Masters Degrees (Process Engineering)

Effect of varying operating conditions on cathode surface roughness using guar as a smoothing agent in copper electrowinning

Mkhawana, Nhlamulo (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organic additives play a very important role in copper electrowinning to facilitate the production of cathode deposits with improved morphology. Guar has been used as the standard organic additive ...

Biohydrogen production potential of R. palustris CGA009 by photofermentation of liquid hydrolysate obtained from steam explosion of BSG

Mabutyana, Luntu (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current study aimed to investigate photo-fermentative biohydrogen gas production potential of Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009 by utilising the liquid hydrolysate of brewers spent grain (BSG), ...

Characterisation of propellants for interior ballistic simulation

Van Tonder, Bronwyn (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Interior ballistics can be described as the field of gun propulsion that pertains to the combustion of energetic material in the gun chamber to propel a projectile through the gun barrel. The characterisation ...

Lignin phenol formaldehyde resins synthesised using South African spent pulping liquor

Maree, Chelaine (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current study investigated to which extent phenol could be replaced by lignins to produce lignin phenol formaldehyde (LPF) resins. This was done utilising soda lignin and sodium lignosulphonate as ...

Momentum transfer from Arc to slag bath in an ilmenite smelting DC Arc furnace - a computational analysis

Makgoale, Tumelo (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Direct current (DC) arc furnaces are used for a variety of applications, including steelmaking, chromite smelting, ilmenite smelting, and nickel laterite smelting. Understanding the behaviour of DC ...

On the kinetics of a novel homogeneous metal catalyst for n-octane activation

Horak, Wessel (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A research project was conducted to investigate the kinetics of the oxidation of n-octane to oxygenated products in the presence of an iron-pyridine-imine organometallic catalyst, to develop a mechanistic ...

Comparative techno-economic assessment of sugarcane biorefineries producing glutamic acid, succinic acid, levulinic acid and xylitol from A-molasses and lignocellulosic biomass

Morakile, Tumelo (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The financial sustainability of the South African sugar industry is currently threatened by difficult economic conditions, including external factors such as low sugar prices by new global competitors, ...

Techno-economic analysis and benchmarking of integrated first and second generation biorefinery scenarios annexed to a typical sugar mill for bioethanol production

Moonsamy, Talia Anne (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkeling van ekonomies en omgewings voordelige bio-etanolprosesse word voortdurend meer belangrik vir energiesekuriteit en omgewingslaste soos groenhuisgas emissies van die vervoerindustrie. ...

Repolymerisation of lignins extracted from wood pulps through enzymatic modification to establish viable valorisation routes

Du Toit, Chante Mirri (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Lignin is an amorphous polymer providing structure and strength to the cell walls in plants. In the process of making pulp the lignin is removed or solubilised from woodchips and burnt for steam ...

Development of a fed batch fermentation strategy to produce bioethanol from non-detoxified hardwood spent sulphite liquor

Bezuidenhout, Niel (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Hardwood spent sulphite liquor (HW-SSL) from the pulp and paper industry is a potential substrate for bio-ethanol production, due to wide availability and high concentration of monomeric sugars (+100 g/L ...

Value recovery from mine calcine tailings

Mutimutema, Paul (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As gold mining progresses, rich and free-milling ores which are metallurgically easy to process eventually get depleted. More metallurgically complex ores are encountered. These ores yield gold recoveries ...

In situ extraction and recovery of volatile fatty acids from biogas-producing anaerobic digestion

Morison, Storm Diana (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An important set of compounds which are produced as intermediates in anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies, although they are not widely recovered as products in biogas plants, are volatile fatty acids ...

Paper and pulp mill waste valorisation via the production of phosphate ceramic composites

Barnard, Eddie Gustav (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Paper and pulp mills in South Africa annually generate approximately 500 000 tonnes of wet paper and pulp sludge that is sent to landfill sites. Additionally, lignin is one of the most abundant biomaterials, ...

Assessment of enzyme recycling schemes for paper sludge fermentation using kinetic modelling

Arthur, Wellington (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ethanol for road transport is well established, but it also presents a “gateway molecule” in the bigger circular economy setting, where it is used for jet fuels, bioplastics, organic solvents, etc. These ...

Technical and economic comparison of pyrolysis and pelleting for valorisation of pulper rejects from a secondary tissue mill, as alternative to disposal

Nel, Joshua Lourens (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African paper mills are researching solutions to divert commercial and industrial waste (C&IW) from landfills. This problem is driven by increasing landfill fees, and pressure from the Department ...

The pelleting of micro-fine agricultural lime to treat soil acidity, using sodium alginate, lignosulphonate, and bentonite as binders

Schwaeble, Claudia Francesca (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Limestone is often used to ameliorate soil acidity, as the release of carbonate ions neutralises acids in the soil. Agglomerated micro-fine limestone is an attractive alternative to powdered limestone ...