Effect of Moisture Content and Types of Structural Surfaces on coefficient of Friction of two Nigerian Food Grains....

 ABSTRACTThe knowledge of coefficient of friction of food grains on various structural surfaces is important in analysis and design of post harvest handling, food processing and storage equipment.  Measurements were made to determine the coefficient of friction of two local food grains (sorghum and millet).  Effects of various structural surfaces and different moisture content levels on the measured parameters (coefficient of friction) were determined. Both factors examined had a high significant effect (P< 0.01) on the coefficient of friction of the grains.  The coefficient of friction obtained for sorghum ranged from 0.43 ± 0.05 to 0.71± 0.12 over a moisture content range of 22.9 to 33.3 % (wb).  That of millet ranged from 0.19 ± 0.04 to 0.46 ± 0.08 over a moisture range of 21 % to 34.7 % (wb).  For sorghum, the highest values of coefficient of friction were obtained with concrete followed by steel, wood and plastic.  Coefficient of friction for the grains increased linearly with increase in moisture content.  For millet, the highest values of coefficient of friction were obtained with concrete surfaces, followed by steel, plastic and wood.Keywords: Coefficient of friction, structural surfaces, grain handling, sorghum, millet, Nigeria

Status Assessment of Spice Resources in Nigeria

Spices and condiments are defined as “vegetable products or mixtures, free from extraneous matter, used for flavouring, seasoning or imparting aroma in foods”. They are used for flavour, colour, aroma and preservation of food or beverages and may be derived from many parts of the plant: bark, buds, flowers, fruits, leaves, rhizomes, roots, seeds, stigmas and styles or the entire plant tops. The most important spices traditionally traded throughout the world are products of tropical environments. In terms of world trade value, the important spice crops from the tropical regions are pepper, capsicums, nutmeg/mace, cardamom, allspice/pimento, vanilla, cloves, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and cassia. Coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, sage, oregano, thyme, bay and the mints are the most important spice crops from the non-tropical environment. Spices are popular among Nigerians, although most of the Nigerian spices grow in the wild. Spices are generally found in four agro ecological zones of the country namely: Forest (including mangrove and rainforest), Dried Savanna, Guinea Savanna and Sudan Savanna. The bulk of the spices identified in Nigeria are found in the Southern rainforest zone of the country, while others such as garlic and ginger are found predominantly in the dry Northern zone. This study was carried out to identify major spices indigenous to Nigeria, their level of domestication and utilization, processing methods and market potentials. The findings indicate that wild spices constitute about 48% of all the spices of local origin and they face threat of extinction because of human activities. The yield of the wild spices is unreliable, unpredictable, has low quality and therefore, does not presently encourage commercialization. Domesticated spices in Nigeria are cultivated mostly as mixed crops with most staple crops under rain-fed or irrigated conditions. The study identifies the challenges of developing Nigerian indigenous spices for the local and international markets to include lack of domestication and cultivation, influx of exotic spices into the country, destructive methods of harvesting, low quantity and quality of harvest, bush burning/deforestation, lack of appropriate processing technology and low level of investment in research and development. Strategies to achieve optimal exploitation and utilization of the spices were identified to include protection and maintenance of wild groves, domestication and cultivation of wild spices, establishment of research and market gardens, organizing spice farmers into cooperatives, establishment of processing clusters and marketing outlets. Keywords: Spices, seasoning, indigenous, wild, domestication, utilizatio

Eco-friendly use of eggshell powder as a bio-filler and flux material to enhance technological properties of fired clay bricks

In this work, an experimental investigation on the use of eggshell powder from waste eggshells as an alternative source of bio-filler and flux to enhance the technological properties of fired clay bricks were carried out. Four different batch compositions were formed with eggshell powder as a bio-filler and flux replacing clay-soil up to 15 wt.%. The clay bricks were prepared by the casting method and were fired at 800, 900, and 1000 °C at the heating rate of 8 °C/min for 120 minutes. The raw materials and produced fired clay bricks were characterized by SEM/EDS, XRF, and XRD, respectively. Besides, technological properties of fired clay bricks (eg. water absorption, apparent porosity, bulk density, and compressive strength) were also determined. The results showed that adding 15 wt.% of eggshell powder as a bio-filler and flux yielded a compressive strength of 4.8 MPa, the bulk density of 2.1 g/cm3, and a lower water absorption value of 11.1% at the firing temperature of 1000 °C. Consequently, the use of eggshell as a bio-filler and flux to enhance the technological properties of fired clay bricks is promising and can be considered as an effective alternative method to reduce environmental concerns caused by inappropriate discarding and landfill construction to dispose of eggshell waste

