustion in a flat flame using equilibrium calculations. In A. R. Masri, K. Sendt, P. F. Nelson, & P. Yaroshchyk (Eds.), Proceedings of the Australian Combustion Symposium 2007 (pp. 118-121). Australia: The Combustion Institute.
2006 Saw, W., Nathan, G., Alwahabi, Z., Ashman, P., Forssen, M., & Hupa, M. (2006). Preliminary investigation on the release rate of atomic sodium from combustion of black liquor. In Caroline Lemerle (Ed.), Proceedings of Bioenergy Australia 2006 (pp. 1-8). Australia: Bioenergy Australia.
Date Project Investigators Funding Body Amount
2016-2017 Design tools for complex solar hybrid thermochemical processes Nathan, Graham; Dally, Bassam; Pitsch, Heinz; Medwell, Paul; Jafarian, Mehdi; Saw, Woei Lean; Chinnici, Alfonso; Universities Australia - DAAD - Australia Germany Joint Research Cooperation Scheme $25,000
2016-2020 Integrating concentrating solar thermal energy into the Bayer alumina process; Nathan, Graham; Saw, Woei Lean; Alwahabi, Zeyad; Arjomandi, Maziar; Ashman, Peter; Dally, Bassam; Hawkes, Evatt; Hinkley, Jim; Steinfeld, A; Taylor, Robert; Tian, Zhao Feng; van Eyk, Philip Joseph; Yeoh, Guan Heng; Chatfield, Ray; Abraham, John; Harrison, Ian; Haywood, Ross; Lovegrove, Keith; Stein, Wes; Stephenson, Ian; ARENA: Emerging Renewables Program: $4,490,752
2017-2018 Potential for reduction in the cost and carbon emissions
for energy		 Jafarian, Mehdi; Saw, Woei Lean; Nathan, Graham Department of Industry, Innovation and Science $110,215

Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2018 Principal Supervisor Hydrodynamics of a Solar Hybridised Dual Fluidised-Bed Gasifier Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Shanguang Ping
2017 Principal Supervisor Solar Hybridised Gasification of Biomass Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Gule Li
2017 Co-Supervisor Effect of Reactor Atmosphere on The Calcination of Aluminum Hydroxide: Experimental Investigation of Reactor Kinetics Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Tse Chuen Tsai
2016 Co-Supervisor Process Modelling Investigation of the Calcination of Aluminium Hydroxide using Concentrated Solar Thermal Energy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ahmed Naufal
2015 Co-Supervisor Solar Gasification of Biomass Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Zimeng He
2015 Co-Supervisor New Understanding of the Heat Transfer Mechanisms in Indirectly Irradiated Particle Receivers for Fluidised Beds Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dominic Michael Walldorf Davis

Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2014 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Assessment of Fischer-Tropsch Liquid Fuels Production via Solar Hybridized Dual Fluidized Bed Gasification of Solid Fuels Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Peijun Guo
Position
Postdoctoral Fellow
Phone
83131182
Email
woei.saw@adelaide.edu.au
Campus
North Terrace
Building
Engineering North, floor 1
Room Number
1 04
Org Unit
School of Chemical Engineering

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