A treatment system developed by a team of innovators at CPUT’s Flow Process and Rheology Centre is set to boost the textile industry by significantly reducing the amount of potable water the industry uses.

“We are developing a one-step treatment reactor using locally developed nanopowders for treating textile wastewater. This treatment system offers an almost instantaneous removal of the colour from the water,” says the Centre’s Prof Veruscha Fester.

“This treatment system will not only be able to treat wastewater for disposal to municipal treatment systems, but to a standard suitable for re-use. If the water can be re-used, millions of litres of potable water will be saved.”

Fester is developing the treatment reactor with the Centre’s Dr Mahabubur Chowdhury and Gunnar Visser.

The laboratory prototype has already been upscaled from 6 L/hour to 72 L/hour.

Fester says R4.8 million has been received from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) Technology Development Fund to upscale the reactor to a 1 000 L/hour industrial prototype in the next year.

“The textile industry is really coming on board. Some of the companies use about 2 million litres of water a month so if we can save at least 75 percent of that water to be recycled and re-used on site – that will make a huge difference.”

The initial research was also started from TIA seed funding administered by CPUT’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO).

The TTO has subsequently filed a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application. It is hoped that a spin-off company will be formed in South Africa that will provide further social benefits beyond water treatment, including the creation of jobs.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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At CPUT research results are not confined to journals.

Researchers are thinking out of the box and using their research to develop products, devices and services that can contribute to the development of all spheres of South Africa.

One such researcher is Prof Veruscha Fester, who is based at the Flow Process and Rheology Centre.

Fester is one of CPUT’s leading female innovators and recently shared details of her groundbreaking work with the CPUT news:

You are one of a few female innovators at CPUT. Can you tell us more about your patent?

We are developing a one-step treatment reactor using locally developed nanopowders for treating textile wastewater. This treatment system offers an almost instantaneous removal of the colour from the water.  

This treatment system will not only be able to treat waste water to standard for disposal to municipal treatment systems, but to a standard suitable for re-use. If the water can be re-used, millions of litres of potable water will be saved.

We have already scaled up our laboratory prototype from 6L/hour to 72 L/hr. The next step is to get it to treat 1000L/hr or more and then an installation in industry. The interest shown in our technology (using a syringe filter and producing a few ml/min) at the CPUT Innovation Showcase in August 2015, encouraged us to quickly proceed with the development of a product.

What do you enjoy most about being a researcher?

I love the entire research process, the element of surprise and the endless opportunities to understand and discover new things, the excitement of finding answers to problems and guiding postgraduate students through the exciting journey of research. It simply leaves me astounded that I am able to add to science and engineering theory and practice in some way.

What do you attribute your success to?

Loving what I do - that is the driving force behind hard work and commitment.

I recognize the opportunities afforded me and I take time to be thankful for it and that motivates me to do well. I appreciate the government’s efforts to promote and train researchers to improve the wellbeing of our country. Having benefited from the training program, I want to make a contribution.

Do you have any words of advice for the generation of women researchers behind you?

In the field of engineering there is no male nor female, only projects completed successfully within time. It helps to know your strengths and your weaknesses. Most of all…recognize that you were born for a time such as this. There is a task that only you can do. Find it, and do it well, whether it pays or not or whether it brings fame or not.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

The DST-UNESCO Engineering Conference kicked off yesterday (September 17) with a day-long event dedicated to students.

Postgraduate students from around the country descended on Bellville campus to deliver papers, inspect each other’s posters and more importantly network.

Prof Mellet Moll, acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said the important factor was for students to get to know their own peers and discover people who think as they do and might be able to contribute to their work.

“The day started off with a chance for postgraduate students from all over to listen to each other and look as peers at each other’s work.

“Prof Veruscha Fester’s opening address really framed the day. She gave the postgraduate students context in terms of what the new world of work would be like for them,” said Moll.

During their breaks students inspected the posters displayed in the Auditorium foyer and at a gala dinner CPUT DEng candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Whigens Ngoie Ilunga, won first prize for his poster “Biodiesel production from edible oil wastewater sludge with bioethanol using heterogeneous nano-magnetic catalysis.”

Kerry-Anne Airey of UCT won the first prize for her presentation “Simulation of discrete machining modelling characterisation of Titanium chip formation during milling operations.”
Moll added that it was important to note the Conference showed a CPUT community at peace. “This type of event promotes the spirit of lecturers and students working together. It was wonderful to see so many CPUT students present their work.”

