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Annual Report 2014Department of Chemical Engineering

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Annual Report2014

Department of Chemical Engineering

Private Bag X3

Rondebosch

7701

South Africa

Telephone: (021) 650 2518

Website: www.uct.ac.za

www.chemeng.uct.ac.za

Contact: [email protected]

Vision 2020

Our staff and students• Our students are professionals and future leaders.• Our staff are passionate, committed and caring.• Our diverse academic staff are respected leaders in their field.

Our environment• The Chemical Engineering Department of 2020 is a vibrant, exciting, fun place to work.• There is time for creative, original thinking, innovation and inspiration.• With our home at the University of Cape Town – an Afripolitan University – we are a hub

for high-achieving African and international scholars.

Our achievements• Our BSc, MSc and PhD graduates are independent thinkers.• Our graduates recognise the needs of society in general and of South Africa in particular.• The department focuses on innovation in technology, processes and research.• We are experts in the transformation of the resource-based economy and in waste and

water treatment.• Our internationally-recognised research excellence has helped us to rise to global research

challenges that have particular local relevance.

A beAcon in teAching And reAson

Annual Report 2014 32 Department of Chemical Engineering

History of Chemical Engineering

The Chemical Engineering Department is located on the historic Upper Campus of the University of Cape Town, on the southern slopes of Table Mountain’s Devil’s Peak. The Campus is adjacent to the Table Mountain National Park, part of the Cape Floral Region, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The first home of the Chemical Engineering Department, built in 1969 to house only six academics, 12 postgraduates and an annual intake of 30 undergraduates, was the building that is now called Hoerikwaggo. Despite continuous building modifications (and eventually even a few Zozo huts erected in the parking lot), the increased number of students, coupled with a substantial increase in research activity, meant that the building was no longer adequate.

Thus, in 2004, the Department relocated to the much larger and newly built New Chemical Engineering Building. At that time, the prediction was that the Department’s annual intake would grow by five percent, and that there would be 450 undergraduates and 130 postgraduates in the programme within ten years (by 2014). These figures were already exceeded by 2013. The New Chemical Engineering Building itself has won an Award of Merit from the South African Institute of Architects for its design.

In 2013, in response to continued growth in both the undergraduate and the postgraduate programmes, the Department expanded still further and we now also share parts of the New Engineering Building with the Civil Engineering Department, the Faculty Office and the new Centre for Imaging and Analysis.

ContentsVision 2020

History of Chemical Engineering 2Foreword 4Obituary – Duncan McKenzie Fraser 5

Department profile 6Technical, scientific and administrative profile 7Staff in research groups 8Technical, scientific and administrative staff 10Academic staff and research fields 11Facilities and Equipment in the Department of Chemical Engineering 18

Undergraduate programme 20Professional accreditation 26NRF rating 27Admission requirements 28Undergraduate prospectus 29Admission requirements 2014 & 2015 30

Postgraduate programme 31

Research in Chemical Engineering 36Noteworthy research-related achievements in 2014 37Centre for Catalysis Research (CAT) 40Centre for Minerals Research (CMR) 42Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) 44Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit (CPU) 48Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE) 50Environmental & Process Systems Engineering (E&PSE) 52Minerals to Metals Initiative (MtM) 54

Publications 58

Safety and risk management

Figure 1: Overall intake between 2000 and 2014 by population group 21Figure 2: Graduation in minimum time and minimum time +1 between 2000 and 2011 21Figure 3: Number of graduates from the programme between 2003 and 2014 by population group 22Figure 4: Number of graduates from the programme between 2003 and 2014 by gender 22Figure 5: Number of MSc and PhD graduates between 2003 and 2014 33

Table 1: BSc Chemical Engineering graduates (114) in 2014 23Table 2: Postgraduate students who graduated in 2014 33

PhotographyJulia Anastasopoulos: Illustration on page 2Adeniyi Isafiade: page 53Lindie Jacobs: pages 47 and 57Candice Mazzolini: pages 4; 10; 17; 18-19; 20; 25; 26; 29; 31; 38; 47; 50; 57 & inside back coverLesley Mostert: page 5Rothko: page 47

4 Department of Chemical Engineering

From the first graduating class of seven (white, male, South African) BSc (Chem Eng) graduates and a single PhD in 1957, the Department has grown and changed to the extent that, of the 114 BSc (Chem Eng) graduates in 2014 (including 19 with First Class Honours and 39 with Honours), 58 were women, 33 were black African and 20 were international students. In addition, 35 Masters and 3 PhD students graduated in 2014.

The Department offers one undergraduate bachelor’s degree: the BSc (Chem Eng), a four-year degree that is accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa. The graduates from this programme are highly sought after by the petrochemical, mining and metallurgy and fine chemical industries, as well as a range of other employers, including engineering and project management, management consulting and financial institutions.

The Department also offers both masters and doctoral study programmes leading to MSc, MPhil, MEng and PhD degrees. Our postgraduate programme is the largest academic research activity in Chemical Engineering in Africa and is based on a strong link between fundamental research and its application to the solution of industrial and applied problems.

The Department’s research programme is mainly focused around five University-accredited research groupings in Bioprocess Engineering, Catalysis, Crystallisation & Precipitation, Engineering Education and Minerals Processing. The Department has strong research interests in Environmental Process Engineering and Process Modelling and we also host a number of national research centres and chairs.

Foreword

The UCT Chemical Engineering Department of 2014 is a Department that employs 29 permanent academic staff and hosts 515 undergraduate and 190 postgraduate students.

Duncan McKenzie Fraser (1946 – 2014)

Duncan arrived at UCT to study in 1964, graduating with a first-class honours degree in Chemical Engineering in 1968. After completing his PhD and working for three years at the Caltex refinery in Milnerton, he returned as a lecturer in 1979. He quickly became engaged in the challenges of teaching an increasingly diverse student body with a focus on conceptual understanding while building a research interest in process systems analysis.

Duncan was instrumental in curriculum development and innovative approaches to teaching. He was key in establishing two Academic Development Lecturer posts in the Chemical Engineering Department. He was also a founder member of the Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE) and actively involved in the broader development of UCT’s undergraduate education. Further, he was well known amongst students as an academic who cared deeply about their success. Building on his practice, Duncan’s research on teaching and learning in engineering education was internationally recognised and he was regarded as a leader in the field. This was acknowledged

through being founder Secretary General of the African Engineering Education Association (AEEA). Most recently, he was recognised in his appointment as President-Elect to the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES).

In addition to his achievements in teaching and learning, Duncan championed research in mass and heat exchanger networks and related process systems analysis, achieving well-recognised contributions to the field and mentoring young staff members.

Professor Duncan Fraser retired from the UCT Chemical Engineering Department at the end of 2011 as an Emeritus Professor, after 32 years on the academic staff. He passed away unexpectedly in July 2014, three years into his formal retirement, yet still working actively on Chemical Engineering education at UCT. He is deeply missed by members of the Department, a consequence of a fifty-year involvement. He had served and contributed as a committed educator, passionate teacher, researcher of complex systems and motivator and mentor of staff and students.

Annual Report 2014 5


The Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT is one of six departments in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment; the others being the departments of Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; the Department of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics; and the Department of Construction Economics and Management.

The Department offers a four-year BSc (Chem Eng), as well as masters and doctoral degrees. The MSc (Chem Eng), MPhil, and the

PhD may all be pursued by dissertation only. There is also an option to pursue the MEng, MSc (Chem Eng), and MPhil by a combination of structured coursework and dissertation (60 credits coursework and 120 credits dissertation).

The department also has strong and growing research activity, as evidenced by the number of university-accredited research groupings hosted by the Department, as well as the large number of registered postgraduate students.

Technical, scientific and administration profileDepartment profile

Construction

Economics and

Management

Electrical

Engineering

Mechanical

Engineering

Architechture,

Planning and

Geomatics

Civil

EngineeringChemical

Engineering

Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS)

BSc (Eng) Chem

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research

Centre for Catalysis Research

Centre for Minerals Research

Crystallisation & Precipitation Research Unit

Engineering Education

Environmental & Process Systems Engineering

Minerals to Metals Signature Theme

Process Modelling & Optimisation

Director of Postgraduate

Studies (DPGS)

PhD

MSc (Eng)MPhilMEng

Faculty of Engineering and the

Built Environment (EBE)

Research Groups

Deputy Head of Department

Prof A Mainza

Electronic Workshop ManagerMr B Randall

Electronics Workshop ManagerMr K Hauslaib

Mechanical Workshop ManagerMr P Dobias

Analytical Laboratory ManagerMs S La Grange

Unix

Administrator

Mr G Inggs

Senior Technical

Officer

Mr G de la Cruz

Technical

Officer

Mr D Bramble

Chief Technical

Officer

Mr J Macke

Senior Scientific Officer

Ms Z le Riche

Finance

Ms A Warren

Ms N Davids

Departmental

Secretariat

Ms J Broadley

Ms N Dili

Department Administration Manager

Academic

Administration

Ms B Cloete

Ms B Davids

Director of Postgraduate

Studies (DPGS) Prof D Deglon

Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS)

Mr H Heydenrych

Head of Department (HOD) Prof A Lewis

Building

Maintenance

Mr E Matthews

Mr N Minnie

EBE DEAN (Acting) Prof B Downing


8 Department of Chemical Engineering Annual Report 2014 9

Research group Academic staff and research officers

Scientific and technical staff

Managerial, administrative and support staff

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER)

Prof STL Harrison Ms n cawe Ms S Jobson

A/Prof J Petersen Ms L hanise Ms s christian

dr MA Fagan-endres Mr ie ngoma Ms ch Mazzolini

dr cJ Fenner Mr AKb opitz Ms Ld Mostert

dr rJ huddy Ms s rademeyer

dr M Johnstone-

robertson

Mr t samkange

dr s tai Mr n van Wyk

dr rP van hille

Centre for Catalysis Research (CAT)

Prof J Fletcher Ms r cupido Dr R Weber

Prof M claeys Mr g Kaufmann Ms L-A Kallam

Prof e van steen Mr W Koorts Ms e Williams

dr s blair Ms c le roux

dr r brosius Mr d reyskens

dr o conrad Mr s roberts

dr M dry Ms L romain

dr n Fischer Mr M Wust

dr P Levecque

Ms n Abbas

Mr W böhringer

Mr n hussain

Mr n Lüchters

dr s tanaka

Crystallisation & Precipitation Research Unit (CPU)

Prof A Lewis dr t-A craig Ms H Battle

dr M rodriguez-Pascual Mr J chivavava Ms L-A Kallam

Mr h heydenrych Mr M Kapembwa

Research group Academic staff and research officers

Scientific and technical staff

Managerial, administrative and support staff

Centre for Minerals Research (CMR)

Prof D Deglon Mr M bekhapi Ms H Sundstrom

Prof J-P Franzidis Mr d de Klerk Ms b Andersen

emeritus Prof c o’connor Mr g edwards Ms K

chandramohan

A/Prof A Mainza Mr s geldenhuys Ms n davies

dr M becker Ms s govender Ms c Pomario

dr L bbosa Mr g groenmeyer

dr K corin Mr M Lisso

dr i govender Mr K Maseko

dr b McFadzean Ms L nkemba

dr g tupper Mr r van schalkwyk

Mr P bepswa Mr M southgate

Mr M harris Ms g Yorath

Ms t rampai

Ms J sweet

Mr A van der Westhuizen

Mr J Waters

Ms J Wiese

Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE)

Prof J Case Ms C Carr

emeritus Prof d Fraser

Mr h heydenrych

Environmental & Process Systems Engineering (E&PSE)

Prof H von Blottnitz Ms C Carr

Dr A Isafiade

emeritus Prof d Fraser

honorary Prof J Petrie

Minerals to Metals Initiative (MtM)

Prof J-P Franzidis Ms E Jacobs

Prof dA deglon

Prof stL harrison

Prof A Lewis

Prof h von blottnitz

A/Prof A Mainza

A/Prof J Petersen

dr M becker

dr JL broadhurst

Dr A Isafiade

Process Modelling & Optimisation

Prof K Möller

Staff in research groups


Electronics Workshop

Mr K Hauslaib, Chief Technical Officer

Mr G De la Cruz, Senior Technical Officer

Mr E Matthews, Building Supervisor

Mr N Minnie, Departmental Assistant

Mechanical Workshop

Mr P Dobias, Principal Technical Officer

Mr J Macke, Chief Technical Officer

Mr D Bramble, Technical Officer

Analytical Laboratory

Ms S La Grange, Chief Scientific Officer

Ms Z Le Riche, Senior Scientific Officer

Department Administration

Ms R September, Administration Manager

Ms B Cloete, Undergraduate Administration Officer

Ms B Davids, Postgraduate Administration Officer

Ms A Warrin, Finance Assistant

Ms N Davids, Purchaser

Ms J Broadley, Secretary

Ms N Dili, Receptionist

Mr G Inggs, Unix Administrator

Ms M Muller, Safety Advisor

Name Research field

Ms Naseeba Abbas Centre for Catalysis Research – Investigation of non-carbon support materials for platinum electrocatalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Dr Lawrence Bbosa Centre for Minerals Research – Ore breakage, numerical simulation techniques such as the Discrete Element Method (DEM) for simulation of comminution devices; validation through experimental techniques such as Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT)

