Department of Food and Agricultural Engineering

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A SIMPLE SLOW-SAND FILTER FOR DRINKING WATER PURIFICATION
(Arid Zone Journal of Engineering, Technology and Environment, 2017-04) K. O. Yusuf, K. R. Adebayo and I. E. Onah
Water-borne diseases are commonly encountered when pathogen-contaminated water is consumed. In rural areas, water is usually obtained from ponds, open shallow wells, streams and rain water during rainy season. Rain water is often contaminated by pathogens due to unhygienic of physical and chemical conditions of the roofs thereby making it unsafe for consumption. A simple slow sand filter mechanism was designed and fabricated for purification of water in rural areas where electricity is not available to power water purification devices. Rain water samples were collected from aluminum roof, galvanized roof and thatched roof. The waters samples were allowed to flow through the slow sand filter. The values of turbidity, total dissolved solids, calcium, nitrite, faecal coliform and total coliform from unfiltered water through thatched roof were 0.92 NTU, 27.23 mg/l, 6 mg/l, 0.16 mg/l, 5cfu/100ml and 6.0 cfu/100ml, respectively while the corresponding values for slow sand filter from thatched roof were 0.01 NTU, 0.23 mg/l, 2.5 mg/l, 0.1 mg/l, 0 cfu/100ml and 0 cfu/100ml, respectively. The values of turbidity, total dissolved solid, nitrite, calcium, faecal coliform and total coliform from unfiltered water for aluminum roof were 0.82 NTU, 23.68 mg/l, 2.70 mg/l, 1.0 mg/l, 4 cfu/100ml and 4cfu/100ml, respectively while the corresponding values for slow sand filter were 0.01 NTU, 0.16 mg/l, 0.57 mg/l, 0.2 mg/l, 0 cfu/100ml and 0 cfu/100ml, respectively. The values obtained for galvanized roof were also satisfactory. The slow sand filter is recommended for used in rural areas for water purification to prevent risk of water-borne diseases.
An Insight into a Sustainable Removal of Bisphenol A from Aqueous Solution by Novel Palm Kernel Shell Magnetically Induced Biochar Synthesis Characterization
(MDPI, 2021-10-31) Katibi Kamil Kayode
Recently Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the persistent trace hazardous estrogenic contaminants in the environment, that can trigger a severe threat to humans and environment even at minuscule concentrations. Thus, this work focused on the synthesis of neat and magnetic biochar (BC) as a sustainable and inexpensive adsorbent to remove BPA from aqueous environment. Novel magnetic biochar was efficiently synthesized by utilizing palm kernel shell, using ferric chloride and ferrous chloride as magnetic medium via chemical co-precipitation technique. In this experimental study, the influence of operating factors comprising contact time (20–240 min), pH (3.0–12.0), adsorbent dose (0.2–0.8 g), and starting concentrations of BPA (8.0–150 ppm) were studied in removing BPA during batch adsorption system using neat biochar and magnetic biochar. It was observed that the magnetically loaded BC demonstrates superior maximum removal efficiency of BPA with 94.2%, over the neat biochar. The functional groups (FTIR), Zeta potential, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), surface and textural properties (BET), surface morphology, and mineral constituents (FESEM/EDX), and chemical composition (XRD) of the adsorbents were examined. The experimental results demonstrated that the sorption isotherm and kinetics were suitably described by pseudo-second-order model and Freundlich model, respectively. By studying the adsorption mechanism, it was concluded that - electron acceptor–donor interaction (EAD), hydrophobic interaction, and hydrogen bond were the principal drives for the adsorption of BPA onto the neat BC and magnetic BC.
