Journal Publications

Tractor blades are subjected to severe abrasive wear during ploughing. The cutting surface of the blades can be enhanced for better performance by carburization, which is a heat-treatment process that enriches steel surfaces with carbon using carburizing materials. The most commonly available carburizing materials are costly and are synthetic products. Biodegradable wastes such as coconut, palm kernel and periwinkle shells are readily available and environmentally friendly, but are underutilized in engineering applications. This paper presents the characterization of coconut shell (CS) charcoal, palm kernel shell (PKS) charcoal (carburizer) and periwinkle shell (PWS) nano powder (energizer) for the carburization of tractor blade coupons. The carburizer and energizer were used for the carburization of medium carbon steel samples at temperatures of 850°C, 900°C, and 950°C; and at soaking times of 1, 2, and 3 hours. The samples were further reheated and tempered at temperatures of 900oC and 200oC respectively. Characterization results revealed that the steel had 0.683% carbon and other elements. The Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) of the PWS revealed high peaks of calcium and carbon. The result of pulverized CS shows that it contains about 47.50% carbon while that of PKS revealed the presence of inorganic elements such as silicon as the most predominant element at 63.15 wt.%. The results of the investigation revealed that the carburizing materials have potential for carburization of tractor blade and medium carbon steels of similar composition, subject to more experimental investigations to establish the hardness, impact and wear properties of the medium carbon steel.

The increasing reliance on conventional biomass fuels for cooking causes significant health and environmental problems, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives. This study investigates the thermal performance of a box-type solar cooker integrated with castor oil as a sensible heat storage medium to address solar energy intermittency. The thermo-physical properties of castor oil were evaluated, including moisture content (1.38%), specific gravity (0.956), density (956 kg/m³), specific heat capacity (1.9 kJ/kg K), thermal conductivity (0.21 W/m K), and flash point (220°C). The cooker comprised an insulated chamber, double-glazed glass cover, plane reflector, black-coated absorber plate, and castor oil storage unit. Under a peak solar radiation of 790 W/m², the absorber plate and castor oil reached 101.6°C and 74.8°C, respectively. Water temperature increased from 30.0°C to 75.6°C within 60 minutes after solar exposure, demonstrating effective heat retention. Direct solar heating raised water temperature to 84.0°C after 30 minutes. TGA confirmed thermal stability below 250–280°C, with major degradation occurring between 280 and 350°C. The cooker achieved 406.87 kJ heat storage capacity and 71.9% thermal efficiency. Overall, castor oil provides effective thermal storage, improving cooker reliability and reducing biomass dependence in rural and remote communities.

This study investigated the suitability of Jatropha curcas seed oil as a sustainable base stock for biodegradable cutting fluid formulation. Jatropha oil was extracted using the Soxhlet solvent extraction method and characterized through physicochemical, lubricity, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses. The extracted oil recorded a high yield of 58%, with a pH of 7.9 and a specific gravity of 0.92, indicating favourable properties for machining applications. FTIR analysis identified functional groups such as esters, carbonyls, alkanes, and alkenes, confirming the presence of compounds essential for lubrication and film formation. GC–MS analysis revealed key constituents including pristane, linoleic acid, oleic acid, terpinolene, pinane, and squalene, which are associated with enhanced lubricity, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance. Lubricity evaluation showed cloud and pour points of 7°C and 3°C, respectively, with flash and fire points of 182°C and 153°C, demonstrating satisfactory low-temperature flowability and thermal safety. The findings indicate that Jatropha seed oil possesses desirable physicochemical and tribological characteristics, making it a promising renewable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional mineral oil-based cutting fluids for sustainable machining operations.

The Double spindle rice threshing machine was designed to ease the suffering of local farmers during harvesting as a result of the higher cost, low output and loses associated with the traditional method of rice farming. The combination of its operational mechanisms makes it unique as compared to the existing once based on the different variety of rice threshed and the level of moisture content of the product. Jamila rice variety has the highest threshing efficiency of 96% while Faro 52 has the lower efficiency with 85% with the power requirements is 4.0 Kw. Operationally the rice paddy is fed in to the threshing chamber through the hopper, the grains are collected at the grain discharger and the chaff (straw and husk) is blown away through the husk discharge unit. The Machine which is supported on two rear wheels and two support jacks at the front and a towing bar for easy transportation to even the remotest farm fields can be easily adopted by Small and Medium Scale Farmers.

