Innovative Projects Realized

Low temperature FTIR of Antarctic rhodopsin

Rhodopsins are a family of light sensitive proteins which are photosensory in complex organisms (such as humans) but have other functions (ion pumps and channels) in microbial organisms. We have discovered a new and unique group of rhodopsins which were isolated from a microbe in a fresh water lake in Antarctica, called Lake Fryxell. Through preliminary biophysical techniques I have shown that it functions as an inward directed proton pump which is unusual because the vast majority of proton pumps transport protons in the extracellular direction to generate energy. The biological significance of inward proton pumping is not yet known. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) probes vibrations of molecules and provides molecular details of protein function. Low temperature FTIR can be used to trap intermediate states and provides a more complete view of the mechanism. TO BE CONT’D

Pore system evaluation of core samples above and below the Oil-Water Contact in the Hebron field, Ben Nevis Formation with a particular focus on micro CT-scans

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the pore network with a particular focus on micro CT-Scans to obtain detailed rock structure in Hebron core samples above and below the oil-water contact (OWC). As part of the rock structure, morphological information such as pore shape, spatial distribution, and connectivity are going to be analysed. The image analysis will be used to extract the number of pore throats connected to a single pore (Coordination number), and the pore body-size to pore throat size ratio. Porosity is a property that is not straightforward property to quantify and describe using just one method since it includes a wide range of magnitude and complexity. Using the micro CT is possible to image the micro-pore structure that can not be easily described with conventional porosity measurements. TO BE CONT’D

Characterizing dissolved methane in groundwater in the Peace Region, Northeast BC, using a regional, dedicated groundwater monitoring well network

The rapid increase in shale gas development in the Peace Region has been accompanied by concern about environmental impacts, and in particular, fugitive methane migration into shallow groundwater. The goal of the proposed research project is to establish a dedicated groundwater monitoring well network in order to collect data to inform the following questions:
1) Where and how much methane is in groundwater in the Peace Region?
2) What are its origins/where does it come from?
3) Is groundwater methane in the region related to oil and gas development activities?
Data from the proposed monitoring network will augment existing data from domestic wells and be used to build a comprehensive, scientifically-defensible understanding of fugitive methane in the Peace Region. The Mitacs interns will lead the project, working closely with Geoscience BC, who can share the insights gained with its associated industry partners to better understand the issue and more effectively monitor fugitive gas.

Image Segmentation Techniques and its Application in Geosciences

TerraNotes Ltd is a geoscience company based in Edmonton, Alberta. TerraNotes has

developed or improved 75 proprietary techniques in geophysical applications. With the

current advanced techniques in making use of ground-based and airborne surveys, the

exploration industry can now routinely produce complex geophysical mappings. Hence it is of

importance to develop advanced image processing techniques which are capable of

identifying and extracting useful information and important feature from the geophysical

images. The present project will implement image segmentation programs using a waveletbased

approach, the developed multi-scale image processing techniques will make a

contribution to TerraNotes’ technologies for interpreting and analyzing complex geophysical

images.

Évaluation de l’efficacité de diverses formulations de produits naturels contre différentes bactéries pathogènes animales

En réponse au phénomène de la résistance aux antibiotiques, il y a beaucoup de pression pour diminuer voir cesser l’utilisation des antibiotiques dans les élevages. Plusieurs alternatives aux antibiotiques ont déjà été commercialisées et d’autres sont en développement. Selon des expériences précédentes dans notre laboratoire, les produits naturels offriraient une solution intéressante pour contrôler Clostridium perfringens, une bactérie pathogène de l’intestin des poulets. En effet, il y avait moins de bactéries pathogènes suite à des infections expérimentales dans les groupes de poulets recevant des produits naturels. Toutefois, les effets de ces produits sur d’autres bactéries pathogènes animales sont méconnus. Nous désirons donc tester divers mélanges de produits naturels du partenaire industriel afin de vérifier leur effet antimicrobien sur d’autres bactéries pathogènes animales. Ce projet permettra d’avoir une meilleure idée de l’efficacité des mélanges sur différentes bactéries pathogènes animales et d’optimiser leur utilisation dans l’industrie.

Molecular measures of yeast exhaustion in commercial brewing

Beer production is only as good as the yeast that make it. When yeast are first pitched for brewing, they produce the desired fermentation product—beer. But, after numerous cycles of fermentation, the yeast become exhausted and produce beer with unwanted flavors and alcohol content. As such, the beer is no longer fit for consumption. Over time, the stress of fermentation causes unwanted effects on the yeast’s genes, which ultimately compromises their beer-producing abilities. This project focuses on finding identifiers of exhausted yeast prior to their production of bad beer. If successful, brewers can use this knowledge to test their yeast’s health and prevent exhausted yeast from tainting the production of good beer. This will save brewers time, energy, and money that is regularly lost on bad beer produced by exhausted yeast.