An overview of recent advances in cooling techniques for fresh fruits and vegetables
(2024-03) Kehinde Peter Alabi
Postharvest cooling techniques applied for fresh fruits and vegetables (FFVs) have received considerable research efforts in the recent years. The research efforts have been geared towards reducing respiration rate, weight loss, and water loss during cooling whilst reducing field heat and microbial activity in FFVs. Some recent advances including the application of disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide (ClO2), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) in hydrocooling, modification of air flow pattern and vent design during forced air cooling, and integration of vacuum cooling with modified atmosphere system have been applied as effective methods in reducing respiration rate and weight loss, producing enhanced quality of cooled fruits and vegetables. However, information on the recent advances in cooling techniques of FFVs would be of great benefits to the food engineers and food industries
APPLICATION OF MAIZE STARCH-PEANUT SHELL NANOCOMPOSITE PACKAGING ON MUSHROOM UNDER VARYING MOISTURE, THICKNESS, AND COLD STORAGE
(Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Science, 2023) Adeshina Fadeyibi; Kehinde Peter Alabi; Mary Fadeyibi; Taiwo Olusola Asaniyi
In this research, a maize starch-peanut shell nanocomposite film was applied to package mushroom under varying moisture, thickness, and cold temperature conditions. The film was developed by congealing 18 g starch, 0.38 g peanut nanoparticles, 16 g glycerol in 300 ml distilled water at 70oC, and its thermal, mechanical, barrier and microstructural behaviors were determined using standard methods. The film was applied to package oyster mushroom by varying the thickness (5– 10 mm) and moisture content (77.18 –91.14 %, wb) of the product, and thereafter storing it under 4– 8 oC cold temperature condition. The results revealed ~ 5% weight fraction degradation at ≤ 310 oC with endothermic peaks occurring at 250 oC and 400 oC, which corresponds to phase transition points where the film was thermally stable. The deformation pattern of the film at atomic level mimics a natural plastic material, with a heterogeneous particle size distribution across the film matrix. The permeability coefficients were 0.68× 10-10, 2.10× 10-10 and 14.0× 10-10 cm3 (STP) cm/cm2scm Hg for nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon-dioxide, gases, respectively. Also, the microbial load of the packaged product significantly decreased with an increase pH, moisture, and temperature (p< 0.05). Thus, the film can be suitable for mushroom packaging.
APPLICATION OF MAIZE STARCH-PEANUT SHELL NANOCOMPOSITE PACKAGING ON MUSHROOM UNDER VARYING MOISTURE, THICKNESS, AND COLD STORAGE
(Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology, and Food Sciences, 2023-05) Adeshina Fadeyibi, Kehinde Peter Alabi, Mary Fadeyibi, Taiwo Olusola Asaniyi
In this research, a maize starch-peanut shell nanocomposite film was applied to package mushroom under varying moisture, thickness, and cold temperature conditions. The film was developed by congealing 18 g starch, 0.38 g peanut nanoparticles, 16 g glycerol in 300 ml distilled water at 70oC, and its thermal, mechanical, barrier and microstructural behaviors were determined using standard methods. The film was applied to package oyster mushroom by varying the thickness (5– 10 mm) and moisture content (77.18 –91.14 %, wb) of the product, and thereafter storing it under 4– 8 oC cold temperature condition. The results revealed ~ 5% weight fraction degradation at ≤ 310 oC with endothermic peaks occurring at 250 oC and 400 oC, which corresponds to phase transition points where the film was thermally stable. The deformation pattern of the film at atomic level mimics a natural plastic material, with a heterogeneous particle size distribution across the film matrix. The permeability coefficients were 0.68× 10-10, 2.10× 10-10 and 14.0× 10-10 cm3 (STP) cm/cm2scm Hg for nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon-dioxide, gases, respectively. Also, the microbial load of the packaged product significantly decreased with an increase pH, moisture, and temperature (p< 0.05). Thus, the film can be suitable for mushroom packaging.
ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON TIDAL LEVEL RISE FOR LAGOS COASTAL AREA USING STATISTICAL METHODS
(UMUDIKE JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (UJET), 2016-06) Salami A. W.,Ikpee O. D., and Adebayo K. R.