Today (Tuesday) the DST-UNESCO Engineering Conference begins with an address by Vice-Chancellor Dr Chris Nhlapo followed by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in South Africa Nardos Bekele-Thomas and CEO of Engineering Council of South Africa Sipho Madonsela. Dr Gansen Pillay, Deputy CEO of the National Research Fund, will deliver the keynote address.

The three day DST-UNESCO Engineering Conference is themed Enabling the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Sustainability and Economic Growth and plenary sessions over the three days will cover topics such as Women in Engineering, Space Science and Engineering Education.

*CPUT students can visit the DST-UNESCO career exhibition in the Major Sports Hall on Tuesday 18 September and Wednesday 19 September between 9.00 and 16.00. Fifty of the students who visit during the day could receive gifts.

Written by Theresa Smith
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The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) recently gave a fond farewell to three exchange students from Hochschule Dusseldorf - University of Applied Sciences (HSD) who spent six months at the Faculty.

At this gathering, the students from the German university shared their experiences about the student exchange programme at CPUT and life in South Africa especially in Cape Town. Asst. Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation & Partnerships, Prof Veruscha Fester, opened a question-and-answer session about the students’ exchange programme experience at CPUT. Fester said she wanted to know how their experience was in South Africa. The students responded positively saying that they had always wanted to come to South Africa and experience the culture.

Asked about choosing CPUT, the students said Düsseldorf has built a good relationship with several universities in Cape Town, but they selected CPUT and due to the long standing relationship CPUT has with Düsseldorf. Quizzed about differences between education in Germany and South Africa, they said CPUT allows students to work more independently which provided them opportunity to grow.

The titles of the projects for the three students are:

• Jil Labes - Analysis for drone rescue.
• Julian Hasemann - Development of extruder for the recycling of 3D printing filaments.
• Lanlucas van de Veen - 3D printable structure for the cube-sat standard.

The students also highlighted that they had experienced the kindness and hospitality of the people of South Africa, saying that they “are happy with what they have, and they learned that happiness does not cost a lot. South African people are kind”. They also said they have noticed a gap between rich and poor. The students also expressed some challenges they experienced while in Cape Town.

Fester said in her closing remarks: “Receiving international students allows us to benefit from internationalisation at home which allows interaction between local students and international students and faculty. So, it’s important that we make the internationalisation agreement work for what it is that we want to achieve. That is to develop a multi-cultural community by building capacity in learning and teaching, research and technology innovation and community engagement for students and staff as global citizens in preparation of a global world.”

Prof Jörg Niemann, Claudia Fussenecker and Martin Schlösser, from the "Life Cycle Excellence" research unit at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, together with Dr Monika Katz from the International Office, laid the foundation for this long-term and sustainable partnership that has seen several staff and student exchanges over the past 7 years.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships (SIP) Unit recently hosted a delegation from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine academic region in France at the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (DEECE).

The purpose of the meeting which was held at the Bellville Campus was to define proposals, promote and strengthen the development of long-lasting partnerships between Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, universities and vocational training institutions in South Africa and institutions in New Aquitaine. The delegation from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine academic region, included Fabrice Methee, Inspector of National Education Industrial science and technology; Jean-Pierre Meau, Inspector of National Education Industrial science and technology; Franck Cazaurang, Director of Evering Aeronautics Engineering Bordeaux University; Yoann Gac, Chief Operating Officer of the Campus of Trades and Qualifications of Excellence Aeronautics and Space, Aérocampus Nouvelle Aquitaine; Laurent Marche, Franco-South African 3DEXPERIENCE Academic Centre and Philippe Senechal, Acting Inspector of National Education Industrial Science and Technology.

The visit included a meeting at the DEECE Block A, in which Prof Suresh Ramsuroop, Dean of Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE), provided a presentation and overview of the faculty and a presentation and overview by the French delegation. The two delegations also identified common areas of interest and synergy between the two institutions. This was followed by a campus tour to Satellite facilities, Energy labs, Mechanical Engineering laboratory and The South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre.

Dr Tasmeera Singh, Manager: International Relations, SIP, who was part of the CPUT delegation, said the meeting was successful based on the objectives of the visit and the outcomes thereof. “I think a striking aspect of the meeting is how close the university, TVET and industry are linked in the present set up with our visiting delegation.”

Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Prof Veruscha Fester, said she was impressed with the integration of French universities, TVET colleges and companies to ensure student success. “We can certainly learn from this model.”

Singh added: “We strive to ensure that all delegation visits objectives are met and closely aligned to the intended outcomes.”

Assistant Dean: Teaching and Learning: FEBE, Prof Bingwen Yan said the French delegation visit had been “truly enriching for our staff, faculty members, and various departments from our university community”. “The insights and perspectives that you have shared with us have opened new horizons and possibilities for collaboration and mutual learning.”

