FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

Biobutanol is a renewable biofuel characterized by high energy density, low volatility, and compatibility with existing petroleum infrastructure. Despite these advantages, its large-scale production remains limited by high feedstock costs, low microbial tolerance, and process inefficiencies. This study investigates the conversion of corn cob, an abundant lignocellulosic residue, into biobutanol through Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) using Clostridium beijerinckii. The corn cob was pretreated with dilute sulfuric acid to enhance enzymatic accessibility, followed by detoxification and enzymatic hydrolysis using a cocktail of cellulase, β-glucosidase, and pectinase. The hydrolysate obtained served as the substrate for SSF, and the key operational parameters were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed effective delignification and structural modification after pretreatment. Optimum conditions of pH 5.48, inoculum size 9.04% (v/v), and temperature 37.45 °C produced a maximum butanol concentration of 15.60 g/L. Kinetic modeling empirical (quadratic fits / RSM) kinetic analysis accurately described substrate utilization and solvent formation. The results demonstrate that corn cob is a viable low-cost feedstock for sustainable biobutanol production, and that the integrated SSF approach offers an efficient and environmentally responsible pathway for renewable fuel generation and agricultural waste valorization in Nigeria.

This study focuses on the production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO) using calcined cow bone as a heterogeneous catalyst through the transesterification process. The research aimed to promote sustainable energy production by converting waste oils into biodiesel while utilizing animal bone waste as a low-cost, environmentally friendly catalyst. The WCO was pretreated and characterized to determine its physiochemical properties, which included an acid value of 1.4025 mg KOH/g, free fatty acid (FFA) content of 0.7012%, peroxide value of 16 meq/kg, iodine value of 44.1 g I₂/100 g, viscosity at 40 °C of 53.5 cP, saponification value of 362.667 mg KOH/g, moisture content of 2.678%, and density of 0.9176 g/cm³. These results confirmed that the feedstock required pretreatment before transesterification to minimize soap formation and enhance biodiesel yield. Characterization of the catalyst was performed using analytical techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the presence of CaO and evaluate its surface properties.The transesterification reaction was carried out using methanol and cow bone-derived catalyst under optimized conditions. The resulting biodiesel was washed, purified, and analyzed for key physiochemical properties. The biodiesel exhibited an acid value of 0.561 mg KOH/g, density of 0.901 g/cm³, viscosity at 40 °C of 8.86 cP, and a flash point of 115 °C. These results were within acceptable limits prescribed by ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards, indicating that the produced biodiesel possesses good fuel properties suitable for use in diesel engines. The study concludes that waste cooking oil can serve as an efficient feedstock for biodiesel production, and cow bone ash is a promising, sustainable, and economical catalyst. This dual utilization of waste materials not only reduces environmental pollution but also supports circular economy practices and sustainable energy development.

Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is a wastewater byproduct of palm oil production, characterized by its high organic content and potential pollutant to water bodies and capable of causing significant environmental damage. This study therefore seeks to evaluate the treatment methods by coagulation and adsorption processes to remove suspended solids and pollutants, thereby purifying the wastewater for safe discharge or reuse. These methods are essential for environmental protection, resource recovery, and economic sustainability. The POME sample was collected, diluted, and analyzed to determine its physicochemical properties before treatment. Its pH was adjusted to both acidic and alkaline conditions using hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, monitored with pH indicator paper. Processed periwinkle shell powder served as a natural coagulant and adsorbent. Standard laboratory instruments were used to assess parameters such as pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, and salinity before and after treatment. The study evaluated the effects of coagulant dosage, contact time, and pH on the treatment of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) using a periwinkle shell–chitosan composite. Significant reductions in total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity were achieved at moderate dosages (0.55– 0.82 g/L), contact times of 105–150 minutes, and near-neutral pH (7–8.2), showing effective coagulation and adsorption. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed crystalline peaks at 2θ values of 23.9°, 26.5°, 27.5°, 33.4°, 36.4°, 38.1°, 41.4°, 43.1°, 46.0°, 48.6°, 50.5°, and 53.1°, corresponding to aragonite, muscovite, quartz, and orthoclase phases. Crystallite sizes (111–702 Å) confirmed a fine heterogeneous structure with high surface activity, making the composite suitable for efficient and sustainable POME purification