This paper presents an evaluation of the impacts of climate change on tidal level rise in the coastal area of Lagos State. The meteorological data such as air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, rainfall and tidal level rise were obtained from Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET),Oshodi spanning a period of 1992-2013. The meteorological parameters were subjected to statistical analysis to obtain the maximum, minimum, mean values, standard deviation, variance, coefficient of variation, coefficient of skewness values. Autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) was also adopted to fit the parameters by considering the Tidal level rise as the dependent variable while other parameters were the independent variables. The analysis revealed the value of correlation coefficient as 0.64, which is an indication of a good fit. The relationship between the predicted tidal level rise and other meteorological factors shows a downward trend with temperature and wind, while an upward trend were exhibited between the predicted tidal level rise with rainfall and relative humidity. The relationship of predicted tidal level rise with time shows an upward trend, which implies that there is tendency for increase in tidal level rise in future. The Pearson type III distribution revealed return period of 23 and 25 year for the maximum value of tidal level rise and rainfall depth of 1250mm and 368 mm respectively. The statistical distribution also revealed that tidal level rise and rainfall value of1400mm and 430mm respectively is rear.
Assessment of Using Rainfall-Runoff Model to Predict Stream-flow in Ungauged Awun River Watershed, Kwara State, Nigeria
(J. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage, 2024-10-31) ADEOGUN, AG; ALAJAGUSI, SN; ADEBAYO, KR; SAMSON, IO
Predicting streamflow for an ungauged river is essential for effective water resource management, flood risk mitigation, ecological protection, and infrastructure planning, providing critical insights despite the absence of direct measurement data. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to assess the use of a rainfall-runoff model for predicting streamflow in the ungauged Awun River Watershed, Kwara State, Nigeria. Due to the absence of measured data, regional calibration techniques were employed, utilizing data from nearby gauged river with similar hydrological characteristics. The hydrologic model predicted a peak discharge of 2164 m³/s and a total runoff volume of 19967.78 m³ during the modeling period, providing valuable insights for flood forecasting and water resource planning. Performance evaluation metrics indicated a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.54 and a Mean Error (ME) of 0.33, reflecting moderate agreement between observed and simulated runoff data. The Percent Bias (PBIAS) of 49.25% highlighted a tendency towards overestimation. Furthermore, a high R-squared (R²) value of 0.89 demonstrated that the model successfully explained 89% of the variance in observed runoff, effectively capturing the key hydrological characteristics of the Awun River watershed. This modeling framework is valuable for land-use planning, water resource management, decision-making, and flood risk assessments in the Awun River region.
BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM CASTOR BEAN SEED: AN OPTIMIZATION PROCESS USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY
(Valahia University Press, Targoviste, Romania., 2017) Olaoye, Joshua Olanrewaju; Busari Rasheed Amao
Castor plant grows naturally in the wild over a wide range of geographical regions in Nigeria and it has an oilseed which has no much use. Production of biodiesel from this oil bearing plant offers potential of converting this waste seed that contain between 35 to 55 % of oil to useful product that is environmental friendly. In this study, the effects of process variables such as reaction time and reaction temperature on the transesterification of the castor oil to biodiesel were investigated. Methanol with potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a homogenous catalyst was used for the transesterification process at a different reaction temperature of 500C, 550C, 600C, 650C and 700C while reaction time was varied from 0.5 to 2.5 hours and the corresponding volume of the biodiesel produced were recorded for each of the variations. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) results of the Response Surface Methodology showed that the quadratic coefficients were significant (p = 0.05). The R2 and R2 adj. value of 0.9594 and 0.9304 respectively indicated that the regression model was a good one and verification experiment confirmed the validity of the predicted model. The experimental results suggested the optimal condition of 65 °C and 1.87hours; reaction temperature and time respectively to achieve a maximum biodiesel yield of 96.2%. In addition the fuel properties of the biodiesel produced which include; specific gravity, density, kinematic viscosity, pH, ash content, carbon content, acid value, flash point, fire point and calorific value were investigated and compared with the standards.
