Two methods of harvesting oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in Nigeria, namely the bamboo pole-a... more Two methods of harvesting oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in Nigeria, namely the bamboo pole-and-knife (BPK) method and the single rope-and-cutlass (SRC) method, were investigated. Oil palm trees harvested by the BPK method are shorter than those harvested by the SRC method. Also, the times spent for each harvesting activity using the SRC method were significantly higher than the corresponding times with the BPK method. However, the ratios of time of each activity to either the total harvesting time or the total field time for both methods were not significantly different. The identified problems were the time-consuming search for, and the collection of, scattered loose fruits in both methods; difficulty of transporting the bamboo pole to and from the field; and the bending of the pole during use [making engagement of the knife with the fruit bunches and (or) fronds very difficult] with the BPK method. There was also the risk of accidental falls (due to rope failure) or insect and snake bites with the SRC method. It is recommended that a fruit catchment platform be introduced to eliminate or reduce drastically the fruit-collecting time, ensure virtually 100% scattered fruit recovery, and eliminate the waist pain experienced by fruit collectors. The harvesting pole should also be redesigned to reduce its weight, minimize bending, and increase the ease of its transportation.
This work reports an assessment of the impact of prior non-programming computing knowledge, gende... more This work reports an assessment of the impact of prior non-programming computing knowledge, gender and course of study on Java programming self-efficacy among engineering students in a typical Nigerian university. An instrument for assessing Java programming self-efficacy was developed from the computer programming self-efficacy scale of Ramalingam and Wiedenbeck, 1998. The instrument was administered to the final year engineering students in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, along with a questionnaire on gender, course of study and computer experience. Results indicated that self-efficacy of males were stronger than that of females, computer engineering students‟ self-efficacy scores were significantly higher than that of students from the other engineering departments and 6.6 % of the variance in self-efficacy was explained by computer experience. The study concluded that self-efficacy is highly relevant in the acquisition of Java programming skills and is in line wit...
International Journal of Engineering Sciences, 2020
The greater number of castings produced globally are made by using sand casting techniques that u... more The greater number of castings produced globally are made by using sand casting techniques that utilize sand as major moulding material. This paper characterizes Isasa River sand based on its physical and chemical properties with the aid of Tandem pelletron electrostatic accelerator, trinocular microscope, mechanical sieve shaker, and box furnace, for Foundry application. Results obtained revealed that the River sand has moisture content of 4.30%, clay content of 2.22%, grain fineness number (GFN) of 49, Silica (SiO2) content of 93%, and sintering point of 1400oC. The River sand is a 4-screen sand, having angular grains with medium sphericity. Isasa River sand will be suitable for casting of gray iron and non-ferrous metals, with the addition of binding agent in suitable proportion.
The study evaluates the effect of ceramic raw materials on the physical properties of ceramic til... more The study evaluates the effect of ceramic raw materials on the physical properties of ceramic tiles with a view to determine the tiles with the best material blend. Ten different blends of clay – feldspar – silica was used to produce ceramic samples. The results show that sample with 60 % clay, 30 % feldspar and 10% silica have the best water absorption (10.43%) and apparent porosity (22.77 %); while sample with 60 % clay, 20 % feldspar and 20 % silica exhibits the highest apparent relative density of 2.79. Sample with 50 % clay, 40 % feldspar and 10 % silica possesses the best bulk density of 1.43 g/cm3. Conclusively, the ceramic sample produced can be useful in the production of wall tiles.
This study developed a compact front loading machine for slicing loaves of bread. The machine is ... more This study developed a compact front loading machine for slicing loaves of bread. The machine is fast, efficient, safe and easy to operate. It was designed to accommodate a normal loaf of bread per pass. It works on the principle of gravity loaf in-feed system and the up-and-down reciprocating motion of the blade frame that carries 22 parallel cutting blades spaced at a regular interval of 14.5 mm apart. It is driven by a 2 horsepower electric motor via a V-belt power transmission system. The moving components are born on self-lubricating bearings and specially designed vibration absorbers; it automatically stops to save running cost once the loaf is completely sliced. It also incorporates a crumb collection tray to enhance the hygiene of the process. Evaluation tests revealed that increasing the cutting speed above the standard commercial bakery speed of 420 r/min increased bread wastage and reduced uniformity of slice thickness.
