DEPARTMENT OF THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Conventional heat exchangers face a fundamental trade-off between thermal effectiveness and hydraulic performance. Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS), enabled by Additive Manufacturing, present a promising solution, offering high surface-to-volume ratios and complex internal geometries that promote enhanced flow mixing and heat transfer. This research details the design and numerical analysis of a heat exchanger utilizing a Gyroid TPMS core. The primary objective was to assess its
thermal-hydraulic performance using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and benchmark it against a conventional plate-type exchanger.

Enhancing the thermal performance of building envelopes is crucial for improving energy efficiency and indoor comfort. This study examines how different material combinations influence heat transfer through composite walls. To achieve this, we conducted both theoretical calculations and ANSYS simulations, analyzing various wall configurations. The study focused on steady-state heat transfer, considering conduction and convection while neglecting the first convective resistance. We tested multiple material setups, including Dense and Medium Dense Hollow Concrete Blocks, Fiber Glass Insulation, Rock Wool, Polystyrene Foam, Air Cavity, Agba Wood, and Mahogany. The analysis was carried out under controlled conditions, with an outer surface temperature of 35°C, an inner fluid temperature of 25°C, and a convective heat transfer coefficient of 25 W/m²·K at the inner surface. Our findings offer valuable insights into selecting materials that can optimize building envelopes, reduce heat transfer, and enhance indoor thermal comfort. This research contributes to the development of more energy-efficient and sustainable building designs

Clean water is a very vital aspect of human survival and sustainability. This project focuses on improving the mini water treatment plant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Benin. The system is designed to improve the quality of drinking water being produced meeting the WHO standard for Nigerian drinking water. The project involves looking into the issues with the previous design and recommending the best solution that will address those issues. This includes system redesign and replacement of complex components with simpler user-friendly component. The report also addresses various kinds of water treatment method both past and present, their advantages and disadvantages and how the various water treatment methods have evolved over time. The results shows the efficiency of each component in the line of purification and the effect of improving the system as tests were carried out on six samples on different points along the line of purification. This project has not only enhanced drinking water quality but can also serve as a small-scale water treatment system for rural areas and areas that lack access to potable water

Increasing demand for wood and fossil fuel which have limited availability has, over the years, contributed majorly in environmental pollution. The availability of energy for cooking remains a major concern in developing countries and cooking is a daily household activity. The negative environmental effect of wood and fossil fuel necessitates inquest for an alternative energy source that is sustainable. Biogas, over the years of research has shown
favorable characteristics which make it an excellent option as an alternative fuel source. However, more research has to be made into designing and developing devices or appliances that utilize the biogas efficiently. This study details the design and fabrication of a biogas
stove for domestic use with rural communities of developing countries such as Nigeria in mind focusing on characteristics such as efficiency, simplicity and cost-friendliness of the design. The biogas stove consists of the following major components: burner head, mixing
tube, the injector burner support, etc. The Bernoulli’s theorem was used to derive the flow rate of gas as well as key design dimensions to maintain this flow rate. The biogas stove was fabricated using stainless steel for the burner head, mild steel for the mixing chamber and a
brass alloy for the injector component. The material selected were chosen based on considerations given to corrosion, local availability and then cost. The clearance between the cooking pot and the burner head is 45mm, while the clearance between the flame ports is 5mm. The injector is connected to the mixing chamber which tapers down to the throat diameter of 14.7mm which is maintained as the diameter of the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber is connected to the burner head which is a cylindrical component with a top having 32 burner ports each of 3mm diameter drilled into it, from which the gas can be ignited. The result of three water boiling tests places the heating efficiency of the stove at 58.51%

The importance of steel cannot be over-emphasized, especially in the field of agricultural planting, harvesting and processing. Medium-carbon steel being more prevalent in use for tool steel and machine parts was adopted for this study. This research was aimed at investigating the mechanical properties (hardness and impact strength) as well as wear and corrosion resistance of medium carbon steel for producing agricultural farm implements, thus, microstructure analysis was also carried out for further investigation. The medium carbon steel as received was prepared in line with every ASTM standard procedure through sizing, cutting and cleaning before heat treatment. During hardening, the prepared specimens were heated in an electric furnace for a soaking time of one hour, thirty minutes, and then quenched with water for approximately 30 minutes. Afterwards, samples were then used exclusively for the hardness, impact strength, wearing resistance and corrosion resistance in line with ASTM specification. After conducting the hardness test, an approximate hardness for the treated material is 2092.4 N/mm2 as compared to the “as-received” value that was 1307.6 N/mm2 ; thereby indicating a significant increase in the hardness of the material. Impact test conducted gave an approximated result of 14.7 J; thereby depicting the energy absorption capability of this medium carbon steel alloy. Wear rate of approximately 25 % was reduced for the hardened medium carbon steel in comparison to the untreated steel. After testing for corrosion resistance of the steel in a corrosive acidic chloride environment, results obtained showed that the heat treatment process enhanced corrosion resistance of the medium carbon steel samples in the medium. The micrographs obtained showed that the grain boundaries of this material were xiii greatly attacked by this environment. The corrosion product at these grain boundaries were suspected to be precipitates of metallic inclusion.