Characteristics of Onion under Different Process Pretreatments and Different Drying Conditions
(Journal of Food Processing and Technology, 2016-07-19) Alabi KP, Olaniyan AM and Odewole MM
Introduction: Onion (Allium cepa) is an important spice crop often grown outdoors in temperate climates as an annual crop because of its adaptability to varying weather conditions. It is an underground vegetable which varies in size colour, firmness and strength of flavour. Onion is often called “poor man’s orange” because it is a good source of vitamins, particularly Vitamin A and C. It is also a rich source of minerals such as iron, thiamine, niacin and manganese contents. Onion is said to be very useful against heart diseases and many bacterial species including bacillus subtilis, salmoneva, and E. coli. This vegetable crop is highly perishable in its natural state after harvest resulting in huge postharvest losses during storage, transportation and marketing in the production season and extreme scarcity in the off-season which can be checked by drying. Material and methods: The main materials used were 192 samples of pre-treatment and 10 samples of untreated (control) fresh onion. Others equipments used were temperature controlled dryer, sensitive weighing balance, water baths (Shell Lab Model and HH-W420, XMTD-204 Model), thermo-hygrometer, desiccators, desiccants, stop watch, onion slicer, stainless tray, foil wrap, conical flask, measuring cylinder, NaCl and distil water. Agarry and AOAC methods were used for quantitative analysis and nutritional analysis respectively. Statistical analysis of all data obtained was done. Results: Results showed that drying rate, water loss, solid gain, vitamin C, manganese and iron contents varied with different levels of OSC, OPD and OST at p ≤ 0.05. However, drying rate, water loss, solid gain and all the quality parameters were influenced by all the process parameters. Where; OSC = Osmotic solution concentration OST = Osmotic solution temperature OPD = Osmotic process duration Conclusion: Osmotic dehydration pretreatments had significant effect on process outputs (drying rate, water loss, solid gain, vitamin C, manganese and iron content of onions
CHARACTERIZATION AND DETERMINATION OF OPTIMUM BLENDING RATIO OF BLENDED WATERMELON SEED OIL METHYL ESTER
(Published by School of Infrastructure, Process Engineering and Technology (SIPET) and the School of Electrical Engineering and Technology (SEET) of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria, 2024) Busari R. A; Adebayo K. R; Alabi K. P
Watermelon fruit contains large amounts of seeds, which are underutilized in Nigeria. The seeds contain about 22% oil, which can be used as vegetable oil or as feedstock for biodiesel to power agricultural machineries. This study explored the physicochemical properties of watermelon biodiesel, crucial for understanding its suitability for various applications. The research demonstrated that watermelon biodiesel meets specified standards such as ASTM D-6751 and EN-14214, ensuring its viability for widespread use. Post-transesterification, the viscosity of raw watermelon oil decreases, though it remains notably higher than that of conventional diesel fuel. Moreover, watermelon biodiesel blends ranging from B5 to B25 comply with diverse specification standards, further validating its utility. Despite reductions in density, specific gravity, and flash point after transesterification, these values remain higher compared to diesel fuel. The study developed regression equations to forecast properties at varying blending ratios, indicating strong correlations between biodiesel properties and blending percentages. Notably, the derived equations exhibited high coefficient of regression values (0.8389 for density, 0.9317 for kinematic viscosity, 0.9669 for flash point, 0.9702 for specific gravity, and 0.9025 for calorific value), highlighting the reliability of predictions. Based on standard compliance considerations, a blending ratio of up to 25% was recommended as optimal for achieving desired properties in watermelon biodiesel blends.
CHARACTERIZATION AND DETERMINATION OF OPTIMUM BLENDING RATIO OF BLENDED WATERMELON SEED OIL
(NIGERIAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES (NJEAS), 2024) Busari R. A.; Adebayo K. R.; Alabi K. P.
Watermelon fruit contains large amounts of seeds, which are underutilized in Nigeria. The seeds contain about 22% oil, which can be used as vegetable oil or as feedstock for biodiesel to power agricultural machineries. This study explored the physicochemical properties of watermelon biodiesel, crucial for understanding its suitability for various applications. The research demonstrated that watermelon biodiesel meets specified standards such as ASTM D-6751 and EN-14214, ensuring its viability for widespread use. Post-transesterification, the viscosity of raw watermelon oil decreases, though it remains notably higher than that of conventional diesel fuel. Moreover, watermelon biodiesel blends ranging from B5 to B25 comply with diverse specification standards, further validating its utility. Despite reductions in density, specific gravity, and flash point after transesterification, these values remain higher compared to diesel fuel. The study developed regression equations to forecast properties at varying blending ratios, indicating strong correlations between biodiesel properties and blending percentages. Notably, the derived equations exhibited high coefficient of regression values (0.8389 for density, 0.9317 for kinematic viscosity, 0.9669 for flash point, 0.9702 for specific gravity, and 0.9025 for calorific value), highlighting the reliability of predictions. Based on standard compliance considerations, a blending ratio of up to 25% was recommended as optimal for achieving desired properties in watermelon biodiesel blends.
