Current News
The Western Cape branch of the Southern African Institute for Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) recently held its 37th annual Mineral Research Showcase, themed ‘Innovative and Resourceful Paths’. The Crystallization and Precipitation Research Unit (CPU) is proud to have had four students participate in the event.
Congratulations to Dean of Engineering & the Built Environment, Professor Alison Lewis, who was awarded the NSTF-South32’s Engineering Research Capacity Development Award on 27 June 2019 for her outstanding contribution to science, engineering, technology and innovation in South Africa.
At the 4th annual EBE Research Expo, Cledwyn Mangunda, a PhD candidate in the Crystallisation and Precipitation Unit received the best poster prize in the Chemical Engineering category. Posters were judged on their approach and content, the significance of the research, audience consistency, aesthetic and wow factor. Cledwyn was also judged on his presentation, his knowledge of the topic and how he answered the questions.
Thanks to Professor Alison Lewis, Crystallization and Precipitation Research Unit (CPU) Team and Industrial Partners who have contributed in moving eutectic freeze crystallization (EFC) from theory to reality. The first full-scale working unit for EFC, which was purchased by Glencore, built and designed by Prentec, is based on research done by CPU staff and students at UCT’s Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.
Professor Alison Lewis and her Crystallization and Precipitation Unit (CPU) team are making news headlines as part of researchers behind Eskom's Eutectic Freeze Crystallization Pilot Plant. This cutting edge technology, which is reported to recover about 98% water from liquid effluent discharge streams is located at Eskom's research, testing and development (RT&D). This has got curious minds thinking whether it is 'the solution' for infamous acid mine drainage (AMD).
Congratulations to the Dean, Professor Alison Lewis who last night was awarded the DST’s Distinguished Woman Scientist – Research and Innovation award at the 2016 WISA awards ceremony held in Johannesburg.
The system is based on pioneering research, funded by Eskom, conducted by the University of Cape Town’s Professor Alison Lewis and is designed to remove all pollution from the water, solidify it into pure salts and clean the water to the point where it can be reused in the power plant.