bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corrosion Prevention of Metals via Electroless Nickel Coating: A review
Authors: Fayomi O S I , Akande I G , Sode A A
Published: December 2019

Electroless coating is a chemical process that involves an autocatalytic response of the constituents in an aqueous mixture. It also involves multiple simultaneous reactions, with nongalvanic excitation, that causes the formation of thin film layers i.e. the coating, on the substrate of the material. The reduction of metallic ions required to coat the surface of the metal occurs dues to the reducing agent in that same compound, which supplies an intrinsic potential difference to allow current flow. This follows by the need for the cations of the deposition metal to be reduced by electrons receiving them at the substrate, electrons which the reductant also donates to this surface thereby undergoing oxidation. The most generally used electroless plating technique is the electroless nickel plating method, which involves the deposition of un-crystallized nickel alloy on the substrate, with even thickness regardless of the shape and form of the material due to its independence on current. The paper reviews the tribo-corrosion resistances, mechanical properties and conductivity of electroless nickel coatings.
Advances in the development of a tomato postharvest storage system: towards eradicating postharvest losses
Authors: Ayomide O.B. , Ajayi O.O. , Ajayi A.A.
Published: December 2019

The production of tomatoes has experienced a huge rise over the years as a result of its economic, nutritional and cancer reduction importance. Despite the rapid advancement of technology in the past century, storage of tomato fruits remains a major problem experienced in the postharvest chain in most developing countries. This study gives a survey of the various causes of tomatoes postharvest losses, the different methods used in storage of the fruit over time and their limitations. It was found that the conventional methods used in tomatoes storage, improved its shelf life but was accompanied by some significant losses in quantity and quality. Hence, generating a need for a postharvest storage system taking into cognizance the optimum conditions required for the fruit storage. The development of a thermally controlled postharvest storage system with the sole purpose of increasing shelf life and minimize the rate of deterioration becomes inevitable.
Investigation into Alternative Energy Sources from Waste Citrus Peel (Orange): Approach to Environmental Protection
Authors: Ojewumi M. E. , Oyekunle D.T. , Amaefule C.V. , Omoleye J.A. , Ogunbiyi A.T.
Published: December 2019

An experimental study has been carried out on an alternative source of energy from citrus peel waste. A widely used material, pectin, has been extracted from orange peel (OP) and subsequently converted into ethanol with the use of a bacteria and fungi. Dried peels were split into several particle sizes of 0.075, 0.5, 1.0 and 5 mm. It was noted that OP with 0.75 mm particle size produced pectin of low volume while larger 1.0 mm OP particle size produced a high pectin volume. OP of 802 g was used to produce 1, 770 ml of pectin, this illustrate that citrus fruit (specifically orange) contains pectin in a large quantity. A mixture of E.coli (bacteria) with yeast (fungus), and their individual components were used on pectin obtained. However, it was observed that a mixture of pectin, E.coli & S. cerevisiae, and a combination of sample pectin with E.coli produced an encouraging volume of ethanol as against no ethanol produced when a mixture of sample pectin, yeast and pectin sample only. The amount of energy contained in the gross ethanol produced was 1526.6 btu, this can be combined with purified gasoline so as to attain the optimum energy content that can be used to run an indigenous processing plant for citrus fruit in Nigeria.
Review of Water Distribution Systems Modelling and Performance Analysis Softwares
Authors: Awe O.M. , Okolie S.T.A. , Fayomi O.S.I.
Published: December 2019

Water is a critical and crucial substance for sustenance all over the world. The need for water distribution systems to satisfy increasing demand and also to satisfy quality requirements has birthed a surging need to model real-life situations in order to access the workability of Water distribution system (WDSs) and their ability to operate efficiently. Through the review of the analysis of modelling software and performance analysis, it was deduced that different licensed software and freeware products are available for design and model of various categories of WDSs, ranging from simple to complex, realistic and even hypothetical. It was discovered that software with licenses offers versatility, flexibility and precision in modeling various categories of hydraulic models with various features over software that are open for all. Therefore, the decision on which software to use for the design of water distribution systems is predicated on software precision, the overall project cost, software - required data, complexity of system, aspect of system to be modelled (quality, demand, valve operation and location etc.) software specificity related to the types of distribution systems that it can manage and computational and hydraulic criterion.
Optimization of Water Distribution Systems: A Review
Authors: Awe O.M. , Okolie S.T.A. , Fayomi O.S.I.
Published: December 2019