European Journal of Engineering Research and Science, 2018
Current computer software for designing gear systems have limited flexibility and few offer multi... more Current computer software for designing gear systems have limited flexibility and few offer multiple gearing design options. The objective of this study was to develop an interactive package for the design and analyses of worm gearing mechanisms. The worm gears were designed based on full-depth involute teeth. Mathematical models were developed to compute geometry factors for surface durability of single-enveloping worm gearing cases which were extracted from established American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) standards. Maximum percentage errors from the geometry features, bending loads and wear loads are 0.97%, 3.27% and 1.77% respectively and insignificant. A software capable of computing geometry parameters, bending and wear loads, and selecting appropriate materials for worm mechanisms with good accuracy has been developed.
A mathematical model for predicting the peeling efficiency of a cassava peeler was developed usin... more A mathematical model for predicting the peeling efficiency of a cassava peeler was developed using a dimensional analysis based on Buckingham' s pi theorem. The model was validated using data from experimental studies which revealed a maximum coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.8366 between the measured and predicted values. The developed model proved appropriate in estimating the peel removal efficiency for a cassava peeler by up to 83.66%. There was no significance difference between the experimental and predicted values at a 0.05 significance level.
Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGR Journal, 2020
The adaptation of some existing technologies such as sugarcane-type harvester, jute/reed-type har... more The adaptation of some existing technologies such as sugarcane-type harvester, jute/reed-type harvesters and forage harvesters for kenaf harvesting has not been successful. These machines apart from being expensive cut kenaf stems into too short fragments. Information regarding machines for kenaf harvesting is rarely found in the literature. In this work, an existing 1.65 kW brush cutter was modified and adapted for kenaf harvesting with the view to developing a low-cost machine for kenaf harvesting. The modifications made include incorporating a suitable metal guard based on the physical properties of kenaf stem and selection of an appropriate serrated blade cutting mechanism. The machine was tested on an experimental field of 3 and 4 months old kenaf plantation, and its performance was evaluated considering the effective field capacity, theoretical field capacity, field efficiency and fuel consumption. The results showed that the field efficiency of the machine ranged from 69.15 –...
The pressure required to penetrate the peels of two cassava varieties (TMS 30572 and TMS 4(2)1425... more The pressure required to penetrate the peels of two cassava varieties (TMS 30572 and TMS 4(2)1425) of about 1.5 years old, using stainless steel knives was determined. A hand held penetrometer was calibrated, its conical head was replaced by knife-edges and it was used to determine the peel penetration force. The pressure required to penetrate the peels without damage to the tubers of the two cassava varieties increased as the peel thickness and tuber diameter increased. The study also showed that for TMS 30572 cassava variety, at knife-edge thickness 1.5 mm, the peel penetration pressure obtained ranged from 2.20 to 3.65 N/mm . Also, 2
The work evaluates the effect of firing temperature on the mechanical properties of ceramic tiles... more The work evaluates the effect of firing temperature on the mechanical properties of ceramic tiles. This was with the view to determine the optimum processing condition for Osun State ceramic tiles. Ceramic raw materials collected from Osun State were batched using clay-feldspar-silica sand blending ratio of 5:4:1, 5:3:2, 5:2:3, 5:1:4, 6:3:1, 6:2:2, 6:1:3, 7:2:1, 7:1:2 and 8:1:1 by weight; and homogeneously mixed. Three replica samples were moulded by the method of dry forming, fired at 1200, 1300 and 1400 oC and subjected to breaking and flexural strength tests using the Universal Testing Machine while the hardness test was carried out on a Moh’s scale. The results showed that breaking strength, flexural strength and Moh’s hardness fell within the range 199.43 to 325 N, 11.97 to 19.50 N/mm2 and 2.5 to 4 MH respectively, while Figures revealed that samples with 60% clay, 10% feldspar and 30% silica sand fired at 1320 oC will process the best mechanical properties. In conclusion, cera...
