Paul Okonkwo - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Paul Okonkwo
Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition, 2017
In this research, bio-lubricant was produced from castor oil in two stage processes where methyl ... more In this research, bio-lubricant was produced from castor oil in two stage processes where methyl ester of the oil was produced by esterification and then transesterified using homogenous catalyst (NaOH). It was then blended with 15w/w% of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) to produce bio-lubricant. By varying the amount of homogenous catalyst (1.0-1.2 w/w %), three (3) different grades of bio-lubricant samples were produced and subjected to physical and chemical test to determine their characteristics. The three grades of the bio-lubricant samples weighs 88.76g, 125.23g and 162.61g respectively with varying degrees of kinematic viscosity of 89.68, 67.24 and 58.01cst respectively at 40°C, and 8.14, 7.92 and 7.59cst respectively at 100°C. The viscosity indexes of the three samples are; 32, 78 and 91, pour points are −21, −18 and −18°C, and the flash points are 215, 211 and 223°C respectively for each of the samples. The properties of the biolubricant samples indicates that they can be used ...
American Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2017
Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of g... more Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of great and continuing concern in the practice of industrial catalytic processes. Catalyst regeneration procedures for fixed-bed reforming units can vary widely. While all regeneration procedures share common elements, it is very common for the procedures to have evolved over years as unit configurations and throughputs have changed. Sub-optimal regeneration procedures can have a number of negative impacts on subsequent operation. In this study two samples of catalytic reforming Pt/Al 2 O 3 catalysts were obtained from operating fixed bed semi regenerative reactors which has run for 10,000 and 14000 hours. These samples which have undergone deactivation in the course of the operations were regenerated under varying conditions of temperature, pressure and chlorination to establish the appropriate regeneration conditions. The progress and extent of regeneration were monitored using FTIR, SEM, XRD, GC-MS and XRF. The carbon content and effectiveness of the regenerated catalysts were determined and the values were compared with that of fresh catalysts. The regenerated catalysts showed 98-99.5% of the catalyst activity under the conditions of temperature and pressure of 500°C and 15psi respectively. The established conditions are to guide economic operations of such units which to realize high quality reformates and long life of the catalysts.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, Mar 31, 2015
American journal of chemical engineering, 2017
Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of g... more Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of great and continuing concern in the practice of industrial catalytic processes. Catalyst regeneration procedures for fixed-bed reforming units can vary widely. While all regeneration procedures share common elements, it is very common for the procedures to have evolved over years as unit configurations and throughputs have changed. Sub-optimal regeneration procedures can have a number of negative impacts on subsequent operation. In this study two samples of catalytic reforming Pt/Al 2 O 3 catalysts were obtained from operating fixed bed semi regenerative reactors which has run for 10,000 and 14000 hours. These samples which have undergone deactivation in the course of the operations were regenerated under varying conditions of temperature, pressure and chlorination to establish the appropriate regeneration conditions. The progress and extent of regeneration were monitored using FTIR, SEM, XRD, GC-MS and XRF. The carbon content and effectiveness of the regenerated catalysts were determined and the values were compared with that of fresh catalysts. The regenerated catalysts showed 98-99.5% of the catalyst activity under the conditions of temperature and pressure of 500°C and 15psi respectively. The established conditions are to guide economic operations of such units which to realize high quality reformates and long life of the catalysts.
Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, Nov 14, 2017
Commercial fluid catalytic cracking catalysts are manufactured using zeolites dispersed on an amo... more Commercial fluid catalytic cracking catalysts are manufactured using zeolites dispersed on an amorphous matrix, which is mostly alumina. Alumina is widely used as catalyst support in many heterogeneous catalytic processes owing to its high surface area, superior chemical activity and low cost. In compounded zeolite catalyst it serves as the active matrix which aids the conversion of the bulkiest molecules in the feed owing to its larger pore size than zeolite. Large specific surface area gamma-alumina (γ-Al2O3) was synthesized by hydrothermal method using Kankara kaolin as starting material. Thermal treatment of ammonium alum prepared from the filtrate of the dealuminated metakaolin was employed to obtain the alumina. Crystalline aluminum sulfate with 39 wt% Al2O3 was obtained at calcination temperature of 800°C with 3 h soaking. Gamma-alumina was produced at 850°C with 3 h soaking time, having specific surface area of 166 m 2 /g. The weight percent of Al2O3 content in the synthesized and commercial gamma-alumina were 85% and 89% respectively as obtained from the XRF analysis. Good comparison was also observed in the diffractogram of the synthesized and commercial gamma-alumina from the XRD analysis. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image showed the platy hexagonal shape of the gamma-alumina.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, May 13, 2022
Experimental assessment of process kinetic is essential for process modelling and can serve as a ... more Experimental assessment of process kinetic is essential for process modelling and can serve as a useful tool to improve process performance. In this study, kinetic evaluation of petroleum refinery wastewater (PRWW) biodegradation in an activated sludge process (ASP) was carried out in a 25 L ASP reactor which was operated within the conventional aeration mode of 2-10 hours, hydraulic retention time (HRT), effluents from the secondary sedimentation tank were analyzed at various HRT for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and biomass growth. The data obtained were analyzed and fitted to different related kinetic models which show that the biodegradation of PRWW in ASP follows the Modified Monod Kinetic Model, amongst the related models evaluated, with 0.9745 correlations with the experimental data. Physicochemical characterization of the PRWW used for the study was carried out using the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater; which gave a biodegradability index of 0.3333.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, Dec 28, 2015
A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluid... more A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized-bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2, hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2, hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2, hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2,
A study of the kinetics of petroleum refinery wastewater biodegradation in an activated sludge pr... more A study of the kinetics of petroleum refinery wastewater biodegradation in an activated sludge process was carried out in a 25 L bio-reactor, for a time range of 2-10 hours hydraulic retention. Substrate utilization and microbial growth rate were monitored at various hydraulic retention time which shows corresponding increase in microbial growth and coliform count with substrate utilization. Analysis of the results obtained using the Monod and the modified Monod kinetic model gave the following bio-kinetic parameters: Maximum Substrate Utilization Rate= 4.4 day-1, Half Saturation Constant=275 mg/L, Yield Coefficient=0.5083 mgVSS/mgBOD and Endogenous Decay Constant=0.003 day-1.
Vertical shaft kilns have among others the advantage of low investment profile and hence very sui... more Vertical shaft kilns have among others the advantage of low investment profile and hence very suitable for small and medium scale processing of various solid minerals such as limestone. The low investment profile therefore makes it attractive in developing countries where sources of investment capital are lean. Vertical kilns however are plagued with a number of operational problems such as channeling, stratification, hanging accident, poor heat distribution among others. This work investigated the effects of burner types, firing rate and degree of draft on the vertical kiln temperature profile and hence the efficiency of the kiln. A pilot twin shaft lime kiln of 1.5 ton per day capacity was employed in the evaluation. It was shown that low firing rates of the burners affects negatively the kiln throughput and very low drafts lead to excessive backfiring of the burners. Many strategies were proposed to mitigate various negative phenomena experienced in the operations of vertical kilns.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, Oct 15, 2013
The Journal of Engineering, Science and Computing (JESC), Dec 2, 2020
African Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2013
Limestone calcination reaction seems to be a very simple and straight-forward reaction. However, ... more Limestone calcination reaction seems to be a very simple and straight-forward reaction. However, there are numerous critical variables that exert profound effect on lime burning operations. The factors and variables that affect the burning of limestones must be considered in the selection, design and optimization of the calcininig equipment. Limestone burning in a vertical kiln often presents complex problems which can be solved from the conception by consideration of the prevailing factors that determine the progress of calcinations reactions. The evaluation of the influence of these factors on the progress of the burning of Jakura limestone in a vertical shaft lime kiln is the thrust of this work. Basic kinetic parameters such as: diffusivity, mass transfer coefficient, conductivity, heat transfer coefficient, convective parameter, and diffusive parameter of the lime layer of the calcining limestone particle were obtained from the calcinations tests. Computer programs were develop...
The kinetics of calcination of a high calcium type of limestone was studied. Ukpilla limestone fo... more The kinetics of calcination of a high calcium type of limestone was studied. Ukpilla limestone found in the central region of Nigeria was studied. The limestone composition shows that the limestone has 51.29% calcium oxide and 41.53% loss on ignition and magnesium oxide content of 2.23%. The following parameters were determined; diffusion coefficient of lime layer, and mass transfer coefficient, conductivity of lime layer and beat transfer coefficient, convective parameter and diffusive parameter for temperatures 900 0 C, 1000 0 C, 1060 0 C and 1080 0 C. The reaction was found to be limited by mass and heat transfers across the tune layer of the calcining article, the optimal temperature of calcination was found to be 1060 0 C. Diffusivity and mass transfer coefficient decreases with increase in calcination temperature. The thermal conductivity increases with increase in temperature. The diffusive and convective parameter decreases with increase in temperature. The reactivity of lim...
Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2014
Neem oil was extracted using food grade ethanol in an agitated pilot scale solvent extractor. The... more Neem oil was extracted using food grade ethanol in an agitated pilot scale solvent extractor. The maximum percentage yield was 36.86% and was obtained when flat blade turbine impeller was operated at 84 rpm for 40 minutes contact time at 50oC extraction temperature and particle size of 0.425 – 0.710mm. The Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometer result shows the composition of the extracted neem oil to be 40.41% oleic acid, 27.65% stearic acid, 25.36% palmitic acid, 3.90% octanal, 1.23% elaidic acid, 0.97% lactone and 0.48% methyl stearate,. This percent composition compares favourably with standard values. The composition of the neem oil suggests its application for industrial usage. The properties of the neem oil extracted were found to be: specific gravity, 0.9111; pH, 6.5; refractive index, 1.4668; iodine value, 70.21g/g; acid value, 34.33mgKOH/g and Saponification value, 180.95 mgKOH/g. These values compare favourably with standard values. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n5p39
Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2017
Thermal stability of transitional alumina phases produced from ammonium alum using Kankara kaolin... more Thermal stability of transitional alumina phases produced from ammonium alum using Kankara kaolin as starting material was studied. Wet beneficiation method was employed to purify the starting material, after which it was calcined and dealuminated with sulphuric acid. The elemental composition, mineralogical, and physiological analyses were carried out using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques respectively. The ammonium alum was thermally treated by varying the calcination temperature from 700 to 1200°C and varying the time of calcination from 1 to 4 h. The formation of gamma alumina began at calcination temperature of 825°C for calcination time of 3 h, which was found to be lower than reported works of 900°C. It was found to be stable at higher temperature of 1125°C, above which phase transformation to alpha alumina was observed. The observed wide range of thermal stability of the gamma alumina phase gives it good advant...
African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Aug 31, 2013
Sustainable development implies development which ensures maximization of human well being for to... more Sustainable development implies development which ensures maximization of human well being for today's generation which does not lead to declines in future well being. Attaining this path requires eliminating those negative externalities that are responsible for natural resource depletion and environmental degradation. All human activities and developmental projects are associated with environmental degradation in one form or the other with the attendant generation of wastes. As a result of these, environmental problems of various types and intensities have emerged to threaten man's wellbeing and the natural environment which serves as his life support system. In the light of the present global drive towards sustainable development and the concern of the Federal Government of Nigeria, fundamental strategies have been presented here to provide sound basis for comprehensive plans towards environmental management in Nigeria which is a fast developing economy. The basic paradigms of the interaction of man and the environment were used as basis for this study. The socioeconomic potentials of effective environmental management were presented. Application of the strategies has the potentials of contributing significantly to the national GDP and will also ensure that development is in harmony with the environment.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2015
Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2015
Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a good material for cat... more Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a good material for catalyst support and its surface properties is of great importance. In this good material for catalyst support and its surface properties is of great importance. In this
Nigerian Journal of Technology
A pilot-size dealumination unit to handle 2.5kg of metakaolin per batch was designed and fabricat... more A pilot-size dealumination unit to handle 2.5kg of metakaolin per batch was designed and fabricated and test run. The metakaolin was prepared from Kankara kaolin. The metakaolin was completely split into silica and alumina. The silica component which was inert to the sulphuric acid used during the reaction and was obtained as a solid product. While the alumina which reacted with the sulphuric acid was obtained in liquid form as aluminum sulphate, known as alum. The dealumination unit comprises of the dealumination reactor, known as dealuminator, acid holding tank and metakaolin slurry mixing tank. The material of construction selected for the dealumination reactor was stainless steel type 304 lined internally with glass to withstand the corrosive environment of the concentrated sulphuric acid at the reaction temperature > 140°C. The capacity of the componentsare; acid holding tank 5 liters;metakaolin slurry mixing tank 20 liters, with 70 W capacity motor and the dealuminator 50 ...
Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition, 2017
In this research, bio-lubricant was produced from castor oil in two stage processes where methyl ... more In this research, bio-lubricant was produced from castor oil in two stage processes where methyl ester of the oil was produced by esterification and then transesterified using homogenous catalyst (NaOH). It was then blended with 15w/w% of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) to produce bio-lubricant. By varying the amount of homogenous catalyst (1.0-1.2 w/w %), three (3) different grades of bio-lubricant samples were produced and subjected to physical and chemical test to determine their characteristics. The three grades of the bio-lubricant samples weighs 88.76g, 125.23g and 162.61g respectively with varying degrees of kinematic viscosity of 89.68, 67.24 and 58.01cst respectively at 40°C, and 8.14, 7.92 and 7.59cst respectively at 100°C. The viscosity indexes of the three samples are; 32, 78 and 91, pour points are −21, −18 and −18°C, and the flash points are 215, 211 and 223°C respectively for each of the samples. The properties of the biolubricant samples indicates that they can be used ...
American Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2017
Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of g... more Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of great and continuing concern in the practice of industrial catalytic processes. Catalyst regeneration procedures for fixed-bed reforming units can vary widely. While all regeneration procedures share common elements, it is very common for the procedures to have evolved over years as unit configurations and throughputs have changed. Sub-optimal regeneration procedures can have a number of negative impacts on subsequent operation. In this study two samples of catalytic reforming Pt/Al 2 O 3 catalysts were obtained from operating fixed bed semi regenerative reactors which has run for 10,000 and 14000 hours. These samples which have undergone deactivation in the course of the operations were regenerated under varying conditions of temperature, pressure and chlorination to establish the appropriate regeneration conditions. The progress and extent of regeneration were monitored using FTIR, SEM, XRD, GC-MS and XRF. The carbon content and effectiveness of the regenerated catalysts were determined and the values were compared with that of fresh catalysts. The regenerated catalysts showed 98-99.5% of the catalyst activity under the conditions of temperature and pressure of 500°C and 15psi respectively. The established conditions are to guide economic operations of such units which to realize high quality reformates and long life of the catalysts.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, Mar 31, 2015
American journal of chemical engineering, 2017
Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of g... more Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and selectivity is a problem of great and continuing concern in the practice of industrial catalytic processes. Catalyst regeneration procedures for fixed-bed reforming units can vary widely. While all regeneration procedures share common elements, it is very common for the procedures to have evolved over years as unit configurations and throughputs have changed. Sub-optimal regeneration procedures can have a number of negative impacts on subsequent operation. In this study two samples of catalytic reforming Pt/Al 2 O 3 catalysts were obtained from operating fixed bed semi regenerative reactors which has run for 10,000 and 14000 hours. These samples which have undergone deactivation in the course of the operations were regenerated under varying conditions of temperature, pressure and chlorination to establish the appropriate regeneration conditions. The progress and extent of regeneration were monitored using FTIR, SEM, XRD, GC-MS and XRF. The carbon content and effectiveness of the regenerated catalysts were determined and the values were compared with that of fresh catalysts. The regenerated catalysts showed 98-99.5% of the catalyst activity under the conditions of temperature and pressure of 500°C and 15psi respectively. The established conditions are to guide economic operations of such units which to realize high quality reformates and long life of the catalysts.
Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, Nov 14, 2017
Commercial fluid catalytic cracking catalysts are manufactured using zeolites dispersed on an amo... more Commercial fluid catalytic cracking catalysts are manufactured using zeolites dispersed on an amorphous matrix, which is mostly alumina. Alumina is widely used as catalyst support in many heterogeneous catalytic processes owing to its high surface area, superior chemical activity and low cost. In compounded zeolite catalyst it serves as the active matrix which aids the conversion of the bulkiest molecules in the feed owing to its larger pore size than zeolite. Large specific surface area gamma-alumina (γ-Al2O3) was synthesized by hydrothermal method using Kankara kaolin as starting material. Thermal treatment of ammonium alum prepared from the filtrate of the dealuminated metakaolin was employed to obtain the alumina. Crystalline aluminum sulfate with 39 wt% Al2O3 was obtained at calcination temperature of 800°C with 3 h soaking. Gamma-alumina was produced at 850°C with 3 h soaking time, having specific surface area of 166 m 2 /g. The weight percent of Al2O3 content in the synthesized and commercial gamma-alumina were 85% and 89% respectively as obtained from the XRF analysis. Good comparison was also observed in the diffractogram of the synthesized and commercial gamma-alumina from the XRD analysis. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image showed the platy hexagonal shape of the gamma-alumina.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, May 13, 2022
Experimental assessment of process kinetic is essential for process modelling and can serve as a ... more Experimental assessment of process kinetic is essential for process modelling and can serve as a useful tool to improve process performance. In this study, kinetic evaluation of petroleum refinery wastewater (PRWW) biodegradation in an activated sludge process (ASP) was carried out in a 25 L ASP reactor which was operated within the conventional aeration mode of 2-10 hours, hydraulic retention time (HRT), effluents from the secondary sedimentation tank were analyzed at various HRT for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and biomass growth. The data obtained were analyzed and fitted to different related kinetic models which show that the biodegradation of PRWW in ASP follows the Modified Monod Kinetic Model, amongst the related models evaluated, with 0.9745 correlations with the experimental data. Physicochemical characterization of the PRWW used for the study was carried out using the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater; which gave a biodegradability index of 0.3333.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, Dec 28, 2015
A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluid... more A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized A pilot scale anaerobic fluidized-bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different bed reactor was operated for treating brewery wastewater at nine different hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2, hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2, hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2, hydraulic retention time (HRTs) of 2,
A study of the kinetics of petroleum refinery wastewater biodegradation in an activated sludge pr... more A study of the kinetics of petroleum refinery wastewater biodegradation in an activated sludge process was carried out in a 25 L bio-reactor, for a time range of 2-10 hours hydraulic retention. Substrate utilization and microbial growth rate were monitored at various hydraulic retention time which shows corresponding increase in microbial growth and coliform count with substrate utilization. Analysis of the results obtained using the Monod and the modified Monod kinetic model gave the following bio-kinetic parameters: Maximum Substrate Utilization Rate= 4.4 day-1, Half Saturation Constant=275 mg/L, Yield Coefficient=0.5083 mgVSS/mgBOD and Endogenous Decay Constant=0.003 day-1.
Vertical shaft kilns have among others the advantage of low investment profile and hence very sui... more Vertical shaft kilns have among others the advantage of low investment profile and hence very suitable for small and medium scale processing of various solid minerals such as limestone. The low investment profile therefore makes it attractive in developing countries where sources of investment capital are lean. Vertical kilns however are plagued with a number of operational problems such as channeling, stratification, hanging accident, poor heat distribution among others. This work investigated the effects of burner types, firing rate and degree of draft on the vertical kiln temperature profile and hence the efficiency of the kiln. A pilot twin shaft lime kiln of 1.5 ton per day capacity was employed in the evaluation. It was shown that low firing rates of the burners affects negatively the kiln throughput and very low drafts lead to excessive backfiring of the burners. Many strategies were proposed to mitigate various negative phenomena experienced in the operations of vertical kilns.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, Oct 15, 2013
The Journal of Engineering, Science and Computing (JESC), Dec 2, 2020
African Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2013
Limestone calcination reaction seems to be a very simple and straight-forward reaction. However, ... more Limestone calcination reaction seems to be a very simple and straight-forward reaction. However, there are numerous critical variables that exert profound effect on lime burning operations. The factors and variables that affect the burning of limestones must be considered in the selection, design and optimization of the calcininig equipment. Limestone burning in a vertical kiln often presents complex problems which can be solved from the conception by consideration of the prevailing factors that determine the progress of calcinations reactions. The evaluation of the influence of these factors on the progress of the burning of Jakura limestone in a vertical shaft lime kiln is the thrust of this work. Basic kinetic parameters such as: diffusivity, mass transfer coefficient, conductivity, heat transfer coefficient, convective parameter, and diffusive parameter of the lime layer of the calcining limestone particle were obtained from the calcinations tests. Computer programs were develop...
The kinetics of calcination of a high calcium type of limestone was studied. Ukpilla limestone fo... more The kinetics of calcination of a high calcium type of limestone was studied. Ukpilla limestone found in the central region of Nigeria was studied. The limestone composition shows that the limestone has 51.29% calcium oxide and 41.53% loss on ignition and magnesium oxide content of 2.23%. The following parameters were determined; diffusion coefficient of lime layer, and mass transfer coefficient, conductivity of lime layer and beat transfer coefficient, convective parameter and diffusive parameter for temperatures 900 0 C, 1000 0 C, 1060 0 C and 1080 0 C. The reaction was found to be limited by mass and heat transfers across the tune layer of the calcining article, the optimal temperature of calcination was found to be 1060 0 C. Diffusivity and mass transfer coefficient decreases with increase in calcination temperature. The thermal conductivity increases with increase in temperature. The diffusive and convective parameter decreases with increase in temperature. The reactivity of lim...
Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2014
Neem oil was extracted using food grade ethanol in an agitated pilot scale solvent extractor. The... more Neem oil was extracted using food grade ethanol in an agitated pilot scale solvent extractor. The maximum percentage yield was 36.86% and was obtained when flat blade turbine impeller was operated at 84 rpm for 40 minutes contact time at 50oC extraction temperature and particle size of 0.425 – 0.710mm. The Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometer result shows the composition of the extracted neem oil to be 40.41% oleic acid, 27.65% stearic acid, 25.36% palmitic acid, 3.90% octanal, 1.23% elaidic acid, 0.97% lactone and 0.48% methyl stearate,. This percent composition compares favourably with standard values. The composition of the neem oil suggests its application for industrial usage. The properties of the neem oil extracted were found to be: specific gravity, 0.9111; pH, 6.5; refractive index, 1.4668; iodine value, 70.21g/g; acid value, 34.33mgKOH/g and Saponification value, 180.95 mgKOH/g. These values compare favourably with standard values. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n5p39
Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2017
Thermal stability of transitional alumina phases produced from ammonium alum using Kankara kaolin... more Thermal stability of transitional alumina phases produced from ammonium alum using Kankara kaolin as starting material was studied. Wet beneficiation method was employed to purify the starting material, after which it was calcined and dealuminated with sulphuric acid. The elemental composition, mineralogical, and physiological analyses were carried out using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques respectively. The ammonium alum was thermally treated by varying the calcination temperature from 700 to 1200°C and varying the time of calcination from 1 to 4 h. The formation of gamma alumina began at calcination temperature of 825°C for calcination time of 3 h, which was found to be lower than reported works of 900°C. It was found to be stable at higher temperature of 1125°C, above which phase transformation to alpha alumina was observed. The observed wide range of thermal stability of the gamma alumina phase gives it good advant...
African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Aug 31, 2013
Sustainable development implies development which ensures maximization of human well being for to... more Sustainable development implies development which ensures maximization of human well being for today's generation which does not lead to declines in future well being. Attaining this path requires eliminating those negative externalities that are responsible for natural resource depletion and environmental degradation. All human activities and developmental projects are associated with environmental degradation in one form or the other with the attendant generation of wastes. As a result of these, environmental problems of various types and intensities have emerged to threaten man's wellbeing and the natural environment which serves as his life support system. In the light of the present global drive towards sustainable development and the concern of the Federal Government of Nigeria, fundamental strategies have been presented here to provide sound basis for comprehensive plans towards environmental management in Nigeria which is a fast developing economy. The basic paradigms of the interaction of man and the environment were used as basis for this study. The socioeconomic potentials of effective environmental management were presented. Application of the strategies has the potentials of contributing significantly to the national GDP and will also ensure that development is in harmony with the environment.
Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2015
Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2015
Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a good material for cat... more Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a Gamma alumina is a good material for catalyst support and its surface properties is of great importance. In this good material for catalyst support and its surface properties is of great importance. In this
Nigerian Journal of Technology
A pilot-size dealumination unit to handle 2.5kg of metakaolin per batch was designed and fabricat... more A pilot-size dealumination unit to handle 2.5kg of metakaolin per batch was designed and fabricated and test run. The metakaolin was prepared from Kankara kaolin. The metakaolin was completely split into silica and alumina. The silica component which was inert to the sulphuric acid used during the reaction and was obtained as a solid product. While the alumina which reacted with the sulphuric acid was obtained in liquid form as aluminum sulphate, known as alum. The dealumination unit comprises of the dealumination reactor, known as dealuminator, acid holding tank and metakaolin slurry mixing tank. The material of construction selected for the dealumination reactor was stainless steel type 304 lined internally with glass to withstand the corrosive environment of the concentrated sulphuric acid at the reaction temperature > 140°C. The capacity of the componentsare; acid holding tank 5 liters;metakaolin slurry mixing tank 20 liters, with 70 W capacity motor and the dealuminator 50 ...