This work presents the conceptual design of a gas distribution pipeline network for estates in Nigeria using the University of Abuja Staff Quarters as a case study. The problem statement was the aggressive consumption of cooking gas, referred to as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), without gas pipeline networks infrastructures to homes and estates across Nigeria but relies on cylinders with its attendant danger. The methodology includes the determination of the gas demand from the average monthly gas consumption in each of the households, the elevation head, diameter of the pipelines, gas velocity, gas mass flow rate, head losses and the pressure drop analysis of series (option 1), parallel (option 2) and grid (option 3) options. The results obtained indicate that the best gas distribution design option for the trunk, reticulation and service pipelines was the grid connections to minimize investment costs with equitable pressures at service outlets. In the selected design option, the total length of the 50.8 mm diameter trunk pipelines was 19.52 m, while the total length of the 12.7 mm diameter reticulation and service pipelines were 3,223.34 m and 1,648.46 m respectively. The quantities of fittings required for the pipeline network layout were determined for an estate of 124 houses. The mass flow rates of the LPG in the 3 pipeline sections were found to be 0.39 kg/s and total head loss based on local resistance coefficients was found to be lowest in option 3 (1,568.33 m), which also has the least pressure drop of 67.84 kPa in the trunk and reticulation pipelines. It can be concluded that the optimized design could be adopted for the gas distribution pipeline network of University of Abuja staff quarters and other estates in Nigeria, with similar elevation and buildings layout.
This work presents the review of locomotives and the future of railway automotive power in Africa. Locomotives down time on account of inadequate spare parts still remains a challenge in African. It is thus, imperative to review the locomotives in African, to establish the current capabilities as well as provide recommendations to bridge the gaps and its extrapolated trends in future. Firstly, the comparison factors were track length, electrified rails, number of locomotives and yearly passengers on each of Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia rails. Secondly, the focus was on engine parameters from literatures and maintenance logbooks of locomotives. From available data, it was found that South Africa and Egypt have more advanced rail system than the rest four selected countries. It was also found that additive manufacturing, 3D printing, ductile cast iron and die-forging can be used to produce the engine body for diesel engine using steel and aluminum alloys while aluminum silicon and tin doped with copper are good for reciprocation mechanisms. And finally, increased reliability of locomotives can be guided by an engine selection matrix, while use of renewable and energy hybridization are needed to meet the expansion of railroads in Africa.
The study examined municipal solid wastes characteristics of Gosa dumpsite at Abuja, Nigeria. Waste characterization has not yet been given adequate attention in management of waste in Nigeria and it is a major problem that affects waste materials handling and recovery processes. Wastes samples from Gosa waste dump site, Abuja, were randomly collected and subjected to moisture content, composition, density and size distribution determinations according to prescribed standards in literature. The moisture content of the Gosa waste solid was 19.3%. The results of the characterization of the Gosa municipal solid wastes show 34% organic, 10% paper, 28% plastic, 2% glass, 6% metal, 4% fabric, 2% rubber and 14% dust. The average density of glass, metal, plastic, fabric, rubber, paper, organic and dust materials were 0.044 kg/m3, 0.045 kg/m3, 0.176 kg/m3, 0.043 kg/m3, 0.042 kg/m3, 0.074 kg/m3, 0.143 kg/m3 and 0.098 kg/m3, respectively. The size distribution of the Gosa solid waste ranges from 10-28 cm for metals and plastics and 3-13 cm for paper and glass. The rubber had size ranges from 8-23 cm while size ranges of organic was from 3-6 cm. The large presence of organic, plastic, paper and metal wastes at Gosa waste dump site, is an indication that the municipal solid wastes can be sorted, recycled and processed to other useful products, using the characteristics as a guide.Keyword: Characterization, Density, Municipal Solid Waste, Size Distribution, Waste Management
Abstract The thermal stability of Abuja’s municipal solid waste has been investigated in this study. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TGA and DTA) were carried out on the MSW samples from three selected districts of Abuja metropolis under nitrogen atmosphere. The TG curves for samples from Lugbe and Dutse-Alhaji market are observed to have the same thermal behavioural trends which may be due to the presence of structural similarity of substances contained in the two samples compared to the behaviour of sample from Galadimawa district. It was observed that Galadimawa sample exhibited two stages of decomposition while Lugbe and Dutse-Alhaji samples have three main stages of decomposition. This study reveals that Abuja’s MSW have endothermic temperature peaks of 405.75 oC for sample from Lugbe district, 409.51 oC for Galadimawa district sample and 381.42 oC for sample taken from Dutse-Alhaji market, respectively. These values compare well with corresponding values for Nigerian coals (Enugu with 408 oC), thereby showing good thermal stability, and will be better and more economic fuel for energy generation than coal in addition to being renewable.
Physical and chemical composition analyses of Abuja’s municipal solid waste samples have been carried out in this study. Laboratory procedures were employed to determine the higher calorific value, the proximate analysis and ultimate analysis of MSW samples from selected districts of Abuja metropolis. An analytical methodology was therefore employed to determine whether the city’s MSW will be good resource for energy generation as a strategy for effective waste management. Abuja’s MSW has an aggregate higher heating value of 38.13MJ/kg. Moisture content of less than 8% obtained for all the samples compares very well with values for Nigerian coals. Volatile matter was found to be above than 60% for each samples tested while fixed carbon was determined to be less than 26% for each sample. The MSW samples gave excellent results for ash content of less than 4% when compared to most Nigerian coals with minimum ash content of 10.72%. The ultimate analysis shows the MSW samples compares fairly well with Nigerian coal samples in terms of elemental carbon, the least value being 41.80%. The least value for elemental carbon in most coal samples is 53.27%. Also, the sulphur content of the MSW samples is much less (not higher than 0.15%), compared with the least value of 0.58% for the coal samples. All the factors considered above indicate that the Abuja’s MSW will perform very well as a primary solid fuel when incinerated for energy recovery. The economic significance of this study lies in the confirmation that Abuja’s MSW is a good and cheap source of energy for electric power generation, replacing the expensive fossil fuel sources with their attendant hazardous emission to the environment. This will make the study area to be a cleaner and healthier environment.
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