department of chemical engineering - … · the department of chemical engineering, ......
TRANSCRIPT
CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGD E P A R T M E N T O F
A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 6
Contents
DEPARTMENT
History of Chemical Engineering .......................................................................................................... 4Vision 2020 ..................................................................................................................................................... ..... 5Foreword .............................................................................................................................................................. 6
PROGRAMMES
RESEARCH
Photography Candice Mazzolini
Department of Chemical Engineering | Private Bag X3 | Rondebosch | 7701 | South Africa021 650 2518 | www.uct.ac.za | www.chemeng.uct.ac.za | [email protected]
Published on behalf of the University of Cape Town’s Department of Chemical Engineering by John Brown Media www.johnbrownmedia.co.za
Printers Trident Press
Undergraduate programme ....................................................................................................................Postgraduate programme .........................................................................................................................
Noteworthy research-related achievements in 2016 ...............................................................Academic staff and research fields ......................................................................................................Research in Engineering Education ....................................................................................................Catalysis Institute (CAT) ..............................................................................................................................Centre for Minerals Research (CMR) ....................................................................................................Centre for Bioprocessing Engineering Research (CeBER) ......................................................Crystallisation and Precipitation research unit (CPU) ...............................................................Environmental and Process Systems Engineering (E&PSE) ......................... .........................Future Water .......................................................................................................................................................Minerals to Metals initiative (MtM) ............................................................................... ........................Publications ........................................................................................................................................................
89
10
Department profile ........................................................................................................................................Facilities and equipment ............................................................................................................................Safety and Risk Management .................................................................................................................
1216
2226303234363839404142
V I S I O N 2 0 2 0 54 H I S T O R Y O F C H E M I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G
Vision 2020 History of Chemical Engineering
he 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 is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The first home of the Chemical Engineering Department, constructed 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
structural modifications, the increased number of students, coupled with a substantial increase in research activity, meant that the building was no longer adequate for our needs.
Thus, in 2004, the Department relocated to the much larger New Chemical Engineering Building, which won an Award of Merit from the South African Institute of Architects for its design. 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 10 years (by 2014).
In 2013, in response to continued growth in both the undergraduate and the postgraduate programmes, the Department expanded further, and we came to share parts of the New Engineering Building with the Department of Civil Engineering, the Faculty Office and the new Centre for Imaging and Analysis.
Our undergraduate body has continued to grow to such an extent, that most lectures now take place in the new Snape Teaching and Learning Facility.
T
1969The first home of the Chemical Engineering Department (Hoerikwaggo) was built
Our achievements• Our BSc, MSc and PhD graduates are independent thinkers.
• Our graduates recognise the needs of society in general and those 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.
Our environment• The Department of Chemical Engineering 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 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.
2013The Department expanded. Parts of the New Engineering Building were now shared
2004Relocated to the New Chemical Engineering Building
Award of Merit from the South African Institute of Architects for its design
6 F O R E W O R D
Foreword
he year 2016 was a challenging period for the country, the university and the Department of Chemical Engineering. The activities of the Department were interrupted in October as a result of student protests, and the academic year for
the undergraduate students had to be extended into January, resulting in a delayed start for 2017. Despite the challenges, the Department succeeded in graduating in the 2016 academic year 10 PhDs, 31 MSc (Eng), 2 MPhil and 110 BSc (Eng) students.
The Department is in the process of rolling out a revised curriculum for its undergraduate BSc (Eng) programme. In 2016 a new, coherent third-year course was introduced, together with a set of major elective courses. This third-year course now also includes a formal introduction to project management along with elements of chemical engineering science and unit operation design. The revised elective courses introduce advanced chemical engineering concepts in the students’ areas of interest – bioprocess engineering, catalysis and catalytic processing, minerals processing, and numerical simulation.
The year 2016 saw the establishment of two new research bodies associated with the Department of Chemical Engineering, namely the Catalysis Institute (drawn from the original Centre for Catalysis Research) and the interdisciplinary Future Water Institute. Each will enhance the research strength of the Department.
T
PROFESSOR ERIC VAN STEEN HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
Granville Ian De La Cruz (Senior Technical Officer in the Electronics Workshop in the Department of Chemical Engineering) passed away peacefully on 31 March 2016.
Granville supported research activities in a number of fields: he was instrumental in the development of the UCT bubble size analyser and was also extensively involved in the development of the equipment and electronics for the electrical resistance tomography
project. He bolstered teaching activities through his practical support of our fourth-year project activities and postgraduate research projects. Granville was known throughout the Department as everyone’s ‘go-to guy’. If anyone ever had a problem, he was always the first to be called.
Granville was a warm, calm and friendly person. He earned the respect of all his colleagues and he knew most postgraduate students passing through the Department during the past 46 years. He will be greatly missed.
GRANVILLE IAN DE LA CRUZ(1954 - 2016)
DEPARTMENT
8 T H E D E P A R T M E N T
The Department
he Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT is one of six Departments in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment; the others are Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; Architecture, Planning and Geomatics; and
Construction Economics and Management.
The Department offers a four-year BSc (Chem Eng), as well as Master’s and doctoral degrees. The MSc (Chem Eng), Phil and the PhD may
TFACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT (EBE)
Chemical Engineering Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
Civil Engineering
Construction Economics and Management
Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS)
Director of Postgraduate
Studies (DPGS)Research Groups
BSc (Eng) Chem
MSc (Eng)MPhilMEng
PhD
Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research
Process Modelling and Optimisation
all be pursued by dissertation only. There is also an option to pursue the MSc (Chem Eng) and MPhil by a combination of structured coursework and dissertation (60 credits coursework and 120 credits dissertation).
The Department of Chemical Engineering is noted for its vigorous research activity (which is evident in the number of university-accredited research groupings that it hosts), as well as its large number of registered postgraduate students.
Environmental and Process Systems Engineering
Minerals to Metals Signature Theme
Process Modelling and Optimisation
Centre for Minerals Research
Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit
Engineering Education
c*change Centre of Excellence
HySA/Catalysis Competence Centre
CatCentre
Catalysis Institute
F A C I L I T I E S A N D E Q U I P M E N T 9
Facilities and equipment
ANALYTICAL LABORATORYThe 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 the Malvern Mastersizer for particle size and distribution analysis. The properties of sample surfaces are determined using a combination of equipment, such as the zetasizer, physisorption and chemisorption.
ELECTRONICS WORKSHOPThe Electronics Workshop provides technical support to research groups and postgraduate students in the field of electronics, embedded systems, and instrumentation and software design. It also runs a number of Linux servers that host molecular modelling (Accelrys, VASP), Computational Fluid Dynamics (Fluent) and Finite Elements (Abaqus) software that is used in Departmental research. In addition to this, the workshop advises staff and students on the conceptual design of instrumentation, data acquisition and control systems for test rigs, and implements and commissions these systems.
Furthermore, the workshop 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. Digital fabrication and rapid prototyping using 3D-printing technologies are also offered at the workshop.
MECHANICAL WORKSHOPThe Mechanical Workshop is a well-equipped fabrication facility, with the capacity for prototype development and customised designs in various materials, including stainless steel and Perspex.
THE CHEMICAL ENGINEERING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FACILITYThe 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. 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.
THE DEPARTMENT RUNS AN ANALYTICAL LABORATORY, AN ELECTRONICS WORKSHOP, A MECHANICAL WORKSHOP AND AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FACILITY.
In addition to learning the governing physical and chemical principles, the facility gives students an opportunity to learn other skills pertinent to the functions of a modern engineer in industry. 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 also 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.
DEPARTMENTAL FACILITIESThese 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 (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).
1 0 S A F E T Y A N D R I S K M A N A G E M E N T
Safety and Risk Management
he 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 safety, health and the environment (SHE) in the industries
that employ our graduates. We have worked hard to ensure that a ‘no-harm ethos’ permeates our operations in both teaching and research.
OH&S IN LABORATORIES AND THE WORKPLACEThe Department has a formal risk-management structure consisting of safety officers – typically heads of research groups, representatives (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. Quarterly meetings and safety inspections are held and there is a compulsory safety induction programme for all staff and postgraduate students.
SAFETY IN THE CURRICULUMSafety is a key theme in the undergraduate curriculum: daily ‘safety moments’ are incorporated into one course each year, to instil the habit of considering potential risks. OH&S is formally integrated into final-year courses.
TRAININGThe 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 practice of risk management, thus entrenching risk management in organisational culture.
RESEARCH IN SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENTAllied to the G-MIRM training activities, collaborative research in safety and risk management in the minerals industry is ongoing. This is being done primarily through postgraduate dissertations focusing on this area and plans are underway to admit more students to conduct research in the field.
‘NO-HARM ETHOS’Our goal is to be Africa’s leading chemical engineering Department through teaching and research. Safe and healthy learning and workplaces are indispensable to this vision. By teaching and adhering to current appropriate safety standards, we can contribute to low-risk, healthy, non-polluting, resource-efficient industrial production. Five cardinal rules (right) that we pledge to know and obey encapsulate the measures in place to achieve this goal.