A water distribution system (WDS), being a system of interconnected hydraulic elements ensures water distribution and supply to satisfy demands while optimization is applied in many systems and situations, thus making it an important paradigm in technology. When we try to optimize, we either minimize (resource consumption, cost) or maximize (profit, system performance). This paper reviews optimization of water distribution systems and presents different aspects of WDSs. It also presents the different optimization methods in a detailed manner. Finally, modern sophisticated optimization methods are refined enough to solve complex real-world problems such as WDS design and operations. The categories of challenges being solved include: new WDSs design; expansion and revamping of existing WDSs; pump operation; water quality management; calibration and system partitioning. Reliability, robustness and resilience considerations are often encountered in WDS literature and are still open to analysis because there is no generally acceptable model for permanent inclusion in WDSs optimization.
Protective Impact Of Molten Zinc Coating Sheets In Contaminated Environment-Review
Authors: Elewa R. E. , Afolalu S.A. , Fayomi O.S.I
Published: December 2019

Steels are susceptible to degradation orchestrated by the immediate environment which alters their physical, mechanical and electrochemical properties. These challenges have necessitated their protection with molten zinc which solidifies to form protective barrier against external contaminants. Protection of mild steel is a necessity because of its availability and cost effectiveness which has made it the most used metal for structural application in many part of the world. Surface protections of steel incorporate specific properties that enable it to stand a test of time due to the alteration of the surface characteristics. This mini review outlines the impact of molten zinc coating on mild steel and several coating application techniques
Sustainable Production: New Thinking for SMEs
Authors: Onu P. , Mbohwa C.
Published: December 2019

The future of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) depends greatly, not only on operational excellence and performance to execute successful business ideas but also on sustainable production practices that combine both environmental and socioeconomic considerations to meet optimal product, process and productivity expectation. In an advanced lean operation scenario, such as the Production Preparation Process (3P) or Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) process, etc., when integrated into the environmental conservative-adherence requirement, is essential to lead a sustainable pathway to operational excellence, and boost enterprise business competitiveness. The author in the present paper empirically examines the likeness of SMEs responsiveness toward sustainable production activities to accelerate business performance, while, promoting social, economic and environmental interest. Several mechanisms by SMEs to achieve sustainability in their manufacturing operations: the combinatory approach of lean principle to improve non-emissive, conservable energy-practice and eco-design/materials selections are reviewed. More so, the paper contributes to the literature on sustainable development for developing countries and sub-Saharan Africa in perspective. Within the different models of development and networks for improvement of the concept of sustainable industry practices, SMEs play a quintessential role. This goes to say; there is a great need to consider collaborative, Governmental/policy, and the integration of new developing Information Communication Technology (ICT) initiative to promote corporate business profitability actively and transform enterprise structures to become more resilient while functioning sustainably.
Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Impact of Practice on Manufacturing and Industry Development
Authors: Onu P. , Mbohwa C.
Published: December 2019

Green supply chain, cleaner production, and re-engineering practices are nascent sustainable initiatives, combined with the integration of new and developing technologies to revolutionalize industry operations in the near future. The understanding and full application of these techniques are yet to be fully grasped, especially as it pertains to different organizations culture’ operational structure and business goals. The diversity in Cyber-physical systems (CPS), autonomous vehicles, robotics, additive technologies, and alternative energy systems, in the manufacturing sector, have received extensive research over the last decade, with the promise to replace humans in future supply chain. The present paper is an exploratory assessment that evaluates sustainable technology initiatives in alignment with Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM). Our inferences are based on viable implementation strategy, impacts, challenges, and the scope of applicability for increased productivity in the near future. In conclusion, we share on how the promulgation and proper management of new and developing industrial technologies are essential to maximize time, minimize cost, and improve the value of employee commitment, and customer contentment.
Comparative Study between TIG and MIG Welding Processes
Authors: Ogundimu E. O. , Akinlabi E. T. , Erinosho M. F.
Published: December 2019

In this research, studies were done on the material characterization of type 304 austenitic stainless steel weld produced by TIG and MIG welding processes. This research is aimed to establish optimized process parameters that will result in a defect-free weld joint, homogenous distribution of the iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr) and Nickel (Ni) was observed at the welded joint of all the six samples. The welded sample produced at the current of 170 A by TIG welding process had the highest UTS value of 621 MPa at the welds zone, and the welded sample produced by MIG process at the welding current of 150 A had the lowest UTS value of 568 MPa. However, it was established that TIG welding process is more appropriate for the welding of type 304 austenitic stainless steel compared to the MIG welding process.
Impact of Varying Laterite and Cowhorn Additives on The Mechanical Properties of Cement Matrix Plastic Tiles
Authors: Kehinde O. , Omotosho O. A. , Ohijeagbon I. O.
Published: December 2019