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using a blend of plantain and banana peel ash (PBPA) as a partial replacement for cement in concrete. The study seeks to evaluate the effects of PBPA on the workability, compressive strength, and flexural strength of concrete, with a view to reducing the environmental impact of concrete production.
The workability of the concrete mixtures was evaluated using the slump test, in accordance with ASTM C143/C143M-15a. The compressive strength was determined using the standard compressive strength test, as outlined in BS EN 12390-3:2019. The flexural strength was assessed using the modulus of rupture test, in line with ASTM C78/C78M-18. These tests enabled a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of PBPA on the mechanical properties of concrete. The results showed that 0% replacement of cement with PBPA and coarse aggregate produced a slump value of 40mm while 5 to 15% replacement produced slump values of 39.7mm,42.7mm, 51.3mm respectively. From the rate of decrease, this indicated that
increasing the PBPA content decreases the workability of the mix , while the compressive and flexural strengths were reduced by up to 20% at 28 days. However, the concrete mixtures with up to 10% PBPA replacement still met the strength requirements for grade M20 concrete. The findings suggest that PBPA can be used as a supplementary cementitious material to reduce the environmental impact of concrete production.

This study evaluates the compliance of borehole drilling practices with established standards at Utekon and Oluku in Benin City. A total of three boreholes were assessed, and data on drilling methods, casing, cementation, well completion were collected and soil logs used for sieve analysis to obtain D10 value used to obtain constant of permeability. The research aims to evaluate the level of adherence to industry guidelines and best practices in drilling of boreholes, with a focus on ensuring the sustainability and safety of groundwater resources.A comprehensive field investigation was conducted, involving the collection and analysis of data from a representative sample of boreholes in the study area. The study assessed various aspects of borehole drilling, including drilling methods, casing, cementation practices and well
completion. The results of the study reveal significant deviations from standard practices in some aspects of borehole drilling, which could compromise the quality and sustainability of groundwater resources in the area. During investigation some drilling standards were ignored e.g. noncompliance to distance of borehole from structures such as septic tanks and inadequate site investigation and proper hydrological test conduction to know the depth of water table, the use of gravel packing was also ignored. Although the position of screen and the number of casings used were adequate.

This project focuses on the design and building of a solar inverter with a 3.5KVA capacity. Solar inverters convert the variable direct current (DV) output of a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel into utility-frequency alternating current (AC), ready for connection to a home's electrical system. It is essential to solar systems since it permits the use of common AC-powered devices. Solar panels in solar inverters produce direct electricity by moving electrons from a negative to a positive direction. Most home appliances run on alternating current. This AC continuously fluctuates between negative and positive elections. You can adjust the voltage in the AC power according to the equipment's intended use. Solar inverters convert DC to AC because solar panels can only provide direct current.We created a 3.5KVA electrical inverter for this project. Two 22Ah wet cell batteries, a 220V/24-0-24V center-tapped inverter, an MPPT charge controller, and six 300W solar panels make up the architecture of the inverting circuitry assembly. The design provided power for a television, refrigerator (200 watts), air conditioner (1120 watts), and other devices totaling 2465 watts. The system operated at peak efficiency for almost 12 hours while under full load.

In Nigeria, a borehole is one of the best means of obtaining clean water in field condition. However, field operations in remote areas or in difficult conditions often require flexibility and imagination in avoiding and solving technical problems. The automated borehole regulator serves as a means to control the pumping of water between predefined upper and lower limits.This system mainly works on a principle that “water conducts electricity”. 5 wires are dipped into the tank with a certain gap between each wire will indicate the different water levels. Based on the outputs of these wires, microcontroller displays water level using LEDs as well as controls the flow of water by controlling the motor of the pump. In the 1st phase, the program is burnt into the microcontroller and the 5 copper wires are used to indicate water level and a motor controls the flow of water. An increase in the water level is determined by the wires and the signal is sent to the microprocessor and afterwards displayed on the LCD screen.The overall system testing of integrated design of voltage measurement device. The testing and integration is done to ensure that the design is functioning properly as expected thereby enabling the intended user(s) for which the project was targeted for, appreciate its implementation and equally approaches used in the design and integration of various modules of the project.