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, 2007
This paper presents the development of an interactive program (called SSTDD) to solve two-dimensi... more This paper presents the development of an interactive program (called SSTDD) to solve two-dimensional conduction heat transfer equations in a square domain using the finite-difference method. The development of the tool (based on a computer-aided design package), on a Visual BASIC 6.0 platform, involved the application of the heat transfer equations and the appropriate boundary conditions to a square domain. The finite-difference method was used to express the elliptic differential equation in a form suitable for numerical solution. The system of linear equations generated was solved by the Gauss–Seidel iterative technique. The SSTDD model was tested by using problems solved by conventional analytical techniques. The results generated by the model and the analytical method were in good agreement. Hence the model can be used to solve practical engineering problems, with good accuracy, and also as a demonstration tool to students in the area of design and heat transfer of mechanical e...
The study evaluated the effect of soaking time on some selected engineering properties of black-e... more The study evaluated the effect of soaking time on some selected engineering properties of black-eye pea and brown beans cowpea variety with a view to providing the necessary data that will aid the design and development of some specific process equipment such as size reduction, cleaning, sorting and grading machines as well as storage components and facilities . Mature seeds procured from the market were manually cleaned and soaked in water at room temperature within the range of 27-31 0 C for 2minutes, 4minutes, 6minutes, 8minutes and 10minutes and the selected response parameters observed. The results showed that length, width, thickness, geometric mean diameter, mass, aspect ratio and surface area increased non-linearly from 8.10mm to 12.00mm, 5.28mm to 7.89mm, 5.23m to 6.91mm, 6.20mm to 8.05mm, 0.33g to 0.52g, 0.71 to 0.77, and 132.70mm 2 and 134.69mm 2 respectively as soaking time increased for black-eye pea; while for brown beans variety the results showed that length, width, ...
Cam is a mechanical component that transforms circular motion to reciprocating motion by using ma... more Cam is a mechanical component that transforms circular motion to reciprocating motion by using mating component, called the follower. The principal aim of this work was to study and analyse the displacement of a cam-follower with Regula Falsi method and verify its input by using MATLAB and FORTRAN simulations. A study was conducted on angle of rotation and the displacement of the follower, which is equal to the radius of the cam given as transcendental equation to find the exact solution. The parameters such as initial guess, final guess, iteration counter and the desired displacement are involved in finding the angular displacement to the cam system in high speed rotation. The analysis was done using a computer programming that enables verification of the results obtained and ascertaining whether the inputs are correct or not for the displacement in cam follower system. The computer output showed results of the two data sets that yielded solutions and two that did not. The results ...
In many parts of the world there is a growing awareness that renewable energy has an important ro... more In many parts of the world there is a growing awareness that renewable energy has an important role to play in extending technology to the farmers in developing countries to increase their productivity. Solar thermal technology is rapidly gaining acceptance as an energy saving technology in agriculture application. This article presents the design, construction and performance evaluation of a solar dryer for food preservation. In the dryer, heated air from a separate solar collector is passed through beds of grains. The design of the dryer makes provision for the attachment of additional mirrors on two opposite sides of the solar collection chamber. Overall, the dryer is of simple design, cost effective, and made from affordable available materials and require little or no skills for its fabrication and operation. The results obtained fromtests carried out on the dryer revealed that the temperatures inside the drying chamber and the solar collector were highest when the side mirrors...
Clay, feldspar and silica sand are important industrial minerals which often need treatment commo... more Clay, feldspar and silica sand are important industrial minerals which often need treatment commonly known as beneficiation to improve the quality of ceramic tiles produced from these materials. The different minerals, after sorting, were treated separately in distilled water, alcohol and hydrochloric acid before being crushed in a ball mill; they were then characterized using a pelletron accelerator. The results show an increased silicon content for clay, silica sand and feldspar; and reduced aluminum content for clay and silica sand but not for feldspar. Iron impurity and its oxide are also shown to reduce by over 50% in all the minerals while potassium was found to be the dominant element in feldspar among the defining elements. In conclusion, the increased quartz in the mineral will improve the hardness, density, porosity, and rigidity of ceramic tiles as well as providing support and controlling shrinkage. Furthermore, increasing the mineral quotient in feldspar will enhance it...
