An ARC Special Research Centre
Particulate Fluids Processing Centre (PFPC)

Dr Shane P Usher

PhD, B.Eng (Chemical), B.Sc (Chemistry)

Position

Research Fellow

Phone Number

61 3 8344 5592

Fax Number

61 3 8344 4153

Email

Department

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Office Location

Rm 2.2, Bld 167

 

Research Interests

Current areas of research involve solid-liquid separation processes in a wide range of industries including mineral processing, water treatment, waste-water treatment and bio-sludges. Work is continuing on the development and validation of experimental characterisation methods and modelling tools for sedimentation, thickening, filtration and centrifugation applications. A strategic goal is to incorporate shear effects into characterisation methods and dewatering models, thereby enabling optimisation of dewatering processes.

 

Professional Affiliations

 

Selected Recent Publications

 

SP Usher, PJ Scales and LR White, “Prediction of Transient Bed Heights in Batch Sedimentation at Large Times”, AIChE Journal, 52(3): 986-993 (2006)

SP Usher and PJ Scales, “Steady state thickener modelling from the compressive yield stress and hindered settling function”, Chemical Engineering Journal, 111(2-3), 253-261 ( 2005).

DR Lester, SP Usher and PJ Scales, “Estimation of the hindered settling function R( f) from batch settling tests”, AIChE Journal, 51(4), 1158-1168 (2005)

PC Kapur, S Laha, S Usher, RG de Kretser and PJ Scales, “Modeling of the consolidation stage in pressure filtration of compressible cakes”, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 256, 216-222 (2002)

SP Usher, RG de Kretser and PJ Scales, Reply to comments on “Validation of a New Filtration Technique for Dewaterability Characterization”, AIChE Journal, 48(10), 2418-2420 (2002)

SP Usher, RG de Kretser and PJ Scales, “Validation of a new filtration technique for dewaterability characterization”, AIChE Journal, 47(7), 1561-1570 (2001)

RG de Kretser, SP Usher, PJ Scales, KA Landman and DV Boger, “Rapid measurement of dewatering design and optimization parameters”, AIChE Journal, 47(8), 1758-1769 (2001)