Super-heated steam offers significant environmental and economic advantages as a fluid for forming wood fibre into a sheet of paper, says Dr Helmer. Dr Helmer has designed a system to deliver small quantities of super-heated steam and a prototype mixing tube to mix it with the fibre. The idea arose from a reappraisal of his doctoral thesis recently completed at the University of Melbourne. The prize was won in the international competition amongst others who had completed a Doctor of Philosophy in science, engineering and humanities between January 1998 and December 2000. Dr Helmer is working on his concepts for part of his time in collaboration with the University of Melbourne's Department of Chemical Engineering.
Further investment is needed to prove the concept in the laboratory.