Analysis of cooling plate designs for fuel cell applications.

In this thesis, theoretical and computational analyses of the heat exchange in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cooling plate are described. Thermal management of the fuels cells is essential to ensure high efficiency, durability, and safety of their applications. PEMFC are generally used as a power supply for vehicles in transportation, but can be extended as a back-up power system for household or corporate needs. Analysis of convective heat transfer of PEMFC cooling plates is considerably important in future optimizations techniques to develop new cooling plate designs. Cooling plates are investigated with a method using entropy generation as a numerical analysis alternative to evaluate the performance of the cooling plate designs in addition to temperature variation, pressure drop and velocity profile. The results obtained for the entropy generation in each designs gave effects of the frictional and thermal components of the entropy on heat transfer of cooling channels, confirmation of previous findings, and thermal and hydrodynamic fully developed regions in cooling plates. Benefits and constraints of each design are discussed followed by possible upgrades on designing cooling plates for better PEMFC performance

Menstrual pain and associated factors amongst undergraduates of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria

No Abstract

Reservoir Characterisation of the WND Field in the Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria: Background Study to Simulation

The WND field located in the north-west proximal offshore of the Niger delta basin was discovered in 1988 and started production in 1995 with most of its oil production coming from the D-01 reservoir. The focus of this project is on the description of the D-01 reservoir and quantification of the hydrocarbon reserves and the role that the description has on understanding the reservoir performance. The integration of petrophysical data, seismic and production data has made it possible to delineate the D-01 reservoir and allowed for a better understanding of the architecture and sedimentary parameters that influence reservoir properties to optimize recovery of the hydrocarbon reserves. The aims of this research among others is to describe the reservoir, determine the oil- water contact in the reservoir, delineate the boundaries and extent of the reservoir in the field, as well as to estimate the oil reserves. Database for this project include mudlog, core, digital log curves, seismic and production data. The reservoir has been described and characterised, and this project yielded six lithostratigraphic facies associations, a depositional model, correlation cross sections through every well in the field, 2-D structure contour maps of the top and base horizons of the reservoir in time and depth, isopach and net-isopach maps, and a 3-D geologic model of the D-01 reservoir that honours all the available data for this project. The D-01 reservoir characterisation provides the geologic framework that can be used for reservoir management purposes in the WND field. Petrophysical analysis shows that the sands in this reservoir generally occur as blocky sandstone successions with minor upward fining, having moderate to high porosity and permeability, and low water saturation. Core data analysis and log interpretations have led to the identification of six lithostratigraphic facies associations for the sediments in this reservoir. It was discovered that the reservoir is made up of barrier bar sandstones (characterised by a coarsening upwards of grain size) and prodelta marine shales (exhibiting fining upward log trend) deposited in a prograding wave dominated middle-lower shoreface to prodelta environment. The marine shales deposited in the low energy environment hardly have any porosity and permeability, while the sandstone deposited in the higher energy environment are mostly found in the upper part of the sequence intercalated with very thin shale beds, and they turned out to be the best reservoir facies. Well-to-well correlation shows that the sands have good lateral continuity and the shale interbeds are not extensive laterally to act as vertical permeability barrier. The delineation and mapping of the extent of the D-01 reservoir in the WND field was done from seismic inteipretations made. 2-D and 3-D grids were constructed from which structure contour maps for the top and bottom of the reservoir were constructed. Isopach maps were also constructed for the gross reservoir thickness and net thickness defined by the oil-water contact. Interpretations from these contours show that the D-01 sands tend to develop more in the middle part of the field, this area is a good development target. Results of petrophysical analysis and seismic interpretations were integrated with available production data to construct a 3-D geological model that honours all the available data for this project. Recoverable estimates carried out compared with the available production shows that there is still 52,332,620 barrels of oil left in the reservoir to be recovered

The Theatre and Sustainable Human Development: Fumes of Fuel and Boundless Love as Paradigms

