QUT | Staff Profiles | Thomas Rainey

Name

Dr Thomas Rainey

Position(s)

Senior Lecturer
Science and Engineering Faculty,
Mechanical, Medical & Process Engineering

Discipline *

Chemical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Phone

+61 7 3138 1977

Fax

+61 7 3138 4132

Email

t.rainey@qut.edu.au

Location

View location details (QUT staff and student access only)

Identifiers and profiles

Qualifications

PhD (Queensland University of Technology), GradCertAcadPrac (Queensland University of Technology), BEng(Chem)Hons (University of Adelaide)

Professional memberships and associations

Chair of the Queensland Joint Chemical Engineering Committee (IChemE)
MIChemE
Chartered Chemical Engineer

RPEQ

Keywords

process engineering, filtration, technoeconomics, bagasse, biocrude, pyrolysis, HTL, pulp, paper, Chemical engineering

* Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008

Dr Tom Rainey is coordinator of the Chemical Process Engineering course at QUT. He is a winner of The Caltex Award for excellence in chemical engineering education and the Sugar Research Development Corporation Award.
Key research areas:

Process Engineering and Energy relating to biomass
Process modelling and financial valuation (technoeconomic assessment)
Pulp and paper- all areas: specialising in sugarcane bagasse, paper formation and property testing
Filtration
Pyrolysis and HTL biocrudes
Biomass processing technology

After completing his Chemical Engineering degree at University of Adelaide, Tom worked in the pulp and paper industry at Kimberly Clark (Mount Gambier, South Australia). Following this, he worked for the Sugar Research Institute in Mackay with a focus on value added products from sugarcane bagasse, particularly paper products, as well as raw sugar production. He completed his PhD in 2009 and worked as a Research Fellow until 2012. Since 2013 he has worked in the QUT Science and Engineering Faculty. He has acted as discipline leader in the Energy and Process Engineering Discipline acted as school HDR Director.

PhD opportunities: There are opportunities to work in Dr. Rainey’s process engineering group. Applicants are welcome to contact him to discuss potential projects. He leads a program investigating the production and refinement of biofuels for performance testing in affiliation with the Biofuels Engine Research Facility (BERF). Most PhD students undertake technoeconomic assessment as part of their studies. https://research.qut.edu.au/berf/

Publications http://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Rainey,_Thomas.html

This information has been contributed by Dr Thomas Rainey.

Professional Experience:

2020 to present Senior Lecturer/Lecturer, Science and Engineering Faculty, School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, QUT
2013 to 2019 Senior Lecturer/Lecturer, Science and Engineering Faculty, Energy and Process Engineering Discipline in the School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, QUT
2005 to 2012 Research Fellow, Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, QUT
2003 to 2005 Research Engineer, Sugar Research Institute (SRI), Mackay, Queensland
2000 to 2003 Process Technologist, Kimberly – Clark, Millicent Paper Mill and Tantanoola Pulp Mill, South Australia

Grants: in such fields as:

Pulp/fertiliser production from sugarcane bagasse
Filtration of sugar factory mud
Bagasse paper formation and filtration
Process modelling
Government policy review

External collaborations (academic)

Monash University- Australian Pulp and Paper Institute, Melbourne, Australia
Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute, India
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

This information has been contributed by Dr Thomas Rainey.

Taghipour A, Ramirez J, Brown R, Rainey T, (2019) A review of fractional distillation to improve hydrothermal liquefaction biocrude characteristics; future outlook and prospects, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews p1-24
Verma P, Stevanovic S, Zare A, Dwivedi G, Chu Van T, Davidson M, Rainey T, Brown R, Ristovski Z, (2019) An overview of the influence of biodiesel, alcohols, and various oxygenated additives on the particulate matter emissions from diesel engines, Energies p1-25
Musa M, Wolf J, Stephens E, Hankamer B, Brown R, Rainey T, (2019) Cationic polyacrylamide induced flocculation and turbulent dewatering of microalgae on a Britt Dynamic Drainage Jar (BDDJ), Separation and Purification Technology p1-10
Rahimi Kord Sofla M, Batchelor W, Adamovska J, Pepper R, Brown R, Rainey T, (2019) Cellulose nanofibres from bagasse using a high speed blender and acetylation as a pretreatment, Cellulose p4799-4814
Ramirez J, Rainey T, (2019) Comparative techno-economic analysis of biofuel production through gasification, thermal liquefaction and pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse, Journal of Cleaner Production p513-527
Chu Van T, Zare A, Jafari M, Bodisco T, Surawski N, Verma P, Suara K, Ristovski Z, Rainey T, Stevanovic S, Brown R, (2019) Effect of cold start on engine performance and emissions from diesel engines using IMO-Compliant distillate fuels, Environmental Pollution p1-9
Rahman S, Chu Van T, Hossain M, Jafari M, Dowell A, Islam M, Nabi M, Marchese A, Tryner J, Rainey T, Ristovski Z, Brown R, (2019) Fuel properties and emission characteristics of essential oil blends in a compression ignition engine, Fuel p440-453
Chu Van T, Ramirez J, Rainey T, Ristovski Z, Brown R, (2019) Global impacts of recent IMO regulations on marine fuel oil refining processes and ship emissions, Transportation Research, Part D: Transport and Environment p123-134
Musa M, Doshi A, Brown R, Rainey T, (2019) Microalgae dewatering for biofuels: A comparative techno-economic assessment using single and two-stage technologies, Journal of Cleaner Production p325-336
Obeid F, Chu Van T, Brown R, Rainey T, (2019) Nitrogen and sulphur in algal biocrude: A review of the HTL process, upgrading, engine performance and emissions, Energy Conversion and Management p105-119

