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HIT Conducting Research Responsive to National Needs, Challenges and Aspirations

In his address at the Institute’s Eighth graduation Ceremony held on campus on 6 October 2017, Vice Chancellor Eng. Q.C Kanhukamwe told the gathering that HIT is making inroads towards its goals of conducting research which is responsive to  national needs, challenges and aspirations.

The Vice Chancellor said research from across the Schools resonated with and responded well to the nations’s development blueprint, ZIMASSET. "Our main focus areas in research, development and innovation are the promotion of our indigenous knowledge systems, value addition of natural resources, herbal medicines research, development of software application packages across various sectors of our economy, energy generation models, renewable energy and agricultural engineering and technology. Our research output has also been characterised by production of relevant outputs such as intellectual property," he said.

"HIT research efforts have been guided by the need to maintain relevance and context as we strive to provide solutions to national challenges through intellectual enterprise. Our research has also been largely hinged on the need to apply the new knowledge sciences such as nanotechnology, biotechnology into research," said Vice Chancellor Kanhukamwe.

To date, and counting on the gains since 2015, the Institute has registered the following success and milestones in our research efforts:

Recovery of Gold from Tailings/Waste Dumps using Activated Carbon Magnesium Oxide (C-MgO) Nanocomposite as Adsorbent

The project reprocesses tailings or gold mine waste dumps to extract gold; an exercise which has become an attractive proposition for mining houses worldwide because of the availability of gold which was not easily recovered using old technologies. This technology exploits the novel properties of nanostructured materials in enhancing gold extraction from gold mine tailings; and presents a huge potential for the application of nanotechnology in value addition and beneficiation of gold mine waste; and also in the recovery of the precious metal from virgin or run off mine.

Value Addition of Graphite to Nanostructured High Value Carbon Materials

The technology adds value to a critical worldwide raw material, graphite which is mined locally by the Zimbabwe-German Graphite Mine trading as Lynx Mine. Graphite is a unique all carbon based-material in that it has properties of both a metal and a non-metal and has been classified as a critical raw material. This technology project embraces Nanotechnology in making high value graphite derived multifunctional nanostructured products for applications in lithium-ion batteries, water treatment, fuel cells, support for metallic catalysts, super-capacitors, desalination, corrosion protection, radioactive clean-up, biosensors, biomedical applications, solar panels and electronics ranging from smartphones to laptops.

Production of Hydrogen from Waste Lubricating Oil

The research produced a technology for the production of hydrogen from waste lubricating oil using the steam reforming process and has the ability to reduce shortage of ammonia based fertilizer in Zimbabwe.

The main challenges being faced by fertilizer companies is mainly attributable to the use of the expensive and energy consuming water electrolysis technology for the production of hydrogen hence the need to develop an alternative cost effective process to produce hydrogen. This will reduce cost of ammonia-based fertilizer and result in improved availability of the product on the market. This will wean off the country’s dependency on imports, while reducing the country’s negative balance of payment.

Transformers project

The University has now produced distributor transformers that are currently undergoing tests. Positive results are expected and thereafter commercialisation will be pursued once the tests are successful.

 

Technology Centre

Research efforts in the Institute’s Technology Centre Department have been focused on producing agricultural machinery and farm implements that contribute to import substitution and value addition in the agricultural sector. Some of the machinery and implements produced include: a Tractor-drawn Hay Baler, a huge Maize Sheller, a Stock Feed Palletizer and a Twig Thrasher.

Hay Baler

For the baling of hay which facilitates easy storage and movement of hay from one region to another during dry periods. A functional prototype has been developed at a costs of $12 000, that is capable of baling at least a 1000 bales of 15 kg bales per day. This is drawn by a minimum of 45-horse power tractor. Supporting machinery to the hay baler notably the hay cutter and hay thrasher is now at design stage.

Maize Sheller

This tractor drawn piece of equipment with a production cost of $4500 is capable of performing multiple functions that include de-husking, shelling, winnowing, and automatic maize grading.

Hay Miller

This diesel powered hay miller or chipper is used to chip different hay types to small particles of at most 20mm length in preparation for the pelletizing process.

Hay Pelletizer

This 350 kg per hour equipment is capable of converting the chipped hay particles, together with any nutritional enriching additives such as chipped orange peels for vitamin C, molasses for enriched sugars, spent grains (masese) residues from beer processing for enriched carbohydrates and mineral additives into pellets for livestock feeding. 

Solar Dryers

Continued research in the ergonomics of this drying equipment for drying fruits and vegetables has resulted in the development of collapsible units in response to market feedback and transport logistics constraints. This has seen increased demand of the dryers from across the country. This year five districts namely: Gutu, Nyanga, Mutasa, Chimanimani and Murehwa have been recipients of the dryers. The Ministry of Women, Gender and Community Development and the Ministry of Youth development and employment Creation were beneficiaries of these driers. Project beneficiaries were trained on how to use and maintain them.