FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

One of the most significant threat to petroleum production is that of sand production resulting from the migration of formation sand caused by the flow of reservoir fluids. Conventional well Completions in soft formations commonly produce formation sands or fines with fluids. Today’s operators need access to complete production system, delivering intelligent real time information and operation alongside existing instrumentation. Hence, Acoustic Sand Monitors and Intrusive Erosion Probes are invaluable tools in detecting the presence and effect of solids production. Accurate monitoring coupled with analysis and interpretation of the real time data can guarantee improved longevity of the asset and greatly reduce cost JK of repairs, replacement and downtime. Detailed, real-time information can also help to optimise production, and in many cases adjustments can be made to individual wells to increase oil production where sand is not an issue. This study presents an analytical assessment of sand production monitoring from an offshore field in the Niger Delta region from real time oil field production data. The data used in this study have been obtained from sand signals generated from acoustic sound detectors installed along flow paths in the oil production facility. In this study, sound signals generated by solids particles (sands/fines) along the flow paths of the facility are analysed to monitor sand production from the wells in the field over a period of nine years of production. These wells were consequently categorized as high sand producers or low sand producers following the percentage deviation of the sand signal averages for the wells from the corresponding baselines for each of the wells in comparison to the established percentage deviation threshold. At the end of this study, four wells were categorized to be high sand producers while nine were categorized as low sand producers.

Every organisation aims at profit maximization and growth. Growth and profits are directly related to the level of satisfaction that is imparted by the product or the services to the customers. Customer wants value for money. He wants the best quality in the given cost. So how does an organisations achieve this quality? Quality is a subjective constraint. Every
customer has a different taste of quality. So, it is the job of the organisation to provide everything in terms of quality that every customer demands. So, from where does this quality start? It starts from the moment the manufacturer purchases the raw material from the supplier.
This quality is percolated in the product through right set of processes, activities with the use of right resources in terms of human and technology and ultimately right quality is achieved by reduction in defect in the product. Lesser is the tolerance limit for defect, better is the quality.
This concept drives the organization towards the concept of least deviation in the products that are manufactured. This drives the organisation towards Six-Sigma. Two of the most popular continuous improvement programs are Six Sigma and lean management. Six Sigma was founded by Motorola Corporation and subsequently adopted by many US companies, including General Electrical GE and Allied Signal. Lean management originated at Toyota in Japan and has been implemented by many major US firms, including Danaher Corporation and HarleyDavidson. Six Sigma and lean management have diverse roots, (Arn Heiter and Maley Eff, 2005). management (TQM) and just-in-time (JIT), (Naslund, 2008). Both Six Sigma and lean management have evolved into comprehensive management systems which clarify in lean six sigma methodology. In each case, their effective implementation involves cultural changes in
organizations, new approaches to production and to servicing customers, and a high degree of training and education of employees, from upper management to the shop floor. As such, both systems have come to encompass common features, such as an emphasis on customer
satisfaction, high quality, and comprehensive employee training and empowerment, (Arn Heiter and Maley Eff, 2005). Some elements to eliminate many misconceptions regarding Six Sigma and lean management by describing each system and the key concepts and techniques
that underlie their implementation, (Arn Heiter and Maley Eff, 2005).

This report details the design and implementation of an electric-solar vehicle, focusing on the fabrication and testing of its inverter. The inverter, a crucial component for efficient power conversion, was developed to optimize the integration of solar energy with an electric motor drive. This report focuses on the practical aspects of the inverter's construction and performance evaluation.
The design considerations are outlined, followed by a detailed description of the component selection, PCB fabrication, and assembly. Performance testing results, demonstrating the inverter's efficiency and suitability for the vehicle, are also included.

The aim of this project is to carry out a comparative evaluation of foreign and homebased manufactured hybrid 3.5kva inverter system. Conventional non-hybrid inverter systems are characterized by their dependency on the grid, low efficiency in solar charging,limited energy management capabilities, and ineffective communication between components.Therefore, this endeavor is designed to integrate hybrid features to overcome these shortcomings. The process entailed comparing a hybrid inverter system to address the limitations of non-hybrid inverters and to do this, we incorporated an alternative power source, i.e. solar energy, to charge the battery. This involved designing an MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) charge controller and seamlessly integrating its circuitry with that ofthe inverter in the non-hybrid system. Additionally, we established effective communication between the DSPIC30F2010 microcontroller on the inverter and the DSPIC30F2010 microcontroller on the MPPT circuitry using serial communication, which we integrated into the inverter. All communication protocols were outlined in the source code. To ensure organization and tidiness, we housed all these components within a single enclosure. The project successfully achieved its intended objectives by comparing the hybrid features of the homebased and foreign manufactured inverter systems. Through meticulous design and implementation, all identified limitations were effectively addressed, leading to significant improvements in system performance and functionality. Relevant tests such as output voltage and frequency test, load and no load test, as well as power efficiency tests were carried out to compare the performances of the foreign and home based manufactured hybrid inverter systems. The performance of the home based hybrid inverter was 219.8V for output voltage versus 230V for the foreign. Frequency for home based was 50.04Hz versus 50.0Hz for the foreign. Both inverters displayed a comparable sine wave output. Power efficiency for home based was 90.64 percent while for foreign, it was 94.5 percent, these results show that there was no remarkable difference between the output of the home based compared to the foreign inverter. Furthermore, the locally assembled inverter cost far less than the foreign counterpart. Hence, this study proves that cost efficient inverter systems can be manufactured locally.