The prospects of hydrogen in achieving net zero emissions by 2050: a critical review

Hydrogen (H2) usage was 90 tnes (Mt) in 2020, almost entirely for industrial and refining uses and generated almost completely from fossil fuels, leading to nearly 900 Mt of carbon dioxide emissions. However, there has been significant growth of H2 in recent years. Electrolysers' total capacity, which are required to generate H2 from electricity, has multiplied in the past years, reaching more than 300 MW through 2021. Approximately 350 projects reportedly under construction could push total capacity to 54 GW by the year 2030. Some other 40 projects totalling output of more than 35 GW are in the planning phase. If each of these projects is completed, global H2 production from electrolysers could exceed 8 Mt by 2030. It's an opportunity to take advantage of H2S prospects to be a crucial component of a clean, safe, and cost-effective sustainable future. This paper assesses the situation regarding H2 at the moment and provides recommendations for its potential future advancement. The study reveals that clean H2 is experiencing significant, unparalleled commercial and political force, with the amount of laws and projects all over the globe growing quickly. The paper concludes that in order to make H2 more widely employed, it is crucial to significantly increase innovations and reduce costs. The practical and implementable suggestions provided to industries and governments will allow them to fully capitalise on this growing momentum

Modified activation process for supercapacitor electrode materials from African maize cob

In this work, African maize cobs (AMC) were used as a rich biomass precursor to synthesize carbon material through a chemical activation process for application in electrochemical energy storage devices. The carbonization and activation were carried out with concentrated Sulphuric acid at three different temperatures of 600, 700 and 800 °C, respectively. The activated carbon exhibited excellent microporous and mesoporous structure with a specific surface area that ranges between 30 and 254 m2·g−1 as measured by BET analysis. The morphology and structure of the produced materials are analyzed through Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Boehm titration, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman Spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that a considerable amount of oxygen is present in the materials. The functional groups in the activated carbon enhanced the electrochemical performance and improved the material’s double-layer capacitance. The carbonized composite activated at 700 °C exhibited excellent capacitance of 456 F g−1 at a specific current of 0.25 A g−1 in 6 M KOH electrolyte and showed excellent stability after 10,000 cycles. Besides being a low cost, the produced materials offer good stability and electrochemical properties, making them suitable for supercapacitor applications

Potential of lignocellulosic fiber reinforced polymer composites for automobile parts production: Current knowledge, research needs, and future direction

In recent years, there has been a notable surge in research focusing on the use of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NFRPCs) in the automobile industry. These materials offer several advantages over their synthetic counterparts, including lightweight properties, renewability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. This increasing research interest in NFRPCs within the automotive sector is primarily aimed at overcoming the challenges that have thus far limited their industrial applications when compared to conventional synthetic composites. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the potential applications and sustainability of lignocellulosic-based NFRPCs in the automobile industry. It examines the current state of knowledge, identifies research needs and existing limitations, and provides insights into future perspectives. This review shows that, while lignocellulosic fibers hold great promise as sustainable, high-performance, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional reinforcing fibers, continuous research is needed to further address issues such as fiber-matrix compatibility, processing techniques, long-term durability concerns, and general property improvement. These advancements are essential to meet the increasing performance demand for eco-friendly, renewable, and energy-efficient materials in automotive design

