Listing of STERG members
STERG Staff
- Prof Craig McGregor: Research Group Director; Solar Thermal Spoke Grantholder; Associate Professor at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Prof Johan van der Spuy: Head of Division: Thermo-fluids Dynamics at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Dr Willie Smit: Research Projects Management; Sr Lecturer at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Dr Jaap Hoffmann: Sr Lecturer at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Mrs Leigh van der Merwe: Admin & Financial Officer at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
Faculty
- Prof Frank Dinter: Professor (Extra-ordinary) at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University; Fraunhofer CSET
- Mr Robert Dobson: Lecturer at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Prof Paul Gauche: Associate Professor (Extra-ordinary) at Industrial Engineering; Founder and previous director of STERG; Manager, R&D Science and Engineering at Sandia National Laboratories
- Prof Chris Meyer: Sr Lecturer at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Dr Mike Owen: Lecturer at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Dr Carl Tshamala: Lecturer at Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Prof Wikus van Niekerk: Dean of Faculty of Engineering, Stellenbosch University
- Prof Theo von Backström: Senior Researcher and Emeritus Professor (Solar Chimney, Solar Thermal Storage, CSP Technologies, Turbines, CSP System Analysis), Stellenbosch University
Postgraduate researchers
- Mr Gerhard Bekker: MEng Student (The detailed modelling of an axial flow CSP-fan in CFD using open source software)
- Mr Francois Boshoff: MEng Student (Design of an Axial Flow Fan for a Unique Cooling Application)
- Mr Philip Bothma: MEng Student (Comparison of rock-bed TES charged from CSP technology to using PV generated heat)
- Mr Johan Burger: MEng Student (Solar thermal chemical storage options for CSP plants)
- Mr Steve Clark: PhD Student (The use of natural gas to facilitate the transition to renewable electric power generation in Southern Africa)
- Mr Andre de Klerk: MEng Student (Techno-economic analysis of Carnot Batteries in South Africa’s future thermal energy environment)
- Mr Murray Dundas-Starr: MEng Student (Integrating solar thermal resource into current fossil fuel plants)
- Ms Clarice Du Plessis: PhD Student (Scaling of Axial Fan Noise)
- Mr Derwalt Erasmus: MEng Student (The advancement of spike tip jet impingement cooling through improved geometry)
- Mr Chaz Fenner: MEng Student (The Development of a Micro Gas Turbine for Solar-Hybrid Application-Incorporating a Solar Heat Source)
- Mrs Taneha Hans: PhD Student (Transient Operation of a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle Power Generation System)
- Mr Elzubeir Hassan: PhD Student (Flow and Heat Transfer in Packed Beds of Rock)
- Mrs Lina Hockaday: PhD Student (Concentrated solar power for the minerals processing industry)
- Mr Renier Janse van Vuuren: MEng Student (On-sun testing of a single spike of the spiked concept air preheater)
- Mr Tyron Jardine: MEng Student (Design of Robot to clean Heliostat)
- Mr Chisala Kapumpu: PhD Student (Modelling of the spherical thermocline for storing thermal energy in the rock bed)
- Mr Matthew Keyser: Special Student (Multi-Objective Optimization of Concentrating Solar Power Plant)
- Ms Afroz Khan: Special Student (Modelling the CSP Plants for Peaking Power Application on the South African Grid)
- Mr Marko Kiessling: MEng Student (Survey and synthesis of known and to be developed solar thermal chemical storage options for CSP plants (TBC))
- Mr Daniel Kirstein: MEng Student (The development of a calculated atmospheric water generator model)
- Mr Andreas Liebenberg: MEng Student (Design of an adaptive CSP heliostat field control system)
- Mr Schalk Lombard: MEng Student (Calibrating heliostats with drones)
- Mr Tapiwa Manatsa: MEng Student (Experimental Study on the Effect Of Particle Shape and Orientation on Pressure Drop on A Rock Bed Thermal Energy Storage System)
- Mr Simon Marincowitz: MEng Student (An experimental investigation on the effect of wind screens on ACC fan performance and dynamic blade loading)
- Mr Tristan McKechnie: MEng Student (Assessing concentrating solar thermal plants for application in high temperature process heat generation)
- Mr Matthew Meas: PhD Student (Investigation of the feasibility of a deconstructed gas turbine to compress air for a solar receiver)
- Mr Zander Meiring: MEng Student (Modelling the performance of an axial flow fan using CFD)
- Mr Thomas Meyer: MEng Student (Effect of tip region on noise and performance of axial flow fan)
- Mr Christoph Pan: PhD Student (The potential of PV enhanced CSP for economic base load electricity generation in South Africa)
- Mr Louw Redelinghuys: MEng Student (Techno-Economic Assessment and Optimization of a Carnot Battery in both a CSP Plant and as a Retrofit to an Existing Coal-Fired Power-Station)
- Ms Robin Roux: MEng Student (Hydrogen as a renewable energy source)
- Mr Jason Scheepers: MEng Student (Hydrogen as Potential Energy Storage)
- Mr Andani Siavhe: MEng Student (A CFD study of Air-Cooled Condensers)
- Mr Tawanda Sibanda: MEng Student (Modification of the fuel injector system to run a gas turbine on biogas, outsource the biogas and compress it)
- Mr Gerhard Steenkamp: MEng Student (Scaling Effects in Axial Flow Fans)
- Ms Phakamani Tshuma: MEng Student (Comparison of Rock-Bed TES Charged from CSP technology to using PV Generated Heat (understanding the margin Thermal is still ahead of PV))
- Mr Brian Ssebabi: PhD Student (Development of a micro-gas turbine for central receiver concentrating solar power systems)
- Mr Ruan van Breda: PhD Student (Visual odometry system for drones)
- Mr Petre van der Merwe: Special Student (Advanced integration of Heliopads)
- Mr Vincent van der Merwe: MEng Student (Improve the state estimation of drones)
- Ruan van der Westhuizen: MEng Student (Transient Simulation of a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) System)
- Mr Adam Venter: PhD Student (Construction and validation of a novel implicit axial flow fan model for the purpose of full-scale air-cooled condenser simulation)
- Mr Danial Waters: MEng Student (Performance Modelling and Annual Cost Estimation of Different Hybrid Cooling System)
Affiliate members and visiting researchers
- Dr Kenny Allen: Greenplan Consultants
- Dr Bernard Bekker: CRSES
- Dr Michael Brooks: University KwaZulu-Natal
- Prof Ken Craig: University of Pretoria
- Mr Sven du Clou: National Metrology Institute of South Africa
- Mr Saliem Fakir: WWF SA
- Mr Theo Fischer: Escience Associates
- Dr Paul Harper
- Mr Gregor Heiming: RWTH Aachen University
- Dr Lukas Heller: Ricardo
- Dr Stefan Hess: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
- Mr Carel Jacobs: Stellenbosch University
- Dr Atul Jadhav: Indian Institute of Packaging
- Ms Karin Kritzinger: CRSES
- Prof Sampson Mamphweli: CRSES
- Mr Riaan Meyer: CEO, GeoSun Africa
- Ms Mbali Mtshali: Eskom
- Mr Jean Pitot: University KwaZulu-Natal
- Mr Vikesh Rajpaul: Eskom
- Dr Christoph Richter: DLR (German Aerospace Center)
- Mr Thomas Roos: CSIR
- Mr Cebo Silinga: Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)
- Mr Imraan Solwa: International Finance Corporation of UCT