Caleb Popoola

Exergy rate profiles, exergetic efficiency and irreversibility were used to examine the driving forces in multicomponent distillation system with the view to identifying feasible and efficient operating parameters. The mixture used comprised of 5% propane, 15% iso-butane, 25% nbutane, 20% iso-pentane and 35% n-pentane. Operating variables were feed temperature (-30 oC and -80 oC), pressure (800 kPa and 1200 kPa), and reflux-ratio (2 and 6). Stage-by-stage system exergy analysis was estimated. Column profiles of base case -30 oC, -80 oC, -30 oC-reflus ratio 6, -80 oC reflux ratio 6 and base case reflux ratio 6 did not crossed thus are thermodynamically feasible. Base case -30 oC-reflux ratio 2, -80 oC-reflux ratio 2, and base case-reflux ratio 2 were crossed and constricted and are infeasible. Base case results gave efficiency of 81.7% at depropanizer and 65.2% at debutanizer. Base cases sensitivity results with -30 oC, -80 oC and reflux ratio 6, efficiency range 57.40 – 70% and 65.2...

Arterial blockage in the petroleum industry is mostly due to the deposition of heavy organics like wax from petroleum fluids. Wax is an undesirable constituent in crude oil due to high pour points and high viscosity index. De-waxing operation is broadly classified into two types namely: one with the use of solvents and other without solvents. In this work, xylene, n-hexane, kerosene and triethanolamine (TEA) were used for de-waxing operation. Different percentages of these solvents were added to the crude oil sample and their effect on the crude oil flow properties was evaluated. All these solvents evaluated improved the flow property of crude oil. Kerosene and triethanolamine (TEA) blends was more effective than the other solvents.

The demand for bio-lubricant is constantly on the increase due to rapid depletion of world fossil fuel reserves, technological advancement, concern for environmental pollution and its potential to address the energy and environmental problems. This research evaluated the tribological properties of copper (II) oxide nanoparticle-enriched bio-lubricant developed from sandbox (Hura crepitans) seed oil. Copper (II) oxide nanoparticle was added to improve the tribological properties of the bio-lubricant. The experimental parameters were set up according to central composite design of response surface methodology to minimize the numbers of experiments. The bio-lubricants containing varying proportions of copper (II) oxide nanoparticle additive were prepared and their tribological properties were evaluated using ball-on-disc tribometer. The values of parameters used to assess the tribological behaviors were: load (2 N, 5 N, 8 N), speed (150 rpm, 200 rpm, 250 rpm) and nanoparticle concentra...