CHARACTERIZATION AND DETERMINATION OF OPTIMUM BLENDING RATIO OF BLENDED WATERMELON SEED OIL METHYL ESTER
(NIGERIAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES (NJEAS), 2024) Busari R. A; Adebayo K. R; & Alabi K. P.
Watermelon fruit contains large amounts of seeds, which are underutilized in Nigeria. The seeds contain about 22% oil, which can be used as vegetable oil or as feedstock for biodiesel to power agricultural machineries. This study explored the physicochemical properties of watermelon biodiesel, crucial for understanding its suitability for various applications. The research demonstrated that watermelon biodiesel meets specified standards such as ASTM D-6751 and EN-14214, ensuring its viability for widespread use. Post-transesterification, the viscosity of raw watermelon oil decreases, though it remains notably higher than that of conventional diesel fuel. Moreover, watermelon biodiesel blends ranging from B5 to B25 comply with diverse specification standards, further validating its utility. Despite reductions in density, specific gravity, and flash point after transesterification, these values remain higher compared to diesel fuel. The study developed regression equations to forecast properties at varying blending ratios, indicating strong correlations between biodiesel properties and blending percentages. Notably, the derived equations exhibited high coefficient of regression values (0.8389 for density, 0.9317 for kinematic viscosity, 0.9669 for flash point, 0.9702 for specific gravity, and 0.9025 for calorific value), highlighting the reliability of predictions. Based on standard compliance considerations, a blending ratio of up to 25% was recommended as optimal for achieving desired properties in watermelon biodiesel blends.
Characterization of Cassava Starch-Zinc Nanocomposite Film for Food Packaging
(Elsevier, 2022) Adeshina Fadeyibi
Performance of a pure thermoplastic film can be enhanced by adding nanoparticles of the size ranging 1–100 nm for application in food packaging. This research was carried out to develop a nanocomposite by mechanically homogenizing different proportions of cassava starch (1000 g), glycerol (45–55%, w/w), and zinc nanocomposites (0–2%, w/w). A dispersed mixture of 24 g of these products was then mixed with distilled water (600 ml) and heated for 30 min at boiling temperature to form a thermoplastic solution. The film was formed in different sizes (15, 16, and 17 µm thickness) by casting the solution on a 350 mm ×180 mm plastic mold of different depths (8, 10, and 12 mm). The performance of the film, including barrier, thermal, and structural properties was determined using standard methods. The results showed that the oxygen and water vapor decreased with the thickness and increased with the concentration of the glycerol. Plastic d-spacing increased with an increase in thickness, and this might indicate the ability of the material to intercalate and exfoliate at some points during a prolonged packaging application. It might also indicate the short-range order of the material constituents in the film for a better service performance. A small degradation of the film was observed between 30 °C and 60 °C. This indicated that the film was thermally stable and might be suitable for packaging applications, especially in the tropical climes. The information of the characterized attributes and optimization of the cassava starch zinc-nanocomposite films justified their alternative application to pure thermoplastic and conventional films for food packaging.
CHARACTERIZATION OF CASTOR BIODIESEL BLENDED WITH CONVENTIONAL DIESEL FUELS.
(Published by Nigerian Instituttion of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), 2020) Rasheed Amao Busari; Joshua Olanrewaju Olaoye; Adeshina Fadeyibi; Timothy Denen Akpenpuun; Murtala Olayode Iyanda; Segun Emmanuel Adebayo
Compression Ignition Engines have proved its usefulness in agriculture, transportation, and power sector. In this research, the physicochemical properties of different blends of castor biodiesel were compared with conventional diesel fuel. Samples of the castor biodiesel prepared using transesterification process were blended with the conventional biodiesel in different mixed ratios, namely B5, B10, B15, B20, B25,B50 to B100. The physicochemical properties, including density, flash point and kinematic viscosity were determined following standard and international procedures (ASTM). Results show that the B100 has higher density, kinematic viscosity and flash point compared to the conventional diesel at 280 °C. But the calorific value was lower in comparison. A gradual decrease in the density, flash point and kinetic viscosity were observed with a decrease in the biodiesel blends from B100 to B5. This implies that the castor biodiesel can be used as a close substitute for the conventional diesel fuel and has substantial advantages, especially in area of greenhouse control and energy security.