Mr Paul Bepswa Centre for Minerals Research – Metal accounting, comminution

Dr Megan Becker Process mineralogy – Practical study of minerals associated with the processing of ores, concentrates and smelter products for the development and optimisation of metallurgical flow sheets

Dr Sharon Blair Centre for Catalysis Research – Programme Director of HySA/Catalysis (July – December)

Mr Walter Böhringer Centre for Catalysis Research – Acid catalysis

Dr Jennifer Broadhurst Minerals to Metals Signature Theme – Interdisciplinary approaches to the responsible and sustainable development of mineral resources, effective management of mine wastes and primary metal processing residues

Dr Roald Brosius Centre for Catalysis Research – Diesel selective and gasoline/kerosene selective catalytic synthetic fuel processes; noble metal promoted zeolite catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch compatible hydrocracking catalysts; hierarchically and/or nano-structured zeolite catalysts for combined FT synthesis and fuels upgrading in micro-channel and continuously stirred tank reactors

Prof Jenni Case Engineering Education Research – Higher education with a focus on science and engineering programmes, South African higher education and academic development, student learning in university, contemporary pedagogical and curricular innovation, race, class and gender in higher education, sociology of knowledge, research methods and methodology

Prof Michael Claeys Centre for Catalysis Research – Director of the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, in-situ catalyst characterisation, nano-materials

Dr Olaf Conrad Centre for Catalysis Research – Programme Director of HySA/Catalysis (January – July)

Dr Kirsten Corin Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation chemistry

Technical, scientific and administrative staff Academic staff and research fields


Name Research field

Prof David Deglon Anglo American Platinum Chair in Minerals Processing & Director of the Centre for Minerals Research – Computational fluid dynamics and flotation cell modelling; conventional mechanical flotation cells and novel flotation cells; particle-bubble contacting in turbulent multi-phase flow environments, with the emphasis on fine particles; use of computational methods for modelling fluid flow and an understanding of non-Newtonian slurry rheology

Prof Mark Dry Centre for Catalysis Research – Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalytic processes, production of synthesis gas

Dr Marijke Fagan-Endres

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Heap bioleaching; bioflotation; biological isothermal micro-calorimetry; MRI and X-ray CT

Dr Caryn Fenner Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Production of affordable, modern fine chemicals and commodity bioproducts, product optimisation, and induction; production of industrial enzymes with commercial applications; environmental sustainability of biocatalytic processes, cascade reactions with respect to green chemistry and the development and optimisation of bio-analytical techniques

Dr Nico Fischer Centre for Catalysis Research – DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), heterogeneous catalysed synthesis gas conversion reactions, in-situ catalyst characterisation, nano-materials

Prof Jack Fletcher Director of the Centre for Catalysis Research & Contract Director of National Hydrogen Catalysis Competence Centre (HySA/Catalysis) – catalysis by noble metals, zeolite catalysed conversion of phenol and derivatives, wax hydrocracking, shape selectivity in zeolites and molecular sieves, hydrogen processors, and fuel cells

Prof Jean-Paul Franzidis

SA Research Chair in Minerals Beneficiation & Director of Minerals to Metals Signature Theme – Integrating and expanding capacity in minerals beneficiation research

Emeritus Prof Duncan Fraser

Centre for Engineering Education & Environmental & Process Systems Engineering

Dr Indresan Govender Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution, DEM modelling, PEPT

Mr Martin Harris Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation circuit modelling

Prof Sue Harrison SA Research Chair in Bioprocess Engineering & Director of the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Interaction of micro-organisms with the environment; microbial ecology and community dynamics in planktonic and sessile environments; energy efficient reactor systems; biokinetics, metabolic modelling of biomass and bioproducts; and integrated bioprocess systems. The above is applied to the fields of: alkane biotechnology, biomanufacture of pigments, enzymes and nutraceuticals, yeast handling, mineral bioleaching through heap and tank processes, Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) prevention, ARD remediation through sulphate reduction, wastewater bioprocessing, algal bioprocesses for bioenergy and fine chemicals, bioprocess design, and evaluation for sustainable process engineering

Name Research field

Mr Hilton Heydenrych Crystallisation & Precipitation Research Unit – Development of a systematic approach for the treatment of effluent water streams using multi-criteria evaluations and comparisons of simulated processes to develop new heuristic principles for the design of water treatment processes; chemical engineering education-curriculum design and the analysis of throughput issues

Dr Robert Huddy Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Microbiology, molecular biology, metagenomics, biological isothermal micro-calorimetry; mineral biotechnology; microbial ecology, biological sulphate reduction, bioremediation of thiocyanate contaminated wastewater effluent

Mr Nabeel Hussain Centre for Catalysis Research – Design and development of catalytic components and devices for low temperature fuel cells

Dr Adeniyi Isafiade Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Process design and optimisation

Dr Madelyn Johnstone-Robertson

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Enzyme production, wastewater biorefineries, biopolymer production, integrated bioprocess development, fungal pigments, bioreactor technology

Dr Pieter Levecque Centre for Catalysis Research – Electrocatalysts for fuel cells and high throughput catalyst preparation

Prof Alison Lewis Director of the Crystallisation & Precipitation Research Unit – Industrial precipitation and crystallisation, product and particle analysis; process control for optimised product quality; crystallisation process development; aqueous chemistry modelling of speciation, thermodynamic equilibria, hydrodynamic and population balance modelling of precipitation systems; water treatment through crystallisation, eutectic freeze crystallisation

Mr Niels Lüchters Centre for Catalysis Research – High throughput experimentation, parallel preparation of heterogeneous catalysts, high throughput methodology for fuel processing research

A/Prof Aubrey Mainza Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution, classification, CFD/DEM modelling, PEPT

Dr Belinda McFadzean Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation chemistry

Dr Andrew MacBride Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution, CFD/DEM modelling

Prof Klaus Möller Process Modelling and Optimisation – Multiphase reactor modelling, separator modelling, integrated reaction – separation systems modelling, parameter estimation, modular process and flowsheet feasibility and optimisation. Centre for Catalysis Research – wax hydrocracking modelling, FT process modelling

Emeritus Prof Cyril O’Connor

Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation chemistry

A/Prof Jochen Petersen

Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Hydrometallurgy, especially heap (bio) leaching of low-grade minerals, heap reactor characterization and modelling, bioleaching processes


Name Research field

Ms Tokoloho Rampai Centre for Minerals Research – Carbide MAX phases composites with cubic boron nitride ceramics, pyrometallurgy

Dr Marcos Rodriguez-Pascual

Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit – Design and implementation of reactors for crystallisation and precipitation processes applying thermo-fluid dynamics and non-intrusive optical techniques

Ms Jeanette Sweet Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution circuit optimisation and design, flotation circuit optimisation, technology transfer

Dr Siew Tai Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – High-value bioproducts, vaccines and biopharmaceuticals; bioreactor design, cell culture in bioreactors; beer and wine fermentation; metabolic engineering, systems biology

Mr Andre van der Westhuizen

Centre for Minerals Research – Classification

Dr Rob van Hille Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Mineral biotechnology, algal biotechnology, microbial ecology, carbon cycling, sulphide chemistry and bioremediation, acid mine drainage retention treatment, anaerobic digestion, bioenergy

Prof Eric van Steen Centre for Catalysis Research/DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis c*change – Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, nano-materials, molecular modelling of heterogeneous catalytic systems, reaction kinetics

Prof Harro von Blottnitz

Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Industrial ecology, life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, recycling systems, organic waste valorisation with a focus on biogas, all applied to questions of resource-efficient and clean production, also in informal settings; engineering education for sustainable development; sustainable mineral resource development

Ms Jennifer Wiese Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation Chemistry

Honorary staff and associates

Honorary Prof Dee Bradshaw

Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation Chemistry

Honorary Adjunct Prof Sandy Lambert

Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation Chemistry

Honorary Prof Jim Petrie

Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Decision support systems, sustainable energy systems, industrial ecology

Honorary Associate Prof Malcolm Powell

Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution

Honorary Adjunct Prof David Wright

Chemical Engineering, strategy, internal and external review, curriculum, design

Honorary Research Associate Melissa Petersen

Centre for Catalysis Research – Molecular modelling


Postdoctoral fellows

Dr Marc Fürst Centre for Catalysis Research – Detailed analysis of iron-based Fischer-Tropsch product using GCxGC chromatography

Dr Melinda Griffiths Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Process improvements and economics of large-scale production of Spirulina and other micro-algae

Dr Robert Huddy Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Investigating the behaviour and ecology of mixed microbial communities in dynamic bioprocess environments

Dr Thanos Kotsiopoulos Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Liquid-mineral contacting for the optimisation of heap leaching and prevention of acid rock drainage

Dr Hennie Kotze Centre for Catalysis Research – Magnetic and Raman analysis of working Fischer-Tropsch catalysts

Dr Tobi Louw Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Multi-scale mathematical modelling of algae raceway ponds for optimal mass transfer and energy usage

Dr Robert Henkel Centre for Catalysis Research – Two-dimensional gas chromatography GCxGC-TOF, magnetometer

Dr Peter Malatji Centre for Catalysis Research – Development of bimetallic precious metal catalysts for steam reforming of methane

Dr Valentina Russo Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – LCA for the quantification of environmental impact reductions provided by biogas installations incorporated in the meat production value chain

Dr Rob Pott Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Conversion of waste organics into hydrogen, electricity and high value products by wild-type and genetically modified Rhodopseudomonas palustri

Dr Bernhard Schwanitz Centre for Catalysis Research – Development of bimetallic precious metal catalysts for steam reforming of methane and Advanced MEA fabrication methods

Dr Mariette Smart Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Selection and characterisation of CO2 sequestering algal strains for carbon mitigation of coal-derived flue gas and waste water remediation at power production plants

Dr ZenGhuo Song Centre for Minerals Research – Investigation of the flotation behaviour of mill products using different grinding media



Analytical Laboratory

The Analytical Laboratory has a range of expertise and facilities for elemental analysis and particle characterisation on solid and liquid samples. The facilities include equipment such as XRF, AAS, and ICP-OES for elemental analysis and Malvern Mastersizer for particle size and distribution analysis. The properties of sample surfaces are determined using a combination of equipment, such as the zetasizer, BET, and chemisorption.

Departmental Facilities

These are facilities and analysis options that can be catered for within the Chemical Engineering Department. Liquid and gas chromatography is performed using various detection methods such as UV/VIS or RID for liquid chromatography, FID, TCD or MS-detection for gas chromatography. Furthermore, two-dimensional GC analysis is performed using GCxGC with TOF-MS.

In addition, the Department has some unique equipment in the form of an in-situ magnetometer (for measurement of content of magnetic material present under high temperature and high pressure conditions) and a novel in-situ XRD set-up (for monitoring in-situ transformations within solid materials at elevated temperatures and pressures).

A variety of reactors are available within the department for testing biological reactions (fermenter, air-lift reactor), heterogeneously catalysed reactions (fixed bed reactors, slurry reactors, Berty reactor), catalyst for fuel cells

The Chemical Engineering Experiential Learning Facility

The Chemical Engineering curriculum at the University of Cape Town has a strong focus on the integration of theory into practice. To meet this purpose of Experiential Learning, the undergraduate Experiential Learning Facility comprises equipment demonstrating state-of-the-art technology from various research centres and groups in the Department. This facility has the capacity to demonstrate the core learning elements of chemical engineering practice in a directed manner. The strong link between research and training introduces a detailed understanding of current engineering technologies, some of which have not yet been adopted in industry.

In addition to learning the governing physical and chemical principles, the facility also allows students an opportunity to learn other skills pertinent to the functions of a modern engineer in industry. Data captured using

Facilities and equipment in the Department of Chemical Engineering

The Department of Chemical Engineering runs an Analytical Laboratory, a Mechanical Workshop and an Electronics Workshop.

data loggers requires competency in computing skills to enable simplified analysis of the results. Students are also exposed to statistical methods of designing experiments and consequently using these methods to analyse the results. The performance of experiments in teams allows collegial learning, not only deepening understanding of engineering concepts, but developing the life skill of teamwork.