T
CARDINAL SAFETY RULES
1. Be proactive and outspoken – show concern for safety and for others.
2. No work without safety planning, thinking and documentation.
3. Form barriers between people and safety risks, especially chemicals.
4. Gases require advanced safety systems.
5. Always be ready for an emergency – evacuation without question.PROGRAMMES
1 2 U N D E R G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E U N D E R G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E 1 3
Undergraduate programme OVERALL INTAKE: 2000-2016
GRADUATES: 2003-2016
2002
2000
2003
2001
2006
2004
2007
2005
2010
2008
2011
2009
2014
2012
2015
2013
2016
0
40
20
60
100
80
120
160
140
Num
ber o
f stu
dent
s
Entrance year
International
White/unknown
Coloured
Indian
Black
Fig. 1 Overall intake between 2000 and 2016, by population group
2005
2003
2006
2004
2009
2007
2010
2008
2013
2011
2014
2012
2015
2016
0
20
40
80
60
120
100
Num
ber o
f stu
dent
s
Graduation year
International
White/unknown
Coloured
Indian
Black
Fig. 2 Number of graduates from the programme between 2003 and 2016, by population group
he 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.
In the ECSA-accredited undergraduate programme, students are equipped for careers both in the chemical and mineral-processing industries (though many also take up positions in 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.
A revised curriculum was developed in 2014, with the key drivers being to improve the quality of student learning in the programme, and to increase the contemporary relevance of the offering. After the successful launch of the new second-year course in 2015, a revised third-year course was introduced in 2016, with a similar structure of tightly integrated theory, tools, project and practical work. (For more information, see chemeng.uct.ac.za/chemeng/new%20curriculum.)
Approximately 125 students from diverse backgrounds enter the programme each year. They 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 during second year; and intensive winter and summer boot camps for students experiencing difficulties during the normal semester.
These initiatives have enabled the Department to produce an average of close to 104 graduates per year in 2012-2016 (up from 68 per year in 2007-2011), with a record of 114 in 2014 and the second highest of 110 achieved in 2016. Correspondingly, the minimum-time graduation (i.e. percentage of students completing in four years) for the 2009-2013 intakes has risen to 56% (from 39% for the 2003-2008 intakes).
Industrial partners provide numerous valuable inputs to the programme in the form of bursaries for students; placements for student field-trips and work experience (which all students must complete to gain their degrees); service on the Advisory Board and Local Industry Forum; financial support via the Minerals Education Trust Fund; and significant contributions to new and improved equipment and infrastructure.
The Department was assessed in 2015 and the accreditation was renewed for another five years. The next ECSA visit will take place in 2020.
T
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
OFFER LEVELS FOR AN ACADEMIC PLACE – 2016 & 2017
BAND A Admission guaranteed
BAND B Admission likely
BAND C Admission possible
All applicants All applicants Targeted redress race groups 1 and 2 only
Chemical Engineering
85 FPS Mathematics ≥ 80% Physical Sciences ≥ 70% NBT scores of Proficient for AL, QL and Maths
80 WPS Mathematics ≥ 80% Physical Sciences ≥ 70% NBT scores of Intermediate or Proficient for AL, QL and Maths
70 FPS Mathematics ≥ 80% Physical Sciences ≥ 70% NBT scores of Intermediate or Proficient for AL, QL and Maths
Bada De Cominges, Alexander Manuel First-class honours
Bada De Cominges, Daniel José First-class honours
Blackbeard, Victoria Alice First-class honours
Bulala, Thuso
Bruintjies, Shafick
Barrow, Leigh Honours
Chibwana, Fred First-class honours
Chimphango, Anderson
Chirume, Blessing
Collair, Wesley Dylan First-class honours
Crous, Hylton Dale
De Goede, Andrea Louise Honours
Delbridge, Jordan Nicholas Honours
Dlamini, Otinell
Dlamini, Reuben Mkhuleko
Delaney, Jason Bongani First-class honours
Duncan-Brown, Claire
Davidson, Cara Bea First-class honours
Dyasi, Nontsikelelo Grace Dyasi
Foster, Linda Joy
Gordon, Tayla Kate First-class honours
Gorven, Matthew Daniel Honours
Guseva, Olga
Govender, Mivashya Honours
Govender, Nikhyle Honours
BSC CHEMICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATES (110) IN 2016
Govender, Priyashnie
Hugo, Pieter De Waal First-class honours
Hall, Benjamin Andrew
Hill, Herbert Edward Honours
Hall, Robin Lee
Himunchul, Alexandra Elizabeth-Joan Honours
Hinds, Jenni Chantal
Hinrichsen, Brandon Ross Honours
Hein, Ashleigh Honours
Horn, Emma Jane Honours
Harris, Nicolas Ian
Hitchcock, Liam Kingsley
Howa, Adam Jamal Honours
Hu, Yadi
Johnson, Kristin Andrea Honours
Jantjies, Benedict Romeo
Kukreja, Nishtha Singh Honours
Kim, So-Mang Honours
Kondo, Takunda Diana
Kruger, Dawid Daniel First-class honours
Lefifi, Poloko Reginald
Lelia, Bokang Nelson Honours
Langenbach, Yuma Honours
Lewis, Mavis Elaine
Mabonda, Matimba Convert
Mbiyu, Tracy Gachoki Honours
Mudley, Theona First-class honours
Moodley, Verona Ann Honours
Mgam, Mvano
Mohlabine, Basetsana Naledi
Mehlo, Brenda Honours
Mhlophe, Masoi Johannes
Mhlongo, Mpumelelo Tevin Honours
Makhuvha, Pfumbisani Confidence Honours
Mokone, Maseloko
Mpofu, Norman
Muridili, Mashudu
Martin, Richard Bradley Honours
Musa, Suhail Ahmed Honours
Mthimunye, Lindiwe Ascentia
Matome, Onkarabile Honours
Moyo, Minenhle Teresa Honours
Ndabula, Siphiwo
Ndemera, Tinashe Brush
Ndoora, Ruvarashe Mitchel Honours
Naicker, Delisha-Ann
Ngubane, Andile Siphelele
Ng’ambi, Tasekela Honours
Nkahle, Nonzwakazi Kim
Ntobela, Nqobile Praiseworth Honours
Ntlabathi, Mandiwakhe
Nxumalo, Sibusisiwe Luyanda
Nyokangi, Zipporah Nyabonyi Honours
October, Lisa Louise Honours
Pillay, Sean Teshin
Pons, Timothy David First-class honours
Potts, Mikyle Klyde Honours
Robinson, James Guy
Reddy, Kimaya Honours
Ramdari, Srikesh Rameshwar Honours
Ramaru, Thakhani Zuriel
Sebopa, Nesta Winnie
Shardlow, Ross Peter Honours
Skee, Keabetswe
Selekane, Thapelo Disego
Slamang, Mishka First-class honours
Stuart-Smith, Alexandra First-class honours
Strydom, Storm Gerry Honours
Thobela, Brian Sthembiso
Thompson, Andrew Cameron
Tseka, Lawrence Relebohile
Tsotetsi, Mpho Mapitso Lucia Honours
Utui, Erika Ghislaine De Rogério Honours
Van der Fort, Ameerah First-class honours
Viljoen, David Gabriel
Venter, Olivia Honours
Vasic, Ljiljana First-class honours
Williams, Andrew Grant First-class honours
Wilmot, Alexander Aidan Honours
Werle van der Merwe, Marianne First-class honours
Wittika, Nomalha Winn Mi
Yu, Nancy Nanhua
Zabangwa, Mahalihali
Zipete, Sinovuyo Honours
Zwane, Lungile Judicious Honours
1 4 U N D E R G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E U N D E R G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E 1 5
P O S T G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E 1 71 6 P O S T G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E
Postgraduate programme
he 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, therefore, the programme, with the participation of excellent postgraduate students, is essential to the functioning of the Department as a whole.
The Department offers the PhD and the research-only MSc (both by dissertation), the taught MSc and the taught MPhil (both by coursework and dissertation). These degrees may be carried out in any of the following research areas: bioprocess and catalytic process engineering; crystallisation and precipitation; engineering education; environment and process systems; mineral processing; hydrometallurgy and process modelling. The MSc by combination of coursework and research is offered in the areas of bioprocess and catalytic process 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 are required to undertake the course on Research Methodology and Communication (CHE5055Z). The research questions to be investigated for their theses are formulated and defined as a part of this course.
Students may enrol for PhD study after completion of their MSc or via an upgrade of their MSc to a PhD. Prospective PhD students are required to submit a written research proposal and to present it 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 a PhD student must subsequently be sanctioned by the Doctoral Degrees Board.
Postgraduate studies are typically conducted in the context of larger research programmes. The Department prides itself on the availability of modern research facilities for postgraduate studies.