Two methods of harvesting oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in Nigeria, namely the bamboo pole-a... more Two methods of harvesting oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in Nigeria, namely the bamboo pole-and-knife (BPK) method and the single rope-and-cutlass (SRC) method, were investigated. Oil palm trees harvested by the BPK method are shorter than those harvested by the SRC method. Also, the times spent for each harvesting activity using the SRC method were significantly higher than the corresponding times with the BPK method. However, the ratios of time of each activity to either the total harvesting time or the total field time for both methods were not significantly different. The identified problems were the time-consuming search for, and the collection of, scattered loose fruits in both methods; difficulty of transporting the bamboo pole to and from the field; and the bending of the pole during use [making engagement of the knife with the fruit bunches and (or) fronds very difficult] with the BPK method. There was also the risk of accidental falls (due to rope failure) or insect and snake bites with the SRC method. It is recommended that a fruit catchment platform be introduced to eliminate or reduce drastically the fruit-collecting time, ensure virtually 100% scattered fruit recovery, and eliminate the waist pain experienced by fruit collectors. The harvesting pole should also be redesigned to reduce its weight, minimize bending, and increase the ease of its transportation.
This work reports an assessment of the impact of prior non-programming computing knowledge, gende... more This work reports an assessment of the impact of prior non-programming computing knowledge, gender and course of study on Java programming self-efficacy among engineering students in a typical Nigerian university. An instrument for assessing Java programming self-efficacy was developed from the computer programming self-efficacy scale of Ramalingam and Wiedenbeck, 1998. The instrument was administered to the final year engineering students in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, along with a questionnaire on gender, course of study and computer experience. Results indicated that self-efficacy of males were stronger than that of females, computer engineering students‟ self-efficacy scores were significantly higher than that of students from the other engineering departments and 6.6 % of the variance in self-efficacy was explained by computer experience. The study concluded that self-efficacy is highly relevant in the acquisition of Java programming skills and is in line wit...
International Journal of Engineering Sciences, 2020
The greater number of castings produced globally are made by using sand casting techniques that u... more The greater number of castings produced globally are made by using sand casting techniques that utilize sand as major moulding material. This paper characterizes Isasa River sand based on its physical and chemical properties with the aid of Tandem pelletron electrostatic accelerator, trinocular microscope, mechanical sieve shaker, and box furnace, for Foundry application. Results obtained revealed that the River sand has moisture content of 4.30%, clay content of 2.22%, grain fineness number (GFN) of 49, Silica (SiO2) content of 93%, and sintering point of 1400oC. The River sand is a 4-screen sand, having angular grains with medium sphericity. Isasa River sand will be suitable for casting of gray iron and non-ferrous metals, with the addition of binding agent in suitable proportion.
The study evaluates the effect of ceramic raw materials on the physical properties of ceramic til... more The study evaluates the effect of ceramic raw materials on the physical properties of ceramic tiles with a view to determine the tiles with the best material blend. Ten different blends of clay – feldspar – silica was used to produce ceramic samples. The results show that sample with 60 % clay, 30 % feldspar and 10% silica have the best water absorption (10.43%) and apparent porosity (22.77 %); while sample with 60 % clay, 20 % feldspar and 20 % silica exhibits the highest apparent relative density of 2.79. Sample with 50 % clay, 40 % feldspar and 10 % silica possesses the best bulk density of 1.43 g/cm3. Conclusively, the ceramic sample produced can be useful in the production of wall tiles.
This study developed a compact front loading machine for slicing loaves of bread. The machine is ... more This study developed a compact front loading machine for slicing loaves of bread. The machine is fast, efficient, safe and easy to operate. It was designed to accommodate a normal loaf of bread per pass. It works on the principle of gravity loaf in-feed system and the up-and-down reciprocating motion of the blade frame that carries 22 parallel cutting blades spaced at a regular interval of 14.5 mm apart. It is driven by a 2 horsepower electric motor via a V-belt power transmission system. The moving components are born on self-lubricating bearings and specially designed vibration absorbers; it automatically stops to save running cost once the loaf is completely sliced. It also incorporates a crumb collection tray to enhance the hygiene of the process. Evaluation tests revealed that increasing the cutting speed above the standard commercial bakery speed of 420 r/min increased bread wastage and reduced uniformity of slice thickness.
