Design And Fabrication of A Centrifugal Fan As An Alternative To The Manual Bellows of The Masaga Glass Beadmaking Furnace In Niger State, Nigeria

Design And Fabrication of A Centrifugal Fan As An Alternative To The Manual Bellows of The Masaga Glass Beadmaking Furnace In Niger State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

This titled “Design and Fabrication of a Centrifugal Fan as an Alternative to the Manual Bellows of the Masaga Glass Bead Making Furnace in Niger State, Nigeria” was undertaken to address the furnace operational problem of the artisanalMasaga Glass Bead Makers in Bida, which is the focus of this research.

The air supply to the furnace through manually operated bellows is critical to the operation as the operating manpower is depleting leading to the gradual extinction of this trade.

Following the appraisal of the of glass bead making in India, Ghana, and Egypt that use local furnaces, the research came up with the design and fabrication of an electrically operated centrifugal fan in place of bellows.

The centrifugal fan was fabricated from locally sourced components and an electric motor to make this setup. A customized insulation brick furnace was constructed to complement this setup.

The insulation bricks were made from a mixture of in the ratio of 1:1. The design and fabrication of a centrifugal fan to supply compressed air to aid combustion and the design modification of the Masaga glass-bead making furnace worked successfully in operation resulting in an increased capacity and consistency of air supply leading to the speedup of the bead making process.

On operation, it was possible to achieve the desired temperature of 12000Cwithin about twenty (20) minutes of working the setup.

The furnace, being constructed using insulating bricks, provides much-needed protection for the workers against the searing heat of the work environment. In this way, increased efficiency and a safer and neater working environment were achieved.

The furnace setup is of potential to small and medium scale enterprises that specialize in pyrotechnic artisanship like glass bead making, blacksmithing, and calculations kilns.

If this process is encouraged in the glass bead-making industry nationwide, it would make bead-making less expensive compared with foreign ones.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Page
Title page ………………………………………………………………………………….i
Declaration ………………………………………………………………………………..ii
Certification ………………………………………………………………………………iii
Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………….iv
Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………………v
Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………viii
Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………….ix
List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………..xii
List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………xii
List of Plates ……………………………………………………………………………xii
Definition of Operational Terms ………………………………………………………xv
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………1
1.1 Statement of Research Problem……………………………………………………….3
1.2 Justification for the study……………………………………………………………..4
1.3 Aim and objectives of the study…………………………………………………………5
1.4 Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………..5
1.5 Scope of the study…………………………………………………………………….6
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………………..7
2.1 Beads………………………………………………………………………………….7
2.1.1 Beads in Ancient Egypt……………………………………………………………..8
2.1.2 Beads and Beads-making in Ghana…………………………………………………9
2.1.3 Bead making in Nigeria……………………………………………………………12
2.1.4 Glass Bead Making among the Yoruba of Nigeria…………………………………12
2.1.5 Glass Bead making among the Nupe………………………………………………13
2.2 Masaga Glass work in Masaga Bida…………………………………………………17
2.3 Furnaces………………………………………………………………………………21
2.3.1 Glass Bead making Furnaces………………………………………………………21
2.4 Furnace Modification………………………………………………………………..26
2.5 Bellows………………………………………………………………………………..30
2.5.1 Effort at Mechanising the Bellows in Nigeria……………………………………..32
2.6 Fans………………………………………………………………………………….36
2.6.1 Types of Fan……………………………………………………………………….37
2.6.2 Centrifugal Fans……………………………………………………………………38
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………………41
3.1 Materials …………………………………………………………………………….41
3.2 The Problems Identified with the Current Furnace Design…………………………..42
3.3 Furnace Design Modification………………………………………………………..43
3.4 Insulation Brick Making………………………………………………………………………………….45
3.5 Fabricating the Furnace Stand………………………………………………………………………….52
3.6 Constructing the Furnace…………………………………………………………………………………53
3.7 Choice of Fan…………………………………………………………………………………………………58
3.7.1 Fan Design Considerations……………………………………………………………………………59
3.7.2 Fabrication of the Centrifugal Fan………………………………………………………………….61
3.8 Installing the fan……………………………………………………………………..68
3.9 Testing the fan……………………………………………………………………….70
3.9.1 Sources of fan failure………………………………………………………………70
3.9.2.1 Vibration………
………………………………………………………………….71
3.9.2.2 Lack of Performance ……………………………………………………………71
3.9.2.3 Excessive Noise………………………………………………………………… 71
3.9.2.4 Premature Component Failure………………………………………………….. 72
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 RESULTS……………………………………………………………………………73
4.1 Modification of Furnace……………………………………………………………..73
4.2 The Centrifugal Fan………………………………………………………………….77
4.3 Furnace Temperature attained……………………………………………………….79
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 DISCUSSION……………………………………………………………………….81
5.1 Firozabad – The Glass City of India…………………………………………………81
5.2 Ghana…………………………………………………………………………………84
5.3 Nigeria..………………………………………………………………………………84
CHAPTER SIX
6.0 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………..86
6.1 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………87
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………89