The synthesis and characterization of new boron subphthalocyanine derivatives for organic solar cells

Small molecules with conducting electronic properties resembling those of metals have been used in next generation electronic devices such as organic solar cells. These organic or carbon-based molecules are paving a new road towards environmentally-friendly, flexible and cheaper solar cells. Boron subphthalocyanines (BsubPcs) are an example of small organic molecules that have been used to achieve impressive power conversion efficiencies in these devices. BsubPcs have robust, industrially relevant chemistry and can be chemically modified to predictably tune their physical and electronic properties. In order to assess the structure-property relationships of newly functionalized BsubPcs as well as their impact on solar cell performance, we have expanded the matrix of potential BsubPcs with various halogens (for example, fluorine atoms) in the periphery and carbon-based groups bonded to the central boron atom of the BsubPc. TO BE CONT’D

Real-Time HIL Simulation of a Battery Energy Storage System

Batteries are becoming popular options for storage of energy at large scales for application in power systems. A battery energy storage system may be developed using batteries of different chemistries and also batteries that are not necessarily at the same state of health. The capabilities of a battery energy storage system are affected by the characteristics of the batteries that form it. Therefore, it is essential that a storage systems be developed and operated with a full understanding of how these differences affect its performance. This research aims to (i) develop an experimental storage system and investigate how these factors affect the system, and (ii) provide guidelines for operation and controller design for battery storage systems for enhanced operation.

Multifunctional piezoelectric sensors using two-dimensional layered materials

The project envisages the development of multifunctional piezoelectric sensors using two-dimensional (2-D) layered materials. Piezoelectricity is defined as the electrical response of the materials with respect to the mechanical actuation. This property persists in the materials that have non-centrosymmetry in their internal structure.In particular, the 2-D materials with the non-centrosymmetric structure a great potential lies in the field of electromechanical and electronic device applications owing to a large area coverage. One such class are transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) . TMDCs contain one metal and two chalcogen atoms thus providing non-centrosymmetry in the monolayer . Our target is to explore monolayer of TMDCs by sandwiching it in between two graphene conductive electrodes to obtain a semiconductor device that is capable of sensing strain , actuation applications and energy generation using piezoelectric phenomena.

Next-Generation Thermal Energy Storage Systems for Smart Thermal Grids

Proposed Work- Design Assessment of Latent Heat Storage Systems (LHSS) Integrated with Smart Thermal Grids
Latent heat storage is a coherent technique having a potential of integration with real-time applications. The energy is stored in the form of latent heat during melting of phase change material’s (PCM’s). This energy can be utilized during the peak demand period.
Motivation –
Canada utilizes 19% of its total domestic energy consumption in water heating. Therefore, there is a need to explore technologies like energy storage to meet the surplus demands.
Objectives
• Estimation of thermal load/actual demand through data collection.
• Feasibility of utilizing waste heat sources.
• PCM selection for desired application.
• Developing a thermal model of LHSS of suitable capacity (roughly 13.3 kWh daily consumption per house in Canada) for domestic hot water system.
• Design and investigation using numerical analysis. TO BE CONT’D

KickStarter

Social networks like maps with real-time traffic are good examples of streaming graphs. These streaming graphs are processed and analyzed to answer the queries in real time. Conventional iterative graph processing algorithms estimate the results by approximating the intermediate values. Upon receiving a query, the computation is performed on these intermediate values. This setting gives proper results when the intermediate values are closer to actual values than the initial values, which is the case with monotonic graphs. A monotone function between the ordered sets preserves or reverses the given order. However, when an edge in deleted in such a graph, the monotonic structure get disrupted. And therefore these algorithms output incorrect results. The KickStarter, which is proposed, is expected to handle the problem of processing graphs correctly and efficiently even while the edge deletions are present. TO BE CONT’D

Efficient Computational tools for Magnetic Reconstruction and Image Decomposition

TerraNotes Ltd is a geoscience company based in Edmonton, Alberta. TerraNotes has

developed or improved 75 proprietary geophysical techniques to extract important information

from geophysical datasets. With the current advanced techniques in making use of airborne

surveys, the exploration industry can rapidly and effectively obtain magnetic data which cover

very large regions and remote areas. In the present project, efficient computational tools will

be developed to reconstruct geophysical parameters utilizing the airborne magnetic data, and

new image decomposition software using wavelet-based techniques will be implemented.

The developed numerical programs will enhance TerraNotes’ technologies integrating

geophysical and geological data to extract important information and features which are of

practical applications to the exploration industry in Canada.