Abstract
In its endeavor to address societal problems, the mechanical and manufacturing department is currently involved in a multidisciplinary collaborative "Waste-to-Energy" research project funded by the National Research Fund (NRF).
The main objective of the research work is to develop novel construction materials and electricity generation systems that make use of selected agricultural wastes.
A team of Ph.D. and MSc. students from the department are actively investigating the suitability of the selected agricultural wastes as feedstock for a novel gasification system to obtain high-quality gas that can be utilized for household applications and/or to generate electricity. The project is in tits first phase which involves Mass Flow Analysis of the selected agricultural wastes (coffee husks, rice husks, macadamia shells, wheat husks, pineapple leaves, maize stalks, sugarcane bagasse e.t.c) in Kenya to inform the sustainability of the project. Once completed, the project will alongside adding value to the agricultural wastes, address the environmental problems caused by them.