European Journal of Engineering Research and Science, 2018
Current computer software for designing gear systems have limited flexibility and few offer multi... more Current computer software for designing gear systems have limited flexibility and few offer multiple gearing design options. The objective of this study was to develop an interactive package for the design and analyses of worm gearing mechanisms. The worm gears were designed based on full-depth involute teeth. Mathematical models were developed to compute geometry factors for surface durability of single-enveloping worm gearing cases which were extracted from established American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) standards. Maximum percentage errors from the geometry features, bending loads and wear loads are 0.97%, 3.27% and 1.77% respectively and insignificant. A software capable of computing geometry parameters, bending and wear loads, and selecting appropriate materials for worm mechanisms with good accuracy has been developed.
A mathematical model for predicting the peeling efficiency of a cassava peeler was developed usin... more A mathematical model for predicting the peeling efficiency of a cassava peeler was developed using a dimensional analysis based on Buckingham' s pi theorem. The model was validated using data from experimental studies which revealed a maximum coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.8366 between the measured and predicted values. The developed model proved appropriate in estimating the peel removal efficiency for a cassava peeler by up to 83.66%. There was no significance difference between the experimental and predicted values at a 0.05 significance level.
Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGR Journal, 2020
The adaptation of some existing technologies such as sugarcane-type harvester, jute/reed-type har... more The adaptation of some existing technologies such as sugarcane-type harvester, jute/reed-type harvesters and forage harvesters for kenaf harvesting has not been successful. These machines apart from being expensive cut kenaf stems into too short fragments. Information regarding machines for kenaf harvesting is rarely found in the literature. In this work, an existing 1.65 kW brush cutter was modified and adapted for kenaf harvesting with the view to developing a low-cost machine for kenaf harvesting. The modifications made include incorporating a suitable metal guard based on the physical properties of kenaf stem and selection of an appropriate serrated blade cutting mechanism. The machine was tested on an experimental field of 3 and 4 months old kenaf plantation, and its performance was evaluated considering the effective field capacity, theoretical field capacity, field efficiency and fuel consumption. The results showed that the field efficiency of the machine ranged from 69.15 –...
The pressure required to penetrate the peels of two cassava varieties (TMS 30572 and TMS 4(2)1425... more The pressure required to penetrate the peels of two cassava varieties (TMS 30572 and TMS 4(2)1425) of about 1.5 years old, using stainless steel knives was determined. A hand held penetrometer was calibrated, its conical head was replaced by knife-edges and it was used to determine the peel penetration force. The pressure required to penetrate the peels without damage to the tubers of the two cassava varieties increased as the peel thickness and tuber diameter increased. The study also showed that for TMS 30572 cassava variety, at knife-edge thickness 1.5 mm, the peel penetration pressure obtained ranged from 2.20 to 3.65 N/mm . Also, 2
The work evaluates the effect of firing temperature on the mechanical properties of ceramic tiles... more The work evaluates the effect of firing temperature on the mechanical properties of ceramic tiles. This was with the view to determine the optimum processing condition for Osun State ceramic tiles. Ceramic raw materials collected from Osun State were batched using clay-feldspar-silica sand blending ratio of 5:4:1, 5:3:2, 5:2:3, 5:1:4, 6:3:1, 6:2:2, 6:1:3, 7:2:1, 7:1:2 and 8:1:1 by weight; and homogeneously mixed. Three replica samples were moulded by the method of dry forming, fired at 1200, 1300 and 1400 oC and subjected to breaking and flexural strength tests using the Universal Testing Machine while the hardness test was carried out on a Moh’s scale. The results showed that breaking strength, flexural strength and Moh’s hardness fell within the range 199.43 to 325 N, 11.97 to 19.50 N/mm2 and 2.5 to 4 MH respectively, while Figures revealed that samples with 60% clay, 10% feldspar and 30% silica sand fired at 1320 oC will process the best mechanical properties. In conclusion, cera...