For more publications by this staff member, visit QUT ePrints, the University's research repository.

Grants and projects (Category 1: Australian Competitive Grants only)

Title: Process for Making Bagasse Paper Pulp (4029)
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT053
Start year: 2012
Keywords: Bagasse; Biomass; Paper; Pulp; Sugarcane

Title: Flocculation and Sedimentation of Slow Settling Mud and Mud Cake Conditioning(4055)
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT056
Start year: 2012
Keywords: Clarification; Clays; Flocculation; Juice; Sugar Manufacture

Title: Evaluate Brazilian mud filtration technology to increase the profitability and environmental performance of Australian factories (3959/3960)
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT048
Start year: 2011
Keywords: Cake Moisture; Mud Filtration; Retention; Rotary Vacuum Filtration; Technopulp

Title: Advanced Computer Simulation of Sugar Factories - SysCAD (3874)
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT040
Start year: 2010
Keywords: Mass Balances; Energy Balances; Process Simulation; Computer Simulation; Process Flowsheet

Title: The Production of Biofuels and Value added Co-products from the Thermochemical Processing of Sugarcane Bagasse (3836)
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT036
Start year: 2009
Keywords: Thermochemical Processing; Sugarcane Bagasse; Biofuels; Platform Chemicals

Title: Low Moisture Mill Mud for Cost Effective Return to Cane Fields (also includes Clarification of A Molasses)
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: SRI134
Start year: 2005
Keywords: Cane Mud; Moisture; Centrifugal; Belt Filter; Decanter

Title: Opportunities for the Australian Sugar Industry in Greenhouse Gas Abatement and Carbon Trading (3866)
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT027
Start year: 2009
Keywords: LCA; Sugar; Bagasse; Emissions Trading; Renewable; Energy

Title: The 2006 Appita Conference - Value Adding Of Bagasse
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT006
Start year: 2006
Keywords: Bagasse; Pulp; Paper

Title: Improving the cost-effectiveness of mud filtration through modern technology
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: QUT012
Start year: 2006
Keywords: Sugar; Mud; Transport

Title: SIRE #5 - Crystallisation Rates In Pilot Vacuum Pan
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: SRI123
Start year: 2005
Keywords: Crystallisation; Sugar Manufacture; Growth Rates; Growth Dispersion; Vacuum Pan

PhD opportunities: There are opportunities to work in Dr. Rainey’s Process Engineering group. Applicants are welcome to contact Dr. Rainey to discuss potential projects. Dr. Rainey leads a program investigating the production and refinement of biofuels for performance testing in the Biofuels Engine Research Facility (BERF). https://www.qut.edu.au/research/research-projects/biofuel-engine-research-facility

Current supervisions

LNG Re-gasification Terminals - Technology Evaluation, Optimization and the Technology Selection Process
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Richard Brown, Professor Ted Steinberg, Associate Professor Robert Perrons
Dewatering of microalgae from dilute suspensions for biofuels production: a single stage approach
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Richard Brown
Integration of concentrated solar thermal technologies in selected high temperature-based process industries
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Geoffrey Will, Professor Ted Steinberg, Dr Sara Couperthwaite
Ship Emission Model Improvement by Using On-board and Test-bench Measurements
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Richard Brown, Dr Kabir Adewale Suara
Production of Hydrogen via Two-Step Solar Thermo-Chemical Water Splitting Process using CO2 Catalyst
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor John Bell, Professor Anthony O'Mullane
Fractional Distillation of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Biocrude
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Zoran Ristovski, Professor Richard Brown, Dr Jerome Ramirez

Completed supervisions (Doctorate)

Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)

A Modelling Study of Filtration Mechanisms for Micron-Particles Filtration in Fibrous Diesel Particulate Filters (2019)

Awards and recognition

Grants and projects (Category 1: Australian Competitive Grants only)

Current supervisions

Completed supervisions (Doctorate)

Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)