Induction motors are the primary workhorses in industrial applications, but their starting phase poses significant challenges, namely high inrush currents and abrupt mechanical torque. This project presents a comparative study of Direct-On-Line (DOL), Star-Delta (Y-Δ), and Soft Starter methods for three-phase induction motors, with a specific focus on analyzing their transient performance using simulation. To conduct this analysis, dynamic models of an induction motor and the corresponding control circuits for each starter were developed and simulated using the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. The study evaluates key performance metrics by comparing the simulation waveforms for stator current, rotor speed, and electromagnetic torque during the startup transient. The simulation results quantitatively demonstrate the severe inrush current (up to 6-8 times full load) and high-impact torque of the DOL starter. The Star-Delta simulation illustrates its effectiveness in reducing starting current to approximately 33% of DOL, but also clearly exposes the open-transition torque dip and current spike during the switchover. In contrast, the thyristor-based Soft Starter model demonstrates superior performance, offering a smooth, stepless acceleration, precise current-limiting capabilities, and the elimination of mechanical jerk. This simulation-based analysis provides a clear, quantitative framework for evaluating the trade-offs between cost, complexity, and performance, enabling engineers to select the most appropriate starter for specific load requirements and power system constraints.

This research explored the viability of natural fibers for ballistic armor, a traditionally synthetic field. Following a literature review, two natural fibers underwent characterization to assess their mechanical properties. These fibers were then tested to evaluate their ability to stop projectiles,
absorb impact energy, and minimize wearer injury. The results provide insights into the potential of natural fibers for ballistic applications, highlighting areas for improvement like strength and moisture resistance. Future research directions include advanced fiber modification techniques, optimized composite design strategies, and life cycle assessments to promote the development of sustainable and effective natural fiber-based ballistic armor.

This project focuses on the simulation of a dual axis solar tracker to enhance solar energy harvesting. Traditional fixed solar panels suffer from inefficiencies due to the sun’s movement, limiting their ability to capture maximum solar radiation. The dual axis solar tracker is optimized effectively to rotate both horizontally (azimuth) and vertically (elevation) allowing it to follow the sun’s path throughout the day and across seasons thereby enhancing energy absorption and improving photovoltaic (PV) system efficiency.
A simulation-based approach was employed using MATLAB/Simulink to model the system’s dynamic response. Key components include a PID controller for optimized system response, virtual sensors mimicking sunlight detection and motors for precise motion control. The performance of the dual axis tracker was analyzed to determine efficiency improvements. The study also explores optimal control strategies, actuator dynamics and environmental adaptability.

This project focuses on the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a kitchen heat extractor constructed using locally sourced materials. The increasing discomfort and health risks associated with heat and smoke accumulation in domestic kitchens prompted the development of a simple, affordable, and efficient heat extraction system suitable for local households. The design involved a detailed study of ventilation and heat transfer principles to determine the appropriate fan capacity, duct dimensions, and materials that could efficiently extract hot air and cooking fumes from the kitchen environment. Mild steel sheet metal was selected for the main body due to its durability, ease of fabrication, and resistance to heat, while a locally available electric fan served as the suction unit. Other components such as the filter mesh, exhaust vent, and protective casing were carefully assembled to enhance performance and safety. During fabrication, basic workshop processes such as cutting, welding, drilling, and fitting were employed. After The system was assembled and tested for functionality, suction efficiency, noise level, and overall performance under varying kitchen conditions. The performance evaluation showed that the extractor effectively reduced kitchen temperature and smoke concentration within a short period of operation, demonstrating reliable efficiency comparable to imported models but at a significantly lower cost. The project therefore proves that locally sourced materials can be efficiently utilized to design and fabricate a functional kitchen heat extractor, promoting self-reliance, cost-effectiveness, and sustainable domestic technology.

This study analyses wave induced structural loads on marine vessel hulls with emphasis on vessels operating in the Gulf of Guinea. Marine vessels experience highly variable sea states, and traditional analytical methods often struggle to capture nonlinear effects such as slamming, springing, and whipping. These limitations create uncertainties in predicting hull stress and deformation, especially for modern lightweight and fuelefficient ship designs. Existing literature highlights the need for regionspecific modeling due to limited hydrodynamic data available for West African waters. This research addresses this gap by applying advanced numerical simulation techniques Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the Finite Element Method (FEM) to model wave structure interaction under realistic wave conditions. The study uses seawater properties, mildsteel hull material characteristics, and wave parameters representative of the Gulf of Guinea. The CFD model generates pressure distributions on the hull surface for selected wave heights, while the FEM model evaluates the resulting stresses and deformations. The simulation procedure followed mesh generation, boundary condition specification, wave creation, pressure extraction, and structural analysis.

This study conducted a comprehensive hydrodynamic analysis and environmental adaptation of a trimaran model specifically designed for Nigerian coastal and inland waters. Employing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, this research analyzed resistance, stability, maneuvering, and wave-making resistance. The CFD simulations, performed using the k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model, captured critical hydrodynamic behaviour, including flow separation and wake interactions, with grid resolutions optimized through a grid independence study. Results showed that the refined grid achieved a stable resistance prediction at 125.4N, maintaining a y-plus range of 20 to 90 for accurate boundary layer modelling. There was a non-linear increase in resistance, reaching 450kN at 25 knots, and a metacentric height of 2.8m at a 10-degree heel angle, ensuring stability. Maneuvering analyses indicate a turning radius of 350m at a 25-degree rudder angle, demonstrating the trimaran's agility in confined waterways. Environmental adaptation showed a 20% increase in resistance under rough sea conditions, emphasizing the need for design optimizations. These findings highlight the trimaran's suitability for the challenging maritime conditions of Nigeria, balancing efficiency, stability, maneuverability, performance, safety, and adaptability while offering insights to optimizing future trimaran designs under similar environmental constraints. These findings also provide a framework for future designs that address local environmental challenges while maximizing operational efficiency. Nonetheless, optimizing side hull configurations to enhance wave cancellation effects and reducing wetted surface area to improve drag performance is recommended