The transition to sustainability to meet human needs through the use of animal waste obtained from anthropogenic activities has become a subject of global importance in recent times because of its ability to preserve our environmental life support systems. This work focused on utilizing laterite and cow horn as additives in cement matrix-plastic tile production. The quantity of cement, sand and plastic used for the production was kept constant while laterite and pulverized cowhorn was varied. Produced sample dimensions were 15 mm thickness with face measurement of 150 x 150 mm. Laterite was thoroughly mixed with sand, plastic, cowhorn and cement with a known volume of water in a clean container. The resulting mixture was subjected to a compaction pressure of 25KN to obtain a cohesive material and then fired in an oven at 2200C for thirty-three minutes. After firing the sample was allowed to cool down and then subject to physico-mechanical tests. The results obtained showed that on the flexural and compressive strength of the sample containing 45% laterite and no cowhorn had best values of 11.38mpa and 0.0037Mp respectively. The water absorption and shrinkage test for the 45% laterite no cowhorn sample with 15% pulverized cowhorn and 30% laterite was the most porous. In conclusion, increasing the cowhorn content had a direct relationship with the degree of porosity, flexural and compressive strength.
Alleviation of drayage truck-entry points congestion in container terminals: a review
Authors: Ihebom V. I. , Ekeocha R. J. O. , Fayomi O. S. I.
Published: December 2019

The yardstick for deciding the limit of port is focused by three principal infrastructural assets to be specific, compartments, yards and entryways. An assortment of intrigue has been paid to enhancing billet and yard limits, presently not bounty consideration has been given to examining the entry points potential. The entryway framework is an associating hub between the landside and coastline activities in an ocean to-town esteem chain. The entry points framework requires consideration as put in Asian city, is a multi-polish parallel lining model with non-homogeneous Poisson entries. The point of this survey paper is to break down the impact of truck-entryway gridlock and conceivable practice received in easing this looming issue at a few terminals throughout the years. The characterizations for lessening drayage truck-entryway blockage at container terminal were effect of truck appointment system (TAS), reduction of system operational cost, increase of nodal productivity, decrease of truck emissions and minimization of truck turnaround time (TTT).
Analyzing the truck volume traffic types in tin can island container terminal (tict)
Authors: Ihebom V. I. , Ekeocha R. J. O. , Fayomi O. S. I.
Published: December 2019

The steady rise in international trade volume has led to the high rate of utility of the marine industry. The gate system operation section of the marine terminal is a very pivotal aspect as it helps in the completion of the supply chain network. The drayage activities of pickups and delivery are single or double move operations at the terminal in order to meet customer’s target. These operations are carried out by different types of trucks traffic: inbound and outbound trucks. This paper aims at investigating the flow pattern of these inbound and outbound trucks and their respective subdivision frequency at TICT in the year 2018. For the inbound trucks, 501-550 truck distribution had the highest interval with 34.5% as a daily percentage arrival within the operating hours. While with two-week interval, EMTIN (empty-in) dominated with a higher peak and CHIN had the least turn-out than the others inbound subdivisions. While for the outbound trucks pattern, it revealed that LDOUT (load-out) was domineering with a greater peak and the least was CHOUT (chassis-out). The rate of inbound to outbound truck volume for that year depicts the state of the countries dependency.
Influence of 0.2% fe addition on zirconium conversion coating on aluminium alloy
Authors: Oki M. , Adediran A.A. , Ogunsemi B.T. , Egiebor N.
Published: December 2019

Conversion coating on aluminium/0.2%Fe alloy developed from a zirconium nitrate/fluoride solution has been examined with scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopes (TEM) with attached energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) facilities. Zirconium-rich islands of thicker sections were observed in the SEM. The thin sections from the transmission micrographs revealed undulating metal/coating and coating/solution interfaces. This is consistent with anode/cathode reactions in the formation and growth of conversion coatings on metals, especially aluminium alloys. The coating comprises of zirconium rich surface which is contaminated or otherwise with aluminium and other species from the coating solution.
Performance of Cassava Peeling Machines in Nigeria: a Review of Literature
Authors: Tobiloba Oyedele , Oluwaseun Kilanko , Leramo R.O.
Published: December 2019

A review is done on the indigenous cassava peeling machines made in Nigeria. Cassava is a very important cash crop that can be processed into more than a thousand products. One of the most important unit operations in cassava processing is peeling and its importance can never be overemphasized. Some of the other unit operations in cassava processing have already been successfully mechanized. To all engineers who have been involved in equipment design of cassava globally, cassava peeler has remained a serious problem to them. This study presents the functionalities, prospects, performance assessments and limitations in some of the indigenous cassava peeling machine. Some of the machines that have been made are the knife edge type peeler, double and single gang peeler, automated peeler, etc. Evaluated in this paper are there unique advantages and functional parameters, such as the speed of the machine, output size, efficiency of peeling and tuber loss. The machines have an operational speed ranging from 40 to 700rpm, output capacity ranging from 10.4 to 725kg/h, peeling efficiency ranging from 48.8 to 92.0% and tuber loss ranging from 2.5 to 42%. Peeling efficiency decreases as the speed of all the machines evaluated increase. There was also an increase in the loss of tuber and output capacity as the speed of the machines increases. With an improved cassava peeling process, there is a possibility that cassava cultivation will be encouraged and other uses of cassava will be harnessed. Part of what will be affected are better product quality as there will be minimum loss in tubers and an increased processing time.
Information And Communication Technology Adoption And Innovation For Sustainable Entrepreneurship
Authors: Ejemeyovwi J. O. , Osabuohien E. S. , Bowale E. K. , O Abuh O. , Adedoyin J. P. , Ayanda B.
Published: December 2019

