Development and Performance Evaluation of a Solar Powered Tomatoes Storage Chamber

Fresh vegetables and fruits, most of which are perishable, are known to be good sources of nutrients supplements with health benefits. Tomatoes fruits fall into this category of food supplements. However, the post-harvest losses associated with tomatoes fruits have greatly reduced the profitability of its farming and have even scared some farmers away from producing it. To reduce the losses and encourage tomatoes farming, this study designed, constructed, and evaluated the performance of a solar-powered electronic storage chamber for tomatoes fruits. In the performance evaluation, the weight, firmness, ripening index, and rate of spoilage of tomatoes fruits stored, within six weeks, at room temperature and atmospheric humidity and in the storage chamber were analyzed and compared per week. The results showed that the weight and firmness of the test experiment deteriorated by 24.87% and 20.83% respectively while that of the control experiment deteriorated by 50.59% and 79.68% respectively. Also, the percentage of cumulative spoilage for the test and control experiment was estimated to be 23.32 and 68.84 respectively showing a significant reduction in the rate of spoilage when the tomatoes were stored in the chamber

Development of a Starter with Protective Systems for a Three-Phase Induction Motor

Frequent burning of three-phase induction motors windings has been reported. The initial symptoms observed before the burning of the windings were an increase in operating current and a temperature rise. The induction motor protection and control system was designed, developed, and constructed to reduce the problem of burnt winding by early detection and disconnection of supply if the problem persists. It was found to be efficient, reliable, durable, and rugged. The system is a boost to Nigerian industrialists as it will reduce cases of burning of induction motors and the consequent downtime and cost. The system is cheap and easy to repair and maintain because the parts and components used in the design are available locally

Energy audit and optimal power supply for a commercial building in Nigeria

Energy is indispensable to human existence, and its need is on the increase daily due to technological advancement. In recent times, there is sporadic increase in the development of modern buildings, and these buildings require a cost-effective and sustainable source of energy. Nigeria and some other African countries have major energy shortage issues due to the insufficient power generation and distribution facilities. This energy poverty creates a challenge for the growing population, and as such, it is vital to ensure that the energy supplied to a building is duly optimized and delivered cost effectively. In this study, an energy audit of an eight-floor multipurpose business complex was performed to determine the nature and type of loads within the building. Based on the load profile and energy consumption over a 10-year period, three alternative energy sources (national grid, diesel generator and photovoltaic [PV] system) were considered using various load-sharing ratios. The result reveals that though PV solar system is a renewable energy source that reduces the production of greenhouse gases generated by burning diesel, its continuous application in low–middle-income country like Nigeria may be challenged by the initial start-up capital which raises the cost of its unit energy