The necessity of prospect evaluation is undisputed both to translate geology into figures and to expand the uncertainty implicit in hydrocarbon exploration. In this study, the hydrocarbon potential of STOKED field in offshore coastal swamp Niger delta was evaluated to obtain more information about the structures, stratigraphy and hydrocarbon potential of the field from available seismic and a suite of well logs data. The method adopted involves delineation of lithologies from Gamma ray log, Identification of hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs unit from resistivity log, well to well correlation across the field, fault interpretation and horizon mapping, time to depth conversion, Attribute extraction determination of petrophysical parameters and volumetric estimation. One Major and twelve minor faults were interpreted mapped from the well correlation carried out across the four wells in the NE-SW Direction. Two reservoirs were interpreted, and the seed grids generated three top time structure maps. The attribute maps were used to establish the diagnostic ability of 3D seismic attribute analysis in enhancing seismic interpretation and volumetric estimation. Map based volumetrics was calculated and the stock tank oil initially in place estimated is 85 mmstb for reservoir A while reservoir B was inconclusive as the area extended outside the extent of the seismic. The result from the petrophysical analysis and property modelling has shown that the reservoirs have porosity values that range from 17 - 24%, and water saturation ranges from 11 - 56%. Results from this study have shown that, away from currently producing zone at the central part of the field, additional leads and prospects exist, which could be further evaluated for hydrocarbon production.

Melon seed is an important oil seed crop which serves several food purposes. Shelling of this crop is vital, prior to its vast applications. To address the challenges associated with shelling melon, a design for shelling melon seeds on a small scale was presented and evaluated. Parameters evaluated include shelling efficiency, percentage seed shelled and damaged, throughput and machine capacity.The machine was constructed using locally available materials and consists of a hopper, frame, shelling and cleaning unit. Shelling operation was carried using melon seeds of three different moisture contents(6.99, 11.90and18.32%) and at different shelling speeds of 1500 and 1450rpm, while performance evaluation were evaluated. Results obtained showed that shelling speed of 1500rpm for seed A has the best average shelling efficiency of 53.75% and least percentage seed damage of 22.6%, compared to shelling speed of 2500rpm seed B which had average shelling efficiency of 37%. This design and set of conditions selected were the most preferred because of the low-cost, rapid operation, lesser seed damage and minimal human energy expenditure. The melon seed sheller is user friendly, does not require skilled labour. The equipment design was found suitable for rural development.

The extensive use of synthetic fertilizers in agriculture has led to environmental concerns, necessitating the exploration of sustainable alternatives. Thisstudy investigates the optimization of organic fertilizer production from neem leaves (Azadirachta indicd) and evaluates its efficacy on maize (Zea mays Ld) growth and yield. This research determined the impact of drying temperature on the nutrient composition of neem leaf powder and established the optimal application rate for maize cultivation. The findings demonstrate that drying temperature significantly influenced the fertilizer's nutritional quality. While potassium content remained stable, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations decreased markedly at temperatures exceeding 45°C, with losses exceeding 20% and 13%, respectively, at 65°C. Consequently, mild drying (< 45°C) was identified as the optimal processing parameter. In a field experiment using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), the application of the optimized neem leaf powder at 120 kg ha -1 resulted in the most significant improvements, enhancing soil pH, organic carbon, and available NPK. This treatment also produced the highest maize grain yield of 4.58 t ha -1 , a 90% increase over the unfertilized control, alongside superior plant height and a reduced anthesis-silking interval. The study concludes that NEEM processed by means of air-drying represents a viable, sustainable organic fertilizer source capable of replenishing soil nutrients depleted by maize production, offering environmental and economic benefits for small-scale farmers in tropical agricultural systems.