Training in matters related to safety, health and the environment is a key feature of the training conducted in the experiential laboratory, which functions as a low risk entry point for students to become acquainted with complex instrumentation and control protocols on process rigs. This is a skill that they will later use extensively when dealing with larger scale units within the Department and industry.

In summary, the Experiential Learning Facility plays a crucial role in providing knowledge for various engineering concepts and also in building awareness of the role of engineers in technology development and testing.

(fuel cell stations), crystallisation processes (Eutectic Freeze Crystallisers and LabMax crystallisers) and precipitation reactions (multiphase stirred tank reactors, fluidised bed crystallisers and large scale (100L) multiphase reactors).

Electronics Workshop

The Electronics Workshop provides technical support to research groups and postgraduate students in the field of electronics, embedded systems, and instrumentation and software design. The workshop also runs a number of Linux servers that host molecular modelling (Accelrys, VASP), Computational Fluid Dynamics (Fluent) and Finite Elements (Abaqus) software that are used in departmental research. The Electronics Workshop advises staff and students on the conceptual design of instrumentation, data acquisition and control systems for test rigs. The workshop also implements and commissions these systems.

The Electronics Workshop also designs, builds and commissions custom electronics and software solutions tailored to the requirements of the various research groups in the Department. LabVIEW, KiCAD, SolidWorks and other CAD packages as well as software simulation suites and industry-standard software tools are used.

Mechanical Workshop

The Mechanical Workshop is a well-equipped fabrication workshop, with the capacity for prototype development and customised designs in various materials, including stainless steel and Perspex.


Undergraduate programme

In the undergraduate programme, students are equipped for careers both in the process industries and as researchers (though many also take up positions in related/other sectors). This is achieved through: an underpinning of mathematics, basic science and engineering science fundamentals; the application of engineering-practice-related knowledge, tools and skills to solve complex problems; and an exposure to complementary studies in the Humanities.

Starting in 2014, a new curriculum has been implemented, with the key drivers being to improve the quality of student learning in the programme, and to increase the contemporary relevance of the offering. (For more information, see http://www.chemeng.uct.ac.za/chemeng/new%20curriculum).

Approximately 125 students (from a diverse range of backgrounds) enter the programme each year. The students are supported through a variety of measures, including: a first-year mentorship scheme and team-building camp; dedicated year-advisers; a well-developed tutor system; a one-week industrial field-trip in second year; and intensive winter- and summer-bootcamps for students experiencing difficulties during the normal semester.

These initiatives have enabled the Department to produce an average of 105 graduates per year in 2012-2014 (up from 65 per year in 2006-2011), with a record of 114 in 2014 (19 with First Class Honours and 39 with Honours). Correspondingly, the minimum-time graduation (i.e. percentage of students completing in four years) for the 2009-2011 intakes has risen to 48% (from 39% for the 2003-2008 intakes).

Industrial partners provide many vital inputs to the programme: bursaries for students; placements for student field-trips and work experience (which all students must complete to be awarded the degree); service on the Advisory Board and Local Industry Forum; financial support from the Minerals Education Trust Fund; and significant contributions to new and improved equipment and infrastructure.

Figure 1: Overall intake between 2000 and 2014 by population group

Figure 2: Graduation in minimum time and minimum time +1 between 2000 and 2011

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Table 1: BSc Chemical Engineering graduates (114) in 2014

Name Achievement

Firdous AlexanderTariq Allie-ebrahim First class honours

Ghulaam Amoo

Marc John BagleyDavid Stephen Baron First class honours

Christopher Mark Barraclough honours

Andrew Donald Bestbier honours

Caroline Blaylock First class honours

Alexa Grace Boje First class honours

Aileen Brandt

Ismail BreyNastassia Anne Brugger honours

Sithembile Rebecca CeleDelincia Chandarman honours

Muhammad Saeed Davids honours

Jaime Kay Davidson First class honours

Francois Dignus De Flamingh

Tatenda Natalie DinhaNicole Dixon honours

Bagcinele Thobiso Dlamini honours

Gordon James Murray Dodge honours

Theophilus Chiratidzo DzingaiByeronie Epstein honours

Nicole Pamela M ErispeMichelle Fang First class honours

Rachel FinlaysonBrett Michael Gait honours

Arthur Gajewski honours

Amna Ghafeer honours

Kershin Gounden

Lauren GreenNanina Marianne Grunert honours

Junfeng Guo First class honours

Tilden James Hellyer honours

Keenan Stewart HeynesGrace Olivia Hudson First class honours

Bianca Cherise Jansen honours

Kemi Olubunmi Olufunmilayo JegedeSunghun Jung honours

Buhle Antony Katanga

Motlokoa William Khasu

Ashcaan Tendo KhazaliCraig John Lawrence honours

Sanda Natashia Mahlakahlaka honours

Mekia Elias MakhubuFigure 4: Number of graduates from the programme between 2003 and 2014 by gender

Figure 3: Number of graduates from the programme between 2003 and 2014 by population group

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Name Achievement

Farirai Sanyika,

Daniel Joshua Schwartzkopff

Monwabisi Emmanuel ScottTesha Sai Seeparsad honours

Onkokame Freddah Setidisho honours

Nanji Ruth Sheni

Thembelani Shozi

Selby Shubane

Philisiwe Angel SitholeLaura Anne Haden Smith First class honours

Uthmaan Solomon First class honours

Philippus Steenkamp First class honours

Rory Stott First class honours

Unathi Swartbooi

Thabo TokweNicole Uys First class honours

Pieter Abraham Albert Van Wyk First class honours

Sizwe Bonga Innocent Vidima honours

Yagna VijMichelle Voerman honours

Alexandra Elisabeth Wheeler honours

Lindsay Mark Williams First class honours

Dududu Mondli Xola Zweni

Name Achievement

Justin Jehan Malherbe honours

Buhle Samantha Manana

Tebatso Sarah Mangena

Ashton MarsdenSibusisiwe Funeka Lolwethu Maseko honours

Tito Caiphus MashiloMmaphala Hunadi Tina Mathobela honours

Esther Zvikomborero Mazvidza honours

Ngoni Pepukai Mhonde honours

Nicola Mitchell First class honours

Muhammad Amir Asyraf Mohd Fauzi honours

Tshedisegang Tshedi Molatedi honours

Lihlonono Hopewell Molefe

Marasi Isaac MonyauSaajidah Moolla honours

Luke Nattle Bra Mortimer

Jason Lee Moss

Masego Mmamolobye Lucia Mosupye

Katleho Mothapa

Kuki Mothata

Mangetane Moto

Tebogo Germina Mphepya

Mpho MukhaningaKatherine Grace Murray First class honours

Matthew Dean Myers First class honours

Donattelo Junior Mzilethi

Sijabulile Faith Ndzimandze

Ndivhuwo Nemakonde

Pfano Queen Nembudani

Wesley Neutt

Thandekile Mercy NkalaZafeerah Omar honours

Louis Florent OudinSaad Panjwani honours

Edwina Papiah honours

Hannah Louise Peacocke honours

Kirsten Joy Peacocke

Marvin Paballo PhaloleRoxanne Pieterse First class honours

Chanel Stephanie Pillay

Raseekele RadingwanaThanzi Ramukosi honours

Sashen Devan Reddy honours

Jade Andrea Robinson honours

Aviwe Cindy Roro honours

Monche Terri Samue


Professional accreditation

The Department’s Undergraduate Programme is accredited by ECSA, the Engineering Council of South Africa. ECSA accreditation means that the BSc (Chem Eng) graduates meet the requirements to register as candidate engineers for PrEng registration. Although our degree is globally accepted, ECSA accreditation means that the BSc (Chem Eng) qualification is formally recognised by the Washington Accord. This formal recognition thus applies to Australia, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the USA.

The Department was assessed in 2010, with formal accreditation being renewed in 2012. The next ECSA visit will take place in 2015.

The general observation was that:“The School presents overall a very favourable impression, with excellent modern facilities, competent and professional staff, and top quality students.”

On the issue of Structure, Content and Knowledge Breakdown, the comment was:“This could not be faulted. A model balance of basic science, engineering science, computing, design and complementary studies has been achieved. A wide range of liberal arts complementary studies is offered and, although the majority of students tend to limit their choice to a handful of the courses, there are the more adventurous who challenge themselves and take the more esoteric options.”

On the issue of Quality of Teaching and Learning, the comment was:“The School is at the cutting edge of engineering education in South Africa, with many excellent ideas and interventions to create a supportive educational environment.”

The following academic staff members are registered as Professional Engineers (PrEng) with ECSA:• Prof Cyril O’Connor, Prof Alison Lewis and Prof

Harro von Blottnitz

The ratings that are awarded are as follows:

AResearchers who are unequivocally recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their field for the high quality and impact of their recent research outputs.

BResearchers who enjoy considerable international recognition by their peers for the high quality and impact of their recent research outputs.

C

Established researchers with a sustained recent record of productivity in the field who are recognised by their peers as having:• produced a body of quality work,

the core of which has coherence and attests to ongoing engagement with the field;

• demonstrated the ability to conceptualise problems and apply research methods to investigating them.

P

Young researchers (normally younger than 35 years of age), who have held the doctorate or equivalent qualification for less than five years at the time of application and who, on the basis of exceptional potential demonstrated in their published doctoral work and/or their research outputs in their early post-doctoral careers, are considered likely to become future leaders in their field. Also known as the NRF President’s Award.

Y

Young researchers (40 years or younger) who have held the doctorate or equivalent qualification for less than five years at the time of application, and who are recognised as having the potential to establish themselves as researchers within a five-year period after evaluation, based on their performance and productivity as researchers during their doctoral studies and/or early post-doctoral careers.

NRF Rated staff members

Becker, M Y1 Levecque, P Y2

Case, J C1 Lewis, A B2

Claeys, M B3 Mainza, A C1

Corin, K Y2 Möller, K C3

Deglon, D B3 Petersen, J B2

Franzidis, J-P B3 Van Steen, E B3

Harrison, S B2 Von Blottnitz, H C1

Isafiade, A Y2

NRF Rating

The NRF rating system is a key driver in the NRF’s aim to build a globally competitive science system in South Africa. It is a valuable tool for benchmarking the quality of our researchers against the best in the world. NRF ratings are allocated based on a researcher’s recent research outputs and impact as perceived by international peer reviewers. The rating system encourages researchers to publish high quality outputs in high impact journals/outlets. Rated researchers as supervisors will impart cutting-edge skills to the next generation of researchers.

The rating of individuals is based primarily on the quality and impact of their research outputs over the past eight years, taking into consideration the evaluation made by local and international peers. It identifies researchers who count among the leaders in their fields of expertise and gives recognition to those who constantly produce high quality research outputs. Several South African universities use the outcomes of the NRF evaluation and rating process to position themselves as research-intensive institutions, while others provide incentives for their staff members to acquire and maintain a rating and give special recognition to top-rated researchers.


Admission requirements

The Admission Points Score and the Faculty Points Score

For applicants writing the National Senior Certificate and, in some cases, for those writing non-South African school-leaving examinations, the Admission Points Score (APS) and a Faculty Points Score (FPS) are used to assess performance at school.

Calculation of Admission Points Score (APS)

The percentages achieved in National Senior Certificate examinations (preliminary and final examinations) are allocated to an admissions score equal to that percentage. The sum of six subject scores, excluding Life Orientation, but including English, is considered when deciding on admission. In other words, the scores for English, Maths, Physical Sciences, and the next three best subjects are used. Results below 40% for any subject do not attract a score.

In the faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment the NBT score forms part of the FPS and Mathematics Paper 3 contributes to the FPS.

National Benchmark Tests

The National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) were commissioned by Higher Education South Africa (HESA) with the task of assessing academic readiness of first-year university students as a supplement to secondary school reports on learning achieved in content-specific courses.

The NBTs assess the ability to combine aspects of prior learning in competency areas – Academic Literacy (AL), Quantitative Literacy (QL), and Mathematics (MAT) – that directly impact on the success of first-year university students. AL and QL are combined in the AQL test and written in a three-hour morning session; the MAT is written in a three-hour afternoon session. Both are administered under standardised testing conditions at sites across South Africa on designated national test dates. For more information, see http://www.nbt.ac.za

The results are also used by universities in course development, programme planning, and placement decisions.

Undergraduate prospectus

The undergraduate prospectus is a guide for school leavers and others who are interested in studying for a first degree at UCT.

The prospectus introduces life at UCT, describing the campus and detailing the services and facilities that the university provides for students. Details of all undergraduate programmes are provided.

View the 2015 Undergraduate Prospectus: https://www.uct.ac.za/apply/student/undergradpros/

For a hard copy of the undergraduate prospectus: telephone: 021 650 2128 or email: [email protected].