In his closing remarks, Yan said: “Your remarks have been thoughtful, insightful, and inspiring, and we are fortunate to have had the opportunity to listen to them. The presentation of your research findings and our dialogue on best practices in engineering and the built environment have been stimulating, and the exchange of ideas will certainly yield tangible results.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment hosted the inaugural Innovative Solutions (Innosol) 2023 Seminar to raise awareness of the looming deadlines for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the specific targets that must be met.

“Not only that, but it was also so we who are doing research can evaluate to what extent our research is addressing the Sustainable Development Goals for Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa or the rest of the world or to pitch great ideas to do so,” said Prof Veruscha Fester, Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation & Partnerships.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) was amongst the invited guests as they are responsible for reporting progress against the targets. “So, in this case we had external input on SDG 6 target 6.2. The event was also for them to provide the challenges that they are facing in meeting the targets. This provides an opportunity for our students to engage in relevant research,” said Fester.

During the seminar, Andre van der Walt, Chief Director: Sanitation Services Support, DWS, provided a plenary address on possible contributions of the academic institutions towards achieving the sustainable development goal 6.2 target for sanitation and hygiene. “[The] State of sanitation in South Africa is in a bad state… There is projected 17% deficit in water demand and supply by 2030,” said Van der Walt. He stated that “Our water consumption per capital per day above the world average”.

“Water levels continue to decline, 53% of wastewater treatment works (WwTW)are in poor to critical state,” he said.

“Given these inevitable challenges there is an urgent need to adopt and implement non sewered sanitation systems and minimise the use of water resources.”

Fester said the seminar was “in line with the Vision 2030 Goal 6 that states: Ensure the relevance and excellence of CPUTs academic and research programmes through the

development of linkages in the quintuple helix environment. Objective 6.1 Develop a 4x4 engagement strategy with our four primary communities (civil society, industry, government, and academia). She said this is an example of engagement with government entities.

SARChI Research Chair in Governance and Economics for Water and Sanitation Sector Institutions and Acting Director: Centre for Water & Sanitation Research, Prof Bongani Ncube, delivered a keynote address on implementing SDG 6: from community to policy level. The purpose of Ncube’s presentation was to showcase how “we have implemented SDG 6 and other linked goals over the years. I also showed how the Centre has evolved into hosting the Research Chair. I presented our current research with the hope of encouraging collaboration. I think the seminar went well; seeing Faculty researchers in one room was good.”

Dr Sweta Patnaik, Lecturer: Clothing & Textile Technology, presented with Shamil Isaacs, Manager: Technology Station in Clothing & Textiles and highlighted Technopreneurship which is technology meeting entrepreneurship. “This involves student projects where we encourage students to think creative and innovative where they address issues like waste minimisation, and address various SDG Goals like Goal 6, 8, 12, 13 and 17. If through the project we could prepare students to support themselves without depending on companies to place them, then it’s a success,” said Patnaik.

Fester added: “We are excited about the list of nine major challenges that the DWS provided us that relates to SDG Target 6.2. Our task now is to promote these as opportunities for staff and students to provide solutions. Hopefully in a year’s time, we can have a seminar to provide feedback on the CPUT solutions and research output addressing these.”

She continued: “This inaugural seminar is there for a vehicle towards achieving Institutional objective 6.3 that we ensure the relevance and excellence of CPUT’s academic and research programmes through the development of linkages in the quintuple helix environment.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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Her incredible story of survival and courage has captured the hearts of South Africans for almost 30 years.

And recently well-known author and motivational speaker Alison Botha, who was raped, stabbed and left for dead in 1994, shared her story of overcoming unimaginable challenges with female staff members in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.

The theme of the event, which was held at the end of Women’s month, was Embracing Empowerment: Your response shapes your story.

Guests were welcomed by Prof Veruscha Fester, Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation & Partnerships who thanked Dr Bronwyn Swartz and her team for organising the event.

Attendees were left inspired by a touching talk titled Women of Worth by retired academic Dr Hilda Vember, who retired from CPUT ’s Nursing Department in 2020.

Botha then took the audience on a journey of the night in December 1994, which changed her life forever.

She had parked her unlocked car in front of her Port Elizabeth home when she was approached by a knife-wielding man who ordered her to move into the passenger seat. He drove off with her and then picked up his accomplice before taking her to the bushes on the outskirts of the city where she was viciously assaulted, raped and left for dead.

She miraculously survived and over the years has shared her story with audiences across the county and the globe.

The book I Have Life, Alison’s Journey, tells her story and how she refused to become a victim.