T
2007
2005
2008
2006
2011
2009
2012
2010
2015
2013
2016
2014
0
40
20
60
100
80
120
140
Num
ber o
f stu
dent
s
Entrance year
PhD
MSc
0
10
20
40
30
60
50
Num
ber o
f stu
dent
s
Graduation year
PhD
MSc
2007
2005
2008
2006
2011
2009
2012
2010
2015
2013
2016
2014
MSC AND PHD STUDENTS: 2005-2016
MSC AND PHD GRADUATES: 2005-2016
MASTERS AND PhD CHEMICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATES(43) IN 2016
P O S T G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E 1 91 8 P O S T G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M M E
Burke, Matthew MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Chidzanira, Tadiwanashe MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Chimonyo, Wonder MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Couperthwaite, Jennifer MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Duncan, Michael MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Edwards, Garren MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Fundikwa, Bridget MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Gambu, Gorden MSc (Eng) MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Gituma, Mark MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Ilunga, Yannick MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Jacobs, Clayton MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Jacobs, Tamzon MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Jardine, Mitchel MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Jooste, Debora MSc (Eng) MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Luchters, Niels MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Mabote, Seipati MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Maharaj, Chiara MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Maharaj, Riddhi MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Malanda, Nicole MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Matongo, Tarisayi MSc (Eng) MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Mhonde, Ngoni MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Mutenure, Mildred MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Muziki, Sibongile MSc (Eng) MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Ncongwane, Mpendulo MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Nyathi, Thulani MSc (Eng) MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Owusu Gyebi, Prince MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Shaik, Kathija MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Sheni, Nanji MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Stevenson, Matthew MSc (Eng) (by dissertation)
Taggart, Diane MSc (Eng) MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Thompson, Courtney MSc (Eng) MSc (Eng) (coursework and dissertation)
Manqoyi, Ayanda MPhil (120 research 60 course)
Munyongani, Veronica MPhil (120 research 60 course)
Adetunji, Olubode PhD
Ajam, Mariam PhD
Bepswa, Paul PhD
Leteba, Gerard PhD
Little, Lucy PhD
Matsutsu, Molefi PhD
McCoy, John PhD
Mogashana, Disaapele PhD
Moyo, Thandazile PhD
Mwase, James PhD
RESEARCH
OUR INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED RESEARCH EXCELLENCE HAS HELPED US TO RISE TO GLOBAL RESEARCH CHALLENGES THAT HAVE PARTICULAR LOCAL RELEVANCE.
2 2 N O T E W O R T H Y N E W S N O T E W O R T H Y N E W S 2 3
Noteworthy news
A ROUND-UP OF THE LATEST RESEARCH, ACHIEVEMENTS AND COLLABORATIONS.
MINERAL INSIGHTSOn 23 March 2017, Dr Megan Becker from the Centre for Minerals Research celebrated the launch of the book Process Mineralogy – the latest in the Julius Krutschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) Monograph Series in Mining and Mineral Processing. Dr Becker is the lead editor of this seminal text, which has over 50 contributing authors (including Professor Aubrey Mainza and Prof Dee Bradshaw from UCT), and worked closely with Drs Elaine Wightman and Cathy Evans of the SMI-JKMRC. Process Mineralogy illustrates the various tools and techniques used in process mineralogy studies, and their application, in a series of case studies spanning different commodities, unit processes and locations around the world.
BRIDGING NORTH TO SOUTHDr Kirsten Corin has partnered with Dr Nora Schreithofer at the University of Aalto, Helsinki, as part of the South Africa (NRF)/Academy of Finland (AF) science and technology research collaboration (2016-2018). As part of this collaborative ‘Bridging
FEASIBILITY STUDY: BIO-BASED CHEMICALS LANDSCAPE OF SOUTH AFRICASouth Africa is one of only five nations worldwide to develop a Bioeconomy Strategy, defining the role of the bioeconomy towards a sustainable process industry. While worldwide bioeconomy strategies focus on resource efficiency, the local model includes job creation, poverty and inequality alleviation, and improved quality of life for all South Africans. The Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) was commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to study the potential for development of a local bio-based product industrial sector, and the contribution this sector and these products could make to the country’s economy, quality of life and job market.
South Africa is well positioned for bio-based industry with its strong agricultural and forestry base and favourable climatic conditions. Crops provide residue for feedstock and concomitant food production. Significant potential exists in the mature sugar industry, the pulp and paper industry, and with alien vegetation as well as new biomass sources (including water-sensitive crops such as sorghum, agave, cactus pear, and algal biomass, all of which can be cultivated on so-called ‘non-arable’ land with limited fresh water demand). Furthermore, substantial opportunity for value creation from organic waste materials has been identified.
In assessing prospective bio-based products for South Africa’s bioeconomy, platform chemicals, fine chemicals, biopolymers, biosurfactants, biolubricants, biofuels and bioenergy, nutraceuticals, pigments, enzymes, animal feeds and fertiliser were investigated. Each was evaluated in terms of interest in the product, local and global markets, current use and future applications, production routes and barriers to market. Considerable
North to South’ project, which investigates water quality within mineral processing concentrators, Dr Corin and Professor Jeremy Mann visited the University of Aalto, Boliden Kevitsa and the Academy of Finland in April 2016.
COLLABORATIVE THINKING Last year saw the
THREE-YEAR NUTRIENT-RECOVERY PROJECT COMPLETEDThe Environmental & Process Systems Engineering research group completed a three-year project funded by the Water Research Commission to investigate the possibilities of integrating recovery of nutrients from sewage. Led by Professor Harro von Blottnitz and Dr Dyllon Randall (now with UCT Civil Engineering), the focus was on how to recover phosphates in conjunction with anaerobic digestion for energy recovery. Two Masters degrees were completed as part of the project.
potential lies within each of these subdivisions with differing possibilities pertaining to the nature of the job creation, the geographic location, the market opportunities as local, sub-Sahara-African or global, and the level and readiness of the technology involved. A detailed study of platform chemicals led to a comprehensive list ranking the top 20 chemicals for the South African context. These compounds were further investigated with respect to uses and market research conducted for South Africa. Following the review of local feedstocks and products, three flagship projects were proposed.
The conclusion was that the opportunities offered by the South African context for development of the bio-based product industry are excellent. Moreover, the prospects for multiple socio-economic benefits are outstanding. It is imperative, however, that a determined, collaborative and inclusive approach is adopted by the entities involved.
completion of the second round of a three-year collaborative research venture in minerals processing (2015–2017) between Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (BGRIMM), UCT and the University of Limpopo (UL).
A workshop attended by Candice Coleman
from the Department of Science and Technology was held in Quebec City, Canada, on 8-10 September, prior to the IMPC 2016. As part of the BGRIMM collaboration, Professor Jianyuan Liu and Dr Zhang Xingrong spent some time conducting test work at UCT and UL during August 2016.
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AT C*CHANGE• Nico Fischer was elected chairperson of the
Catalysis Society of South Africa. He was also awarded the Young Scientist Prize in recognition of the excellent scientific contribution he presented as the main author at the 16th International Congress on Catalysis in Beijing, China.• A new XRD dedicated to in situ analysis was
installed at the Catalysis Institute in June 2016. Funding for the instrument (approximately R4.5 million) was sourced in part by a successful application by Fischer/Claeys with the NRF National Equipment Programme in 2015.• Nico Fischer and Eric van Steen were members of
the organising committee of the first-ever Faraday Discussion event on the African Continent (held in Cape Town in January 2017), themed ‘Catalysis for Fuels’.• Michael Claeys was asked to give a keynote
lecture at the 11th Natural Gas Conversion Symposium held in Tromsø, Norway, as well as being invited to lecture at the 16th International Congress on Catalysis in Beijing, China, and the Faraday Discussion ‘Catalysis for Fuels’ in Cape Town in January 2017. In addition, he contributed an article to Nature: News & Views.• Moritz Wolf (PhD student) won the Best
Student Oral Presentation award at the annual CATSA conference.• Dr Ganesh Babu (PDF) received the Best Invited
Lecture award at the 4th International Conference on Polymer Processing and Characterization, held at the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala, India.
2 4 N O T E W O R T H Y N E W S N O T E W O R T H Y N E W S 2 5
CONCEPTUALISING THE WASTEWATER BIOREFINERY FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN LANDSCAPEOver several years the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) has been exploring the emerging concept of the Wastewater Biorefinery (WWBR). This ground-breaking project, sponsored by the Water Research Commission, submitted its final report in 2016.
The foundations have now been laid for disseminating the ideas developed around this concept: • Wastewater as a resource• Optimisation of an integration of diverse (bio)
processes with multiple (bio)products • ‘Fit-for-purpose’ water as a product
WWBR strives to integrate the processing of wastewater (feedstock) streams to remediate them and generate valuable products which include ‘clean’ or ‘fit for purpose’ water, using multiple integrated unit operations to allow multi-product optimisation. Various microbial ecologies are used to convert the contaminants (nutrients) in wastewaters to products. These typically need to function in dilute, variable and non-sterile environments, requiring new reactor systems thinking.
INTERNSHIP AT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUMCorey Beavon, an MPhil in Sustainable Mineral Development graduate, has just returned from an internship at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, where he was working on its flagship Responsible Mineral Development Initiative (RMDI) – a multi-stakeholder tool that provides practical mechanisms to measure and communicate the needs and expectations of different stakeholders in the mining industry.Beavon was tasked with updating and reviewing
the RMDI survey in accordance with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and provided supporting consultation with key mining and metals companies, governments and civil society organisations on the RMDI process. This afforded him the opportunity to get first-hand experience in the implementation of the RMDI in Guinea. He was also involved in the development of an ‘off-the-shelf’ version of the RMDI that will make the tool more accessible to all stakeholders.