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF AFRICAN OIL BEAN SEED DEHULLER
(Arid Zone Journal of Engineering, Technology and Environment, Faculty of Engineering University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, 2018) Adeshina Fadeyibi; Mohammed Gana Yisa; Olawale S. Oladeji
Dehulling is a unit operation preceding oil extraction of most agricultural products. While it is common to dehull the African oil bean seed manually, the mechanical operation of the process has not been reported. Thus, this study was undertaken to design and simulate African oil bean seed dehulling machine. The design was based on previous investigation of the physical and mechanical properties of the seed at 15 % moisture content (db), including average breaking force of the seed (1.12 kN). Computational fluid dynamic method was used to carry out machine simulation and the effect of time of machine operation on motor torque; angular velocity and linear displacement were investigated. The design results show that a 3 HP, single phase electric motor was required to power 25 mm shaft diameter of the machine. The simulation results show that the angular velocity was high as soon as the machine commences operation, but this progressively decreases with an increase in the time of operation. The reason for this may be due to a decrease in the viscous effect of the internal wall which causes the air stream flow to slow down with a resultant drop in the relative angular velocity to the surface. This implies that the machine is practicable with performance likely to decrease with time of machine operation.
Design of a single screw extruder for homogenizing bulk solids
(Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGR Journal, 2016) Adeshina Fadeyibi; Zinash Delebo Osunde; Gbabo Agidi; Egwim Chidi Evans
The research was conducted to design a single screw extruder from locally available materials for the mixing and homogenization of bulk solids, such as the composites of cassava and yam starch-glycerol with nanoparticles. The design was made by computing the hopper outlet size, shaft diameter, screw geometry, barrel volume and the capacity of the conveyor, empirically. The stresses in the conical section of the hopper were also evaluated to assess its load requirement, thus avoiding any problem associated with the flow of materials through the hopper opening. The extruder was dynamically simulated to assess its throughput at the feeding, compression and metering zones. This was done by investigating the dynamic effect of the time of operation, with respect to the linear displacement, velocity and power, from the practical motion of the moving auger by Computational Fluid Dynamics method. The results showed that the vertical pressure acting downwards and the shear stress within the section were 37.02 and 6.44 kPa. The shaft diameter and screw geometry, which includes screw pitch and angle, were 20 and 56 mm, and 16.54o. The capacity of the extrusion conveyor and its power requirement were respectively, 18.46 tons/hour and 2.04 kW. The maximum linear displacement and velocity occur at the compression zone at every 3.03 rev/sec, which cause the bulk solid materials to melt, and are pushed by the resulting pressure into the metering zone. The relationship between the linear displacement and the time of operation obeys the power law. Consequently, a 5 hp electric motor was selected to power the single crew extruder.