Admission requirements 2014 & 2015

CALCULATING THE ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIRONMENT (EBE) FACULTY POINT SCORE (FPS) SCORE:

Step 1: Add up your 6 NSC subject percentages and divide the total by 12 (see below for which subjects to use).

Step 2 Add up your 3 NBT test scores and divide the total by 6.

Step 3: If you wrote Maths Paper 3, take your score and multiply it by 0.03. If you did not write Paper 3, skip this step.

Step 4: Add up the results of Steps 1 to 3. This is your Faculty Points Score (FPS).

Subjects to be included in the calculation: English, Mathematics and Physical Science and your three next best subjects excluding Life Orientation.

REQUIREMENTS FOR AN OFFER OF AN ACADEMIC PLACE – 2014 & 2015

Programme Open category and international applicants Redress categories

Engineering (all programmes)

80 EBE FPS points

Mathematics ≥ 80%

Physical Sciences ≥ 70%

NBT scores of Intermediate or Proficient for AL, QL and Maths

70 EBE FPS points

Mathematics ≥ 80%

Physical Sciences ≥ 70%

NBT scores of Intermediate or Proficient for AL, QL and Maths

Language requirements

English proficiency Evidence of proficiency in English must be submitted with the application to study at UCT. These include any of the following:

• A pass in English Home Language or First Additional Language, if learners hold the NSC; or

• 40% in English on the Higher Grade (first or second language) if learners hold the Senior Certificate;

• A recent Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score (obtained within three to five years before application for admission) of at least:

1. 570 for the paper-based test; or2. 230 for the computer-based test; or3. 88 for the internet-based test.

• A recent overall band score of 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no individual element of the scoring below 6.0; or

• A score of 65% or more for the Academic Literacy component of the NBT.

Postgraduate programme

The Department offers the PhD (by dissertation), the research-only MSc (by dissertation), the taught MSc (by coursework and dissertation) and the taught MPhil (by coursework and dissertation). These degrees may be carried out in any of the following research areas: Bioprocess Engineering, Catalytic Process Engineering, Crystallisation & Precipitation, Engineering Education, Environment and Process Systems, and Mineral Processing. The MSc by combination of coursework and research is offered in the areas of Bioprocess Engineering, Catalytic Process Engineering and Hydrometallurgical Engineering.

All postgraduate studies based in the Department of Chemical Engineering involve a substantial research project. All on-site students entering for a postgraduate degree in the Department of Chemical Engineering are required to undertake the course on Research Methodology and Communication (CHE5055Z). The research questions to be investigated for their thesis are formulated and defined as a part of this course.

Students may enrol for PhD study after completion of their MSc study or via an upgrade of their MSc to a PhD study. Prospective PhD students are required to submit a written research proposal and to present their proposal in a seminar to the Department. The proposal is reviewed by a panel comprising three academics who advise the Head of Department as to whether the provisional registration should be upgraded to a PhD registration. The registration of the student as a PhD student must subsequently be sanctioned by the Doctoral Degrees Board.

The postgraduate programme is a core component of the offerings of the Department. The postgraduate students play a crucial role as tutors in the undergraduate courses, and thus the postgraduate programme. The participation of excellent postgraduate students is essential to the functioning of the Department as a whole.



Figure 5: Number of MSc and PhD graduates between 2003 and 2014

A total of 280 MSc (including MPhil) and 59 PhD students have graduated over the last 12 years, with an average of 23.3 MSc graduates and 5.6 PhD graduates per year. Between 2003 and 2009, the graduation rate for MSc students was relatively constant, but from 2010 there was a steep increase to around 35 per year. The graduation rates for PhD students have remained relatively constant, but it is expected that these will increase in coming years due to the longer time to graduate. The ratio of PhD to MSc graduates is around 1:4, which is below the long-term target of 1:3. This is likely to increase in coming years.

Figure 5 shows the number of MSc (including MPhil) and PhD graduations from the postgraduate programme as a whole over the last 12 years. Table 2 lists postgraduate students who graduated during 2014. This table gives an indication of the scope of research projects conducted in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Table 2: Postgraduate students who graduated during 2014

Student nameSupervisor and co-supervisor(s)

Degree Research topic

Chandon Bezuidenhout J Petersen MSc An electrochemical reduction process for the recovery of copper powder from a refinery effluent stream

Zandile Hlengiwe Chonco E Van Steen PhD Investigation of the promotional effect of Cu and Ag on iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst using ferrites as model catalysts

Gregory Arnold Crymble O Conrad MSc Towards reliable correlation of microporous layer physical characteristics and PEMFC electrochemical performance

Martin Patrick de Beer E Van Steen M Claeys

MSc Deposition of Au/Pt on Co/SiO2 for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Noluntu Dyantyi M Becker J Broadhurst S Harrison

MSc Application of mineralogy in the interpretation of laboratory scale acid rock drainage (ARD) prediction tests: A gold case study

Alistair Paul Hughes K Möller S Harrison

MSc The accuracy of MFA models in predicting reaction rate profiles in a model biochemical reaction system

Colleen Jackson O Conrad P Levecque

MSc Preparation of characterisation of Pt-Ru/C catalysts for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC)

Nicole Karen Jansen van Rensburg

J Petersen M Becker

MSc A value-based approach to leach optimization at Rossing Uranium Ltd

Mopeli Ishmael Khama R Rawatlal MSc Numerical simulation of bubble columns by integration of bubble cell model into the population balance framework

Thulile Patricia Khoza S Blair P Levecque

MSc Evaluation of metal nitrides and borides as alternatives electrocatalysts support materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Matthew Anthony Koen J Fletcher MSc Hydrocracking of long chain n-paraffins under Fischer-Tropsch conditions

Avela Kunene E Van Steen M Claeys

MSc AuPt nano-alloys as reduction promotors for Co/TiO2 Fischer-Tropsch catalysts

Lebohang Macheli E Van Steen MSc Silica modified Co3O4 nanocubes as a model system for metal-support interaction in Co/SiO2 catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

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Kubefu Albert Maduna J Fletcher S Roberts

MSc Water-gas shift conversion in microchannel reactors using noble metal catalysts

Malebelo Catherine Maphutha M Claeys Nico Fischer

MSc In situ sintering study of model nickel catalysts

Rethabile Bonang Melamu H Von Blottnitz F Petersen

PhD Waste-based bioenergy – beyond assessments of potential into implementation

Murray Peter Meissner S Harrison C Fenner

MSc Reactor design for the hydroxylation of N-octane using a cyp153A6-based biocatalytic system expressed in Escherichia Coli

Nicole Anne Meyer M Becker J Broadhurst

MSc An investigation into the dissolution of pyroxene

Pharaoh Kudzaishe Muzanenhamo

A Mainza J Waters

MSc Assessing the effect of cone ratio feed solids concentration and viscosity on hydrocyclone performance

Mogamat Thaabit Nacerodien R Rawatlal MSc Investigation of polymer grade blending in Ziegler-Natta catalysed olefin polymerisation systems

Conrad Bhekile Ndimande J Fletcher R Brosius

MSc Ideal hydrocracking catalysts for the conversion of FT wax to diesel

Tsundukani Glen Nwaila M Becker J Petersen

MSc Investigation in to the potential of Witwatersrand gold ore for heap leaching using x-ray CT and process mineralogy

Constance Kudakwashe Nyambayo

B McFadzean MSc The use of thiol collectors in the flotation of sulphide ores

Santosh Pani B McFadzean J Wiese

MSc Study the effect of process parameters and their interactions of flotation of UG2 ore

Yefon Manjo Persis R Rawatlal MSc A fundamental approach to predicting the mass transfer coefficients in bubble column reactors

Bismark Donkor Sarpong A Mainza MSc On-line sensors for measuring ball loading and total charge level in tumbling mills

Ian Stefanes Scott K Möller C Woolard

MSc Modelling spherical flame propagation in a closed volume



Tanaka Casandra Shumba J Wiese B McFadzean

MSc Relationship between flotation operational factors and froth behaviour

Nathan Ngwelela Simunkia J Broadhurst J Petersen

MSc Predicting the time related generation of acid rock drainage from mine waste

Monique Smit R van Hille MSc Evaluation of the competitive performance of an indigenous eicosapentaenoic acid producing microalgal isolate

Andre Peter Steynberg J Fletcher MSc Process intensification for the iron-catalysed slurry-phase Fischer-Tropsch reactor system

Johannes Jakobus Steyn M Harris B McFadzean

PhD Developing a framework for the design of the milling and rougher circuits for a platinum-bearing UG2 ore

Motena Rahab Takalimane A Mainza MSc Evaluating the influence of lifter face angle on the trajectory of particles in a tumbling mill

Li-Hsin Tsui J Fletcher S Roberts

MSc Evaluation of various supported metal catalysts for the conversion of CO via water-gas shift reaction

Jacobus van der Merwe J Fletcher W Böhringer

MSc Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed propylation of m-cresol with IPA

Brian Mathew Willis A Lewis M Rodriguez Pascual

MSc The effect of energy input on the aggregation rate in an oscillating multi-grid reactor

Peter David Timothy Wynne J Fletcher W Böhringer

MSc The effect of metal type loading on n-paraffin hydrocracking

Yi Zhou J Fletcher MSc Micro-channel stream methane reforming over platinum group metal catalysts

Annual Report 2014 3736 Department of Chemical Engineering

Research in Chemical Engineering

research in the chemical engineering department has grown

significantly over the last ten years, with postgraduate numbers

increasing from 92 in 2002 to 182 in 2014.

The Department hosts four University-accredited research groupings: the Centres for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Catalysis Research and Minerals Processing Research and the Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit. We also host two SARChI Chairs (Bioprocess Engineering and Minerals Beneficiation), the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis, the DST Competence Centre in Hydrogen and Fuel Cells as well as one of the University’s Signature Research Themes in Minerals to Metals.

Centre for Bioprocessing Engineering Research

Research activities

Centre for Catalysis Research

Crystallisation & Precipitation Unit

Centre for Minerals Research

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Noteworthy research-related achievements in 2014

Dr Lawrence Bbosa, PhD student Margreth Tadie and MSc student Lucy Little received Young Authors Awards at the XXVII International Mineral Processing Conference 2014 held in Santiago, Chile.

Every year since 2012, Brewing UCT has managed to specialise and win in a new category at the SAB Intervarsity Beer Brewing competition. In 2014, the BUCT team, who are sponsored by CeBER and comprised of UCT Chemical Engineering postgraduate students, secured first prize in the Cider Category. Brewing UCT was also awarded R25 000 sponsorship by the Group Technical Team of SABMiller for upgrades to their brewery, who noted that their proposal was “of the highest order”.


The CeBER algal team were awarded seed funding through the TIA initiative for the development of a novel process for the production of the blue pigment, phycocyanin. The team is comprised of Melinda Griffiths, Robert Pott, Matthew Burke and Sue Harrison.

Michael Claeys, with his co-authors: Nico Fischer, Brett Clapham, Theresa Feltes, and Eric van Steen, had a paper published in Angewandte Chemie, one of the prime chemistry journals in the world. Importantly their paper was chosen by the editors as a “hot paper” for its importance in a rapidly evolving field of high current interest.

Dave Deglon was awarded a B3 NRF rating, which acknowledges his standing as a researcher who enjoys considerable international recognition by his peers for the high quality and impact of his recent research outputs.

Dr Marijke Fagan-Endres received the 2014 Woman in Engineering and the Built Environment Excellence award in the category Most Promising Young Woman: Research. This was a new category created in 2014 to acknowledge women who have chosen to stay in academia. The awards are organised by the University of Johannesburg and Group Five. There are four different categories: Young Women, Women in Industry, Women in Academia and Women in Community Service.

Nico Fischer and Michael Claeys were awarded a silver medal poster prize at the Zing Nanocrystals Conference 2014.

Professor Sue Harrison, Director of CeBER and Deputy Dean (Research) of the faculty of EBE, was elected a fellow of the University of Cape Town.

Sarah Jones, CeBER PhD student, won the award for the “Best Student Oral Presentation” at the 28th Congress of the Phycological Society of Southern Africa in Cape Town.

Monica Kalichini, a MSc Student, won the Cape Town round of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) Young Persons’ Lecture Competition for her lecture entitled “A study of the flotation characteristics of a complex copper ore”. She went on to the national competition in Port Elizabeth where she came third.

Lucy Little, a MSc student, received an Outotec Travel Award in recognition of the quality of her work, in addition to an NRF travel grant and a scholarship from the IMPC council paying her registration for the XXVII International Mineral Processing Conference 2014 held in Santiago, Chile.