WWBR is based centrally on the principles of the circular economy and uses an interdisciplinary approach to integrate the learnings from conventional wastewater treatment processes, bioprocess technology and environmental biotechnology towards implementing an industrial ecology approach, as well as process systems engineering for system optimisation.
This wide-ranging project included the current global positioning of this concept and an analysis of relevant past and present activity in South African academia and industry. The team pushed the boundaries in unearthing and compiling data on South African wastewater streams in an attempt to quantify the available resources. Evaluations of biological products and bioreactors most likely to prove suitable were undergirded by work in the laboratory. The issues involved in creating an integrated system were investigated, including the development of tools and a framework to further this analysis.
The team expects that this report will lead to numerous research projects, including innovative technical studies and exciting sociological engagements.
A C A D E M I C S T A F F & R E S E A R C H F I E L D S 2 72 6 A C A D E M I C S T A F F & R E S E A R C H F I E L D S
Academic staff & research fields
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 – Comminution research, primarily focusing on fundamentals of particle breakage and computational modelling
Dr Paul Bepswa Centre for Minerals Research – Design of high-precision metal accounting measurement networks and investigations into the operational performance of tumbling mill comminution circuits
Dr Megan Becker Centre for Minerals Research, and Minerals to Metals Initiative – Process mineralogy and applied mineralogy, geometallurgy
Dr Sharon Blair Catalysis Institute – Director of HySA/Catalysis – Technology transfer
Mr Walter Böhringer Catalysis Institute – Heterogeneous acid catalysis (core area) and hydroprocessing
Professor Dee Bradshaw Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation Chemistry
Associate Professor Jennifer Broadhurst Minerals to Metals – Sustainable development of mineral resources with specific focus on environmental issues
Dr Roald Brosius Catalysis Institute – Shape-selective hydrocracking of wax to high quality diesel in advanced microporous materials
Professor Jenni Case Centre for Research in Engineering Education – Student learning in science and engineering education, knowledge and curriculum, graduate destinations, higher education studies
Dr Jessica Chamier Catalysis Institute – Materials scientist developing and synthesising new materials for membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) used in fuel cell design. We are focusing on the design, development and electrocatalytic evaluation of novel catalyst support materials as well as methods for catalyst deposition and impregnation
Professor Michael Claeys Catalysis Institute – Director of the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, in-situ catalyst characterisation, nano-materials
Dr Kirsten Claire Corin Centre for Minerals Research – Water in flotation, froth flotation, flotation and grinding chemistry, flotation electrochemistry, QPXRD
Malibongwe Manono Centre for Minerals Research – A fundamental study into the role of electrolytes on reagent interaction mechanism in the flotation of a PGM ore in response to water quality
Ms Tracey van Heerden Catalysis Institute – Investigating metal-support interactions on cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalysts
Dr Elaine Govender-Opitz Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Application of biohydrometallurgical processes for the treatment of primary and secondary metal resources
Professor David Deglon Centre for Minerals Research – Computational fluid dynamics and flotation cell modelling
Dr Marijke Fagan-Endres Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Heap bioleaching, bioflotation, hydrology, tomography (MRI and X-ray CT), microcalorimetry
Dr Nico Fischer Catalysis Institute – Study and characterisation of heterogeneous catalyst systems for synthesis gas conversion reaction including CO
2 activation processes with special focus on the development and application of in-situ
characterisation techniques
NAME RESEARCH FIELD
Professor Jack Fletcher Catalysis Institute – Hydrogen-from-fuels, wax hydrocracking, micro-structured reactors
Mr Martin Harris Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation circuit modelling
Professor Sue Harrison SA Research Chair in Bioprocess Engineering and 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
Mr Hilton Heydenrych Crystallisation and 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 of mixed microbial bioprocess systems, incl. bioremediation of thiocyanate-laden mine water effluents and biological sulphate reduction
Mr Nabeel Hussain Centre for Catalysis Research – Development of materials and components for low-temperature PEM fuel cells
Associate Professor Adeniyi Isafiade Environmental and process systems engineering and process modelling and optimisation – Bioenergy supply chain optimisation, process integration for materials, water and energy optimisation, and systemic approach to mining accident causality
Dr Madelyn Johnstone-Robertson Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Research investigation into the production of biopolymers, enzymes and fungal pigments using different bioreactor systems. Other research interests are anaerobic digestion, integrated bioprocess platform and wastewater biorefineries. (From the CeBER website)
Professor Patricia Kooyman Catalysis Institute – Nano materials for catalysis, nano material synthesis, characterisation and application. (In situ) high-resolution transmission electron microscopy
Dr Pieter Levecque Catalysis Institute – Catalysts and components for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, photocatalytic water splitting
Professor Alison Lewis (Dean) Director of the Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit – Industrial precipitation and crystallisation, recovery of value from effluent streams, water treatment through crystallisation, Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation, product and particle analysis; process analysis and control for optimised product quality; crystallisation process development; aqueous chemistry modelling of speciation, thermodynamic equilibria, hydrodynamic and population balance modelling of precipitation systems
Mr Niels Lüchters Catalysis Institute – HySA catalysis – Fuel to hydrogen
Mr Arthur Mabentsela Centre for Minerals Research – Numerical and physical modelling of pyrometallurgical operations
Professor Aubrey Mainza Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution and classification research; focusing on modelling of comminution and classification unit devices and using these in circuit design and optimisation studies
Dr Belinda McFadzean Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation chemistry
Professor Klaus Möller Process modelling and optimisation research group – Development of multi-species, multi-phase process models
Assistant Professor Jochen Petersen Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Hydrometallurgy, especially heap (bio) leaching of low-grade minerals, heap reactor characterisation and modelling, hydrometallurgical process analysis, leaching kinetics in ammonia and cyanide systems, bioleaching processes
Ms Tokoloho Rampai Centre for Minerals Research – Carbide MAX phases composites with cubic boron nitride ceramics, pyrometallurgy
NAME RESEARCH FIELD
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, bioenergy, techno-economics
Dr Shiro Tanaka HySA/Catalysis – Technology innovation and development on the materials and designs for hydrogen fuel cells
Mr Andre van der Westhuizen Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution and fine particle processing
Professor Eric van Steen Catalysis Institute/DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis c*change – Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, nano-materials, molecular modelling of heterogeneous catalytic systems, reaction kinetics
Professor 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
Mr Jason Waters Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution and classification (including fine particles processing and rheology)
Mrs Jenny Wiese Centre for Minerals Research – Investigation of the influence of chemical and operational parameters on flotation performance
EMERITUS, HONORARY AND ADJUNCT STAFF
Emeritus Professor Cyril O’Connor Centre for Minerals Research – Flotation; reagent studies
Honorary Professor Michael Nicol Hydrometallurgy research
Adjunct Professor Paul Dempsy
Honorary Research Associate Dr Chris Bryan Centre for Bioprocess Engineering – Mineral bioleaching through tank and heap processes, biohydrometallurgy of electronic waste, mine waste handling
Honorary Research Associate Dr Melinda Griffiths Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Process improvements and economics of large-scale production of spirulina and other micro-algae
Honorary Research Associate 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
Adjunct Professor Sandy Lambert
Adjunct Professor Jeremy Mann Centre for Minerals Research
Adjunct Associate Professor Philippa Notten Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Honorary Research Associate Dr Melissa Petersen Catalysis Institute, HySA/Catalysis – Molecular modelling of catalytic systems
Honorary Professor Jim Petrie Environmental and Process Systems Engineering – Decision support systems, sustainable energy systems, industrial ecology
Adjunct Professor Wynand van Dyk Risk management, process optimisation and project management
Honorary Research Associate Dr Christopher Woolard Fuels research, Sasol Advanced Fuels Laboratory
Adjunct Professor David Wright Chemical Engineering, strategy, internal and external review, curriculum, design
A C A D E M I C S T A F F & R E S E A R C H F I E L D S 2 92 8 A C A D E M I C S T A F F & R E S E A R C H F I E L D S
R E S E A R C H I N E N G I N E E R I N G E D U C A T I O N 3 13 0 R E S E A R C H I N E N G I N E E R I N G E D U C A T I O N
Research in Engineering Education
t is no surprise that a Department with a deep interest in its undergraduate programme, as well as a thriving research culture, would have fostered a focus on engineering education
research aimed at understanding and improving the student experience of learning.
Our research over the past 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 among 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.
IPROFESSOR JENNI CASE MR HILTON HEYDENRYCH
Duncan Fraser was one of the early engineering education researchers at UCT, and even in retirement he continued to play an active role. His research focused on improving student learning, in particular through the application of variation theory and through the use of computer simulations. At the time of his passing, Duncan was working towards an approach for characterising student success in the context of curriculum change in chemical engineering at UCT. This was a project where he was also very actively involved in developing innovative materials for project and practical work. This work continued to be a strong focus of the Department in 2016, as we rolled out the new third year in our undergraduate programme, building on the structures that Duncan had been central to implementing.
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 for the experience 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 past 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. Disa Mogashana, an alumnus from the Department, obtained a PhD looking at the experiences of engineering students on foundation programmes.