INTRODUCTION

The glass technology industry is yet to flourish in Nigeria. This is in spite of the fact that Nigeria is richly endowed with a substantial volume of requisite raw materials and manpower for a thriving glass technology sector.

As with every developing economy, a great demand exists for infrastructural development, which will require immense material utilization, such as iron and steel, cement, glass, wood, plastics, composites, etc.

The demand for glass as a material can never be overemphasized considering its deployment in the Information and Communications Technology sector, whether of computers or optical fibers as well as in the Construction industry and engineering/automotive industry to mention just a few.

However, the technologies germane to the growth and development of the glass technology sector such as ceramics engineering and metallurgical engineering amongst others, are still not fully established in Nigeria as to facilitate and guarantee sustainability in the glass technology sector, that is, particularly considering the level of developments in the area of refractory materials, which are necessary for furnace construction.

The resultant effect of the slow rate of development in these aforementioned areas is the heavy dependence on imported glass products as well as the relevant paraphernalia for glass production in the country, which inevitably translates into heavy foreign exchange expenditure and consequent dependence and reliance on expatriate technical recommendations.

REFERENCES

Adegbeye O.O. (2008): A Comparative Analysis of the Development and Prospects ofSmall Scale Glass Bead production in West Africa with a focus on Massagaglass bead making in Bida, Niger State (Unpublished Undergraduate Project)submitted to the Department of Industrial Design, Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria.
Affum M.A (2009): Beads in the Krobo Culture; (Unpublished Master‟s Thesis)submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University ofScience and Technology, Kumasi pg. 10
Alemaka E.M. (2009): Report of Field trip to the Masaga Glass Bead works in Bida,Niger State submitted to thesis supervisor, Department of Industrial Design,Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Avotri N.V.K (2009): The Bead Culture among the Krobo of Ghana; (unpublishedDoctoral) dissertation submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, KwameNkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi pg. 21BluePrint: An Overview of the Design Process; retrieved May 5, 2010 from
http://www.ider.herts.ac.uk/school/courseware/design/overview/overview.html.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (2011): Guide Book: Chapter 3.5 – Fans and Blowersretrieved August 8, 2014 from http://www.saylor.org/site/wpcontent/uploads/2011/09/Chapter-3.5-Fans-Blowers.pdf
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (2014): Furnaces 2Ch4.Pdf document retrieved April23rd, 2014 from www.beeindia.in
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (2014b): Furnaces: Big Efficiency in Small Scaleretrieved April 23, 2014 from www.beeindia.inCorning Museum of Glass (2013): Life on a String: 35 Centuries of the Glass Beadretrieved July 7, 2014 from www.cmog.org
Developments (2005): Opportunity Lost? The International Development MagazineIssue 31, Quarter 2005, published by the Department for InternationalDevelopment, DFID, 1 Palace Street London, SW1E 5HE pg. 36
Energy Efficiency Guide for Industry in Asia (2006): Thermal Energy Equipment:Furnaces and Refractories; (Chapter – Furnaces and Refractories.pdf) retrievedfrom www.energyefficiencyasia.org

StudentsandScholarship Team.