ICT adoption has experienced an increasing trend in the past two decades and simultaneously, achieving sustainability in entrepreneurship is the major goal of every entrepreneur; this study seeks to empirically investigate ICT adoption’s contribution to sustainability in entrepreneurship. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between ICT adoption and sustainable entrepreneurial development in Western Africa. Panel data on ECOWAS countries were collected and estimated using econometric tools for the purpose of the study. The findings show that a positive statistically significant positive relationship exists between ICT adoption and sustainability in entrepreneurship. The outcome of this study is expected to have microeconomic and macroeconomic implications for sustainability in entrepreneurship within and outside ECOWAS.
Corrosion Inhibition Comparison of the Effect of Green Inhibitor on the Corrosion Behavior of 316L and 904L Austenitic Stainless Steels in Chloride Environment
Authors: Sanni O. , Popoola A. P. I. , Fayomi O. S. I.
Published: December 2019

Corrosion behavior of austenitic stainless steels type 904L and 316L in 3.5% NaCl solution was studied using eggshell powder (ESP) as an inhibitor. The experimental testing method was carried out using gravimetric and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. The testing results showed lower corrosion rate values with ESP, indicating the stainless steels corrosion resistance was influenced by the inhibitor and the chemical composition of 904L and 316L respectively. The morphological changes on stainless steel are checked with and without ESP, at its optimal concentration. Stainless steel 904L has higher impedance magnitude compared to stainless steel 316L at all concentrations of inhibitor studied in the sodium chloride solution. It was concluded that ESP is mixed type in nature; this conclusion was achieved by comparison of changes in the cathodic and anodic Tafel slope values.
Pitting corrosion evaluation: a review
Authors: Akpanyung K.V , Loto R.T
Published: December 2019

Pitting corrosion is an insidious localized form of corrosion causing much devastating destruction to structural members such as stainless steel in chloride environment. This paper gives a review of the mechanism processes of pitting, stages, factors facilitating pitting corrosion, techniques of evaluating pitting corrosion and some research work on pitting corrosion. The rudimentary knowledge of the mechanisms of pitting corrosion from this work will be of assistance to the selection process, specification and the use of stainless steels and other structural members.
Analysis and Reduction of Waste in Beverage Industries Using Pareto Principle and Value Stream Mapping
Authors: Samuel A.U. , Oyawale F. , Fayomi O.S.I
Published: December 2019

Elimination of waste has been the focus of beverage industries in Nigeria and in so many parts of the world. A lot of tools have been employed in the analysis and reduction of waste without the in-depth studies of the origin of these wastes. This present work carried out in-depth studies on the cause of waste in the beverage industry concentrating on canned beverages. Primary data were collected from a beverage industry, assessment of the production line and packaging section were carried out and the managers and employee were interrogated so as to obtain information used for this research. The data were analysed using the Pareto principle and the information obtained was used to design the current and future state mapping of the industry. The Pareto chart shows that production line and distributors constitute more than 90 % of the channel of waste while the in-house and transit waste constitute less than 10 %. The future state mapping proposed a reduction in the manpower from 17 to 12 which represents 29.41 % reduction and this will go a long way to affect the industries annual expenditure. The lead time was also reduced by 15 seconds, although this time seems small, the accumulation of this time is a whole lot in production.
Corrosion Inhibition Efficiency of Terminalia Catappa Leaves Extracts on Stainless Steel in Hydrochloric Acid
Authors: Madu J.O. , Ifeakachukwu C. , Okorodudu U. , Adams F.V. , Joseph I.V.
Published: December 2019

Corrosion inhibition potential ofTerminalia catappaleaves extract was investigated using Grade 304 austenitic stainless steel in 1.0 M HCl solution with a view to finding natural, eco-friendly, low-cost and readily available corrosion inhibitor. The corrosion inhibitory characteristics of the extract were investigated by utilizing gravimetric measurements and microstructural surface changes obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study was carried out in the absence and presence ofTerminalia catappainhibitor (0.01-0.09 g/ml) and temperatures (30-50 °C). Data obtained from weight loss experiments and adsorption isotherms (El-Awady, Temkin, and Freundlich) indicated thatTerminalia catappaleaf extract repressed the corrosion of stainless steel in acidic media by 96.8 % at 30 °C and conforms to physisorption adsorption mechanism. Inhibition efficiency (% IE) of the extract improved with increasing extract concentration but declined with rising temperature.
The Use of Solid Fuel for Biogas Production in a Biodigester
Authors: Soliu G.A , Onunka C.
Published: December 2019