Two recent PhDs supervised by Jenni Case look at curriculum. Renee Smit, an ADL from electrical engineering, has identified 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, has completed a study focusing on how the intrinsic logic of engineering design courses runs counter to the logic of
engineering science, generally established earlier on in the programme.
Hilton Heydenrych took over the role of ADL in the Department of Chemical Engineering in 2012, and has played a key role in building up the research focus in this group on tracking throughput in the undergraduate programme. Together with Jenni Case he has authored two journal articles to date reporting on this work. Another project that Hilton spearheaded was the tracking of graduate destinations through an innovative methodology involving LinkedIn records – to date this work has been reported nationally.
C A T 3 33 2 C A T
Catalysis Institute (CAT)
CENTRE FOR CATALYSIS RESEARCH Research in the Centre for Catalysis Research covers catalyst synthesis and modification, physico-chemical characterisation, molecular modelling of catalytic reactions and testing under industrially relevant conditions. Special focus is given to catalytic processes using feedstock and materials of particular interest to South Africa. The Catalysis Institute is the leading research group in its field in South Africa and enjoys excellent relations with similar academic groups in Europe, North America and Asia, as well as substantial co-operation with domestic and international industry.
DST-NRF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN CATALYSIS (C*CHANGE)The focus of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), established in 2004, is the field of catalysis and
THE CATALYSIS INSTITUTE COMPRISES THREE CENTRES, NAMELY THE CENTRE FOR CATALYSIS RESEARCH, THE DST-NRF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN CATALYSIS (C*CHANGE) AND HYSA CATALYSIS.
PROFESSOR JACK FLETCHER
catalytic processing, which may be regarded as a large, yet focused virtual research programme of national scope and significance. It encompasses multidisciplinary participants from 11 higher education institutions, comprising some 16 research groupings from fields in heterogeneous, homogeneous and bio-catalysis, and disciplines ranging from chemistry and engineering to microbiology.
The objectives of the Centres of Excellence Programme are, among others: to promote knowledge and human capital development in areas of strategic importance to South Africa; promote collaborative and interdisciplinary research; integrate smaller and related research areas into one programme; and 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 three distinct research programmes:• Paraffin Activation (PAR) Programme (UCT, US, UKZN, UFS) • RSA Olefins (OLE) Programme (UCT, US, UFS, NWU, UJ)• Synthesis Gas (SYN) Programme (UCT, WITS, UWC, UJ, UL, UNISA)
HYSA CATALYSISHySA Catalysis is one of the three centres of competence that form part of the South African Department of Science and Technology’s National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technologies Flagship project, branded as Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) and is co-hosted by the Catalysis Institute at the University of Cape Town and Mintek. HySA Catalysis focuses on the development of fuel cell technology to establish South Africa as a major global exporter of catalysts and fuel cell components.
3 4 C M R C M R 3 5
Centre for Minerals Research (CMR)
OVERVIEW/VISION The Centre for Minerals Research is a multi-disciplinary, inter-Departmental research centre based in the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Centre conducts research with the overall purpose of developing models, methodologies and heuristics for the design, simulation and optimisation of mineral processing concentrators. In addition, the centre places a 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 originated as a research group in 1980, became formally recognised as a Research Unit in the 1990s and was accredited by the university as a Research Centre in 2006.The main focus of research is on the processes of comminution, classification and froth flotation, 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. Research is conducted using industrial, laboratory and computational methods, so as to develop robust models and heuristics for describing the performance of mineral processing concentrators. 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 nationally and internationally.
DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIESResearch in the Centre is broadly themed into comminution & classification, flotation, process mineralogy and technology transfer. Process mineralogy is an interdisciplinary research area that 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 industrially.
PROFESSOR DAVID DEGLON
COMMINUTION & CLASSIFICATION RESEARCH• Comminution Circuit Modelling (Group Leader: Aubrey Mainza)
• Computational Modelling (Group Leaders: Aubrey Mainza & Indresan Govender)
• Positron Emission Particle Tracking (Group Leaders: Aubrey Mainza & Indresan Govender)
FLOTATION RESEARCH• Flotation Chemistry (Group Leader: Cyril O’Connor) - Reagent Research Group
- Flotation Chemistry Group• Flotation Cells (Group Leader: Dave Deglon) - Flotation Cell Modelling
- 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) - Process Mineralogy Research
- QEMSCAN
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER • MPTech (Group Leader: Andre van der Westhuizen) - Technology Transfer, Training, Design Reviews,
Circuit Optimisation - Anglo Platinum Graduate Development Programme - Advanced Concentrator Technology
Programme (ACT)
C E B E R 3 73 6 C E B E R
Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) ALGAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
Microalgae have great potential for biomass and bioproduct production, owing to their broad product spectrum, photosynthetic metabolism and ability to use CO
2 as their
carbon feedstock. CeBER focuses on integrated algal processes for the production of pigments, nutraceuticals, lipids, commodity and energy products in both ponds and closed photo bioreactors. The potential role of algae in CO
2 uptake and the potential
of algae to bio-concentrate metals from wastewaters is explored. We host a large algal culture collection, which is undergoing extended characterisation, and have developed approaches for its genetic improvement. Through the biorefinery concept, inventory analysis, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), we identify key contributions required for feasible algal processes, one of which is design of low-energy reactor systems.
BIOTECHNOLOGY TOWARDS CHEMICALS, FOOD AND HEALTH PRODUCTSSouth Africa has been an early adopter of a national bioeconomy strategy to integrate bio-conversion and bio-based products into our economy, diversifying it from the fossil-based resources richly supplied in South Africa towards an enhanced focus on sustainable and low-carbon processes. Research in fine chemicals and commodity bioproducts in CeBER focuses on combining process kinetics, metabolic modelling, product optimisation, induction and process sustainability. Commodity bioproducts, such as biofuels and polymers, are produced from renewable resources, including platform biochemicals. 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, antimicrobials and nutraceuticals. Plant cell culture and novel approaches for genetic modification of plant cells and micro-algae are under development.
MINERAL AND METAL BIOPROCESSINGIn biohydrometallurgy, microbial biocatalysts ensure provision of leach agents for solubilisation of metals from minerals, providing an alternative for recovery of metals such as copper, zinc, nickel or gold (via bio-oxidation) from low-grade ores or niche concentrates. Research focuses on both microbial and fluid contacting sub-processes within heap bioleaching, chiefly heap hydrology, solution flow and contacting with the mineral phase, their impact on micro-scale physicochemical conditions and on development and location of microbial communities, microbial ecology, structure-function relationships within consortia, whole-ore growth studies, leaching reactions and impact of gangue materials. The same understanding is used to minimise or prevent ARD. Intensification of tank bioleaching and microbial ecology in these systems is studied. Valorisation of secondary resources, including mine waste and urban waste forms a key component of our circular economy approach. This includes repurposing of mine wastes to fabricated soils.
WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENTOur research focuses on water treatment for the delivery of compliant, ‘fit for purpose’ and, where required, potable water from ‘people’ and industrial wastewater streams with embedded recovery of values using a circular economy approach. We seek to address water scarcity, a key driver in South Africa, in collaboration with the interdisciplinary research institute, Future Water.
RESEARCH FOCAL AREAS AND PROJECTS
CeBER hosts complementary research projects treating process and domestic wastewaters rich in organics, nitrogen and phosphate compounds, typical of the wastewater arena, with associated value recovery. Integrated systems, microbial ecology and the potential for value recovery are explored through the concept of a waste (water) biorefinery, using an industrial ecology approach, sustainability and life cycle analyses and integrating emerging technologies for renewable energy.Acid rock drainage (ARD) and neutral mine drainage prevention is addressed through enhanced management of waste materials (see Mineral Bioprocessing) in collaboration with the Minerals-to-Metals signature theme. A key component is the development and refinement of the tools used for characterisation and prediction of ARD generation. ARD remediation using integrated biological technologies places particular emphasis on biological sulphate reduction, and partial sulphide oxidation to recover elemental sulphur.
CT’s Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) provides an environment in which to advance knowledge of bioprocess engineering that is relevant and excellent, and will fuel South Africa’s developing bioeconomy, through
both fundamental and applied research built on an interdisciplinary approach. The Centre equips scientists and engineers at postgraduate level with expertise to excel in every sector of the bioprocess arena, from research and industry to environmental services and solutions. CeBER is home to seven academic staff members, approximately four to eight postdoctoral fellows at any given time and some 45 postgraduate students. It maintains a diversity of disciplines across its teams of researchers and collaborators to nurture an interdisciplinary and enriched approach to research. CeBER builds on a foundation of bioprocess engineering research activity at the university started in the late 1960s, and has been a UCT-accredited research grouping since 2001.
CeBER’s vision is to be an interdisciplinary research enterprise, developing the nation’s bioprocess engineers, providing new insights and innovation 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- and transdisciplinary research programmes, which provide fundamental knowledge and develop technologies to create social and economic benefit through sustainable bioprocesses and bioproducts for the industry, the environment and society.
UPROFESSOR
SUE HARRISON
CeBER is recognised for its strong interdisciplinary 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 mine water; algal biotechnology; alkane biotechnology; commodity products and fine chemical and health products. CeBER’s research contributes to the circular economy and resource efficiency while driving environmentally sustainable processes and socially responsive solutions in its transfer and application. We work together with the Minerals-to-Metals and Future Water transdisciplinary research groupings.
