Currently my main areas of interest are in belt conveying, especially; conveyor trajectories, chute flow, hoods and spoons, impact plates, rock boxes and particle tracking through transfers. I was recently the Research Associate on a three year ARC - Linkage Project titled 'Quantification and Modelling of Particle Flow Mechanisms in Conveyor Transfers'. This consisted of the day-to-day managing of the project, including the co-ordination of the design and construction of the test facility, commissioning and implementing the test program as well as data analysis, discrete element modelling (DEM) and report writing. This project was also directly aligned with my PhD research. Other areas of interest include pneumatic conveying, rotary valve air leakage and particle segregation. I have extensive experience in experimental investigations, instrumentation, data acquisition and analysis, computer programming and digital video imaging and processing. I have been involved in numerous contract research projects for Bulk Materials Engineering Australia ((BMEA)), the commercial consulting arm of the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies. Where required, my skills have been utilised in the design / setup / modification of new and existing test rigs, the testing and analysis of data and on-site problem solving. Some companies I have assisted in contract research for include: Sanitarium, Masterfoods Australia, Worley Pty Ltd, John Thompson Engineering Pty Ltd, Zinifex Century Mine, Klausen Process Machinery, Bluescope and Downer EDI Engineering.
Articles
Belt conveyer transfers : quantifying and modelling mechanisms of particle flow, University of Wollongong Thesis Collection (2010)
The purpose of this research was to determine if either analytical methods or numerical discrete...
Conveyor belt trajectories - comparing predicted to experimental results (with P W. Wypych), Faculty of Engineering - Papers (2010)
A conveyor transfer research facility has been commissioned at the University of Wollongong to investigate...
Experimental validation of particle flow through conveyor transfer hoods via continuum and discrete element methods (with P W. Wypych), Faculty of Engineering - Papers (2010)
A critical factor in the design of hood-spoon type conveyor transfers is to match the...
Influences on the prediction of conveyor trajectory profiles (with P W. Wypych and P C. Arnold), Faculty of Engineering - Papers (2010)
Seven belt conveyor trajectory methods, C.E.M.A., M.H.E.A., Booth, Golka, Korzen, Goodyear, and Dunlop, are presented...
Investigations into Aerobelt Conveyor Inclinations for Alumina (with Peter W. Wypych), Faculty of Engineering - Papers (2008)
Presentations
Evaluating online multiple choice quizzes as formative assessment tools in an engineering fluid mechanics subject (with Thomas Goldfinch), Faculty of Engineering - Papers (2010)
In an effort to improve learning outcomes in a second year Engineering Fluid Mechanics subject,...
Evaluation of Belt Conveyor Trajectories (with Peter W. Wypych), Faculty of Engineering - Papers (2009)
Since the early 1900s, numerical methods have been used to predict the trajectory of material...