Aubrey Mainza was awarded a C1 NRF rating, which acknowledges his standing as an established researcher, with a sustained recent record of productivity in the field.

Dereck Ndoro, MSc student in CPU, received an Outotec Travel Grant valued at R25 000 towards the cost of attending the International Symposium on Industrial Crystallisation 2014 in Toulouse, France.

Rissa Niyobuhungiro won a best poster award at WasteEng in Rio de Janeiro for her study on biogas potential from slaughtering waste.

Glen Nwaila, who graduated with a MSc degree in June 2014, was the youngest of 11 recipients of the 2014 Standard Bank Rising Star Awards, which were established to recognise, celebrate and connect young, talented individuals.

Edward Peters received a Research Associateship award presented by the Vice Chancellor, Dr Max Price. Supervisors in all faculties were asked to nominate outstanding students. Edward was nominated by Professor Alison Lewis. He is currently researching the “Effect of antiscalants on thermodynamics and crystallisation kinetics in eutectic freeze crystallisation.”

Robert Pott, a CeBER Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, won the Johannesburg round of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) Young Persons’ Lecture Competition for his lecture entitled “Entrapment of hydrogen producing photosynthetic bacteria in PVA-cryogels”. He was also selected as one of 20 applicants to present at the Johannesburg leg of the Falling Walls Lab, an international lecture competition run by the German government in memory of the fall of the Berlin wall.

Eric van Steen, Professor in Chemical Engineering, was elected a fellow of the University of Cape Town.

Prof Harro von Blottnitz, who was promoted to professor in 2013, gave an inaugural lecture entitled “Recycling, renewables and systems intelligence: Engineering responses to global challenges.”


Description of activities

Research Research in catalysis at UCT Chemical Engineering currently consists of three main entities:

Centre for Catalysis Research (CatCentre) Industrially oriented catalysis research was initiated within the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1980. Funding comes from a variety of sources including the University, the National Research Foundation (NRF), the DTI Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP), and several industrial sponsors. Industrial contract research from both domestic and international companies contributes substantially to the Centre’s financial base.

The Centre concerns itself with both fundamental and industrial research and development in the general field of heterogeneous catalysis, encompassing all of catalyst synthesis, physico-chemical characterisation, and performance testing for industrially interesting chemical conversions. Although engaged in topics of international interest, the centre has a strong commitment to addressing issues of direct importance to the South African chemical process industry.

The CatCentre scientific programme is made up of three distinct research foci, namely:1. Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis;2. Hydroprocessing; and3. PGM Catalysis.

DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change) The DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), established in 2004, has as its focus the field of catalysis and catalytic processing, and is to be seen as a large, yet focused virtual research programme of a national scope and significance, with multi-disciplinary participants from 10 higher education institutions, comprising some 16 research groupings from fields in heterogeneous, homogeneous, and bio-catalysis and disciplines ranging across chemistry, engineering, and microbiology.

The objectives of the Centres of Excellence Programme are, inter alia, to promote knowledge and human capital development in areas of

Centre for Catalysis Research (CAT)

DirectorCatCentre

Prof J Fletcher

Directorc*change

Prof M Claeys

DIRECTORCentre for Catalysis

Research Prof J Fletcher

DirectorHySA/catalysis

Dr S Blair

ACADEMIC STAFFJ Fletcher, E van Steen, P Levecque

BUSINESS AND RESEARCH MANAGEMENT STAFFS Blair, W Böhringer, R Brosius, M Claeys, O Conrad,

M Dry, N Hussain, N Luchters, S Roberts, S Tanaka, R Weber

TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT STAFF

R Cupido, LA Kallam, G Kauffman, W Koorts,

C Le Roux, D Reyskens, L Romain, E Williams, M Wüst

Programme ManagersCatCentre

Programme Managersc*change

Programme Managers

HySA/catalysis

Project LeadersCatCentre

Project Leadersc*change

Project LeadersHySA/catalysis

StudentsCatCentre

Studentsc*change

StudentsHySA/catalysis

Laboratory ManagerMr D Reyskens

Contracts ManagerMr S Roberts

Senior Technical Officer

Mr M Wüst

Technicians

Research Finance Manager

Ms LA Kallam

Business Support Manager

Dr R Weber

SecretariatMrs E Williams

strategic importance to South Africa, to promote collaborative and interdisciplinary research, to integrate smaller and related research areas into one programme, and to strive for the highest standards of quality and international competitiveness by exploiting the competitive advantage vested in outstanding researchers with planned, strategic, long-term research.

The c*change scientific programme is made up of four distinct research programmes:1. Paraffin Activation (PAR) Programme (UCT,

US, UKZN, UFS);2. RSA Olefins (OLE) Programme (UCT, US,

UFS, NWU, UJ);3. Synthesis Gas (SYN) Programme (UCT,

WITS, UWC, UL, UNISA);4. Small Volume Chemicals (SVC) Programme

(UCT, NMMU).

DST Hydrogen Catalysis Competence Centre (HySA/Catalysis) The Centre for Catalysis Research, together with the mineral research council, Mintek, hosts the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) Hydrogen Catalysis Competence Centre. This virtual centre, established in 2007, is one of three competence centres that will develop hydrogen-based technologies as part of the National Flagship Project in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies. Platinum-group metals are key catalytic materials in hydrogen fuel cells and South Africa has a unique driver in that it possesses 75% of the world’s platinum reserves. The strategic goal is for South Africa to supply 25% of the future global fuel-cell market with novel, locally developed and fabricated platinum-group metal catalysts by 2020, thereby diversifying the applications of the nation’s platinum group metal resources and promoting socio-economic benefits through value addition to its key natural resources.

The HySA /Catalysis scientific programme is made up of three Core Technology Programmes:1. H2 MeOH Fuel Cells (Mintek);2. H2 Reformate PEM Devices (UCT); and3. Fuel Processor (UCT, UKZN)

In addition to scientific development, HySA/Catalysis is responsible for the HySA Key Programme in Portable Power Systems.


Centre for Minerals Research (CMR) Description of activities

The Centre for Minerals Research is a multi-disciplinary, inter-departmental research centre based in the Department of Chemical Engineering, in close collaboration with groups in the Department of Physics and Mechanical Engineering and the Centre for Research into Computational and Applied Mechanics. The Centre originated as a research group in 1980 and became formally recognised as a Research Unit in the 1990s.

In 2006 the unit was accredited by the university as a Research Centre. The main focus of research is on the processes of froth flotation, comminution and classification, arguably the most important unit operations in mineral beneficiation. In excess of 2 000 million tons of more than 100 different mineral species are recovered annually through the process of flotation, in most cases preceded by comminution and classification. Inefficiencies in these processes translate into both an enormous loss of revenue and an unnecessary waste of the world’s valuable and steadily declining mineral reserves. The primary objectives of the Centre are to investigate flotation, comminution and classification at both an industrial (applied) research level and at a laboratory (fundamental) research level, so as to develop a sound understanding of these processes, thereby enhancing our ability to develop predictive models for describing the performance of industrial units and circuits. In addition, the Centre places a high priority on the provision of high level human resources to the South African mining and minerals processing industry through rigorous postgraduate research training. The Centre enjoys extensive support from statutory funding agencies as well as a wide spectrum of leading mining and mineral processing companies both locally and globally. The Centre also enjoys close collaboration with other research groups at universities and research organisations both nationally and internationally.

Centre for Minerals Research (research themes)

Research in the Centre is broadly “themed” into comminution & classification, flotation, process mineralogy and technology transfer. Process mineralogy is an interdisciplinary research area which plays an important role in the integration between comminution, classification and flotation. A technology transfer group, MPTech, plays a central role in ensuring that research outcomes are implemented. Research is conducted at both an industrial (applied) level and at a laboratory (fundamental) level. Much of the research is focused on developing predictive models for describing the performance of industrial units and circuits.

Comminution & classification research• Comminution Circuit Modelling (Group Leader:

Aubrey Mainza)• Computational Modelling (Group Leaders:

Aubrey Mainza and Indresan Govender) • Positron Emission Particle Tracking (Group

Leaders: Aubrey Mainza and Indresan Govender)

Flotation Research• Flotation Chemistry (Group Leader:

Cyril O’Connor)1. Reagent Research Group; and2. Flotation Chemistry Group

• Flotation Cells (Group Leader: Dave Deglon)1. Flotation Cell Modelling; and2. Computational Fluid Dynamics

• Flotation Circuit Modelling (Group Leader: Martin Harris)

• AMIRA P9 Project (Group Leader: Martin Harris)

Process Mineralogy Research• Process Mineralogy

(Group Leader: Megan Becker)1. Process Mineralogy Research; and2. QEMSCAN

Technology Transfer • MPTech (Group Leader: Jenni Sweet)

1. Technology Transfer, Training, Design Reviews, Circuit Optimisation; and

2. Anglo Platinum Graduate Development Programme

*Department of Physics

Centre for Minerals ResearchDirector

Prof D Deglon

Mr A van der Westhuizen Stirred Mills,

PEPT

In-service trainees Mr K MasekoMr M BekapiMr R Moalosi

Centre for Minerals Research Deputy Director A/Prof A Mainza

Mr G Edwards,Mr R van

Schalkwyk

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER – MPTECH Training, Design, Circuit Optimisation, JKSimMet/JKSimFloat

COMMINUTION & CLASSIFICATION

PROCESS MINERALOGY

FLOTATION

Dr I Govender* Granular Flow,

CFD, PEPT, DEM

Laboratory Manager

Mrs S Govender

Administrative Assistant

Ms L Jacobs

Admin and Finance Manager Ms H Sundström

A/Prof A MainzaHydrocyclones,

Tumbling Mills, PEPT, DEM, AMIRA P9

Prof D Deglon Flotation Cells,

CFD, Metal Accounting

Dr M BeckerPost Grad

Coordinator

#CERECAM

Dr L BbosaMr P Bepswa

Dr A McBride#

Mr J Waters

Ms G Yorath Ms L Nkemba

Mr M Lisso

Mr G Groenmeyer

Mr S Geldenhuys

Ms N DaviesMrs C Pomario

Mrs J Wiese Dr K Corin

Dr B McFadzean

Mr M Harris Flotation

Circuits, Froth, AMIRA P9

Prof C O’Connor Reagent Research

Group

Mrs J Sweet AMIRA P9


Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER)

UCT’s research in bioprocess engineering dates from the late 1960s. The research grouping was formalised as an accredited unit in 2001 and upgraded to the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) in 2008. In 2014 the Centre underwent an external review process through the University Research Committee which commended the progress, particularly its inter-disciplinary strengths in bioprocess engineering, since its inception and affirmed the accreditation as a centre.

CeBER’s vision is to be an inter-disciplinary research enterprise, developing the nation’s bioprocess engineers, providing new insights into bioprocesses and bioproducts, and becoming a global leader in selected research niches. The mandate is to educate students in bioprocess engineering and biotechnology principles and practice, and to engage in inter-disciplinary research programmes which provide fundamental knowledge and develop technologies to benefit the bioprocess and biotechnology sectors. CeBER is recognised for its strong inter-disciplinary focus, integrating biological understanding and process engineering systems. Particular strengths are in bioreactor design, integrated and sustainable bioprocesses, microbial ecology and associated dynamics, solid-liquid-gas contacting, mass transfer and fluid flow. Areas of application include mineral bioleaching, value from waste, considering solid waste, wastewater and minewater, algal biotechnology, alkane biotechnology, commodity products and vaccines. CeBER addresses trans-disciplinary areas through the analysis of the social, environmental and economic impact of its research.

