DEPARTMENT OF THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

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.

This study investigates the impact of Nigeria’s tropical environment on the performance of marine diesel engines, focusing on how climatic factors such as air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and seawater temperature influence engine efficiency Nigeria’s coastal regions are characterized by consistently high temperatures, intense humidity, and seasonal rainfall variations all of which can affect combustion efficiency, cooling capacity, and fuel consumption in marine engines.

The increasing need for effective and cheap surveillance solutions across various sectors in Nigeria, including security, agriculture, environmental protection, and disaster management and development of homemade drones. Although quite popular and ubiquitous in technologically advanced nations, drones are currently not being produced in Nigeria that can be used for both surveillance and monitoring. Modifications were done on a locally adapted drone assembled from parts sourced abroad. The
drone was enhanced with advanced technical capabilities optimizing it for smooth surveillance operations. Major modification upgrades include the integration of pivotal components including microchips ranging from Raspberry Pi 5, Arduino Atmel Amega 2560, STM32H7 controller, along with the Pixhawk 2.4.8 flight controller, a high-resolution Raspberry Pi Camera Rev 1.3, ultrasonic sensors, PWM to PPM converter, and GPS navigation system into the F450 drone frame. These enhancements allow for functionalities such as object tracking, obstacle avoidance, and an automatic return-home capability, enhancing the drone's adaptability for various surveillance applications

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.