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING OF A BIOGAS REACTOR FOR PRODUCTION OF BIOGAS USING CASSAVA PEEL AND COW DUNG AS BIOMASS
(Arid Zone Journal of Engineering, Technology and Environment, 2017-08-15) ALABI K.P. A. M. Olaniyan, T. T. Olawale, A. E. Adeleke and S. K. Oyeniyi
Cassava peel and cow dung have constituted to global warming worldwide because it constitutes heaps of agro-wastes that contributes immensely to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Their contributions to environmental hazards are enormous due to high production of methane gas while degrading. A methane gas can be used for domestic and industrial application if produced and refined in a biogas reactor. A biogas reactor of capacity 0.29 m3 was designed and constructed to produce biogas (methane) using dried cassava peel and cow dung biomass as substrate. The simplicity of the design aids easy loading and unloading, air tightness and operated at mesophilic temperature of 32°C and pH of 6.80. The machine consists of agitator for mixing the biomass to prevent the formation of scum, inlet pipes, valves, gas outlet, and stand, crank and pressure gauge. All components were made of galvanized steel except valves outlet and inlet pipes which was made of galvanized aluminum pipe. The criteria considered in the design of the biogas reactor included air tightness of the whole unit, mesophilic temperature, pH, nature of substrate, and substrate retention period. The biogas reactor was tested with 24 kg of dried cassava peel co-mixed with 48 kg of pasty cow dung in ratio 1:2. Daily gas yield was determined; gas pressure in the biogas reactor was measured by pressure gauge, while the ambient temperature was measured using hand held mercury-in-glass thermometer. Results show that biogas was produced after 24 days retention period at average substrate temperature and pH of 32°C and 6.80 respectively. The reactor was designed to accommodate 0.145m3 of substrate equivalent to half of the reactor volume. The reactor has a total production cost of ₦31,360 with all materials being available locally.
Design, fabrication and testing of a machine for shelling Jatropha Curcas seed.
(Published by Kwara State University Press, Nigeria, 2020) Adeshina Fadeyibi; Michael Efeturi Okolobah; Rasheed Amao Busari; Rukayat Oladipupo
Jatropha curcas is a non-edible drought-resistant seed rich in oil. The seeds are usually shelled to obtain the kernels prior to the oil extraction. This research was undertaken to design, fabricate and evaluate a sheller for jatropha seed at different moisture contents. The moisture content of the seed was varied in the range of 6.8−12.2% (wb) and the machine performance was evaluated. Empirical relationships between the machine performance and the moisture content were established. The results showed that the shelling and machine efficiencies decreased with an increase in the moisture content. A quadratic relationship was established between the cleaning efficiency and the moisture content of the seed. The data obtained are found to fit the established equations with 65% R sq. value, and so can be used for predicting the machine performance within the specified moisture range. The power required to shell the seed was found to be 1 HP, and the technology was affordable compared to the ones reported in the previous designs. The machine can therefore be used for Jatropha curcas seed shelling at different moisture contents.
Design, fabrication and testing of a machine for shelling Jatropha Curcas seed
(Technoscience Journal for Community Development in Africa, KWASU Press, 2020) Adeshina Fadeyibi; Rasheed Amao Busari; Rukayat Oladipupo
Jatropha curcas L. seed is a nonedible drought-resistant seed rich in oil. In the extraction of the oil, the seeds are shelled to obtain the kernels. Shelling manually requires so much labour and time. Thus, this research was carried out to design and evaluate the performance of the jatropha seed shelling machine so as to address the challenges with the manual method. The moisture content of the seed was varied in the range of 6.8- 12.2% (wb), and the machine performance was evaluated. The results showed that the shelling efficiency of the machine and the percentage of whole kernel recovered decreased with increase in seed moisture content; while the percentage of broken kernel, machine efficiency, and percentage of unshelled seed followed a sinusoidal trend with moisture content variation. The percentage of whole kernel recovered and shelling efficiency were 23.3% and 73% at 8.2% (wb), respectively. The machine can therefore be used for jatropha seed shelling at different moisture contents.
Design, Fabrication and Testing of a Manually Operated Locust Bean Cubing Machine
(Asian Journal of Applied Sciences, 2018) Mohammed Gana Yisa; Adeshina Fadeyibi; Salman AbdulHafeez
Background and Objective: Cubing is a process of consolidating bulk agricultural products to allow precise sizing prior to packaging and marketing. This research was undertaken to develop a locust bean cubing machine. Materials and Methods: The machine was designed to cube 2 kg of fermented locust beans with the help of a piston-connecting rod arrangement, as a conveying mechanism. A handle attached to the connecting rod provides the drive and force required for cubing and the resultant piston speed was computed empirically. Results: The results showed that the machine required a piston speed and pressure of 33 m secG1 and 25.1 kN mG2, respectively. Also, the machine was able to produce cubed locust beans of an approximate size of 0.06 m2. Conclusion: Thus, the cubing of locust beans condiment can be successfully achieved with the help of this machine.

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