16 research outputs found
A Remote Controlled Motorized White Board Cleaner
No full textTeaching and learning in schools have been done over the years by writing on boards and different methods of cleaning writing boards have been developed in the past. This paper presents the design and construction of a remote controlled motorized white board cleaner. The system consists of four basic units: the remote control and transmitter unit, the receiver unit, pulse generator/ control unit and the cleaner unit. The operation of the system is centered on AT89552 microcontroller and is such that when the remote button is pressed within the range of 20 meters to the board, the cleaner cleans the board. The speed and direction of the cleaner is also controlled via the remote control. The system makes the teaching efficient and flexible
Reporting violence or mediating peace? The Nigerian press and the dilemma of peace building in a democracy
No full textThis study explores the mediation of ethno-religious conflicts by the press and investigates their potential for escalating or minimising such conflicts. Undertaken in the context of the protracted sectarian conflicts plaguing the Nigerian nation since return to democratic governance in 1999, the study focuses particular attention on the Nigerian press and seeks to locate the press within these conflicts. It addresses the wider debates around the reporting of war and conflict, particularly the contentious issues of the relationship between media and conflict and explores the implications of this relationship on the course of violent intra-state sectarian conflicts. Research on news culture confirms that media representations generally tend to glamorise war, violence and propaganda with negative implications for the resolution of such situations. This has raised critical issues about mainstream journalistic practices in the coverage of violence and scholarly arguments as to whether journalism is a participant or a detached observer in the conflict cycle. This study engages these difficult and much contested issues within the context of emerging alternative strategies for conflict reportage, focusing particular attention on the concept of peace journalism and its applicability to routine journalistic practice. The research utilises a repertoire of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection, including content analysis, framing and critical discourse analyses and semi-structured interviews. The data collected is interrogated using a theoretical framework that incorporates ideas from ethnicity, media and ethnic conflicts, critical political economy as well as debates about alternative approaches to conflict coverage and reportage. The objective is to understand the intricate relationship between conflict dynamics, conflict analysis and the reportage of ethno-religious conflicts. The research reveals significant flaws in the quality of coverage and with the framing and representational patterns of the conflicts. These flaws are located within the historical development of the Nigerian press, the commercialisation of its operations as well as weak institutional structures. It further engages the context of news production with specific focus on the issues of professionalism, training and media regulation and how these affect content. It argues for the adoption of journalistic practice patterns and styles that will make the press less predisposed to aiding conflict escalation. This has implications for both teaching and research in the field as well as for news practices by the press
Spatial Pricing Efficiency of Rice Marketing in North Central, Nigeria
No full textThis study examined the spatial pricing efficiency of rice marketing in North central, Nigeria.
Data collection involved the use of primary data and a multi-stage random sampling
technique was used the selection of 200 marketers. Data analytical techniques involved the
use of descriptive statistics, the model of spatial price relationship as well as Ordinary Least
Square (OLS) regression model. The results on spatial pricing efficiency revealed that
consumers were void of exploitative behavior of middlemen in most of the markets. The result
on the factors affecting rice prices showed the estimated R2 for Kwara and Niger States of
98.3% and 42%, respectively. The main constraint facing rice marketing in the area was cost
of transportation. Based on these results, it is recommended that the negative price spread in
Owode market should gear up the local government authorities in the provision of more
market outlets in Owode market
A comparative analysis of the performance of multiple meta-heuristic algorithms in sizing hybrid energy systems connected to an unreliable grid
No full textThe availability of affordable and reliable power supply fosters social and economic growth and raises the standard of living. In most developing nations, there is a considerable gap between energy supply and demand, often resulting in load shedding and blackouts. Integrating two or more renewable power sources is a potential solution for the inconsistent nature of renewable energy, thereby supplying clean and sustainable electricity. However, proper component sizing and operation planning for different system components are necessary for a reliable and cost-effective system. This paper compares the performance of three widely used optimisation techniques (Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO)) in determining the size of a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) with the lowest levelised cost of energy (LCOE) to meet the energy needs of a dairy farm in a rural settlement. PSO is observed to be the best-performed algorithm proposing a system with an LCOE of $0.162 per kWh, a net present cost (NPC) of 2.05 million dollars and a payback period of 5 years and 7 months when compared with the existing power system. The proposed HRES is determined to reduce annual diesel usage by 96%. Therefore, significantly decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The PSO algorithm performs satisfactorily in terms of results and convergence time compared to the results from commercially available hybrid optimisation software (HOMER Pro)
Utilisation of Fadama III Additional Financing Technologies Among Rice Farmers in Niger State Nigeria
