Development of Improved Dual-Purpose Fitness Bike for Electricity Generation

This research work is on development of dual purpose fitness bike for electricity. It is aimed at improving electricity generated during cycling exercise and reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and its attendant emissions of green house gases especially carbon dioxide, this can eventually lead to reduction in the risk of global warming. In recent times, attempts have been made to harvest energy generated from human powered fitness bicycles and convert it to electricity. The existing fitness bicycle designs were unable to generate feasible electricity that can compensate for the considered financial investment. Therefore, the existing fitness bicycle designs were analyzed and improvements needed in the area of energy conversion were noted and carried out. With this improved dual-purpose fitness bike, the electrical power output of an average adult at an average speed of 60 rpm of cycling is about 3, 500 watts in one hour, as against 150W – 250W reported in the literature. This is an equivalent of 1.3 MW of electricity in one year which equals about 307,442 litres of carbon dioxide emission cut back in one year. This is considered a substantial improvement of electricity generation over the electricity generated by retrofitted fitness bicycles design already in existence. Keywords: Electricity generation; Fitness bicycle; Fossil fuels; Global warming; Green house gases

Design of Sawdust Briquette Machine

In this paper, the sawdust briquette machine is designed. Sawmill waste is a big problem especially in urban cities in Nigeria. These wastes are burnt openly which is causing environmental pollution. The wastes can be converted to wealth thereby providing jobs for many unemployed citizens. The principles of machine design were employed to design the essential parts such as hopper, belts, housing barrel, the die, and the shaft. The machine has a production capacity of 95 kg/hr. Keywords: Briquette, Machine design, Sawdust, Wastes to wealth, Wood waste

Dynamics of a Small Hydro-Power Station (SHS) Turbine for Slow Moving Water Body

Climate change due to carbon oxides emissions from fossil fuel is a major environmental concern for the world today. The world is now moving towards "clean energy sources" such as solar, wind, hydro-power stations to mention but a few for electricity generation. The process (dynamics) of converting the energy of flowing water bodies to electricity and the quantum of the derivable power depends largely on the head, the speed and the impact angle of the incident force of the water body on the turbine blades. It therefore follows that the determination of the optimal impact angle of the incident force of the water body on the turbine blades for small hydro-power stations (SHS) is of major engineering interest in slow moving water bodies where the head and the speed are relatively 'low'. This article presents analytical technique for theoretical determination of the optimal impact angle of the incident force of the slow moving water bodies on the turbine blade of a small hydro-power station to yield maximum electric power to ensure optimal turbine blade designs for impact angle enhanced efficiency. It also investigates the variation of impact angle with the power output so as to determine the optimal impact angle for maximum power output. This SHS can easily be deployed by small and cottage firms in slow moving waters without elaborate cost and technology, and the electricity generated can be sold to the neighboring consumers thereby reducing their dependency on fossil fuel generators and national grid for electricity thus reducing the carbon foot print of such benefiting communitie

Dynamics of a Small Hydro-Power Station (SHS) Turbine for Slow Moving Water Body

Climate change due to carbon oxides emissions from fossil fuel is a major environmental concern for the world today. The world is now moving towards "clean energy sources" such as solar, wind, hydro-power stations to mention but a few for electricity generation. The process (dynamics) of converting the energy of flowing water bodies to electricity and the quantum of the derivable power depends largely on the head, the speed and the impact angle of the incident force of the water body on the turbine blades. It therefore follows that the determination of the optimal impact angle of the incident force of the water body on the turbine blades for small hydro-power stations (SHS) is of major engineering interest in slow moving water bodies where the head and the speed are relatively 'low'. This article presents analytical technique for theoretical determination of the optimal impact angle of the incident force of the slow moving water bodies on the turbine blade of a small hydro-power station to yield maximum electric power to ensure optimal turbine blade designs for impact angle enhanced efficiency. It also investigates the variation of impact angle with the power output so as to determine the optimal impact angle for maximum power output. This SHS can easily be deployed by small and cottage firms in slow moving waters without elaborate cost and technology, and the electricity generated can be sold to the neighboring consumers thereby reducing their dependency on fossil fuel generators and national grid for electricity thus reducing the carbon foot print of such benefiting communitie