NRU :: Browsing by Author "Kabenge, Isa"

Browsing by Author "Kabenge, Isa"

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Advanced Education and Training Programs to Support Renewable Energy Investment in Africa
(International Journal of Education and Practice, 2017) Kimuli, Daniel; Nabaterega, Resty; Banadda, Noble; Kabenge, Isa; Ekwamu, Adipala; Nampala, Paul
African countries have initiated programs to generate electricity from renewable sources such as; wind, solar, biomass and hydropower. These initiatives are intended to reduce the carbon footprint of these countries in the wake of heavy dependency on fossil fuels and also provide cheap and accessible electricity to rural areas. These renewable energy programs are expected to deliver regional development and economic empowerment. However, the lack of trained manpower for repair and maintenance of renewable energy technologies devices is likely to result in failure of these technologies, cause losses in revenue and reduction in consumer faith in renewable energy technologies. African universities must be at the core of solving these challenges by training specialized professionals in renewable energy at graduate level and through short courses to meet the increasing demands for qualified human resource to support the sector. Thus to establish the “readiness” of Universities in Africa to offer advanced education and training in renewable energy, a review of all Masters Courses, Ph.D. programs and short courses was carried out. The results identified 21 English-language Masters courses, 3 providers of Ph.D. studies and 9 short courses in or with significant renewable energy content. Generally, there is inadequate advanced training in renewable energy especially at Ph.D. level in Africa thus the need to attract more African Universities to offer such programs at both masters and Ph.D. levels.
Assessing Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the Murchison Bay Catchment of Lake Victoria Basin in Uganda
(Journal of Sustainable Development, 2018) Kiggundu, Nicholas; Abugri Anaba, Listowel; Banadda, Noble; Wanyama, Joshua; Kabenge, Isa
The Murchison Bay catchment in the northern shoreline of Lake Victoria basin is a high valued ecosystem because of the numerous human-related activities it supports in Uganda. The catchment has undergone tremendous human-induced land use/cover changes, which have not been quantified. This study aimed at quantifying the land use/cover changes as well as the rate at which these changes occurred over the last three decades in the catchment. This was achieved using remote sensing techniques and Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyse and contextualize the changes. To that effect, images of Landsat satellites MSS, TM, ETM+ and OLI were interpreted using supervised image classification technique to determine the land use/land cover changes from 1984 to 2015. The obtained results indicated that the catchment has undergone huge land use and land cover transformations over the last three decades attributable to rapid population growth and urbanization. The prevailing changes in footprint between 1984 and 2015 were expansions of built–up land (20.58% to 49.59%) and open water bodies (not detected in 1984 to 1.74%), and decreases in the following sectors: agricultural lands (from 43.88% to 26.10%), forestland (from 23.78% to 17.49%), and wetlands (from 11.76% to 5.08%). The changes pose a threat to the environment and water quality of the Murchison Bay and consequently increases National Water and Sewerage Corporation water treatment costs. Therefore, there is the need to take critical and practical measures to regulate and police land use, water use rights and conserve the environment especially wetlands.
Assessing soil erosion risk in a peri‑urban catchment of the Lake Victoria basin
(Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 2022) Ssewankambo, Gyaviira; Kabenge, Isa; Nakawuka, Prossie; Wanyama, Joshua; Zziwa, Ahamada; Bamutaze, Yazidhi; Gwapedza, David; Tally Palmer, Carolyn; Tanner, Jane; Mantel, Sukhmani; Tessema, Bezaye
Soil erosion and sedimentation contribute to deteriorating water quality, adverse alterations in basin hydrology and overall ecosystem biogeochemistry. Thus, understanding soil erosion patterns in catchments is critical for conservation planning. This study was conducted in a peri-urban Inner Murchison Bay (IMB) catchment on the northern shores of Lake Victoria since most soil erosion studies in Sub-Saharan Africa have been focused on rural landscapes. The study sought to identify sediment sources by mapping erosion hotspots using the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model in appendage with field walks. RUSLE model was built in ArcGIS 10.5 software with factors including: rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length and steepness, land cover and support practices. The model was run, producing an erosion risk map and field assessments conducted to ground-truth findings and identify other hotspots. The percentage areas for RUSLE modelled erosion rates were: 66.8% for 0–2 t ha− 1 year− 1; 10.8% for 2–5 t ha− 1 year− 1; 10.1% for 5–10 t ha− 1 year− 1; 9% for 10–50 t ha− 1 year− 1 and 3.3% for 50–100 t ha− 1 year− 1. Average erosion risk was 7 t ha− 1 year− 1 and the total watershed erosion risk was 197,400 t year− 1, with croplands and steep areas (slope factor > 20) as the major hotspots (> 5 t ha− 1 year− 1). Field walks revealed exposed soils, marrum (gravel) roads and unlined drainage channels as other sediment sources. This study provided the first assessment of erosion risk in this peri-urban catchment, to serve as a basis for identifying mitigation priorities. It is recommended that tailored soil and water conservation measures be integrated into physical planning, focusing on identified non-conventional hotspots to ameliorate sediment pollution in Lake Victoria.