The documentary ’Alison’ was also released in 2016 and all attendees were gifted with a copy of the book.

Botha said it had been healing for her to share her story with others.

“I believe that you don’t have to go through what I went through to learn some of the lessons that I learnt and if I can share those lessons then in equivalent, on a scale, the good can outweigh the bad.”

She shared what she calls her ABC with the audience.

“When we are in a situation that is out of our control we are always going to be in control of our attitude, our belief and our choices that we make in that situation.”

“You are capable of so much. You are also in control of the choices you make. Don’t blame other people. When you blame other people for how you are feeling you give them the power. If you are able to take responsibility for how you are feeling, you take your power back.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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CPUT recently hosted a high-level delegation from two German Higher Education Institutions – DHBW Ravensburg and DHBW Karlsruhe.

The aim of the visit, which was held at the Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering (DEECE), was to strengthen relationships between CPUT, DHBW Ravensburg and DHBW Karlsruhe and to engage in further collaboration between the institutions. The visit centred around the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE).

The German delegation consisted of Prof Dr-Ing. Herbert Dreher, President DHBW Ravensburg, Prof Dr-Ing Stephan Schenkel, President DHBW Karlsruhe, Ingela Lundin, International Relations Officer, DHBW Ravensburg, Prof Dr Stephan Sauter, Industrial Engineering, DHBW Ravensburg and Prof Dr Thomas Dobbelstein, International Business, DHBW Ravensburg.

“For us it’s very important that we learn from each other,” said Dreher.

The CPUT delegation consisted of Dr David Phaho, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Prof Rishidaw Balkaran, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching, Prof Judy Peter, Director Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Prof Veruscha Fester, Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, FEBE and several other representatives from the Faculty and from Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships.

Phaho welcomed the delegation and said the university wanted to ensure that it built on already great relationships.

Dobbelstein said his institution already has long-standing ties with the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, which includes, among other things, staff and student exchanges.

The delegation also had the opportunity to visit the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre

Earlier in the month a delegation from The Hague University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and KU Leuven in Belgium visited CPUT and was also welcomed to DEECE.

The objective of the meeting was to renew the partnership agreement with CPUT in the areas of research, staff, and student exchange, amongst others.

The Dutch and Belgium delegation, which consisted of Sabine Amft (THUAS) Pepijn van Willigenburg, (THUAS) Prof.ir Annick Dexters (KU Leuven) and Albert van Oudheusden (UNSA) were welcomed by Prof Bingwen Yan (Acting) Assistant Dean: Teaching and Learning.

Written by CPUT News

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CPUT in collaboration with Eskom recently hosted the first regional Peaking Technologies Seminar to be conducted in the Western Cape.

The two-day seminar, which was held at the Bellville Campus, provided opportunities for the registered professional engineers and technicians to share their knowledge, work experience and provided solutions to the engineering problems encountered at ESKOM peaking generation stations across the country. Technical experts from ESKOM industries, academics, and postgraduate students from CPUT and the University of Cape Town (UCT) in the fields of Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, and Information Technology made their technical presentations. The Seminar was registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa for Continuing Professional Development points.

Prof Senthil Krishnamurthy from the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (DEECE) was “well impressed” with the first regional Peaking Technologies Seminar. The technical presentations covered insight into available energy factors by the ESKOM peaking generation stations and how they addressed the planned and unplanned breakdowns and maintenance at the ESKOM peaking power generation stations.

“Simply more available energy factor means no load-shedding and vice-versa less reduced available energy factor leads to unplanned breakdown/maintenance, which the network operator needs to plan the load-shedding stages in South Africa," said Krishnamurthy.

Krishnamurthy who co-hosted the event with Prof Veruscha Fester: Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, said the seminar was the perfect opportunity to understand the industrial problems at peaking generating stations and engage with the industry to provide solutions through post-graduates and contract research projects. “It is a platform for networking and collaboration among utility professionals and academics. Our CPUT students had an opportunity to engage with the ESKOM team through this seminar.”

DEECE also arranged a research laboratory tour to showcase the research work at the Centre for Substation, Automation, and Energy Management Systems and the Centre for Power Electronics and Distributed Systems. About 100 Eskom professionals participated in the lab tour and were impressed with the state-of-the-art research laboratory infrastructure and the available modern tools and technology, that CPUT uses to train students with scarce skills for the next-generation workforce.

Krishnamurthy added that CPUT works closely with industries and prepares the next-generation workforce (technologies) through a modern equipped curriculum and state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure, which provides an opportunity for students to be equipped with knowledge on the latest engineering configuration tools through the aid of modern technology and tools that are used to train students in the research laboratories.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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