Research focal areas and projects

Algal biotechnology Microalgae have great potential as a biomass and bioproduct production system, owing to their broad product spectrum, photosynthetic metabolism, and ability to use CO2 as their carbon feedstock. CeBER focuses on integrated algal processes for the production of pigments, including carotenoids, nutraceuticals, lipids and energy products in both ponds and closed

MSc studentsMatthew Burke, Jennifer

Couperthwaite, Francois de Flamngh, Jonathan Dean, Darin

Dickson, Zethu Dlamini, Catherine Edward, Mark Gituma, Caryn Hobbs,

Precious Hlongwane, Hedda Inderthal, Jian June, Fadzai

Kadzinga, Mark Kerr; Tynan Marais, Tarisayi Matongo, Motlalekgomo

Mogale, Latifa Mrisho, Kabwe Musonda, Sabastian Naiker, Lefa Nkadimeng, Qubekani Ngulube,

Rory Ravells, Tayana Raper, Shilpa Rumjeet, Kathija Shaik, Helene-Marie

Stander, Tarryn Terry, Bronwyn White

PhD studentsCindy-Jade Africa, Marc Brighton, Alexei Cherkaev, Elaine Govender, Sarah Jones, Didi Makuaula, Liabo Motleleng, Durgaprasad Madras, Rajaraman Iyer, Thandazile Moyo,

James Mwase, Rajesh Sharma, Dylan Stevens, Shanna Swart, Naadia van

der Bergh, Wynand van Zyl, Bernelle Verster, Brian Willis

AcademicA/Prof J Petersen

Dr S TaiDr M Fagan-Endres

CeBER DirectorProf S Harrison

Personal Assistant

Ms S Christian

Administration and Finance

ManagerMs S Jobson

Administrative Assistant

Ms L MostertPA

Ms S Christian

Laboratory managerMr T Samkange

Technical officerMr N van Wyk

Senior Research OfficerDr R van Hille

Lab manager: Fe & SMr IE Ngoma

Research officersDr C Fenner

Dr M Johnstone-RobertsonDr R Huddy

Technical assistantsMs S Rademeyer

Mr A Opitz

Postdoctoral researchersDr M Griffiths

Dr R PottDr M Smart

Dr T KotsiopoloulosDr T Louw

Research associatesDr C GarcinDr C Bryan

InternMs N CaweMs L Hanise

photobioreactors. In addition the role of algae in CO2 uptake and the potential of algae to bio-concentrate metals from wastewaters is under consideration. Through the biorefinery concept, inventory analysis, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) we identify key contributions required for feasible algal processes.

Selected projects: Optimising productivity of biomass, lipid and other products; Sustainable algal biorefineries; Optimising light provision through reactor design; Energy-efficient mass transfer; PEPT tomography of fluid flow in photobioreactors; Spirulina technology development; Pigment production.

Biotechnology towards chemicals, food and health products Research in fine chemicals and commodity bioproducts is through a combination of process kinetics, metabolic modelling, product optimisation, induction and process sustainability. Commodity bioproducts, such as biofuels and polymers, are produced from renewable resources. Bioconversion of linear alkanes yields value-added products such as alcohols, carboxylic acids, hydroxyacids and dioic acids. Recombinant microbial systems are used to maximise productivity of affordable, modern biopharmaceuticals such as insulin, antiretrovirals, antimicrobials and nutraceuticals. Cell culture for plant cells and algal cells as well as novel approaches for genetic modification of the algal system is under development.

Selected projects: Biofunctionalisation of alkanes; Influence of enzyme location on the optimisation; Biopolymers from waste resources; Biohydrogen production; Novel antibiotics from South African actinomycetes; Microbial pigments; Energy-efficient gas-liquid mass transfer.


Mineral bioprocessing In mineral bioleaching, microbial biocatalysts ensure provision of leach agents for solubilisation of metals from minerals, providing an alternative for recovery of metals such as copper, zinc or gold from low-grade ores or niche concentrates. Research focuses on the sub-processes within heap bioleaching, chiefly microbial characterisation and ecology, microbial colonisation and attachment, whole ore growth studies, heap hydrology, solution flow and contacting with the mineral phase. The same understanding is used to minimise ARD. Intensification of tank bioleaching and microbial ecology in these systems is studied.

Selected projects: Dynamics of micro-environments within heap bioleach processes; Visualisation of leaching-related sub-processes at the agglomerate scale; Solid-liquid contacting and solution flow; Microbial speciation in the BIOX™ process; Intensification of tank leaching; Characterising mineral leaching from large particles; Oxidative stress and its role in mineral bioleaching; Approaches to and benefits of minimising the formation of ARD.

Hydrometallurgy The broader suite of hydrometallurgical processes connected with bioleaching processes are also studied. This involves chemical leaching in cyanide and chloride media, fundamental kinetic studies, gas-liquid mass transfer and diffusion phenomena, solution purification through SX and IX, and treatment of effluent straws. Research includes the mechanistic modelling of transport-reaction phenomena in leaching processes, especially in the context of heap (bio)leaching.

Selected projects: Cyanide leaching of crushed and run-of-mine gold ores; Integrated leaching of base metal sulphides and PGMs; Electrochemical studies of mineral leaching.

Environmental bioprocessing Environmental issues addressed are primarily related to water and to prevention of acid rock drainage (ARD). ARD prevention is considered through enhanced management of waste materials (see Mineral Bioprocessing). A key component of this is the development and refinement of the tools used for characterisation and prediction of ARD generation. ARD remediation using integrated biological technologies is studied with particular emphasis on recovery of elemental sulphur. Remediation of process and domestic wastewaters is also under investigation with associated value generation. Focus is on integrated systems, microbial ecology and the potential for value recovery, largely through exploring the concept of a waste (water) biorefinery. CeBER has expertise in sustainability and life cycle analyses, and emerging technologies for renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

Selected projects: Optimisation of the ASTERTM process for biological removal of thiocyanate and cyanide; Enabling quantitative microbial ecology studies of sulphate reducing and sulphide oxidising systems; Biological sulphate reduction as a strategy for ARD treatment; Development of systems for simultaneous production and recovery of valuable products and water purification.



Industrial crystallisation research was initiated in the Department of Chemical Engineering in 2000 and the Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit was formally accredited by the University in 2006. The Unit underwent a formal, international review in 2014, during which the Unit was acknowledged for its focus and research direction, as well as the quality and synergistic nature of the research. The Unit was then re-accredited by the University Research Committee for a further five years.

It is interesting that, although crystallisation and precipitation are very old industrial processes, with the first applications of industrial crystallisation being before 1500 BC (by the Egyptians, who produced alum), and the first applications of precipitation being in the 1860s (the Solvay process for producing sodium bicarbonate), the formal study of crystallisation process only began in the early 1800s, and of precipitation in the 1930s. Precipitation, in particular, is not a very well understood process.

Therefore, the main aim of the Research Unit is to advance existing fundamental knowledge in the fields of crystallisation and precipitation, especially related to the South African and international mineral processing and extractive metallurgy industries.

MSc StudentsRiccardo Diedericks

Vuyiswa DubeLucia Dzinza

Sibongiseni GqebeEmily Mayer

Dereck NdoroEdward Peters

Brian Willis

PhD StudentsUmraan Hendricks

Edmund EngelbrechtHilton Heydenrych

Crystallisation & Precipitation Research Unit

(CPU) DirectorProf A Lewis

Finance/Research Admin Officer

Ms H Battle

AcademicSenior Research OfficerDr M Rodriguez Pascual

Laboratory ManagerDr T-A Craig

Financial ManagerMs L-A Kallam

Research AssistantsMr M KapembwaMr J Chivavava

Crystallisation & Precipitation Research Unit (CPU)

Students 2014

Brian Willis Development of measurement techniques for aggregation in precipitation systems, MSc,

Umraan Hendricks Investigating the precipitation kinetics of sparingly soluble salts, PhD

Hilton Heydenrych Systematic comparison of the effectiveness of water treatment processes, PhD

Edmund Engelbrecht Production scale semi-batch rhodium-DETA precipitation model, PhD

Emily Mayer Case study for an economical evaluation of Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation and Evaporative Crystallisation for a Brazilian refinery waste stream, PhD

Edward Peters Investigation of additives during Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation, MSc

Vuyiswa Dube Selective metal sulphide precipitation, MSc

Sibongiseni Gqebe Selective metal precipitation, MSc

Dereck Ndoro The application of continuous Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation to multi-component streams, MSc

Riccardo Diedricks The effect of operating conditions on the particle growth rate and thus on the product purity and process efficiency in the classical palladium precipitation process, MSc

The Unit focuses on two main areas:1. Optimising precipitation in hydrometallurgical

processes. Our work on Palladium precipitation, Rhodium precipitation and Mixed Metal Sulphide precipitations are examples of this.

2.Development of innovative technologies for brines and mining wastewater treatment. Our Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation project is an example of this.

The tools used in the research include modelling and simulation approaches to industrial research, such as the particle rate process approach for modelling of industrial crystallisation processes; aqueous chemistry modelling and computational fluid dynamics modelling.

We have also recently begun to develop expertise and interest in situ, fast response methods such as: • Shock Freeze Cryo TEM and digital

holographic microscopy to measure nucleation rates;

• Combined Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry (RSD) and Liquid Crystal Thermography (LCT) to determine local concentration and temperature fields based on refractive index gradients in solution;

• Stereoscopic high speed imaging using a compact pulsed Nd:YAG Laser system. This system has the capacity for Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) (2D and 3C); Particle Tracking (PT) (2D and 3D), and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) post-processing, which means that we can acquire rapid, in situ and accurate measurements of flow, temperature and concentration profiles.

All of these tools (modelling techniques and in situ measurements) are aimed at deepening the understanding of these chemically complex, multiphase processes.


Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE)

Emeritus Prof Duncan Fraser BSc (Chem Eng) PhD Cape Town MSAIChE

Prof Jenni Case Sc (Hons) Stell HDE Cape Town MEd Leeds MSc Cape Town PhD Monash MASSAf

Mr Hilton Heydenrych

Ms Carol Carr

It is no surprise that a department with a deep interest in its undergraduate programme, as well as a thriving research culture, would have spawned a focus on engineering education research aimed at understanding and improving the student experience of learning.

Our research over the last two decades in this area has generated important insights in the following key areas:

• Need for a conceptual (deep) approach to learning for success in the programme

• Impact of an overloaded curriculum on a student’s ability to adopt an appropriate approach to learning

• Need to facilitate broader personal development amongst students and to build peer networks in class

• Value of using simulation to build understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals

• Use of technology (including laptops in class) to support active engagement and high-quality project work

• Limited value of innovation in one course alone and thus the need to build coherence across the curriculum to support high quality learning

Duncan Fraser was one of the early engineering education researchers at UCT and in retirement he continued to be active. His research focused on improving student learning, in particular through the application of variation theory and through the use of computer simulations. His most recent research work focused on applying complexity theory to the analysis of student success in collaboration with Prof Cedric Linder from Uppsala University in Sweden. Duncan was working towards an approach for characterising student success in the context of curriculum change in chemical engineering at UCT, a project where he was also very actively involved in developing innovative materials for project and practical work.

Jenni Case, who joined the department in the first academic development lecturer (ADL) post in the faculty, was also first in the faculty to obtain a PhD in engineering education. Her PhD research studied student learning in a second-year chemical engineering course, focusing on the evolution of appropriate approaches to learning for success in this course. From this point, she has continued with a sustained programme of research into student learning and her work is published across engineering education and higher education literature. Much of this work has had an empirical departure point the experiences of students in the chemical engineering programme at UCT. Her recent work moves into the area of curriculum, in order to better map out the structural and cultural constraints that operate to condition the space for student learning.

Duncan Fraser and Jenni Case were both founding members of the Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE) in the mid-1990s (with Duncan having been one of the two co-founders of CREE), and each has served an extended term as director of this Centre. A key

development over this period of establishing engineering education research at UCT has been the support of key academics in EBE to obtain PhDs in engineering education. Jenni Case has supervised or co-supervised nearly all of the PhDs coming through the CREE community over the last decade.

Brandon Collier-Reed, a lecturer in mechanical engineering, was the first such student and his work comprised a study of students’ conceptions and experiences of technology. This was followed by Bruce Kloot, an ADL from mechanical engineering, who produced a sociological analysis of academic development work in engineering, tracing the evolution of foundation programmes in engineering at two key institutions. Another ADL, Linda Kotta from chemical engineering, gained the next “in-house” PhD, analysing student learning in the key design courses in chemical engineering.

The PhDs that are currently underway continue this work in important directions. One crucial angle is a critical take on curriculum, and Renee Smit, an ADL from electrical engineering, is starting to identify the specific logics that underpin engineering science courses, as opposed to the natural science courses that students encounter at the outset of these programmes. Nicky Wolmarans, ADL in civil engineering, is also focusing on curriculum, but her study focuses on how the intrinsic logic of engineering design courses runs counter to the logic of engineering science, generally established earlier on in the programme. Disa Mogashana, until recently an Academic Support Programme for Engineering in Cape Town (ASPECT) ADL, continues a strand of student learning work, but with the important empirical focus on ASPECT students and on building an understanding of individual student narratives of persistence.


Professor Harro von Blottnitz, Group Head PrEng BSc (Eng) Chem BSc (Hons) Unisa MSc (Eng) Dr.-Ing. RWTH Aachen MSAIChE

Dr Adeniyi Isafiade, Senior Lecturer BSc (Hons) Ilorin MSc (ChemEng) Ife PhD AMIChemE

Honorary Professor Jim Petrie BSc Hons (ChemEng), MSc (Eng) PhD

Description of activities

We are a multi-faceted research group with a 20+ year history of employing our process and systems engineering skills to develop knowledge and methods in response to the challenges of pollution prevention and sustainable development. We have worked in clean technology and cleaner production, waste management (municipal and industrial), industrial ecology, process design and integration, as well as process safety. We are well networked into a range of other disciplines on campus, both through interdisciplinary postgraduate programmes and through research relationships.