3 8 C P U
Crystallisation & Precipitation Research Unit (CPU)
ndustrial 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 it was commended on its focus and research direction, as well as the quality and synergistic nature of its research. The unit was then re-accredited by the University Research Committee for a further five years.
It is interesting to note that, although crystallisation and precipitation are very old industrial processes (the first applications of industrial crystallisation being before 1500BC when the Egyptians produced alum, and the first applications of precipitation being in the 1860s – the Solvay process for producing sodium bicarbonate – the formal study of the crystallisation process began only in the early 1800s, with that of precipitation following far later (in the 1930s).
Precipitation, in particular, is not a very well understood process. Therefore, the main aim of
I 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.
PROFESSOR ALISON LEWIS
E & P S E 3 9
Environmental and Process Systems Engineering (E&PSE)
DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIESThis multifaceted research group has a 20-plus-year history of employing process- and systems-engineering skills to develop knowledge and methods in response to pollution- prevention challenges and sustainable development issues. We have worked in clean technology and cleaner production, waste management (municipal and industrial), industrial ecology, process design and integration, and process safety. We are strongly linked to a range of other disciplines on campus, both through interdisciplinary postgraduate programmes and research relationships.
We believe that our country and our continent need development, but we also acknowledge that the model of the 20th-century industrial economy is insufficient to meet this goal. What is needed instead is radical innovation and substantial improvements in efficiency. To this end, we engage with many participants, including process-design teams, environmental consultancies, corporate sustainability departments, municipal engineers, and regulators and programme directors within the government. The challenges are to spot opportunities for change,
back them with efficient technology and steer their organisations towards making tangible contributions to sustainable development.
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCHThe education of Master’s and PhD students is a key component of E&PSE’s research. Since sustainable development increasingly requires graduates to have the ability to work across various disciplinary fields, Professor Von Blottnitz regularly also supervises postgraduates from outside the Chemical Engineering Department.
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.
THE CRYSTALLISATION AND PRECIPITATION RESEARCH UNIT FOCUSES ON THREE MAIN AREAS:• Optimising precipitation in hydrometallurgical processes. Our work on palladium precipitation, rhodium precipitation and mixed metal sulphide precipitations are examples of this.
• Development of innovative technologies for brines and mining wastewater treatment (our Eutectic Freeze Crystallisation project, for example).
• Development of precipitation techniques and understanding for perovskite solar cells. Metal halide perovskite solar cells have received global attention because of their excellent properties. However, very little is understood about the crystallisation science behind their fabrication.
4 0 F U T U R E W A T E R M T M 4 1
Minerals to Metals (MtM)
n January 2016, Professor Dee Bradshaw took over the directorship of UCT’s Minerals to Metals Initiative (MtM) from Associate Professor Jenny Broadhurst
and was simultaneously appointed as the replacement SARChI Chair in Mineral Beneficiation.
One of the major highlights was the procurement in June 2016 of African Development Bank funding to the tune of R4.2 million for the MPhil programme specialising in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development.
I The enrolment of the third cohort brought the total student enrolment to 38, 23 of whom are registered with UCT and 15 with the University of Zambia.
It has been an exciting time of new partnerships as new challenges are addressed (such as dust and green mining) and opportunities developed (such as UCT’s Urban Mine). These collaborations include groupings at UCT (e.g. Mineral Law in Africa, d-school for Design Thinking, the Bertha Centre); international universities (e.g. The University of
Queensland in Australia, Hacettepe University in Turkey, Lulea University of Technology in Sweden, The University of Liege in Belgium and The University of British Columbia in Canada); research institutes (the Helmholz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology in Germany); NGOs (Bench Marks Foundation); and companies both national and international.
Relationships with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have been developed through proactive engagement with mining and the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). Particularly exciting is the strategic partnership being developed with AngloGold Ashanti that will build on and extend existing work in different faculties at UCT. A number of activities have recently been initiated to further support the vision to develop what has been termed ‘T-shaped’ professionals – those who have depth (the vertical dimension, from the analytical expertise developed through postgraduate research) as well as breadth (the horizontal dimension achieved through working alongside and interacting with individuals from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds).
A weekly Forum and a Toastmasters chapter have been established to foster professional leadership capability, and a multifaceted partnership is being developed with Leap schools as part of the Urban Mining programme. Partnerships with the corporate social responsibility watchdog, the Bench Marks Foundation; the responsible investment company, KudosAfrica; the Kropz Elandsfontein Phosphate Project; and the mining sustainability practitioners, HeadRoom, are further increasing engagement.
In November 2016, the University Research Council conducted a review of MtM’s operations, which was combined with a research symposium. The different research themes and projects that make up MtM were illustrated in a cartoon by Graphic Harvest, showing how they contribute to building a platform for sustainable development in Africa through minerals and metals. Students and industry partners participated to celebrate the achievements of MtM and chart the way forward.
Future Water: UCT’s interdisciplinary water research institute
uture Water, UCT’s interdisciplinary water research institute, is hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, and was founded in 2016 in response to UCT’s call for the development of critical inter- and transdisciplinary research
initiatives. The institute is being led by Prof Sue Harrison (Chemical Engineering, director) and Prof Neil Armitage (Civil Engineering, deputy director) and brings together researchers across all six of UCT’s faculties, and from 10 Departments, including Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Economics and Management, Architecture Planning and Geomatics, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Geology, Biological Sciences, Economics, Law, Social Anthropology, Political Science and Public Health.
We focus on addressing water scarcity and developing water-sensitive design approaches. Our work is founded on the urgent need to provide capacity for the management of water infrastructure and scarcity, the need to build resilience through effective governance, the need for innovation in water management to address the growing demand and to ensure that water is managed in a technically sound, socially acceptable and environmentally responsible, sustainable manner. To achieve this, we seek to integrate technical and socio-economic aspects of water through inter- and transdisciplinary scholarship as well as multi-stakeholder and user perspectives. Using this approach, we plan to consolidate existing research strengths and resources as a platform from which to launch new directions in water research towards a resilient future.
FFUTURE WATER RESEARCH THEMES
FUTURE WATER RESEARCHERS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
New tapsEnsuring water security through the use of diverse and appropriate water resources
Blue-green infrastructure
Integrating water into urban design to bring about fundamental change to South African communities
Adapting to changeUnderstanding what drives behaviour in order to be resilient in a changing world
Maximising valueContributing to the circular economy through better resource use and process design
CeBERSue Harrison, Rob Huddy, Madelyn Johnstone-Robertson, Juarez Amaral-Filho, Bernelle Verster
CMR Kirsten Corin
CPU Alison Lewis
EPSE Niyi Isafiade, Harro von Blottnitz
MtM Dee Bradshaw, Jenny Broadhurst, Michael Solomon
PROFESSOR SUE HARRISON
PROFESSOR NEIL ARMITAGE
P U B L I C A T I O N S 4 34 2 P U B L I C A T I O N S
Publications
ARTICLES
BBabu S, Ashokkumar M and Neppolian B (2016). The role of ultrasound on advanced oxidation processes. Topics Current Chemistry (Z) 374:75.
Baron D, Bestbier A, Case JM and Collier-Reed BI (2016). Investigating the effects of a backchannel on university classroom interactions: A mixed-method case study. Computers & Education 94: 61-76.
Bbosa LS, Govender I and Mainza A (2016). Development of a novel methodology to determine mill power draw. International Journal of Mineral Processing 149: 94-103.
Berger M, Kooyman PJ, Makkee M, van der Zee JS, Sterk PJ, van Dijk J and Kemper EM (2016). How to achieve safe, high-quality clinical studies with non-medicinal investigational products? A practical guideline by using intra-bronchial carbon nanoparticles as case study. Respiratory Research 17(1): 102.
Bremmer GM, van Haandel L, Hensen EJM, Frenken JWN and Kooyman PJ (2016). Instability of NiMoS2 and CoMoS2 hydrodesulfurization catalysts at ambient conditions: A quasi in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 120(34): 19204-19211.
Bock R, Shum A, Khoza T, Seland F, Hussain, N, Zenyuk IV and Burheim, OS (2016). Experimental study of thermal conductivity and compression measurements of the GDL-MPL interfacial composite region. ECS Transactions 75(14):189-199.
Bombelli P, Dennis RJ, Felder F, Cooper MB, Durgaprasad MRI, Royles J, Harrison STL, Smith AG, Harrison CJ and Howe, CJ (2016). Electrical output of bryophyte microbial fuel cell systems is sufficient to power a radio or an environmental sensor. Royal Society Open Science 3: 160249.
Bonsu J, van Dyk W, Franzidis J-P, Petersen F and Isafiade A (2016). A systems approach to mining safety: an application of the Swiss Cheese Model. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 116(8): 777-784.
Brosius R, Kooyman PJ and Fletcher JCQ (2016). Selective formation of linear alkanes from n-hexadecane primary hydrocracking in shape selective MFI zeolites by competitive adsorption of water. ACS Catalysis 6(11): 7710-7715.
CCase JM (2016). Journeys to meaning-making: A longitudinal study of self-authorship amongst young South African engineering graduates. Journal of College Student Development 57(7): 863-879.
