Curriculum Vitae of Nigel Bester

I would be interested in any position that offers an opportunity to expand my expertise/understanding and level of experience in the field of engineering. I would be willing to work in any field.

Previous Employer: University of Cape Town (Sasol Technology)
Type of Industry: Petrochemical
Period of Employment: 01 January 2009 to 31 May 2009
Position Held: Research Officer

Duties:

I was given the responsibility to design, build and commission a heterogeneous combustor section for a continuous-flow combustion rig to simulate high-altitude relight. The combustor was urgently required for experimentation and through diligent work and team interaction finished ahead of schedule.

Finishing this project timeously allowed me to begin work on an a second project. The project outcome was to improve the experimental repeatability of an existing laminar flame speed bomb. This was achieved through improved data capture and analysis. Incorporating the existing device with an adapted Ignition Quality Tester (IQT) provided additional flexibility to the experimental platform and allowed for full automation. Initial experimentation was conducted during March and April providing invaluable insight into the laminar flame speed of various fuels.

I was then tasked to commission a working light duty diesel test cell for the purpose of determining the required minimum fuel viscosity to sustain engine operation. The operational test cell was handed over to the staff at the Sasol Fuels Application Centre who would conduct the actual testing.

My final project involved retrofitting an existing single cylinder research engine, a Recardo E-6, for operation as an HCCI engine. This involved redesigning the inlet and exhaust manifolds to allow for EGR, both cooled and un-cooled. Various broadband lambda sensors and thermocouples were incorporated for the determination of EGR fraction in the incoming mixture, as well as valves for the control of back-pressure.

Tertiary Education: University of Cape Town (2003 – 2008)

Qualification: BSc in Mechanical Engineering (With first class honours)
Subjects: Design III
Research Project
Industrial Law
Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Turbo Machines
Internal Combustion Engines
Industrial Ecology
Finite Element in Mechanical Design
Microeconomics

Qualification: MSc in Mechanical Engineering
Subjects: Dissertation
Technical Paper
Advanced Heat Transfer
Engine Design
Cleaner Fuels & Engines
Energy for Transportation
Engine Thermodynamics and Combustion