Biogas production technology is a technology with great potential and has the potential to influence the type of energy mix available within a given community. Biogas was produced by the microbial digestion of organic matter in the absence of air in a bio digester. Cow dung was used as the solid fuel necessary for biogas production. Approximately 40kg of cow dung was collected for the purpose of this study. The cow dung collected were sun dried and crushed manually to ensure homogeneity before mixing with water to produce biogas by anaerobic decomposition. Cow dung and water were mixed in the ratio 2:1. The mixture was homogenized with manual stirrer. A digester of 400 liters’ capacity was designed and the inner part of the digester was covered with nylon to ensure proper cow dung fermentation. A plastic pipe situated at the top was connected to the digester to serve as gas outlet of the digester and the other end of the plastic pipe was connected to an inflatable tube for gas storage. The digester was stirred three times a day to avoid scum formation in the digester. There was less biogas produced at the initial days. The minimal production of biogas at the initial three days was mainly due to the slow microbial growth. There was a substantial increase in biogas production from the 9th day. The increase in biogas production was due to the exponential growth of microbial activity in the digester. Sudden decreases in biogas production was due to unregulated pH. in the digester. The unregulated pH in the digester increased the concentration of ammonia nitrate. Ammonia nitrate can inhibit the process of biogas production.
Reinforcement bar Corrosion - Causes and Management
Authors: Oki M. , Akintola S.A. , Adediran A.A. , Ikubanni P.P. , Ogunsemi B. T.
Published: December 2019

Concretes are composite materials which decay as a result of steel corrosion in concrete structures is mostly accelerated in environments laden with chlorides and industrial effluent gases as well as harsh chemicals employed in and those generated from wastes in agricultural industries. This review summarises the effects of various environmental pollutants which promote deterioration of concretes with resultant corrosion of reinforcing bar (rebar). An overview of traditional and current methods for significant reduction of this mode of material deterioration is described. Discussions on management tools for rebar corrosion in agricultural and marine environments have been highlighted. Repair methods include the traditional application of patch repair mortar which has been modified with polymeric materials to improve adhesion and reduce porosity. The use of cathodic protection system to reduce rebar corrosion to its barest minimum has gained currency. Attention should be directed at corrosion reduction practices at the design and planning stages as well as modification concrete mixes with modified agricultural wastes/products and polymers.
Effect of Car-Ownership and Income on Work and Non-Work Trip of Low-Income Households
Authors: Busari  , Adebayo O. , Samuel A. , Kehinde O. , Joshua O. , Olaniyi A.
Published: December 2019

This research assessed the influence of car ownership on both work trips and non-work trips in a semi urban industrial settlement, Ota, Ogun State. This was achieved with the distribution of One thousand five hundred (1500) question forms for nine months in the study area. Information on the socio-economic parameters, car ownership, modal split and volume of trips of respondents were analyzed to develop a multiple regression model for the analysis. This was done for for all trip types (both work and non-work trip). The data was analyzed using SPSS version 23 software. The linear regression model explains 70.2% of the variance of the data. The positive value of the model coefficient showed that the higher the income and car ownership, then the higher the volume of trip. This analysis was done on the aggregate level (work and non-work trip). However, the trip is expected to go up by 8.4 unit when car ownership goes up by 1 unit. The coefficient revealed that car ownership had a higher effect on trip than income. The outcome of the research will help policy makers and transportation planners in order to understand the travel behaviour of the study area and similar cities in the world for sustainable transportation and effective transportation planning now and in the foreseeable future.
Government Policies and Engineers’ Roles in Facilitating Nigeria’s Transition to Circular Economy
Authors: Dunmade I.S. , Oyedepo S. , Fayomi O. , Udo M.
Published: December 2019

There are ongoing global efforts at changing from the traditional linear economy to a circular economy. Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa cannot afford to lag behind. This study evaluated potential impacts of the current Nigerian resource use and exploitation policies as well as engineering practitioners’ training and practices on Nigeria’s transition to circular economy. The study further attempted to identify changes in government policies and engineering training and practices that would be necessary to facilitate Nigeria’s successful transition to a circular economy. This paper is based on a desk and literature review, a web-based research on government policies, engineering training and engineering practices in Nigeria. Contributions of this study include provision of insights to the government officials on regulations that need to be improved to facilitate Nigeria’s transition to circular economy. It also provided agencies regulating engineering education and engineering practices in Nigeria opportunities to see areas of deficient that may need to be improved for successful transition to a circular economy
Organisational Branding, A Strategic Tool for Engineering Customer Satisfaction in Service Industry: A Study of Selected Banks
Authors: Okafor Uchechukwu C. , Worlu Rowland E. , Obi James N. , Ojile Alice I. , Irawor Josephine E. , Udoh Iboro P. , Sunday Dorcas K. , Solesi Joy O. , Akindele Remilekun B.
Published: December 2019