The performing Arts encompass a wide range of disciplines which are invariably synonymous with creativity, thus, creativity is the hallmark of performance. For the sake of clarity, Performing Arts comprise Theatre Arts, Music, Dance and Choreography and the electronic media of Radio, Television and film commonly referred to as the audio-visual or media arts. Development is invariably measured by performance using certain indices. It is also part of the function of the performing arts to project development as well be evidence of development themselves. For instance, it is a sign of development to produce a play before an audience, particularly an audience composed of persons saddled with the responsibility of showing the direction for the development of a certain society. This paper will use the plays, Fumes of Fuel and Boundless Love to expound on the relevance of the Performing Arts in human and societal development.Keywords: Performing Arts, Creativity, Development and Humanity

La cultura hispanófona. Punto de encuentro entre América Latina y África

Gabon since its independence in 1960, adopted the teaching of Spanish as second foreign language. Since then, three major objectives were pursued: the linguistic, communicative and cultural, being the later the most prominent one. The (IPN) National Pedagogical Institute recommends in its 1996 Guidance Letter, the cultural grounding of the Gabonese student, in order to contribute to their balanced development and their social and cultural integration, making them thoughtful citizens. For this aim, the teacher has the role of transmitting and developing students intercultural values. However, in Gabon, teaching of Spanish as second foreign language is done through manuals conceived in Spain or France. The contents are based on the European cultural view of the world, hiding other realities like Latin American or African ones. Even, when these are shown they are in a  very stereotypical way: drugs, misery, poverty, illegal immigration to the United States or Europe. Very few media offer further background on Afromerican or latinamerican indigenous contexts, even if there are quite noticeable similarities between Africa and America, as regards their cultures and beliefs. Students must know both the history and daily present of Latin America and Africa. Therefore, the latest gabonese educational reforms advocate towards introducing the intercultural perspective in teaching. Nevertheless, without promoting real contact and knowledge between the peoples of these areas, it will be totally unrealistic. Therefore, we favor a pedagogy in which the teaching of Spanish could be a meeting point between America and Africa.Gabón, desde su independencia en 1960, adoptó la enseñanza del español como segunda lengua extranjera. Desde entonces, se persiguen tres objetivos fundamentales: el lingüístico, el comunicativo y el cultural, siendo éste el más sobresaliente. El Instituto Pedagógico Nacional (IPN) recomienda, en su Carta de Orientación de 1996, el arraigamiento cultural del alumno gabonés. Lo que debe contribuir a su desarrollo armonioso y su integración social y cultural, haciendo de él un ciudadano reflexivo. De esta necesidad, el docente tiene el papel de transmitir y desarrollar en los alumnos los valores de interculturalidad. Sin embargo, en Gabón la enseñanza se realiza mediante los manuales concebidos en España o en Francia. Y los contenidos europeos se fundamentan en la realidad socio cultural de su mundo, ocultando lo típicamente latinoamericano o africano. O cuando lo ponen de manifiesto es con una representación muy estereotipada: droga, miseria, pobreza, inmigración clandestina hacia los Estados Unidos o Europa... Muy pocos ofrecen soportes sobre lo afroamericano o lo indoamericano. Mientras que se notan grandes similitudes entre África y América al nivel de sus culturas y creencias. El alumno debe conocer tanto la historia como la actualidad más caliente de América Latina y África. Por eso, las últimas reformas educativas gabonesas abogan hacia la introducción de soportes pedagógicos que permitan alcanzar el objetivo intercultural. Pero sin un real conocimiento y contacto entre los pueblos de estas aéreas, eso será totalmente utópico. Por eso, estamos a favor de una pedagogía en la que la enseñanza del español pueda servir de punto de encuentro entre América y África.