The demand for sustainable energy in Nigeria is increasing due to population and developmental growth. The persistent energy crisis in Nigeria has weakened industrialization in the country. This has significantly undermined efforts to achieve sustained economic growth, increased competitiveness of indigenous industries in domestic, regional and global markets as well as employment generation. The realization of this fact necessitates the need for the nation to identify and promote the development and utilization of alternative sources of energy such as biomass to augment the existing ones. This study presents the potential of sewage generated and deposited at the University of Maiduguri for biogas production using experimental digester fabricated from locally sourced materials, to determine the quantity of biogas produced with its calorific value. A 500ml glass container was used as the digester. A total of 15 samples were collected in the digesters labeled A1-A5, B1-B5 and C1-C5 for accuracy. Each digester was fed with 406.25ml sewage according to the design considerations and the initial pH values checked on daily basis with a retention time of 30 days. The data obtained were recorded, analysed and presented using Microsoft Excel application. The results revealed that this Sewage has a potential of producing7981.959245±479.433m3 biogas daily with a calorific value of 19.5MJ/kg (4657.19 kCal/m3 ). This confirmed that sewage generated at University of Maiduguri could be used as resource to obtain biogas which is safer and cheaper. Use of the sewage for biogas production will also serves as a waste management source for the University.

This study presents the modeling and analysis of an 11 kV electrical isolator integrated with a mechanical counter mechanism to enable predictive maintenance. A 3D CAD model was developed in Fusion 360 and analyzed using ANSYS finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate stress distribution, deformation, and fatigue life under repeated switching cycles. The mechanical counter, designed to log operating cycles without electronic sensors, achieved over 98% accuracy in prototype testing. FEA results revealed high fatigue life exceeding 50 million cycles for most components, while identifying localized stress zones requiring reinforcement. A predictive maintenance schedule was formulated by combining counter data with fatigue analysis, reducing unplanned downtime by approximately 30%. A low-cost prototype fabricated from PLA and wood validated mechanical operability, though industrial materials are required for field deployment. This hybrid mechanical digital framework offers a scalable, cost-effective solution to improve reliability and extend asset lifespan in medium voltage power distribution networks, supporting resilient and sustainable infrastructure for coastal and offshore applications.

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of unintentional injury-related deaths worldwide, particularly in developing countries where access to certified Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) is limited by high cost and dependence on imported products. This study presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a Personal Flotation Device developed using locally available materials for calm-water applications. An experimental engineering approach involving engineering design calculations, material selection, prototype fabrication, and laboratory and field performance evaluation was adopted. The developed PFD was fabricated using closed-cell polyethylene foam, polyester fabric, nylon webbing, mesh fabric, and plastic side-release buckles to achieve optimum buoyancy, structural strength, comfort, and durability. Engineering analyses based on Archimedes' principle produced a buoyant force of 218.76 N, adequate to support an adult weighing 75–80 kg while maintaining a stable floating posture. Performance evaluation under controlled calm-water conditions assessed buoyancy, stability, water resistance, structural integrity, and user comfort. The prototype achieved buoyancy efficiency of 92%, stability efficiency of 88%, water resistance efficiency of 96%, comfort efficiency of 86%, and structural integrity of 95%, resulting in an overall performance index of 91.4%. The developed device satisfied the minimum performance requirements of ISO 12402 for calm-water flotation devices. The study demonstrates that efficient, affordable, and reliable PFDs can be manufactured locally using readily available materials, thereby reducing dependence on imported safety equipment while improving water safety.

Power supply in Nigeria has been experiencing incessant interruptions due to failures in the distribution system. Reliability of the power system is essential in meeting customers demand. The reliability of three 11kv feeder in Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Edo State Nigeria is evaluated in this study. the failure data which includes; failure time, time outage was restored, causes of failure from the Injection substations of the three feeders for the year, 2020 and 2021 was collated, collected and applied. Daily, Monthly and Yearly time between failures (MTBF) and failure rate were also calculated after which ‘distribution free method was deployed in the analysis. The results of the analysis revealed that the year 2020 had a better reliability and this implies that reliability decreases with time.

