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- ItemAssessment 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, IOPredicting 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.
- ItemCHARACTERIZATION 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.
- ItemDEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A THREEROW MULTI-GRAIN PLANTER(NIGERIA JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES (NJEAS, 2024) Busari, R. A; Alabi, K. P; Adebayo, K. R; Gbadamosi, B. S & Oluwatobi, O.SMechanization has revolutionized farming practices by facilitating timely operations, reducing losses, and cutting operational costs, ultimately enhancing agricultural productivity. The rising demand for functional and affordable planters, coupled with the inability of Nigerian farmers to afford imported planters, highlights the need to develop locally produced planters to address the primary limitations and obstacles faced with existing planting equipment and systems, such as low efficiency, labour intensity, safety concerns, and soil compaction issues. The study focused on the design and fabrication of a three-row push-type multipurpose planter using locally available materials. The aim was to address the specific needs and challenges faced by rural and medium-scale farmers. The performance of the developed planter was evaluated through both laboratory and field tests. The laboratory assessment aimed to measure the rate of seed discharge and assess seed damage during operation, while the field test sought to gauge field efficiency and throughput capacity of the developed machine. Results from both tests indicated promising outcomes. The three-row planter discharged seeds; maize weighing 4.67 to 4.71 g, soybean ranging from 10.65 to 10.89 g, and cowpea weighing from 4.07 to 4.69 g while effectively metering out two to three seeds per discharge at an average planting depth of 3.88 cm. Minimal seed damage was recorded, with percentages of 1.07% for maize, 0.92% for soybeans, and 0.71% for sorghum. Field tests revealed a commendable field efficiency of 73.5% and an average field capacity of 0.188 ha/hr., Hence, the designed planter is simple to operate, portable, easy to maintain., and it has the potential to alleviate the challenges faced by farmers in rural areas.
- ItemRapid Composting Using a Novel Agricultural Waste Shredder(FUOYE Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2024-03) Rasheed A. Busari, Kehinde P. Alabi, Raheef K. Adebayo, and Juwon O. DadaAgricultural waste causes social and environmental pollution, affecting global health. Converting agricultural waste to organic manure reduces the problems of pollution. Existing machine used in conversion has low efficiency in terms of throughput capacity and size reduction, leading to slow composting. This study focuses on the evaluation of a specially developed waste shredder for fast composting (maize straw). The machine was designed to handle substantial volumes of agricultural waste, operated at different speeds (i.e. 300, 600, 900, 1200 and 1500 rpm) and time (i.e. 0.5, 10, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 hr). The components of the machine included shredding drum equipped with three sets of blades, a feeding tray, sieve, engine seat and an outlet. Performance evaluation carried on the machine includes shredding efficiency and throughput capacity. A standardized Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to maximize efficiency varying the operational speeds and shredding time. Results showed achieved maximum shredding efficiency of 91% and maximum throughput capacity of 585 kg/hr when the machine was operated at 1,500 rpm for 1.5 hr. In addition, the machine is portable, low energy and easy to operate for any agricultural waste.
- ItemDevelopment and Performance Evaluation of a Push-Type Mechanical Weeder(Adeleke University Journal of Engineering and Technology [AUJET], 2023-12) Rasheed Amao BUSARI*, Raheef Kehinde ADEBAYO, Kehinde Peter ALABI, Kehinde Adesoye ALONGE and Lateef Ayomide SAADUDEENWeeds posed a significant threat to crop yields and causing substantial losses. The traditional method of weed control is not only labor-intensive but also timeconsuming. On the other hand, chemical weeds control has raised concerns due to its negative impact on the environment and human health. As the agricultural sector strives to meet consumer demands for high-quality, safe food products, there is a growing need for non-chemical weeds control solutions. Therefore, manually operated weeder was designed, fabricated, and tested in an experimental field to operate on deltaic terrain. The weeder is powered by a 1 hp petrol engine with an operating speed of 1130 rpm and equipped with 4 L-shaped standard cutting blades. The depth and width of the cut of the blades are 30 and 350 mm, respectively. During the machine test, the field location had well-drained soil classified as sandy loam with compositions of 76% sand, 7.28% silt, and 15.95% clay. The moisture content was 18%wb. Field tests conducted showed that the weeder had a field capacity of 0.016h/hr. and a weeding efficiency of 80.51%. The performance evaluation of the weeder at the tested average operating speed of 0.036m/s. The machine was designed to be simple and easy to maintain, and its overall cost of fabrication was ₦154,500, making it affordable for ordinary Nigerian farmers.