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, 2007
This paper presents the development of an interactive program (called SSTDD) to solve two-dimensi... more This paper presents the development of an interactive program (called SSTDD) to solve two-dimensional conduction heat transfer equations in a square domain using the finite-difference method. The development of the tool (based on a computer-aided design package), on a Visual BASIC 6.0 platform, involved the application of the heat transfer equations and the appropriate boundary conditions to a square domain. The finite-difference method was used to express the elliptic differential equation in a form suitable for numerical solution. The system of linear equations generated was solved by the Gauss–Seidel iterative technique. The SSTDD model was tested by using problems solved by conventional analytical techniques. The results generated by the model and the analytical method were in good agreement. Hence the model can be used to solve practical engineering problems, with good accuracy, and also as a demonstration tool to students in the area of design and heat transfer of mechanical e...
The study evaluated the effect of soaking time on some selected engineering properties of black-e... more The study evaluated the effect of soaking time on some selected engineering properties of black-eye pea and brown beans cowpea variety with a view to providing the necessary data that will aid the design and development of some specific process equipment such as size reduction, cleaning, sorting and grading machines as well as storage components and facilities . Mature seeds procured from the market were manually cleaned and soaked in water at room temperature within the range of 27-31 0 C for 2minutes, 4minutes, 6minutes, 8minutes and 10minutes and the selected response parameters observed. The results showed that length, width, thickness, geometric mean diameter, mass, aspect ratio and surface area increased non-linearly from 8.10mm to 12.00mm, 5.28mm to 7.89mm, 5.23m to 6.91mm, 6.20mm to 8.05mm, 0.33g to 0.52g, 0.71 to 0.77, and 132.70mm 2 and 134.69mm 2 respectively as soaking time increased for black-eye pea; while for brown beans variety the results showed that length, width, ...
Cam is a mechanical component that transforms circular motion to reciprocating motion by using ma... more Cam is a mechanical component that transforms circular motion to reciprocating motion by using mating component, called the follower. The principal aim of this work was to study and analyse the displacement of a cam-follower with Regula Falsi method and verify its input by using MATLAB and FORTRAN simulations. A study was conducted on angle of rotation and the displacement of the follower, which is equal to the radius of the cam given as transcendental equation to find the exact solution. The parameters such as initial guess, final guess, iteration counter and the desired displacement are involved in finding the angular displacement to the cam system in high speed rotation. The analysis was done using a computer programming that enables verification of the results obtained and ascertaining whether the inputs are correct or not for the displacement in cam follower system. The computer output showed results of the two data sets that yielded solutions and two that did not. The results ...
In many parts of the world there is a growing awareness that renewable energy has an important ro... more In many parts of the world there is a growing awareness that renewable energy has an important role to play in extending technology to the farmers in developing countries to increase their productivity. Solar thermal technology is rapidly gaining acceptance as an energy saving technology in agriculture application. This article presents the design, construction and performance evaluation of a solar dryer for food preservation. In the dryer, heated air from a separate solar collector is passed through beds of grains. The design of the dryer makes provision for the attachment of additional mirrors on two opposite sides of the solar collection chamber. Overall, the dryer is of simple design, cost effective, and made from affordable available materials and require little or no skills for its fabrication and operation. The results obtained fromtests carried out on the dryer revealed that the temperatures inside the drying chamber and the solar collector were highest when the side mirrors...
Clay, feldspar and silica sand are important industrial minerals which often need treatment commo... more Clay, feldspar and silica sand are important industrial minerals which often need treatment commonly known as beneficiation to improve the quality of ceramic tiles produced from these materials. The different minerals, after sorting, were treated separately in distilled water, alcohol and hydrochloric acid before being crushed in a ball mill; they were then characterized using a pelletron accelerator. The results show an increased silicon content for clay, silica sand and feldspar; and reduced aluminum content for clay and silica sand but not for feldspar. Iron impurity and its oxide are also shown to reduce by over 50% in all the minerals while potassium was found to be the dominant element in feldspar among the defining elements. In conclusion, the increased quartz in the mineral will improve the hardness, density, porosity, and rigidity of ceramic tiles as well as providing support and controlling shrinkage. Furthermore, increasing the mineral quotient in feldspar will enhance it...
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