No full textThe study assessed the utilisation of Fadama III AF technologies and the factors influencing utilisation of Fadama III AF among rice farmers. Primary data were used for this study and these were collected with the aid of structured interview schedule. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 160 respondents randomly. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as multiple regression (OLS) were used to analysed the data. The age of the farmers revealed that 33% were between 40 – 49 years with mean age of 41 years. The majority (82%) were males, while 34% had secondary education. A total of 30% of the farmers had between 6 – 10 members of household. The result showed 21% had between 16 – 25 years of farming experience. All the farmers were active participants of Fadama III-AF programme and had contact with Fadama facilitators during the 2017/2018 cropping year. The study also revealed that 89% had access to credit and the average income from rice farming was ₦328,081.50. About 75% of the farmers had 3 – 4 information sources relating to the programme. The result implies that majority of the respondents had utilised Fadama III-AF technologies available in the study area. The regression analysis (OLS) shows that sex, education, farming experience, information source, contact with Fadama facilitators were significant at 1% or 0.01, farm size, social organisation and age significant at 5% or 0.05 and access to credit indicated positive and significant at 10% or 0.1 with utilisation of Fadama III AF rice technologies. It can be concluded that there was high rate of utilisation of Fadama III-AF technologies among rice farmers in the study area. The study recommended that farmers should be given more assistance to obtain credit facilities through financial institutions
INVESTIGATION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY USE IN AN AUTOMOBILE ASSEMBLY INDUSTRY
No full textThis research work investigated the electrical energy efficiency improvement and cost saving potentials for automobile assembly plant; a case of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited. The study identified lighting system as a major source through which energy is being wasted, hence efficient energy saving lighting systems are being proffered; also saving accrued were determined to justify their deployment. In the course of this work, an energy saving calculating tool was developed to calculate energy saving capabilities using energy efficient lamps. With ample devotion to the implementation of the recommendations made, the cost of energy per car will be drastically reduced while profits are also made simultaneously. In all, more cars will be produced thus translating to more employment opportunities in the industry
Prevention of voltage collapse on the Nigerian 330 kV grid network using under-frequency load shedding scheme
No full textA Passive Islanding Method to Improve the Stability of Power Supply to Critical Loads in a Real Distribution Network
No full textThis study proposed a modified passive islanding technique that combines over/under frequency (OUF), rate of change of frequency (ROCOF), rate of change of phase angle difference (ROCPAD), and rate of change of voltage (ROCOV) for sensing of islanding and nonislanding conditions. The technique was implemented in MATLAB/Simulink and applied to the distribution network of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria containing 120 buses to maintain a stable power supply to its critical loads during grid outages. The method utilized the frequency, voltage, and current signals as input to the combined method. For each of the relays, the low threshold was for a fast operation while the high threshold was for a secure operation. First, the OUF, ROCOF, ROCOV, and ROCPAD relays were combined using an AND gate to limit the relay operation during short circuits since the ROCOV measures the voltage drop and determines whether it is in grid-connected or islanding mode. After that, the higher set threshold of the ROCOF was connected using a logical OR gate to limit the operation of the relay under transients and noises. Finally, the higher set threshold of the ROCPAD was used to sense islanding in case the lower threshold failed to initially detect it. The efficacy of the technique was tested on the FCT distribution network, and the result showed successful islanding for the loss of the grid supply and loss of power supply due to fault on the 330 kV line, while the loss of 33 kV feeder and loss of power supply at a single supply point were nonislanding events. After islanding due to an outage and loss of the 330 kV line, it took 0.01138 and 0.000316 s to switch to the DES, and the optimal capacities that supplied power to the critical loads were 33.2 MW at Bus 13, 18.9 MW at Bus 120, 48.4 MW at Bus 72, and 45.1 MW at Bus 46. The total connection of the DES was able to supply 144.8 MW out of the total peak load of 600 MW which represents about 24.13% of the total system load referred to as the critical loads. Therefore, connecting DES capable of islanding operation to the distribution network improves power supply security, supply continuity to consumers, and customer satisfaction
Application of Genetic Algorithm and Analytical Method to Determine the Appropriate Locations and Capacities for Distributed Energy System
No full textIn this study, the genetic algorithm (GA) and an analytical technique are used to properly connect the distributed energy system (DES) to the distribution network of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A power flow solution is used to obtain the losses and voltages assigned to the chromosomes as the fitness value for the GA to determine the best locations for the DES. Subsequently, the analytical method is used to calculate the capacities of the DES, corresponding to each location obtained using the GA. The effectiveness of the technique is examined on IEEE 33 and 69 buses, and the results demonstrate a loss reduction of 69.19%, the least voltage of 0.975 pu for the 33-node, and a 70.22% loss reduction with the least voltage of 0.985 pu for the 69-node. The suggested technique is applied to the FCT distribution network, and the results show a 70% voltage improvement and 14.05% loss reduction