We believe that our country and our continent need development, but also that the model of the 20th century industrial economy can be neither a goal nor a path for such development. Much radical innovation and large improvements in efficiency are needed. To this end, we engage with the diverse worlds of process design teams, environmental consultancies, corporate sustainability departments, municipal engineers and managers, and regulators and program directors in government. Their challenges are to spot opportunities for needed change, back them with efficient technology and steer their organisations to make tangible contributions to sustainable development.

Environmental and Process Systems Engineering (E&PSE)

Postgraduate research

In the biogas cluster, Rethabile Melamu completed her PhD applying the theory of technology innovation systems. She has developed extensive knowledge of the emerging SA biogas innovation scene. Linus Naik is developing his PhD research around the issues of stability and productivity of small waste-fed biogas systems particularly in urban African settings. Phumlani Masilela continued to study how bio-hydrogen might be a v.2 of bio-methane, using life-cycle sustainability assessment as his tool. Rissa Niyobuhungiro won a best poster award at WasteEng in Rio de Janeiro for her study on biogas potential from slaughtering waste.

In the cluster of work on bioethanol flowsheet synthesis and optimisation using mathematical programming techniques, Michael Short is combining rigorous and short-cut models in a novel process synthesis framework to establish an optimal network in terms of economics and environmental impact. Other researchers in this area include Joanne Crimes who has just completed optimisation studies on bagasse pre-treatment, Mildred Mutenure and Jafaru Egieya, who are both developing optimal supply chain network for bio-energy production. Ms Nosaibeh Ghods is using mathematical and experimental approaches to optimise bioethanol production.

Collaborations have extended to include Slovenian and Brazilian partners.

On matters of Life Cycle Assessment, our LCA safari (SA Food & Agriculture Reduced Impacts) project kicked off in 2014: this is a three-year collaborative project with partners from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences to identify clean-tech interventions in food value chains.

Our non-traditional interest in informal sector production continued with Rissa’s PhD research yielding some stunning insights into wastage and cleaner production potentials

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associated with the practice of chicken plucking and vending. Excitingly, this line of research is to form part of the very large and well-funded “Consuming Urban Poverty” project of the African Centre for Cities running from late 2014 till 2017.

Our contributions to the Minerals to Metals collaboration included hosting the dissertation research of four of the Masters students in the inaugural cohort of the M.Phil. programme specialising in sustainable mineral resource development. Prof von Blottnitz is directing this programme as of July 2014.


Minerals to Metals Initiative (MtM)

Minerals to MetalsDirector

Prof J-P Franzidis

Minerals to MetalsProject Co-ordinator

Dr J Broadhurst

Prof A BlackFaculty of Commerce

Dr I GovenderDepartment of Physics

Prof D DeglonCentre for

Minerals Research

Prof S HarrisonCentre for Bioprocess Engineering Research

Prof A LewisCrystallisation

and Precipitation Research Unit

Prof H von BlottnitzEnvironment and Process Systems

Engineering Group

A/Prof A MainzaCentre for

Minerals Research

A/Prof J PetersenCentre for Bioprocess Engineering Research

Dr M BeckerCentre for

Minerals Research

Dr A IsafiadeEnvironment and Process Systems

Engineering Group

Dr B CohenEnergy Research

Centre

Prof A BufflerDepartment of

Physics

Dr I GovenderDepartment of Physics

Dr Divine FuhDepartment of Social

Anthropology

Since its establishment as a university Signature Theme in 2007, the Minerals to Metals Initiative (MtM) has moved minerals beneficiation research in the Department of Chemical Engineering and at UCT from a narrow focus on separate extraction processes to a novel holistic view of the entire minerals beneficiation chain, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. This has been done by forming exciting new transdisciplinary staff collaborations and innovative

interdisciplinary research, based on strong scientific and technical foundations, allowing new knowledge creation both in fundamental science and in integrative systems thinking. This approach is laying the platform for moving the minerals industry into a more sustainable paradigm. Considerable financial support for this effort has come from the SARChI Chair in Minerals Beneficiation, which was granted to the Director, Prof J-P Franzidis, in 2007.

Interdisciplinary research The continually evolving research programme which falls under this umbrella body is underpinned by a number of industry-based projects and case studies, which together explore the sustainability challenges facing the minerals sector from both a systemic and fundamental perspective, and serve to establish linkages between traditional separate but cognate research areas. Systemic research projects are concerned with the performance of minerals processing and beneficiation systems as a whole, and their interface with the environment and society. Examples of systemic research themes include acid mine drainage mitigation, deriving added value from mine waste, tools for holistic evaluation and optimisation of mineral systems, energy efficiency and minimisation of carbon footprint, water usage and degradation, mine safety and mine-community stakeholder engagement. Fundamental research projects are aimed at developing an understanding of the underlying physical and chemical principles that govern processes within the minerals beneficiation chain and the interactions with or impact on the remainder of the system. Fundamental, cross-cutting themes include positron

emission particle tracking, electrochemistry, turbulent multiphase processing, rheology and ion-exchange. Thus research is aimed not only at increasing the amount of mineral or metal extracted from ores, but also at reducing the environmental and social impacts of mineral beneficiation operations.

In 2014, the MtM “research” cohort comprised 16 academic supervisors across four different UCT faculties, and 26 postgraduate students (4 PhD, 12 MSc, 2 MComm and 8 MPhil). Two of the new students are being co-supervised by staff in the commerce faculty, and one by a member of the humanities faculty. Four Master’s students graduated during the course of the year, none of whom had a first degree in chemical engineering, with a further three students submitting theses for examination before the end of 2014.


Postgraduate education and training 2014 saw the inauguration of the new Master of Philosophy Programme specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development (SMRD), which is hosted by the Signature Theme. This was the culmination of five years of preparation and planning, which began in 2008 as part of the Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA) initiative of the United Nations University Institute for Sustainability and Peace. The first cohort, made up of eight students registered at UCT and seven registered at the University of Zambia (UNZA), comprises one economist, one social anthropologist, two geologists, two lawyers, two mining engineers, three foresters and four chemical engineers. During the course of 2014, these students completed four taught courses: Sustainable Development at the University of Stellenbosch; Strategic Social Engagement at the UCT Graduate School of Business; Environmental Stewardship at the University of Zambia; and Research Methodology at the UCT Department of Chemical Engineering. Workshop sessions with the student cohort in October 2014, aimed at integrating the learnings from the different courses, showed that the students had developed a common “language” and an enhanced appreciation and understanding of the complexity of sustainable minerals resource development and the need for value-based leadership and governance. This integrative knowledge and understanding underpins the research projects which will be undertaken by the student cohort in their second year of study.

MtM, with support from the South African Minerals to Metals Research Institute (SAMMRI), also hosted the third national hydrometallurgy workshop and student research symposium between 4 and 6 August 2014, at the Lord Charles conference centre in Somerset West. The workshop, which was run by Professor Mike Nicol of Murdoch University, was devoted to separation processes in hydrometallurgy, and was attended by 27 students from UCT, and the Universities of Pretoria, Stellenbosch, and the Witwatersrand.

Minerals beneficiation strategy development This past year also saw the continuation of the research project commenced in 2013 to develop a minerals beneficiation strategy for the KwaZulu-Natal province. The three-year programme is funded by the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs to the tune of R1.5m per annum, and is being carried out in collaboration with The Green House, a niche consultancy in sustainability and environmental management. The project is supported by four postgraduate research projects, one in the Chemical Engineering Department, one in the Commerce Faculty and two in Humanities-further extending the interdisciplinary nature of the Signature Theme.

Mine-community stakeholder engagement On 2 September 2014, the Signature Theme hosted a one-day round-table discussion at UCT on mining company-community engagement, attended by representatives from the industry and the Benchmarks Foundation, and academics and students from six academic departments (23 persons in all). Dr Philip Kirsch of the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (MISHC) at the Sustainable Minerals Institute of the University of Queensland, Australia, led the discussions on what issues a mining company should consider in engaging with a local community five years before a mine starts. Participation was very lively and a survey of participants after the meeting found that there was support for arranging further such meetings and for additional research in this area. One MtM-supported project on youth entrepreneurship in the context of minerals and industrial development is already being undertaken as part of the MPhil and the KZN Minerals Beneficiation Strategy programmes.



International peer-reviewed journal articles

Alvarez-Silva, M., Wiese, J. G & O’Connor, C. T. (2014). An investigation into the role of froth height and depressant dosage in the recovery of chromite in the flotation of UG2 ore using a laboratory column. Minerals Engineering, 55, 125-131.

Alwi, S. R. W., Lee, C. K. M., Lee, K. Y., Manan, Z. A. & Fraser, D. M. (2014). Targeting the maximum heat recovery for systems with heat losses and heat gains. Energy Conversion and Management, 87, 1098-1106.

Appa, H., Deglon, D. A & Meyer C. J. (2013) Numerical modelling of hydrodynamics and gas dispersion in an autoclave. Hydrometallurgy, 131: 67-75.

Becker, M., Wiese, J. & Ramonotsi, M. (2014). Investigation into the mineralogy and flotation performance of oxidised PGM ore. Minerals Engineering, 65, 24-32.

Brosius, R. & Fletcher, J. C. (2014). Hydrocracking under Fischer–Tropsch conditions; the effect of CO on the mass transfer resistance by metal clusters. Journal of Catalysis, 317, 318-325.

Chivavava, J., Rodriguez-Pascual, M. & Lewis, A. E. (2014). Effect of operating conditions on ice characteristics in Continuous Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation. Chemical Engineering & Technology, 37(8), 1314-1320.

Claeys, M., Dry, M. E., van Steen, E., du Plessis, E., van Berge, P. J., Saib, A. M. & Moodley, D. J. (2014). Insitu magnetometer study on the formation and stability of cobalt carbide in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. Journal of Catalysis, 318, 193-202.

Corin, K. C. & O’Connor, C. T. (2014). A proposal to use excess Gibbs energy rather than HLB number as an indicator of the hydrophilic–liphophilic behavior of surfactants. Minerals Engineering, 58, 17-21.

Corin, K. C. & Wiese, J. G. (2014). Investigating froth stability: A comparative study of ionic strength and frother dosage. Minerals Engineering, 66, 130-134.

Dalvie, M. A., Africa, A. & Naidoo, S. (2014). Relationship between firewood usage and urinary Cr, Cu and As in informal areas of Cape Town: research. South African Medical Journal, 104(1), 61-64.

de Beer, M., Kunene, A., Nabaho, D., Claeys, M. & van Steen, E. (2014). Technical and economic aspects of promotion of cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts by noble metals-a review. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 114(2), 157-165.

Publications

Dey, S., Pani, S. & Singh, R. (2014). Study of interactions of frother blends and its effect on coal flotation. Powder Technology, 260, 78-83.

Egan, T., Rodriguez-Pascual, M. & Lewis, A. (2014). In Situ Growth Measurements of Sodium Sulfate during Cooling Crystallisation. Chemical Engineering & Technology, 37(8), 1283-1290.

Fabbri, E., Taylor, S., Rabis, A., Levecque, P., Conrad, O., Kötz, R. & Schmidt, T.J. (2014). The effect of platinum nanoparticle distribution on oxygen electroreduction activity and selectivity. ChemCatChem, 6(5), 1410-1418.

Fabbri, E., Mohamed, R., Levecque, P., Conrad, O., Kötz, R. & Schmidt, T.J. (2014). Composite electrode boosts the activity of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ perovskite and carbon toward oxygen reduction in alkaline media. ACS Catalysis, 4(4), 1061-1070.

Fabbri, E., Mohamed, R., Levecque, P., Conrad, O., Kötz, R. & Schmidt, T.J. (2014) Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ Perovskite activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media. ChemElectroChem, 1(2), 338-342.

Fagan, M. A., Ngoma, I. E., Chiume, R. A., Minnaar, S., Sederman, A. J., Johns, M. L. & Harrison, S. T. (2014). MRI and gravimetric studies of hydrology in drip irrigated heaps and its effect on the propagation of bioleaching micro-organisms. Hydrometallurgy, 150, 210-221.

Fischer, N., Clapham, B., Feltes, T., van Steen, E. & Claeys, M. (2014). Size-dependent phase transformation of catalytically active nanoparticles captured in situ. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 53(5), 1342-1345.

Fischer, N., van Steen, E. & Claeys, M. (2014). Tri-cobalt carboxylate as a catalyst and catalyst precursor in the Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis. ChemCatChem, 6(6), 1707-1713.