The significance of understanding friction and the coefficient of friction (COF) is paramount in engineering education, technology, and in developing countries like Nigeria. The high cost of importing essential equipment has limited many learners' access to vital practical experiences. As a solution, locally sourced and affordable materials have been utilised to create a friction measuring tool for university laboratories, enabling hands-on learning and practical application of key concepts. This fabricated tool experimented with wood, ceramic, plastic, and glass surfaces. The experiment tested four different combinations of surfaces: wood on wood, wood on ceramic, wood on glass, and wood on plastic. The results showed that wood has the highest COF with wood (0.52) followed by plastic (0.47), glass (0.4) and ceramics (0.38). However, wood has the lowest COF with ceramics meaning wood on ceramic surfaces are more prone to sliding than other surfaces tested. The results were compared and agreed with the existing literature on the subject.

The Nigerian foundry industry faces challenges in achieving optimal casting quality, largely due to the lack of standardized approaches to designing moulding sand mixtures. This study investigates the suitability of locally sourced sands—Zungeru, Bida, Minna, Jos, and Kaduna—for green sand casting, using Scheffe’s mixture design model as the design of experiment (DOE) technique. Synthetic sand mixtures (SSMs) were developed by combining natural sands with additives such as bentonite, coconut shell fibre, and rice husk fibre. A total of 35 experimental blends were analyzed for permeability, compressive strength, plastic index, and other key parameters following ASTM Standards D2434, D2216, D4318, and D2487 for permeability, moisture content, plastic index, and fineness modulus respectively. The findings reveal that Zungeru sand, in particular, met the requirements for Al-6063 green sand casting applications. This study shows the potential of optimizing natural sands for foundry applications, contributing to the development of sustainable and cost-effective casting processes in Nigeria.

The increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective engineering materials has renewed interest in recycling scrap cast iron for automotive applications. This study investigated the production and optimisation of grey cast iron from locally sourced scrap cast iron alloyed with controlled nickel and silicon additions for automobile oil sump applications. Scrap cast iron was melted at 1250–1350°C with holding times of 10–20 min, inoculated with ferrosilicon, and cast in silica sand moulds. A two-factor full factorial (Taguchi L4) design and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to optimise the processing parameters and evaluate the effects of nickel and silicon additions. The optimum processing conditions were a melting temperature of 1250°C and a holding time of 10 min, producing a density of 7.11 g/cm³, with melting temperature contributing 73.52% to density variation. XRF analysis showed that the alloy contained 85.755 wt.% Fe with beneficial additions of Mn, Si, Cr, and Ni, while SEM revealed a compact microstructure with minimal porosity. The developed grey cast iron exhibited a compressive strength of 178.40 MPa, tensile strength of 98.83 MPa, hardness of 118.20 HV, impact strength of 0.295 J/mm², wear rate of 0.000402 mg/m, and coefficient of friction of 0.241. These properties compare favourably with medium-strength commercial grey cast iron, demonstrating that recycled scrap cast iron is a sustainable and economically viable material for automobile oil sump application

The increasing demand for sustainable and lightweight engineering materials has stimulated interest in the utilization of agricultural wastes as reinforcement materials in composite applications. This study investigated the preparation and characterization of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) and Palm Kernel Shell Ash (PKSA) as potential reinforcement materials for automobile fan blade production. Rice husks and palm kernel shells were processed through cleaning, drying, carbonization, and sieving to obtain ash particles. The prepared materials were characterized using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), while density and moisture content were also determined. XRF analysis showed that RHA contained a high silica (SiO₂) content of 78.988%, whereas PKSA contained 57.040% SiO₂ with appreciable amounts of Fe₂O₃, CaO, and Al₂O₃. Density values of 2.1 g/cm³ and 1.5 g/cm³ were obtained for RHA and PKSA, respectively, while moisture contents were 1.5% and 4.5%. The results indicate that RHA possesses excellent potential for improving hardness and thermal stability due to its high silica content, while PKSA offers good structural reinforcement characteristics. Overall, both materials exhibited suitable chemical and physical properties for use as sustainable reinforcement materials in lightweight automobile fan blade composites.