Rainfall Runoff Model for Calabar Metropolis Using Multiple Regression

Mathematical analyses were used to develop model that predicts the influence of some hydraulic and hydrologic parameters on the perennial flooding of some parts of the Calabar Metropolis. The parameters were obtained from ten sampling locations all within Calabar metropolis. An empirical model was developed to predict discharge based on the independent variables of cross sectional area of drains, degree imperviousness, gradient, sum of channel length, and basin area. The model developed gave a good multiple regression coefficient of 0.982with a standard error of 0.709at a significance level of 0.10. The R2 value of the regression model shows that 96.4% of the total variation in the storm water discharge is accounted for by the five regressors. Incorrect sizing and spread of drains as well as the existing slopes employed in the generation of the drainsb invert during construction have been seen as some of the key factors that foster flooding in the Metropolis. Designers are encouraged to employ the model developed for drains design and analysis for Calabar Metropolis.http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v33i4.1

Development of a Solar Supplemented Chick Brooding System in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The design and development of a solar heated chick brooding facility is presented in which air is used as heat transfer fluid and pebbles as storage medium. With a collector (flat plate) area of 1.35 m2 and rock-bed storage volume of 2m3 the solar heating system was constructed and tested for five stockings in two years along with a conventional system based on kerosene fuel heating. During testing 100 chicks (at day-old) were stocked per system per period. The solar brood system recorded 50% lower chick mortality within the 28-day brooding period as compared to the conventional brooding facility. The average liquid fuel saving was 68% over the non-solar brooder. The solar brood system showed significant (p = 0.05) improvement in all the biological performance parameters (body weight, feathering-out time and feed conversion). The solar brooding facility presented a practical means of utilizing solar energy for chick brooding in place of kerosene in Port Harcourt, Nigeria