The aim of this project is the modelling and simulation of GT13E2 combined cycle gas turbine with the aid
of the software EBSILON PROFESSIONAL, and carrying out analysis on solar retrofit. The design mode was modeled using guaranteed performance data from the plant, in the off design, temperature variation at inlet to compressor and other analysis were carried out. The model results were validated by comparing the actual operating data using error percentage analysis. The validation results obtained ranged from -0.0038% to 0% in design condition, while the results varied from -0.9202% to 10.24%. From the research, we can conclude that as ambient temperature increases, the mass flow rate of air reduces and as such this reduces the power that can be developed in the gas turbine. Also, since the energy available in the flue gas from the gas turbine is reduced at higher ambient temperature, the power developed in the steam turbine reduces also. At higher ambient temperature, the overall cycle efficiency decreases.
In order to maintain the design exhaust temperature, extra fuel has to be burned to extend the combustion
process. The results achieved from the simulation of solar boosting revealed that as mass flow of solar steam
increases, power developed in the steam turbine increases. However since the HRSG is a heat sensitive
component, the limit to the amount of solar steam that can be added is 3Kg/s. If extra mass of water is
added, issues will arise in the most critical part of the HRSG which is the evaporator. If the energy available
at the location of the evaporator is not enough, steam would not be generated hence the steam cycle would
fail. From the analysis and simulation of the High pressure solar boosting and the Low pressure solar boosting, we can conclude that the highest extra power generated in the high pressure solar boosting is 3.2 MW while that of low pressure solar boosting is 1.7 MW, hence high pressure solar boosting is the best configuration.

This report provides a thorough examination of optimizing wind turbine blade design to enhance energy capture and blade efficiency. The study delves into innovative design strategies, computational modelling techniques, and advanced optimization algorithms to maximize blade performance. Through numerical simulations, parametric studies, and sensitivity analyses, the research aims to pinpoint key design parameters that
significantly influence energy capture and blade efficiency. The results underscore the critical roles of aerodynamic performance, structural integrity, and material selection in optimizing wind turbine blade design. By utilizing cutting-edge tools and methodologies, the study showcases how incorporating advanced technologies can lead to significant enhancements in energy production and overall turbine performance. The
insights gleaned from this research have the potential to shape future advancements in wind energy technology, fostering more efficient and sustainable renewable energy solutions.

Robots are becoming more relevant across multiple industries; therefore, it is important for engineers to innovate in all aspects of this technology. This Project explores the concept of inverse kinematic control in robotics, its significance, difficulties and explores a solution using Neural networks. It presents an analysis of the forward kinematics of various robot arms-using the Denavit -Hartenberg method- as a way to generate the data set for training and testing the Neural network, until a suitable performance benchmark was reached.
The information on the robot arms that were analyzed was gotten from manufacturers publications, open to the public. Some of the robot arms considered includes; ABB IRB 1600; a 6dof robot arm, FANUC LR Mate 200iC; a 6dof robot arm, The Universal Robots UR10; a 6dof robot arm, among others. This project considers one of the simplest machine learning models for regression analysis, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) The trained model displayed high accuracy in predicting the suitable joint angles, with all trained models having a R squared value above 0.70

To understand the popularity of electric vehicles circa 1900, it is also important to understand the development of the personal vehicle and the other options available. At the turn of the 20th century, the horse was still the primary mode of transportation. Steam emerged as a reliable energy source with a proven track record, notably powering factories and locomotives. In the late 1700s, steam also played a role in some of the earliest self-propelled vehicles. However, despite its early adoption in various applications, it wasn't until the 1870s that steam technology began to gain traction in the automotive industry. One significant reason for the delayed adoption of steam technology in cars was its impracticality for personal vehicles. Steam-powered vehicles faced several challenges that hindered their widespread use. For instance, they required considerable startup times, often up to 45 minutes, particularly in cold conditions. Additionally, steam vehicles needed frequent refilling with water, which imposed limitations on their range and practicality for everyday use.These drawbacks underscored the challenges associated with steam-powered cars and contributed to their eventual decline in favor of alternative propulsion methods, such as internal combustion engines and electric motors, which offered greater convenience and efficiency for personal transportation. As electric vehicles came onto the market, so did a new type of vehicle, the gasoline-powered car thanks to improvements to the internal combustion engine in the 1800s. Although gasolinepowered vehicles had potential, they were not without problems. They took a lot of human labor to operate because shifting gears was a difficult operation, and starting them required turning a hand crank, which some drivers found challenging. Gasoline-powered vehicles were also notorious for their noisy engines and nasty exhaust. (TOTAL ENERGIES, 2020) In contrast, electric cars did not suffer from the issues associated with steam or gasoline vehicles. They were quiet, easy to drive, and did not emit the noxious pollutants characteristic of other cars of the time. Consequently, electric cars rapidly gained popularity among urban residents, particularly women. They proved ideal for short journeys within the city, especially considering the poor road conditions outside urban areas, which limited the travel range of all types of vehicles. (Nilesh Wani, 2020)

The unending evolution of technology has led to innovations in everyday facilities, and restroom infrastructure isn’t left out. This project focuses on the DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN AUTOMATED TOILET for the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Benin. This automated toilet integrates automation, hygiene, and efficiency-enhancing features to improve user experience, environmental sustainability, and operational convenience.
The system incorporates a limit switch which sends signal to the modified autoflush device whenever a user opens the door, contactless flushing, odor detection, water efficiency mechanisms, enhanced hygiene protocols and a automated lock which incorporates both biometrics and a card reader to enforce access control. The design process involved conceptualization, material selection, fabrication, and performance testing. All ensuring optimal functionality in the university environment. The Testing results indicated that the automated toilet performed efficiently, with responsive automation and reliable hygiene features being implemented to foster a contactless user experience. The implementation of this system demonstrates the potential of automated restroom solutions in the enhancement of sanitation, water wastage, while also providing a modern, user-friendly facility. Some future improvements could include ultrasonic sensors for higher precision, improved water conservation strategies, and also more compact design elements. This project highlights the role of automated technology and modification in modern sanitation and its potential for broader applications in both public and private facilities.