Forsman, J., Linder, C., Moll, R., Fraser, D. & Andersson, S. (2014) A new approach to modelling student retention through an application of complexity thinking. Studies in Higher Education, 39.1: 68-86.

Gebreegziabher, Z., Naik, L., Melamu, R. & Balana, B. B. (2014). Prospects and challenges for urban application of biogas installations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Biomass and Bioenergy, 70, 130-140.


Govender, E., Kotsiopoulos, A., Bryan, C. G. & Harrison, S. T. L. (2014). Modelling microbial transport in simulated low-grade heap bioleaching systems: The biomass transport model. Hydrometallurgy, 150, 299-307.

Griffiths, M. J., van Hille, R. P. & Harrison, S. T. (2014). The effect of degree and timing of nitrogen limitation on lipid productivity in Chlorella vulgaris. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 98(13), 6147-6159.

Griffiths, M. J., van Hille, R. P. & Harrison, S. T. (2014). The effect of nitrogen limitation on lipid productivity and cell composition in Chlorella vulgaris. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 98(5), 2345-2356.

Jones, S. M. & Harrison, S. T. (2014). Aeration energy requirements for lipid production by Scenedesmus sp. in airlift bioreactors. Algal Research, 5, 249-257.

Kapembwa, M., Rodriguez-Pascual, M. & Lewis, A. E (2014). Heat and mass transfer effects on ice growth mechanisms in pure water and aqueous solutions. Crystal Growth & Design, 14, 389-395.

Kotta, L., Case, J. & Luckett, K. (2014). Contradictions in the situational logic of the university: implications for student success. South African Journal of Higher Education, 28(2), 514-532.

Li, T., Li, X., Zhao, Q., Shi, Y. & Teng, W. (2014). Fabrication of n-type CuInS2 modified TiO2 nanotube arrays heterostructure photoelectrode with enhanced photoelectrocatalytic properties. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 156, 362-370.

McFadzean, B. & O’Connor, C. T. (2014). A thermochemical study of thiol collector surface reactions on galena. Minerals Engineering, 65, 54-60.

Meissner, M. P., Xu, Z., Jones, G. C., Minnaar, S. H. & Harrison, S. T. (2014). A novel microwell-based analytical technique for studying ferrous iron biooxidation activity. Minerals Engineering, 60, 8-13.

Meyer, N. A., Vögeli, J. U., Becker, M., Broadhurst, J. L., Reid, D. L. & Franzidis, J. P. (2014). Mineral carbonation of PGM mine tailings for CO2 storage in South Africa: A case study. Minerals Engineering, 59, 45-51.

Mogorosi, R. P., Claeys, M. & van Steen, E. (2014). Enhanced activity via surface modification of Fe-based Fischer–Tropsch catalyst precursor with titanium butoxide. Topics in Catalysis, 57(6-9), 572-581.

Mwase, J. M., Petersen, J. & Eksteen, J. J. (2014). A novel sequential heap leach process for treating crushed Platreef ore. Hydrometallurgy, 141, 97-104.

Mwirigi, J., Balana, B. B., Mugisha, J., Walekhwa, P., Melamu, R., Nakami, S. & Makenzi, P. (2014). Socio-economic hurdles to widespread adoption of small-scale biogas digesters in Sub-Saharan Africa: A review. Biomass and Bioenergy, 70, 17-25.

Naik, L., Gebreegziabher, Z., Tumwesige, V., Balana, B. B., Mwirigi, J. & Austin, G. (2014). Factors determining the stability and productivity of small scale anaerobic digesters. Biomass and Bioenergy, 70, 51-57.

Narasimha, M., Mainza, A. N., Holtham, P. N., Powell, M. S. & Brennan, M. S. (2014). A semi-mechanistic model of hydrocyclones - Developed from industrial data and inputs from CFD. International Journal of Mineral Processing, 133, 1-12.

Nasterlack, T., von Blottnitz H. & Wynberg, R. (2014). Are biofuel concerns globally relevant? Prospects for a proposed pioneer bioethanol project in South Africa. Energy for Sustainable Development, 23, 1-14.

Ndlovu, B., Forbes, E., Farrokhpay, S., Becker, M., Bradshaw, D. & Deglon, D. (2014). A preliminary rheological classification of phyllosilicate group minerals. Minerals Engineering, 55, 190-200.

Nduna, M. K., Lewis, A. E. & Nortier, P. (2014). A model for the zeta potential of copper sulphide. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 441, 643-652.

Randall, D. G., Zinn, C. & Lewis, A. E. (2014). Treatment of textile wastewaters using Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation. Water Science & Technology, 70(4), 736-741.

Rice, N. P., de Beer, M. P. & Williamson, M. E. (2014). A simple educational method for the measurement of liquid binary diffusivities. Journal of Chemical Education, 91(8), 1185-1190.

Smith, L. C., Case, J. M. & Van Walbeek, C. (2014). Assessing the effectiveness of academic development programmes: A statistical analysis of graduation rates across three programmes. South African Journal of Higher Education, 28(2), 624-638.

Stott, A. & Case, J. M. (2014). Electronic tutoring as a tool for promoting conceptual change: a case study of in-service science teacher workshops. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(2), 139-150.

Tanaka, S. & Shudo, T. (2014). Corrugated mesh flow channel and novel microporous layers for reducing flooding and resistance in gas diffusion layer-less polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources, 268, 183-193.

Tanaka, S. & Shudo, T. (2014). Significant performance improvement in terms of reduced cathode flooding in polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a stainless-steel microcoil gas flow field. Journal of Power Sources, 248, 524-532.

Truter, L. A., Makgwane, P. R., Zeelie, B., Roberts, S., Böhringer, W. & Fletcher, J. C. (2014). Washcoating of H-ZSM-5 zeolite onto steel microreactor plates – Filling the void space between zeolite crystallite agglomerates particles. Chemical Engineering Journal, 257, 148-158.

van Hille, R., Fagan, M., Bromfield, L. & Pott, R. (2014). A modified pH drift assay for inorganic carbon accumulation and external carbonic anhydrase activity in microalgae. Journal of Applied Phycology 26(1), 377-385.


Peer-reviewed conference proceedings

Magezi Ndamira, T., Von Blottnitz. H. Effect of a fast-growing consumer culture on waste profile in sub-Saharan African cities. Proceedings of the 22nd WasteCon Conference (WasteCon 2014). Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa.

Masilela, P., Von Blottnitz, H. Life cycle assessments of energy recovery from the organic fraction: bio-methane or bio-hydrogen for vehicle fuel or for electricity? Proceedings of the 22nd WasteCon Conference (WasteCon 2014). Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa.

Tamuka-Moyo, H. T., Petersen, J., Franzidis, J-P., Nicol, M. An electrochemical study of the dissolution of chalcopyrite in ammonia-ammonium sulphate solutions. Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Hydrometallurgy 2014 (HYDRO2014). Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum.

Muzawazi, C., Petersen, J. Base metal heap and tank leaching from a platreef flotation concentrate using ammoniacal solutions. Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Hydrometallurgy 2014 (HYDRO2014). Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum.

Nesbitt, A., Petersen, J., Franzidis, J-P. Decoupling intra-particle diffusion from lumped parameters to determine in-service decay of an acid ion exchange resin. Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Hydrometallurgy 2014 (HYDRO2014). Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum.

Mwase, J., Petersen, J., Eksteen, J. Heap leaching for sustainable development in the South African PGM industry. Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Hydrometallurgy 2014 (HYDRO2014). Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum.

Petersen, J. Teaching and training of hydrometallurgy at UCT. Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Hydrometallurgy 2014 (HYDRO2014). Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum.

Little, L., Becker, M. E., Wiese, J. G., Mainza, A. N. A mineralogical investigation of the effect of particle shape on chromite entrainment for a UG2 ore. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Eksteen, J., Mwase, J., Petersen, J., Bradshaw, S., Akdogan, G., Mpinga, N., Snyders, C. A novel energy efficient two stage heap leach process for the extraction and recovery of PGMs. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Bbosa, L. S., Mainza, A. N., Govender, I. A probability based model for the power draw of a tumbling mill. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Waters, J. G., Govender, I., Mainza, A. N. A rheological comparison of concentrator slurry streams. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

McFadzean, B.J., Möller, K. P., O’Connor, C. T. A thermochemical study of thiol collector surface reactions on galena and chalcopyrite. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Wiese, J. G., Becker, M. E., Yorath, G, A., O’Connor, C. T. An investigation into the relationship between particle shape and entrainment. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Tadie, M., Corin, K. C., Wiese, J. G., O’Connor, C. T., Nicol, M. Electrochemical interactions of some platinum group minerals with flotation reagents. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Fagan-Endres, M. A., Ngoma, E., Chiume, R., Harrison, S. T. L. Liquid distribution in drip irrigated heap bioleaching of ore and its influence on microbial colonization. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Narasimha, M., Crasta, J., Mainza, A. N., Sreenivas, T. Performance of hydrocyclone separating bi-component mixture. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Govender, I., Pathmathas, T., Richter, M., de Klerk, D. Power dissipation modeling in tumbling mills using positron emission particle tracking. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Kashani, M., Safari, M., Zarei, H. Selective flotation optimization of galena from lead and zinc ore complex (sulphide-oxide). XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Safari, M., Harris, M. C., Deglon, D. A. The effect of energy input on the flotation kinetics of galena in an oscillating grid flotation cell. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

Edwards, G., van der Westhuizen, A. P. The investigation of operating parameters in a vertical stirred mill. XXVII International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC 2014). IMPC 2014 Organization.

de Beer, M., Claeys, M. C., Van Steen, E. W. J. Preparation of Pt-promoted Co/SiO2 catalysts for CO hydrogenation by strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA). AMI Light Metals Conference 2014. Trans Tech Publications Ltd.

Kunene, A., Claeys, M. C., van Steen, E. W. J. Pt/Au alloys as reduction promoters for Co/TiO2 Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. AMI Light Metals Conference 2014. Trans Tech Publications Ltd.

Mohamed, R., Fabbri, E., Levecque, P., Conrad, O., Kotz, R., Schmidt, T. J. Understanding the influence of carbon on the oxygen reduction and evolution activities of BSCF/carbon composite electrodes in alkaline electrolyte. ECS Transactions: Energy Technology/Battery-Joint Session (General) - 224th ECS Meeting. Electrochemical Society Inc.

Fabbri, E., Mohamed, R., Levecque, P., Conrad, O., Kotz, R., Schmidt. T. J. Unraveling the oxygen reduction reaction mechanism and activity of d-band Perovskite electrocatalysts for low temperature alkaline fuel cells. ECS Transactions: Fourteenth Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells 14 (PEFC 14). Electrochemical Society Inc.


OH&S in laboratories and the workplace The department has a formal safety structure consisting of Safety Officers - typically head of research groups, Safety Representatives who are usually senior laboratory staff involved in the day-to-day monitoring and implementation of safety issues, as well as Evacuation Marshals, First Aiders, a Fire Officer and a Hazchem co-ordinator. We have quarterly meetings and inspections in addition to a compulsory safety induction for all staff and postgraduate students.

Safety in the curriculum Safety permeates the undergraduate curriculum as a theme, with one course in each year using safety moments to build a habit of thinking of risk. OH&S is formally integrated into final year courses.

Safety training The Minerals to Metals Initiative co-ordinates the South African sector of the Global Minerals Industry Risk Management (G-MIRM) Programme. Developed in Australia, it aims to increase safety by improving managers, understanding and practise of risk management thereby entrenching risk management in organisational culture.

Research in safety and risk management Allied to the G-MIRM training activities, collaborative research in Safety Risk Management in the minerals industry was recently initiated. The first Master’s dissertation in this field has been completed and plans are underway to admit more postgraduate students to continue research in this area.

Safety and risk management

The Department of Chemical Engineering is conscious of the many occupational health and safety (OH&S) risks in its extensive laboratories as well as the importance placed on SHE (Safety, Health and the Environment) in the industries that employ our graduates. We have worked hard to ensure that a “no harm ethos” permeates our operations both in teaching and research.

Cardinal safety rules

Proactive and outspoken – showing concern for safety

and others

No work without safety thinking, planning and documentation

Barriers between people and risks, especially chemicals

Gases require advanced safety systems

Always ready for an emergency – evacuation without question

No harm ethos Our vision is to be Africa’s leading Chemical Engineering Department, through teaching and research. Safe and healthy learning and work§places are indispensable to this vision. By practising what we know to be right, we can be enablers of low risk, healthy, non-polluting, resource-efficient industrial production. Five cardinal rules that we pledge to know and obey encapsulate the measures in place to achieve this vision.

Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater.

Albert Einstein

department of chemical engineering annual report 2014 · 2015-09-29 · 2014 department of chemical...

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