FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE PRODUCES BIOMASS MACHINE AND MANUAL SEED PLANTING MACHINE

In another scientific breakthrough, the Federal Polytechnic Nekede has unveiled a pedal operated Biomass Briquetting Machine and Manual Seed Planting Machine designed and fabricated by some students of Mechanical Engineering under the supervision of Engr. Oke Mong and Engr. Duke Ugwuegbu, respectively.

At the unveiling ceremony organized by the Directorate of Research for Innovation and Development last Friday at the New Engineering Complex, the pace-setting Rector of the institution, Engr. Dr. Michael Chidiebere Arimanwa, described the technological products as bold expressions of the commitment of his administration in deploying research for the development of the society.

Highlighting the operational procedure of the Biomass machine, Engr. Mong Oke stated that the devise converts waste to “an environmentally friendly solid fuels known as briquettes. It is meant to replace charcoal thereby discouraging deforestation. It also has better heating value and combustion outcomes because it was refined/carbonized using the process of pyrolysis. The product can also serve as steam power turbine feedstock, replacing coal because of its combustion properties and environmental sustainability. With this machine a community can rely on their biomass wastes for their energy need.”

Responding, the Rector thanked the project supervisor and his students, Nnadiegbulam Victor, Echewodo Francis, Njoku Daniel and Ubani Ifeanyichukwu, who designed and fabricated the devise, describing it as “timely and commendable.”

According to the multiple award winning Rector, “The act of converting waste to wealth is a world-wide commitment. Every nation has devised a way of converting waste to something profitable so that nothing is actually wasted. A country like Singapore runs 24 hours from power generated from waste. Leaders everywhere are looking inwards to see how waste can be recycled to protect the environment. A boy in Ghana has recently made strong bricks out of plastic bottles, a feat that has made used plastic bottles to be on high demand in that region of the country.

“I anticipate a bigger biomass machine that can service our institution so that wastes produced here can be effectively recycled for the benefit of the polytechnic. It was the need to recycle used sheets of paper that inspired us to establish a tissue paper factory so that no paper material is lost. I also make bold to say that the use of this biomass briquetting machine is a vital means of preserving the environment which is daily depleted by the activities of humans. It is therefore timely and commendable.”

The Rector also unveiled the manual seed planter designed and fabricated by some students of Mechanical Engineering under the supervision of Engr. Duke Ugwuegbu. While operating the devise, the project supervisor stated that when using the machine, “A push force is exerted on the handle to kick start the planting operation on the farmland. As the machine moves across the farm due to the force exerted on the handle, the plough digs the soil creating a trench along the part of motion of the machine by displacing sand sideways while the front wheel which is the driving wheel of the system transmits motion via a sprocket and rolling chain setup to the shaft of the seed wheel.

“As the shaft of the seed wheel rotates, it drives the seed wheel in a rotary motion and with seeds already placed in the hooper and an optimal seed plate diameter set, seeds fall into the hole bored on the seed wheel. The seed wheel rotary motion then aids the transportation of the seed to the chute where they are carefully aided into the trench created in the soil by the plough. As the machine moves further, the trench closer which is situated between the rear wheels pushes sand into the trench created by the plough hence covering the seed and completing the planting operation."

The supervisor further stated that when planting tests were carried out, it was observed that the seed planter could successfully plant optimal number of seeds per point, as the seed metering mechanisms could successfully pick an optimal number of seed from the hooper and transport same to the chute which then helps deposit these seeds in to the trench of the soil.

While congratulating the quartet of Enoh Tito, Ekpedo Paschal, Ukaoma Chijindu and Nzewunwa Anderson who collaborated in the project, the Rector described the initiative as another contribution of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in developing the agricultural sector as farmers who cannot afford mechanized farming can deploy the equipment with minimal stress. He however observed that the volume of seeds in the hooper needs to be specified so that a farmer could have an idea of what service to expect.

Speaking further, Rector Arimanwa described the machine as “a simple seed planting devise that can cover a large space in a short while.” He specifically recommended it for small holder farmers for the enhancement of their farming practice. He final directed that the necessary engineering specifications for all the projects should be made so that the polytechnic would have them patented.

Speaking on the development, the Director of Research and Innovation for Development, Engr. Dr. Chijioke Chiemela described the inventions and initiatives of the polytechnic as unprecedented and bold. He poured encomiums on the Rector, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa for being purpose-driven in leadership and for his policy thrust on research and innovation. He further described him as a “goal conscious administrator” who is focused on using research to solve social problems.

“My Rector is a one-in-a-million leader who is purpose-driven in deploying research to solve man’s challenges. He has been very focused in his policy thrust of research and innovation and this has kept me on my toes. Let me say that the institution has capacity to mass produce better versions of all the machines the Rector has unveiled. All we seek is the needed support from stakeholders so that the wider world could benefit from these inventions. I am very happy that the Rector has indicated readiness to have our inventions patented. I commend him for the pronouncement as this will further sour us to action. Finally, let me state that our products can be directly purchased from our institution. We are an educational institution and we are ready use research to solve the needs of the society.”

© FEDPONEK GAZETTE 11 February, 2023