The Sunday Mail
Sifelani Tsiko
Extra Correspondent
The National Engineering Students Competition Awards held recently at the University of Zimbabwe offered students in the country’s institutions of higher learning an opportunity to showcase their creativity.
Through their entries, students demonstrated the value added through their ingenuity, application of sound engineering design principles, and leveraging additive manufacturing technology to address a broad spectrum of industrial, manufacturing, and humanitarian challenges.
Harare Institute of Technology graduate Tatenda Nengiwa, from the Department of Chemical and Process Systems Engineering, won the first prize.
Tatenda beat four other contestants from the University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology and Chinhoyi University of Technology. She scooped the Engineer Paul Kodzwa Master Floating Trophy and the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers’ Shield.Her winning project was titled “The Design of a Plant for Refining 1 TPD using Lubricating Oil”.
“It was so exciting, I could not believe that I made it,” said Nengiwa. “There was very stiff competition as every participant was geared to win, but I think because of hard work and the innovation in our DNA at HIT and God made it possible,” she said.
HIT Vice Chancellor Engineer Quinton Kanhukamwe hailed Nengiwa and said young people were instrumental to rapid scientific and technological growth. “We are delighted by her achievements and the quality of her project,” he said. “Nengiwa’s achievements are a testimony of the hands-on approach we have in our institution. It’s also a culmination of a number of issues – the student’s innovation and the nature of support we offer our student to find solutions real issues on the ground.” Eng Kanhukamwe said students needed support to harness technology and develop innovative ideas to overcome everyday issues and provide solutions for social resilience and sustainability.
“They are very creative and we have to harness their potential.”
Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers chief executive Dr Sanzan Diarra added that through the National Engineering Students Competition Awards, they wanted “to partner with industry, both locally and internationally, in order to develop further and ultimately apply the innovative ideas and projects that are going to be presented here today, for the benefit of the Zimbabwean people”.
Further, he said, the awards sought to partner local and international industry and tertiary institutions to create an enabling environment for innovation.The University of Zimbabwe came second while the National University of Science and Technology won the third prize.
Nengiwa’s project involved refining of 1 000TPD of used lubricating oil from different automobile garages to produce 0,75TPD refined oil with plant utilisation of 80 percent.The refining process involved dehydration, solvent extraction, solvent stripping, and thin film evaporation. The lubricating oil processing conditions and behaviour were examined experimentally for each process step.The refined oil properties were compared to those of virgin and used oils. By agitated thin film evaporation, highly pure lubricant oil with almost zero ash content is obtained using solvent treated oil with an optimum solvent ratio of 4:1 and pressure of 4mBar.
Nengiwa is looking ahead.
“I am now looking for funds for the establishment of the plant and I am looking forward to securing funding from the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment and any other investor interested in funding the project,” she said.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Eng Walter Mzembi was the guest of honour at the National Engineering Students Awards competition.
Engineers, representatives from mining, commercial and industrial corporate bodies, staff and students from various universities attended the event.
