ABSTRACT In this study, the feasibility of an artificial neural network (ANN) based model for the prediction of solar energy potential in Africa was investigated. Standard multilayered, feed-forward, backpropagation neural networks with different architecture were designed using NeuroSolutions®. Geographical and meteorological data of 172 locations in Africa for the period of 22 years (1983- 2005) were obtained from NASA geo-satellite database. The input data (geographical and meteorological...
Abstract Energy uti Iisatiou at V~)I"ki11 tile labour-i ntensi ve bui leiing industry is of prim importance to contractors who match people to jobs. This paper provides an insight into modelling energy expenditure ill a specific task, namely brick laying in various postures. It therefore lakes previous "generic" biomechanical-energy prediction models, and makes the case Ior apply: Ilg and adapting broader theoretical models to a specific occupational task. This refinement of established model...
ABSTRACT Porosity is a majw defect in cast aluminum alloys affecting in particuIm, the fatigue strength. l%e pom sewe cr9 points of saess concenmrion mdpolnts of crud initiation for evenfwI f~ilwe. In this work Fractal undysis was used to numericdy chmucferke the pores in mi-directiondly solidfleddl 4.5 WI % Cu alloy microgrqhs, nrnlsverse section at a distance of I4mm porn the mefaUchitl mold inteflme. l%e Spatial Point PaTtern (SPP) and the Multi-stage randbm samplng (MR$l methd were used 1...
ABSTRACT Power transmission shafts, such as the crankshaft, impeller shaft, propeller shafts, camshafts ere, are essential machine elements with wide application in mechanical systems. The manual shaft design procedure is known to be tedious and complex because of large numbers of formulas, many. computations and' iteration procedures involved in the design. However, the use of Computer Aided Software (CAS) offers improved accuracy, high speed computations, reduced rigorousness and cumbersome...
Abstract This work investigated the control of chaotic behavior of a harmonically perturbed DufTing Oscillator using vibration absorber. The system of two degrees of freedom governing equations were simu Eated nu rner i~allyu sing classical fourth order Runge-Kutta algorithm for a constant time step. The solution time history, phase plots and Poincare maps were usd to validate tbe simulation. Essentially, the details of the' Poincare map were used numerically to determine the periodicity ofDu...
ABSTRACT This study analyzed the connection between tribological and other forms of processes in manufacturing industries to productivity in such outfits. Results from the study showed that 54% of the visited industries recorded the highest hours of downtime due to tribological processes, while,15% and 31% of the industries had the highest downtimes hours resulting from electrical and other processes respectively. Also 23% of the total industries were observed to have more electrical faults, ...
AbstractThe effects of carburising time, temperature and percentage energiser on the case-depth and hardness of a steel ST37-2 have been studied. For carburising medium consisting of hardwood charcoal and coke and various amount of sodium carbonate as energiser, increasing carburising time and temperature increased both the depth and hardness of the case. Increasing both the amount of energiser and carburising time lowered the activation energy for the carburisation process. The average hardn...
ABmm Homeholds lequire significant amount of tnqy to meet various servicm like lighting, cooling, heating, cooking, refigeration, electronic enterhimmt ek. There's virtually any household activity that can be canried out without the use energy- The requirement fur household energy in Nigeria has been @owing over time. There are varioua energy sources available to houeolds in the country. Thy include fud woo4 charcoal, saw&& gas, petrol kerome and electricity. It is fairly settled fmm Literatu...
ABSTRACT Some physical and mechanical properties of small diameter poles obtained from guava (Psidium guajava L) tree branches in relation to their potential use for truss fabrication were determined. The average green moisture content of wood from five replicate samples of debarked tree branches was 84%. The wood samples were naturally resistant to termite attack with and without the bark on. The mean oven-dry density of the wood samples was 674 kg/m3. This puts it in the density category of...
ABSTRACT The computer-aided software developed in this research work is used in designing cam systems by generating various follower motions and cam profiles. It is highly suited for extensive dynamics, kinematics and geometric design analysis based on some inherent features that are unique. The plate cam with either flat-face or roller followers can be designed. Most of the standard and acceptable cam functions are included such as double harmonic, modified trapezoidal, cycloid, 4-5-6 polyno...
Abstract Plate washing is a daily activity across the globe which involves a lot of energy to accomplish manually or mechanically. The objective of this work is to design and fabricate a dish washing machine that is efficient and easy to operate. Stainless steel and mild steel was used for the construction of the machine considering their availability, cost reduction and corrosion resistance. The motor used a power of 0.75hp (559.5 W), voltage of 240V and a speed of rotation of “1200 r.p.m�...
Abstract Titanium and its alloys are an important group of engineering materials, with a wide range of applications in aerospace, aircraft, automotive, chemical and biomedical industries. They have excellent combination of strength and fracture toughness as well as low density and excellent corrosion resistance but with poor machinability due to their low thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity with cutting tool materials. In this study, the effects of cutting parameters and tool we...
ABSTRACT Despite the low-level of Technological inputs and assimilation in Nigeria in general, Business operations have benefited considerably from Technology. Technology input haw been in form.of vastly improved communications, power availability, distribution, new tools of machinery for production, and health facilities. In this paper, the situation of Transportation and Food industries are focussed on in respect of great changes that have taken place therein. Suggestion on the practical wa...