ABSTRACT Control of the storage pest Larger Grain Borer (LGB) (Prostephanus truncates) and aflatoxin contamination by the mould Aspergillus spp. are the major challenges to maize storage in Africa. In this study, the effect of hermetic storage on LGB and Aspergillus spp. during maize storage was evaluated. A 2 x 3 factorial experiment of two storage atmospheres (hermetic and non-hermetic) and infestation levels (LGB, Aspergillus spp. and uninfected control) were evaluated during the storage...
ABSTRACT Machine shop workers are exposed to noise levels between 83 - 110 dB(A), however, levels above 85 dB (A) are hazardous to the ear. A study was conducted at GRATIS Foundation in Tema Industrail Area in Ghana, using sound level meters to determine noise levels and propose solutions. Sound levels during peak hours of operation in the machine shop were found to be above 95 dB(A). To reduce these high noise levels, Coconut Fibre (CF) a naturally occurring sound absorber, was combined with...
ABSTRACT Vegetable crop production in Ghana over the past years has been a challenge due to water scarcity. The unpredictable and insufficient rainfalls has been a drawback on improving crop production and yield. This study aimed at estimating crop water requirement (CWR) and yield of okra in biochar amended soil. The FAO 56 dual crop coefficient approach was used to estimate CWR of a local variety of the test crop, okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). Models were developed to predict crop coeff...
ABSTRACT Power line fluctuations and cut-offs in electrical installations causes damages to electrical appliances connected to the line. It is may be more fatal in the case of domestic appliances such as fridge and other sophisticated appliances like TV sets, DVD players, computers etc. If a fridge is operated on low voltage, excessive current flows through the motor, which heats up, and get damaged. It can be used to protect the whole installation from undesirable over and under line voltage...
ABSTRACT Celosia Argentea was planted on Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Department experimental field.
Abstract: Taylor and Davis total productivity model has significant advantage over the traditional and more commonly used productivity models - its holistic nature. The model incorporates elements of net sales, inventory changes, wagcs and salary, investor's contribution, working and fixed capital. This paper presents a unique approach in the determination of the total factor productivity for a manufacturing organisation. This study is motivated by the dearth of models comprehensive enough t...
ABSTRACT Merchantable trees in the tropical forest are usually widely scattered and the cost of road construction and logging operations are expensive.
ABSTRACT Soilless farming of vegetables in greenhouse has become a profitable venture in some parts of the world. A high degree of competence in engineering skills, irrigation techniques and cost reduction is required for its successful operation. In Nigeria, the potential of soilless farming in greenhouses has not received adequate attention. The use of soilless media and appropriate irrigation system to produce marketable tomato in a greenhouse were investigated. Roma VF variety of tomato...
The effects of temperature, dielectric constant and catalysis in the kinetics of the oxidation –reduction reactions (involving electron transfer) of N-(2-hydroxy-ethyl) ethylenediammine- N’,N’,N’-Triacetatocobalt (II) by Cu2+ cation were determined. The dielectric constant was decreased from 63.05 to 43.18 and it was found that the rates of the reaction did not show any appreciable change. This seems to mean that the change in the dielectric constant of the medium had no effect on ...
ABSTRACT The postharvest storage of sweet potato roots in the tropics is a major challenge in the crop’s value chain as it deteriorates readily in the hot climate. Although prolonged storage in the cold chain has been shown to be feasible, technical and economic constraints in the tropics makes cold storage inaccessible to growers and retailers of sweet potato. It has been demonstrated in several studies that the plant hormone ethylene greatly influences metabolic changes in many types of h...
This work investigated the anaerobic digestion of cow-dung and cassava peels, the effect of co digestion in biogas production and purification process for biogas upgrade. The biogas experiments were carried out in five different anaerobic digesters which contained cow-dung and cassava peels slurry in the (wt-wt%) ratios of (100:0), (75:25), (50:50), (25:75), (0:100) and were incubated for a 30-day period at ambient temperature. Combined absorption and adsorption process was used to purif...
The project research entailed the production of high quality sealant incorporating a local raw material for sealing holes and gaps in various materials like metal and plastic. Two samples of acrylic sealants were produced, the first samples which is the standard formulations involved the use of silica gel as a major adhesion promoter and the second samples which is the research formulations involved the use of sand (sharp colourless sand with 59% silica/silicondioxide composition)) as a...
The inhibitive strength of Canonamuricata (CM) and Cassuttidfilifurmis (CF) on mild steel dissolution in 0.5 M H2SO4 and 1 M HCl environment was studied using gravimetric and electrochemical techniques. The results obtained indicate that all studied extracts of both plants are adsorption type inhibitors hence; the adsorption of the inhibitors is in line with Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Efficiencies of the inhibitors increased with an increase in concentration of the extract but decreas...
ABSTRACT The effect of moisture content (5-24%) on some physical and compressive properties of the ‘Amelonado’ and ‘Hybrid’ varieties of cocoa beans were studied. Alongside, the effects of fermentation periods (0-8 days) on the biochemical profiles of the dried beans were studied in three morphological parts (whole bean, nib and shell). Four experiments were separately conducted as completely randomized, factorial designs. Compared to the ‘Amelonado’ variety, the axial dimensions ...
Abstract This paper presents the characterization of laterite-cement-based matrix composites, reinforced with chemically modified bamboo fibers. Fiber extraction and chemical modification were first explored by soaking slabs of bamboos in NaOH solution (5 wt.% of NaOH in distilled water) for 14 days. Fiber characterization, as well as the flexural and compressive strength of reinforced composites, were carried out with MTS universal mechanical testing machine. Comparative results on the compr...