Case JM, Fraser DM, Kumar A and Itika A (2016). The significance of context for curriculum development in engineering education: A case study across three African countries. European Journal for Engineering Education 41(3): 279-292.
Case JM and Marshall D (2016). Bringing together knowledge and capabilities: a case study of engineering graduates. Higher Education 71(6): 819-833.
Claeys M (2016). Cobalt gets in shape. Nature 538: 44-45.
DDabic M, Deglon DA and Meyer CJ (2016). CFD-DEM simulation of fluid suspended particle response behaviour subject to transverse acoustic standing fields. Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics 16(1): 1-13.
Diaz-Morales O, Raaijman S, Kortlever R, Kooyman PJ, Wezendonk, T, Gascon J, Fu WT and Koper MT (2016). Iridium-based double perovskites for efficient water oxidation in acid media. Nature Communications 7: 12363.
FFischer N and Claeys M (2016). Phase changes studied under in situ conditions – a novel cell. Catalysis Today 275: 149-154.
Fischer N, Henkel R, Hettel B, Iglesias M, Schaub G and Claeys M (2016). Hydrocarbons via CO
2 hydrogenation over iron catalysts: the effect of potassium on structure and
performance. Catalysis Letters 146(2): 509-517.
Fischer N, Henkel R, Kotzé H, Fürst M, Olivier J, Neethling J and Claeys M (2016). Acetonitrile via CO hydrogenation in the presence of NH3. Catalysis Communications 87: 14-17.
Fischer N, Manyar HG and Roldan A (2016). Highlights from Faraday Discussion: Designing New Heterogeneous Catalysts, London, UK, April 2016. Chemical Communications 52: 8335-8341.
Fraser DM, Short M, Crimes J, Azeez OS and Isafiade AJ (2016). A systematic comparison of stagewise/ interval-based superstructure approaches for the optimal synthesis of heat exchange networks. Chemical Engineering Transactions 52: 793-798.
Fraser I, Rabiu AM and van Steen E (2016). Investigating the stability of Ru-promoted Fe-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst at high-synthesis gas conversion. Energy Procedia 100: 210-216.
GGhorbani Y, Franzidis J-P, Petersen J (2016). Heap leaching technology – current state, innovations, and future directions: a review. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review 37(2): 73-119.
Govender A, Barnard W, Olivier EJ, Forbes RP, van Steen E and Neethling JH (2016). Synthesis and characterization of NiFe2O4@Co3O4 core-shell nanoparticles. Materials Characterization 121: 93-102.
Gqebe S, Rodriguez-Pascual M and Lewis A (2016). A modification of the zeta potential of copper sulphide by the application of a magnetic field in order to improve particle settling. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 116(6): 575-580.
H
Harding KG and Harrison STL (2016). Generic flow sheet model for early inventory estimates of industrial microbial processes. I. Flowsheet development, microbial growth and product formation. South African Journal of Chemical Engineering 22: 34-43.
Harding KG and Harrison STL (2016). Generic flow sheet model for early inventory estimates of industrial microbial processes. II. Downstream processing. South African Journal of Chemical Engineering 22: 23-33.
Hoekman P and von Blottnitz H (2016). Cape Town’s metabolism: insights from material flow analysis. Journal of Industrial Ecology, doi:10.1111/jiec.12508.
Huang Y-F, Kooyman PJ and Koper MTM (2016). Intermediate stages of electrochemical oxidation of single-crystalline platinum revealed by in situ Raman spectroscopy. Nature Communications 7: 12440.
IIsafiade AJ, Kravanja Z and Bogataj M (2016). Design of integrated solar thermal energy system for multi-period process heat demand. Chemical Engineering Transactions 52: 1303-1308.
Isafiade AJ and Odejobi OJ (2016). Sequential initialisation technique for synthesizing multi-period multiple utilities heat exchanger networks. Chemical Engineering Transactions, 52: 745-750.
Isafiade AJ and Short M (2016). Multi-period heat exchanger network synthesis involving multiple sources of utilities and environmental impact. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 38: 2067-2072.
Isafiade AJ and Short M (2016). Simultaneous synthesis of flexible heat exchanger networks for unequal multi-period operations. Process Safety and Environmental Protection 103: 377-390.
Isafiade AJ and Short M (2016). Synthesis of mass exchange networks for single and multiple periods of operations considering detailed cost functions and column performance. Process Safety and Environmental Protection 103: 391-404.
JJones SMJ, Brighton MB and Harrison STL (2016). Exploring the tension between energy consumption, light provision and CO
2 mass transfer through varying gas velocity in the
airlift bioreactor. Algal Research 19: 381-390.
KKumar PS, Selvakumar M, Babu SG and Karuthapandian S (2016). Veteran cupric oxide with new morphology and modified bandgap for superior photocatalytic activity against different kinds of organic contaminants (acidic, azo and triphenylmethane dyes). Materials Research Bulletin 83: 522-533.
LLima NP, de Souza Pinto TC, Tavares AC, Sweet J (2016). The entrainment effect on the performance of iron-ore reverse flotation. Minerals Engineering 96-97: 53-58.
Little L, Mainza A, Becker M and Wiese J (2016). Using mineralogical and particle shape analysis to investigate enhanced mineral liberation through phase-boundary fracture. Powder Technology 301: 794-804.
Little L, Wiese J, Becker M, Mainza A and Ross V (2016). Investigating the effects of particle size on chromite entrainment at a platinum concentrator. Minerals Engineering 96 – 97: 46-52.
Lotter NO, Bradshaw DJ and Barnes AR (2016). Classification of the Major Copper Sulphides into semiconductor types, and associated flotation characteristics. Minerals Engineering 96-97: 177-184.
MManono MS, Corin KC and Wiese JG (2016). The influence of electrolytes present in process water on the flotation behaviour of a Cu-Ni-containing ore. Minerals Engineering 96-97: 99-107.
Matsutsu M, Petersen, MA and van Steen E (2016). Pt38 cluster on OH- and COOH-functionalised graphene as a model for Pt/C-catalysts. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 18: 25693-25704.
McFadzean M, Morozva T and Wiese J (2016). Flotation frother mixtures: Decoupling the sub-processes of froth stability, froth recovery and entrainment. Minerals Engineering 85: 72-79.
Moimane T, Corin KC and Wiese JG (2016). The effect of varying pulp chemistry on the flotation performance of a South African PGM ore. Minerals Engineering 95: 155-160.
Moimane T, Corin KC and Wiese JG (2016). Investigation of the interactive effects of reagent suite in the froth flotation of a Merensky ore, Minerals Engineering 96-97: 99-107.
Morrison AJ, Govender I, Mainza AN and Parker DJ (2016). The shape and behaviour of a granular bed in a rotating drum using Eulerian flow fields obtained from PEPT. Chemical Engineering Science 152: 186-198.
Moyo T and Petersen J (2016). Study of the dissolution of chalcopyrite in solutions of different ammonium salts. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 116(6): 509-516.
Mutenure M, Cucek L, Isafiade AJ and Kravanja Z (2016). Synthesis of South Africa’s biomass to bioethanol supply network. Chemical Engineering Transactions 52: 805-810.
NNabaho D, Niemantsverdriet JW, Claeys M and van Steen E (2016). Hydrogen spillover in the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: An analysis of platinum as a promoter for cobalt–alumina catalysts. Catalysis Today 261: 17-27.
Nabaho D, Niemantsverdriet JW, Claeys M and van Steen E (2016). Hydrogen spillover in the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: An analysis of gold as a promoter for cobalt–alumina catalysts. Catalysis Today 275: 27-34.
Naicker V and Cohen B (2016). A life cycle assessment of e-books and printed books in South Africa. Journal of Energy in Southern Africa 27(2): 68-77.
Nathoo J, Hong Gay E and Hussain N: Development of a predictive model to determine the temporal variability in mine-feed water quality towards informing and forecasting plant operating strategy – a South African coal minewater treatment plant case study. Water Practice and Technology 11(3) (2016), 621-633.
Nyabeze W and McFadzean B (2016). Adsorption of copper sulphate on PGM-bearing ores and its influence on froth stability and flotation kinetics. Minerals Engineering 92: 28-36.
PPeters EM, Chivavava J, Rodriguez-Pascual M and Lewis AE (2016). Effect of a phosphonate antiscalant during eutectic freeze crystallisation of a sodium sulfate aqueous stream. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research 55(35): 9378-9386.
Petersen J (2016). Heap leaching as a key technology for recovery of values from low-grade ores – a brief overview. Hydrometallurgy 165(1): 2016-212.
Puspitasari I, Skupien E, Kapteijn F and Kooyman PJ (2016). Au capping agent removal using plasma at mild temperature. Catalysts 6(11): 179.
RRausch AK, Schubert L, Henkel R, van Steen E, Claeys M and Roessner F (2016). Enhanced olefin production in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis using ammonia-containing synthesis gas feeds. Catalysis Today 275: 94-99.
Russo V, di Paola L, Piemonte V, Basile A, de Falco M and Giuliani A (2016). Are biofuels sustainable? An LCA/multivariate perspective on feedstocks and processes. Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering 11(5): 650-663.