Developing the Shea Value Chain for Wealth Creation in Nigeria

Shea tree, which grows widely and naturally in West and Central Africa, is valued because of the Shea butter extracted from the Shea nut. It grows only in the wild, and can take up to 50 years to mature. Based on distribution, two species of the tree have been identified namely; Vitellaria paradoxa and Vitellaria nilotica. Vitellaria paradoxa grows mainly in the West African region while Vitellaria nilotica grows mainly in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan. In Nigeria, Shea tree grows in Niger, Kwara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Benue, Ogun and Oyo States. Shea butter, a slightly yellowish or ivory-coloured fat, is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion.  In Africa, Shea butter is used as cooking oil, as wax, for hairdressing, for candle-making, and also as an ingredient in medicinal ointments. Shea butter is also used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter. Shea butter extract is a complex fat that contains, besides many nonsaponifiable components, the following fatty acids: oleic acid (40-60%), stearic acid (20-50%), linoleic acid (3-11%), palmitic acid (2-9%), linolenic acid (&lt;1%) and arachidic acid (&lt;1%). Demand for Shea products has grown in the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA) necessitating Nigeria and other West African Countries to go into the export of Shea products. The rise in demand is due to the fact that cosmetics and personal care companies have increased the use of Shea butter in their products. The market prefers the following kernel qualities: FFA&lt;6%, fat content 45 – 55%, water content &lt; 7%, and impurities &lt; 1%. The preferred demand for butter quality for the cosmetic industry varies depending on the end use. However, preferences include non-solvent extraction, low FFA, ‘clean’ white to yellow colour (not grey), low level of impurities, low water content, low odour, low melting point and high unsaponifiable fraction. It has been indicated that the main problem encountered in marketing of Shea products is FFA and aflatoxin content in the nut while in storage. For the butter, the main problem is both the FFA and impurities. This paper identifies lack of value addition as the major constraint in expanding Shea nut processing and marketing in Nigeria. The concept of value addition is a vital component for addressing global market competition, post-harvest losses and food security. Value addition promotes market acceptability and gives the products high economic value which consequently brings higher income to the producer. Keywords: Shea nut, Shea butter, Value addition, Processing, Marketing

Exploring Biogas and Biofertilizer Production from Abattoir Wastes in Nigeria Using a Multi-Criteria Assessment Approach

Management of waste streams from abattoirs is a major challenge in developing countries. Harnessing these wastes as resources for the production of biogas and biofertilizer could contribute to curbing the environmental menace and to addressing the problems of energy and food deficits in Nigeria. However, large scale uptake of the technology is faced with techno-socio-economic and the lack of data required for effective investment decisions. In this study, the potential use of waste generated in the north central region of Nigerian abattoirs, representing approximately 12% of the land and 6% of the population, were evaluated for suitability for biogas and biofertilizer production. Data acquired from the study sites were used for computational estimation and integrated into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis to give a detailed overview of the prospects and the limiting factors. The study revealed that high investment costs and public subsidies for fossil fuels are the key limiting factors while the prospects of tapping into the unexploited carbon markets and multiple socio-economic and environmental benefits favors investment. Public supports in the form of national policy reforms leading to intervention programs are required for progress

Biomass Valorization to Bioenergy: Assessment of Biomass Residues’ Availability and Bioenergy Potential in Nigeria

The bioenergy sector in Nigeria currently lacks a proper assessment of resource availability. In this study, we investigated the bioenergy potential of agricultural residues and municipal solid and liquid waste using data from 2008 to 2018, and we applied a computational and analytical approach with mild assumptions. The technical potential for the production of cellulosic ethanol and biogas was estimated from the available biomass. It was discovered that higher energy was generated from biogas than cellulosic ethanol for the same type of residue. The available crop residue technical potential of 84 Mt yielded cellulosic ethanol and biogas of 14,766 ML/yr (8 Mtoe) and 15,014 Mm3/yr (13 Mtoe), respectively. Biogas has diverse applications ranging from heat to electric power generation and therefore holds great potential in solving the current electricity crisis in Nigeria. It will also position the nation towards achieving the 7th sustainable development goal (SDG 7) on clean and affordable energy

Biomass Valorization to Bioenergy: Assessment of Biomass Residues&rsquo; Availability and Bioenergy Potential in Nigeria

The bioenergy sector in Nigeria currently lacks a proper assessment of resource availability. In this study, we investigated the bioenergy potential of agricultural residues and municipal solid and liquid waste using data from 2008 to 2018, and we applied a computational and analytical approach with mild assumptions. The technical potential for the production of cellulosic ethanol and biogas was estimated from the available biomass. It was discovered that higher energy was generated from biogas than cellulosic ethanol for the same type of residue. The available crop residue technical potential of 84 Mt yielded cellulosic ethanol and biogas of 14,766 ML/yr (8 Mtoe) and 15,014 Mm3/yr (13 Mtoe), respectively. Biogas has diverse applications ranging from heat to electric power generation and therefore holds great potential in solving the current electricity crisis in Nigeria. It will also position the nation towards achieving the 7th sustainable development goal (SDG 7) on clean and affordable energy