Effective brand strategies cannot be developed without the customers in mind, hence the need to examine how brand strategies affect the behaviours of these customers to yield a good result. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of organisational branding on the levels of customer patronage. A descriptive and survey design was adopted for the study. The population for this study consist of customers from Wema and Zenith bank within Lagos metropolis. The questionnaire was used in eliciting information from respondents, which contained two sections. Two research questions and hypotheses were raised and tested. The data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20.0), for frequency distribution. Further analysis was carried out using linear regression and correlation analysis. From the findings made in the study, there is a significant role played by brand identity in meeting customer expectation and there is a significant effect of brand culture on customer satisfaction. It was recommended that management should be conscious of their peculiar corporate identity once established in order to capitalize on their strengths and opportunities, as well as improve on their weaknesses and address their threats in good time and Managers should strive to create a peculiar brand culture in line with their given brand identity, as the creation of a strong brand culture will enable the staff of the organisation to deliver quality service for good customer satisfaction.
The Impact of Passive and Active Teaching Methods on Students’ Learning Among Secondary School Students in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State
Authors: Funmilayo Diepreye Fapohunda , Adedayo Odukoya Jonathan
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study is to find out the impact of passive and active teaching methods on students’ learning in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Pre-test post-test experimental design was adopted for this study. Two hundred secondary school students were randomly selected for this study (X = 14.42; SD = 0.91). The sample was made of 72 males and 124 females. Data was collected via administration of achievement test in Biology with specific focus on Osmosis and Diffusion. ANOVA was used to analyse the data. The findings showed that the overall, active teaching methods have a significant impact on students’ learning than the passive teaching method at p<.05 level for the four conditions (F (3, 192) = 162.03, p=.000). Based on these finding, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education should embark on enlightenment campaign on the need for teachers to employ effective teaching methods in classroom.
Performance of a Limited Charge of R600a and LPG Refrigerants in a Domestic Refrigerator Using R134a Refrigerant in Different Ambient Conditions
Authors: Olatunji O.R , Ohunakin O.S. , Adelekan D.S.
Published: December 2019

In this work, a slightly modified 100g R134a domestic refrigerator was retrofitted with limited mass charge (30g) of R600a and LPG refrigerants and tested in different ambient temperature conditions (19, 21, 23 and 25 °C). The test rig was fitted with appropriate instrumentation for experimentation. Performance characteristics investigated with the test rig at steady state include evaporator air temperature, discharge temperature and power consumption. Results showed that the retrofitted hydrocarbon refrigerants in the system at the ambient conditions gave power consumption, discharge temperature, condensing pressure lower by 15 – 45 %, 16 – 30 % and 25 – 62 % than R134a refrigerant. In addition, the cabinet temperature of the system with the hydrocarbon refrigerants were higher than R134a by 10 - 60 %. In conclusion, the investigated energetic characteristics of the system improved with reducing ambient temperature and all conditions with infused hydrocarbon refrigerants attained cabinet temperatures lower than -3 °C in accordance to ISO 8187 recommendation for domestic refrigerators.
Index Properties of Aluminum Dross Modified Pavement Geo-material
Authors: Busari Ayobami , Joseph Funmilayo , Ajayi Samuel , Alayande Tolulope , Nwachukwu Joseph , Agbama Deborah
Published: December 2019

The recovering of aluminium from aluminium dross waste involves so much cost and energy. As a result, there is a need for its utilization as an engineering material. This research assessed the suitability of aluminium dross waste in improving the index properties of pavement geomaterial. Aluminum dross, a solid waste from aluminum industry was added at 4%, 8%, 12%, and 16% by weight of the lateritic soil sample. Sieve analysis, Atterberg limit, specific gravity test, Compaction test, and California bearing ratio (CBR) were carried out on the samples. The increased addition of aluminium dross to the sample reduced the plasticity index from 15% to 13.8%, which showed an improvement in the soil sample. Also, the CBR value increased from 51.22 to 64.32 with the addition of aluminum dross which signifies increased strength of the stabilized soil sample. The increase in strength of the aluminum dross stabilized soil is due to the good binder–matrix interaction of aluminum dross and the soil. The result of this experimental research showed that the utilization of aluminium dross in improving the strength properties of pavement interlayer proved to be a sustainable alternative.
Assessment Of Air Pollution In A Semi-Urban Industrial Cluster
Authors: Ogbiye A. , Adekalu Kenneth K. , A. Busari Ayobami A
Published: December 2019