SSafari M, Harris MC, Deglon DA, Filho LL and Testa F (2016). The effect of energy input on flotation kinetics. International Journal of Mineral Processing 156: 108-115.
Salazar AFS, Chave T, Ayral A, Nikitenko SI, Hulea V, Kooyman PJ, Tichelaar FD, Perathoner S and Lacroix-Desmazes P (2016). Engineering of silica-supported platinum catalysts with hierarchical porosity combining latex synthesis, sonochemistry and sol-gel process – I. Material preparation. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 234: 207-214.
Selvam P, Sauer J, Garrett B, Campbell C, van Santen R, Davies P, Miller AL, Bowker M, Hutchings G, Wotton D, Freund H-J, Howard M, Feaviour M, Burch M, Galletti AMR, Gross, E, Barcelo FI, Kotarba A, Kondrat S, Weckhuysen B, Majumdar B, Bruix A, Fischer N, Gates B, Moulijn J Roldan, A, Tusar NN, Jakubek T, Willock D, Craven M, Sethu K, Catlow R, Madix R, Manyar H, Friend C, Corma A, Wells P, Ueda W Trunschke A and Palmer A (2016). Designing new catalysts: synthesis of new active structures: general discussion. Faraday Discussions 188: 131-159.
Short M, Isafiade AJ, Fraser DM and Kravanja Z (2016). Synthesis of heat exchanger networks using mathematical programming and heuristics in a two-step optimisation procedure with detailed exchanger design. Chemical Engineering Science 144: 372-385.
Short M, Isafiade AJ, Fraser DM and Kravanja Z (2016). Two-step hybrid approach for the synthesis of multi-period heat exchanger networks with detailed exchanger design. Applied Thermal Engineering 105: 807-821.
TTanaka S, Bradfield W, Legrand C and Malan AG (2016). Numerical and experimental study of the effects of the electrical resistance and diffusivity under clamping pressure on the performance of a metallic gas-diffusion layer in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources 330: 273-284.
Taylor S, Fabbri E, Levecque P, Schmidt TJ and Conrad O (2016). The effect of platinum loading and surface morphology on oxygen reduction activity. Electrocatalysis 7:287–296.
Tranvik E, Becker M, Pålsson BI, Franzidis J-P and Bradshaw D (2016). Towards cleaner production – Using flotation to recover monazite from a heavy mineral sands zircon waste stream. Minerals Engineering 101: 30-39.
Tupper G, Govender I, de Klerk DN, Richter MC and Mainza AN (2016). Testing of a new dynamic Ergun equation for transport with positron emission particle tracking. AIChE Journal 62(3): 939-946.
VVan Driel, BA, Kooyman PJ, van den Berg, KJ, Schmidt-Ott, A and Dik A (2016). A quick assessment of the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 pigments – From ab to conservation studio. Microchemical Journal 126: 162-171.
Van Hille R and Griffiths M (2016). Application and verification of direct transesterification as a method to quantify fatty acids in cement and concrete. Construction and Building Materials 127: 26-29.
Van Schalkwyk F, Pattrick G, Olivier J, Conrad O and Blair S (2016). Development and scale-up of enhanced ORR Pt-based catalysts for PEMFCs. Fuel Cells 16(4): 414–427.
WWiese JG and O’Connor CT (2016). An investigation into the relative role of particle size, particle shape and froth behaviour on the entrainment of chromite. International Journal of Mineral Processing 156: 127–133.
Wolf M, Fischer N and Claeys M (2016). Effectiveness of catalyst passivation techniques studied in situ with a magnetometer. Catalysis Today 275: 135-140.
BOOK CHAPTERS
VVon Blottnitz H: Waste management reform and the green economy: when will they meet? In Greening the South African Economy: Scoping the Issues, Challenges and Opportunities, Chapter: 15 (M. Swilling, JK Musango and J Wakeford, Eds.), UCT Press.
W Wolmarans N, Luckett K and Case JM (2016). Investigating principles of curriculum knowledge progression: A case study of design in a civil engineering degree programme.
In Pedagogic rights and democratic education: Bernsteinian explorations of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, pp. 87-102 (P Vitale and B Exley, Eds.), Routledge.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
BBam LC, Miller JA, Becker M, de Beer FC and Basson I: X-ray computed tomography – determination of rapid scanning parameters for geometallurgical analysis of iron ore. Proc. 3rd International Geometallurgy Conference 2016, pp. 209-219.
Becker M, Jardine M, Miller J and Harris M: X-ray computed tomography – a geometallurgical tool for 3D textural analysis of drill core? Proc. 3rd International Geometallurgy Conference 2016, pp. 231–240.
Burcher-Jones C, Lodewyk S, Shaik K and Petersen J: Conversion kinetics of cyanide to thiocyanate in the presence of reduced sulphur species: sulphite, thiosulphate and polysulphide. Hydrometallurgy 2016.
CChimonyo W, Wiese J, Corin K, Tadie M and O’Connor C: The use of oxidizing agents for control of electrochemical potential in flotation. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 144.
Cilliers P, Tucker C, Bout W, Nabaho D, Ofomaja A, Viljoen E and van Steen E: Carbon from pine cones as a support for high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Proc. International Pittsburgh Coal Conference.
GGoso XC, Petersen J, Nell J and Bisaka K: Scoping study of the upgrading of fluxed and fluxless titaniferous magnetite slags using the upgraded slag process. Hydrometallurgy 2016.
JJansen van Rensburg N and Petersen J: A value-based approach to leach optimization at Rössing Uranium Limited. Hydrometallurgy 2016.
LLittle L, Becker M, Wiese J, Yorath G, Mainza A, and Tonzetic I: Shape Characterisation: Can different devices produce comparable data for particulate streams? IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 316.
P U B L I C A T I O N S 4 54 4 P U B L I C A T I O N S
MMainza A: The contribution of the classifiers to comminution and separation processes in mineral processing. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings.
Manono MS, Corin KC and Wiese JG: Investigating froth stability and entrainment: a comparative study of ionic strength and depressant dosage. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 416.
McFadzean B, Achaye I, Wiese J, Chidzanira T and Harris M: The effect of particle properties on froth stabilities of different ores. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings.
Moyo T and Petersen J: A kinetic study of the leaching of chalcopyrite in ammonia-ammonium sulphate solutions. Hydrometallurgy 2016.
Mwale AN, Mainza A, Bepswa PA and Masinja A. Model for fine wet screening. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings.
NNdimande CB, Mainza AN, Lisso M and Ntsele C: Stirred media detritor performance assessment in the UG2 platinum ore regrind. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 588.
OO’Connor CT and Harris MC: An investigation into the relationship between excess Gibbs energy and the role of surfactants in froth flotation. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 131.
Ogunmodimu O, Govender I, Mainza A and Franzidis J-P: The development of a simplified system for measuring the passage of particles on and through moving screen surfaces using DEM. DEM 2016: Proc. 7th International Conference on Discrete Element Methods, pp. 709-721.
Opitz AKB, Becker M, Broadhurst JL, Bradshaw DJ and Harrison STL: The biokinetic test as a geometallurgical indicator for acid rock drainage potentials. Proc. 3rd International Geometallurgy Conference 2016, pp. 183-191.
Opitz AKB, Becker M, Harrison STL and Broadhurst JL: Characterising environmental risks associated with sulfide-bearing gold wastes. International Mine Water Association: Mining Meets Water – Conflicts and Solutions (C Drebenstedt and M Paul, Eds.), pp. 1050-1057.
SSadan Z, Ntozakhe V, Amirudin M, Moyo T, Bradshaw D and Petersen J: A kinetic investigation of iodine leaching of gold leaf from electronic circuit boards. Hydrometallurgy 2016.
Safari M, Harris MC, Deglon DA: The effect of energy input on the flotation of a platinum ore in a pilot-scale oscillating grid flotation cell. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings.
Song ZG, Corin KC, Wiese JG and O’Connor CT: The effect of using different grinding media on the flotation of a base metal sulphide and UG2 ore-containing platinum group minerals. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 128.
Song ZG, Liu JY, He FY, Zhang MW, Corin KC, Wiese JG and O’Connor CT: The effect of Fe ions produced during mild steel milling on the floatability of different ores. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 250.
TTadie M, Corin KC, Wiese JG and O’Connor CT: Application of potential control to the flotation of galena and sphalerite by varying dissolved oxygen, pH and ionic strength levels. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 435.
Taguta J, O’Connor CT and McFadzean B: Relating enthalpies of adsorption of thiol collectors and collector mixtures on base metal sulfide minerals to their floatability. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings, Paper 146.
Taguta J, O’Connor CT and McFadzean B: Investigating the interaction of thiol collectors and collector mixtures with sulphide minerals using thermochemistry and microflotation. IMPC 2016: XXVIII International Mineral Processing Congress Proceedings.
VVan Staden PJ and Petersen J: A PhreeqC model of heap leaching. Hydrometallurgy 2016.
Van Steen E, Claeys M, Möller KP and Nabaho D: Single pass Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over iron-based catalysts. Proceedings of the International Pittsburgh Coal Conference.
4 6 P U B L I C A T I O N S
Akkersdyk Studios