Communiquer officiellement sur la covid-19 en fàŋ-ntúmù: analyse d’une expérimentation fondée sur les savoirs endogènes

Résumé: L’objectif de cet article est d’analyser le déploiement de la communication sur les risques effectué par les institutions gabonaises en cette période de pandémie. Il s’agit précisément d’apprécier l’utilité et le caractère opératoire des langues endogènes gabonaises. Dans cette étude, nous nous intéressons au cas du fàŋ-ntúmù. Cette contribution repose sur les théories linguistiques du développement, de la communication pour le développement et de la traduction. Les résultats de l’étude qualitative issus d’enquêtes de terrain à Libreville et en zone rurale, et ceux de l’analyse d’un discours officiel à caractère pédagogique révèlent l’efficacité diachronique du fàŋ-ntúmù en cette période de crise

Invisibilidad, visibilidad y “mal-visibilidad” de las poblaciones afro en los libros de enseñanza de Español como Lengua Extranjera (ELE). Una mirada cruzada entre Francia y Gabón

El presente artículo parte de dos experiencias docentes en enseñanza del español en dos contextos diferentes. Esencialmente se buscó en una serie de libros de texto de enseñanza del español, analizar la presencia y la representación de las poblaciones afro. En un primer momento, se estudió el contexto francés y posteriormente el contexto gabonés. Este cruce de miradas permitió en conclusión plantear la idea de la permanencia de un continuum colonial en cuanto a la invisibilidad y/o mal-visibilidad de las poblaciones afro en los libros de texto de ELE y proponer una serie de principios para remediar esta situación.This article is based on two teaching experiences in teaching Spanish in two different contexts. Essentially, we sought a series of spanish teaching textbooks to analyze the presence and representation of Afro-descendant populations. At first, the French context was studied, subsequently; the same was done with the Gabonese context. In the conclusion, this comparison of perspectives allowed to advance the idea of permanence of a colonial continuum in terms of invisibility and/or poor-visibility of Afro-descendant populations in ELE textbooks and proposes a set of principles to remedy this situation

Identidad urbana y ecotonos lingüísticos, la transferencia de los culturemas fàŋ-ntúmù en el francés hablado de Libreville

Resumen : La ciudad de Libreville, al igual que el resto de Gabón, tiene como lengua oficial y vehicular el francés. La ciudad es el lugar de expresión de identidades lingüísticas ligadas a lenguas endógenas y exógenas, en particular el francés, formando un ecotono lingüístico. Si convenimos en definir un ecotono (término tomado de la geografía) como la zona de contacto entre dos biocenosis distintas y perfectamente identificadas, muy a menudo esta zona de contacto se caracteriza por la presencia de especies pertenecientes a ambas biocenosis. Es lo que se conoce como efecto de borde. En el marco del ecotono urbano, observamos que la frontera entre el francés y el fàŋ no es tan densa, y sospechamos que los culturemas utilizados por un tipo de hablante conllevan connotaciones ideológicas en función de cómo se utilicen. Compartimos la opinión de G. Lungu Badea, (2009) cuando afirma que la noción de culturemas se refiere a cualquier portador de significado en una cultura determinada. El surgimiento de estos rasgos culturales en el francés hablado, sin caer en la creolización, nos invita a cuestionar esta práctica lingüística desde un punto de vista sociolingüístico a nivel de la sedimentación de una identidad urbana por un lado, y por otro, desde un punto de vista etnotraductológico, para entender su significado. Palabras clave: Identidad urbana, Ecotono lingüístico, Culturemas, Fàŋ, Etnotraductologí

The Theatre and Sustainable Human Development: Fumes of Fuel and Boundless Love as Paradigms

The performing Arts encompass a wide range of disciplines which are invariably synonymous with creativity, thus, creativity is the hallmark of performance. For the sake of clarity, Performing Arts comprise Theatre Arts, Music, Dance and Choreography and the electronic media of Radio, Television and film commonly referred to as the audio-visual or media arts. Development is invariably measured by performance using certain indices. It is also part of the function of the performing arts to project development as well be evidence of development themselves. For instance, it is a sign of development to produce a play before an audience, particularly an audience composed of persons saddled with the responsibility ofshowing the direction for the development of a certain society. This paper will use the plays, Fumes of Fuel and Boundless Love to expound on the relevance of the Performing Arts in human and societal development. Keywords: Performing Arts, Creativity, Development and Humanity