This study assessed the air pollution in a semi urban industrial cluster in Nigeria with special focus on the cement industry. The major pollutants considered in this research were Suspected Particulate Matter (SPM), Oxides of Nitrogen, Sulphur di Oxide (SO2), Carbon Mono Oxide (CO), Lower Explosive Limit (LEL), Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) and Noise. Industrial Scientific ITX 6 multi-gas analyzer, Land Duo Emission Analyzer, Handheld Aerosol Monitor Model 1055 and Quest Sound Level Meter, Model 2400 were used in the analysis. Also, empirical investigation, as well as reconnaissance surveys were carried out by the administration of well-structured residential and industrial question forms. The result of the analysis showed that there was a 3.1% reduction in the level of SPM measured with lower value than the required limit for 8 hours exposure. Reduced levels of CO and CO2 were observed from the average readings taken from 2014 and 2015 with 24.81% and 31.4% reduction in the average reading respectively for two consecutive years. Noise level detected at the several locations varied from 49.8 to 69.6 dβ.The outcome of the research showed that appropriate measures must be put in place by industries to reduce air pollution now and in the foreseeable future.
Adoption of Total Quality Management in the Educational Sector: Case Study of Engineering Institutions
Authors: Oluwafemi I.J. , Laseinde O. T.
Published: December 2019

Due to the aspirations of various institutional stakeholders clamoring for improvement in the quality of education in their various institutions, the concept of total quality management has gained so much attention to this regard. In the recent time, several emphases have been made on the need for quality improvement and efforts are been put in place on the possible ways of increasing the standard of education globally. The productivity of any tertiary institution, especially the Engineering colleges is centered on the quality culture of such institutions, also, the customer’s satisfaction is another thing to put into consideration, to achieve the desired productivity. Generally, there are some constructs which are the major critical success factors that enhances quality improvement in any organization, customer satisfaction has been identified as another important factor to put into consideration to achieve optimum quality of products as well as services. This paper gives an insight on how the implementation of Total Quality Management in an Engineering educational system can aid the Quality of Engineering Education.
Analysis of Compressive Strength of Existing Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) Concrete Column using a Schmidt Rebound Hammer
Authors: Ogunbayo B F , Aigbavboa C O , Akinradewo O I
Published: December 2019

The Schmidt rebound hammer is principally a surface hardness tester with an apparent theoretical relationship between the strength of hardened concrete block and the rebound number of the hammer. This study analysed compressive strength of some selected concrete columns of Civil Engineering block at Covenant University Ota, using the Schmidt rebound hammer. It is aimed at determining variation in the concrete column strength of the HEI building in relation to standard compressive strength required of a concrete column. Data for the study was collected by carrying our Schmidt rebound hammer test (non-destructive test) on the concrete column within the study area and the rebound value (R) was measured to determine the present compressive strength of the concrete column. In carrying out this experiment, the standard experiment procedure of the Schmidt hammer test was followed. The analysis of the performed nondestructive test on the HEI concrete column was presented through tables and figures. The result of the study shows that there is variation in the compressive strength of the HEI concrete columns sampled using Schmidt rebound hammer test. The result indicated that the average compressive strength gotten through the rebound values of the sampled concrete columns compressive strength falls within the minimum required strength between 25N/mm2 and 30N/mm2 expected of a concrete column of an existing structure. The study therefore, concluded that the concrete columns of the HEI building sampled is safe, stable and it can satisfy the need for which it was built. Furthermore, because of it stability it can resist the load coming to it and this make it habitable for learning.
Application of Mechatronics in Agriculture: A review
Authors: Azeta J. , Bolu C. A. , Alele F. , Daranijo E. O. , Onyeubani P. , Abioye A. A.
Published: December 2019

Mechatronics has found quite a number of useful applications in agriculture. Agriculture as one of the oldest industries, dating as far back as the nomadic age originally depended solely on human effort, then apprehended animal labour, and then came mechanical advances such as diesel/steam-engine tractors and mechanical tools with hydrostatic power which needed control. The answer to unresolved problems relies on more advances that necessitate the replacement of human intellect to meet the requirements for superior autonomy in more indefinite and unstructured environments. Promising disciplines in this framework include Mechatronics, Large-scale optimization and Complex system automation, and our focus is on the advancement of irrigation system. Some of the applications of mechatronics in agriculture and their processes are discussed to gain insight on the state of the art, advantages and weaknesses of several methods employed.
Analysis of a Multi-Stage finned PCM based storage system for Solar Thermal Power Generation
Authors: Danladi Muhammad Mubarak
Published: December 2019

The sensible storage system utilizing a hot and cold tank is the current commercial technology for solar parabolic trough thermal plants. This technology is very expensive, because of its large storage material requirement, two tanks and heat exchanger. It also has high parasitics. The use of phase change material (PCM) offer higher storage capacity per unit mass. The wide operating temperature range (about 100°C) in parabolic trough plants meant that many PCMs with different melting points in series must be used. Investigation of using five PCMs with different melting point resulted into a storage system with storage material inventory higher than that of the two-tank system due to slow discharging rates. In this study, a multistage finned latent heat storage system model was developed and performance analysis was conducted. A model was developed for a four (NaNO3, KNO3/KCl, KNO3 and KOH PCMs) and five (NaNO3, KNO3/KCl, KNO3, KOH and MgCl2/KCl PCMs) stage cascaded storage system. Various charging and discharging mass flow rates were simulated and for each mass flow rate, the length of the storage system that will satisfy the boundary conditions of the plant at a periodically balanced state was determined. Results showed that using A HTF charging and discharging mass flow rate of 0.025kg/s and 0.03kg/s respectively has the highest percentage phase change of 70% meaning better utilization of storage material. Also the four stage cascade was found to have a percentage phase change of 56% which is lower than that of the five stage cascade. Considering a capacity of 875MWhth, which is the capacity suitable for the 6 hours operation of a 50MWe parabolic trough plant, a storage material inventory of about 25, 000 tonnes is required corresponding to a net volumetric specific capacity of 72.8 kWh/m3 which is about 2.5 times that of the existing two tank system. This clearly shows the higher storage density of the multi-stage finned LHS system. The LHS system is passive and thus has very low parasitics compared to the two-tank system.
A Mini Review of Trends towards Automated and Non-Invasive Techniques for Early Detection of Lung Cancer: From Radiomics through Proteogenomics to Breathomics
Authors: Moninuola Funmilayo S. , Adetiba Emmanuel , Oshin Oluwadamilola I. , Atayero Anthony A. , Adeyeye Ademola
Published: December 2019

Carcinoma of the Lung is one of the most common cancers in the world and the leading cause of tumor-related deaths. Less than 15% of patients survive 5 years post diagnosis due to its relatively poor prognosis. This has been ascribed to lack of effective diagnostic methods for early detection. Different medical imaging techniques such as chest radiography, Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are used in routine clinical practice for tumor detection. These techniques are medically unsatisfactory and inconvenient for patients due to poor diagnostic accuracy. Endobronchial biopsies are the gold standard for diagnosis but have the inherent risk of full or partial invasive procedures. Thus, diagnostic technology that uses data mining algorithms with medical image analysis, generally known as radiomics emerged. Radiomics extracts complex information from conventional radiographic images and quantitatively correlates image features with diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes. In spite of the benefits, radiomics is prone to high false positives and there is no established standard for acquisition of parameters. Further efforts towards outcome improvement led to the proteomic and genomic (proteogenomic) approach to lung cancer detection. Although proteogenomic has a diagnostic edge over traditional techniques, variations in bio-specimen and heterogeneity of lung cancer still possess a major challenge. Recent findings have established that changes normally occur in the gene or protein due to tumor growth in the lungs and this often leads to peroxidation of cell membrane that releases Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) through the breath of Lung Cancer patients. The comprehensive analysis of breath VOCs, which is tagged Breathomics in the literature, unveils opportunities for noninvasive biomarker discovery towards early detection. Breathomics has therefore become the current pace-setter in medical diagnostics research because of its non-invasiveness and cost effectiveness. This paper presents a mini survey of trends in early lung cancer detection from radiomics, through proteogenomic to breathomics.
Creation of a Nigerian Voice Corpus for Indigenous Speaker Recognition
Authors: Akinrinmade Adekunle A. , Adetiba Emmanuel , Badejo Joke A. , Atayero Aderemi A.
Published: December 2019

One of the goals of Word Bank’s Identification for Development (ID4D) is the realization of robust digital identification systems as a means of sustainable development priority. ID4D’s most recent report shows about 1.1 billion of the world’s population are yet to be identified for development. Africa represents about half of that number while Nigeria represents about a quarter of Africa’s share. Biometrics is the state-of-the-art approach for identification using human behavioral and/or physiological digitally calibrated traits and one such trait is the voice. The backbone of biometric research is the database employed in the design of biometric systems. Although many voice databases are publicly available such as the THCHS-30 for Chinese and Microsoft Indian language Speech Corpus for Indians, none is currently publicly available or free for Nigerians. The creation of such an indigenous database (or corpus) can open doors to Nigerian automatic speaker recognition as well as for indigenous language, ethnicity, gender, age group and emotion classification amongst others. This work is a first step in the direction of creating a Nigerian Voice Corpus (NVC) to aid indigenous voice biometric research. A voice corpus of popular Nigerians was created by curation of audio samples of 14 women and 23 men from YouTube. The corpus contains 10 different samples of 5 seconds duration for each individual resulting in a total of 370 samples. The created corpus was used to carry out speaker recognition experiment by dividing the audio samples into 25ms non-overlapping frame durations. Silent frames were excluded using short-term spectral energy threshold for Voice Activity Detection (VAD). This was followed by extraction of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficient (MFCC) as descriptors to discriminate different speakers using Support Vector Machine (SVM) with median Gaussian function. An overall recognition accuracy of 93.24% was achieved demonstrating the feasibility and research potential in this direction.