Bioremediation Technology Potential for Management of Soil and Water Pollution from Anticipated Rapid Industrialization and Planned Oil and Gas Sector in Uganda: A Review
(Journal of Environmental Protection, 2017) Kabenge, Isa; Katimbo, Abia; Kiggundu, Nicholas; Banadda, Noble
Oil exploitation in many African countries is associated with litigation and conflicts to water and soil pollution. It is because of inadequate planning for management of oil spills and industrial effluents in environmentally sustainable manner. Uganda’s natural resources such as soils and water bodies are threatened by contamination due to rapid industrialization and rural-urban migration in established Industrial Business Parks and planned oil and gas production at Albertine Graben Region. The low level of compliance to industrial effluents discharge standards relevant to specific environmental receptors and activities within oil and gas sector development pose a big question of how to sustain the biodiversity and natural resource management. Experiences from elsewhere have shown bioremediation as a viable and proven option to provide potentially manageable solutions to resulting pollution as a substitute to modern well-known remediation methods, for it is relatively cheaper, more efficient and minimal toxic byproducts after treatment. The most used bioremediation agents in different studies reviewed are bacterial species especially Pseudomonas and Bacillus , followed by Aspergillus a fungi species, microalgae and aquatic plants such as duckweed , macrophytes and pteridophytes . Regardless of the waste produced in either oil and gas sector or industries, these agents have shown greater biodegradation rates. Pseudomonas sp. has a degradation efficiency of oil compounds ranging from 90% - 100%, and Aspergillus sp. 75% - 95%. Some aquatic plants can thrive in created wetlands with relatively still water such as Phragmites australis which can degrade hydrocarbons especially Aromatic compounds with benzene ring up to 95%. It can thrive in salty water with high pH range of 4.8 - 8.2. With industrial wastewater, algae is the most dominant with the degradation rates varying from 65% -100% and bacteria at 70% - 90%. Most of the reported results are in the developed country context. In developing countries, duckweed is reported as the commonest aquatic plant in wastewater treatment for removal of heavy metals because it is more tolerant to a wide range of environmental conditions and produce biomass faster. It has a removal rate of heavy metals between 90% and 100%. Basing on literature data analysis, bacteria are more suitable for treating water from oil pollution using Pseudomonas sp. Phragmites australis is suited for cleaning up oil in both water and soil. Duckweed is the best in treating water polluted with industrial effluents. This paper presents the different bioremediation methods that Uganda can potentially apply to mitigate the increased risk of environmental pollutions from planned industrialization and oil and gas development in the Albertine Graben Region.
Characterization of Banana Peels Wastes as Potential Slow Pyrolysis Feedstock
(Journal of Sustainable Development, 2018) Kabenge, Isa; Omulo, Godfrey; Banadda, Noble; Seay, Jeffrey; Zziwa, Ahamada; Kiggundu, Nicholas
Uganda is the world’s second largest producer and consumer of banana after India. This has resulted into vast quantities of banana wastes, including the leaves, pseudostem, stalks, rejected and rotten fruits and the fruit peels. This study focuses on the characterization of banana peels to yield banana peels vinegar (BPV), tar and biochar as value added products that can be useful to farmers. Dried banana peels were characterized via proximate, ultimate, lignocellulosic, thermogravimetric (TG), and calorific value analyses. The obtained results showed that the volatile matter and fixed carbon contents were 88.02% and 2.70% while carbon, nitrogen and sulphur were 35.65%, 1.94% and 20.75 ppm respectively. The hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin contents were 41.38%, 9.90% and 8.90% while the higher and lower heating values were 16.15 MJ/kg and 14.80 MJ/kg. The maximum devolatilization rate in the banana peel biomass occurred in the temperatures range of 450–550oC which was taken as the slow pyrolysis regime temperature. The high levels of fixed carbon, volatile matter and ash contents were strong indicators that banana wastes are adequate feedstock for pyrolysis work to yield bio-infrastructure products. Similarly, the lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose fractions had significant correlation between the biomass heating values and the eventual chemical compounds present BPV and biochar. The characterization properties of the banana peels are akin to the leaves and pseudostem and thus are suitable for pyrolysis process.
Characterization of briquettes developed from banana peels, pineapple peels and water hyacinth
(Research Square, 2022) Mibulo, Tadeo; Nsubuga, Denis; Kabenge, Isa; Wydra, Kerstin D.
Uganda's energy needs are heavily reliant on biomass sources. This dependency of Uganda's burgeoning population on biomass for household and commercial purposes is posing pressure on natural resources such as forests. This study was carried out to investigate the utilization of some of the country's highly produced agricultural waste for the creation of biofuels. Methods: Pineapple peels, banana peels and water hyacinth were utilized for generation of both carbonized and uncarbonized briquettes. Physical properties and calorific values for the developed briquettes were determined through thermogravimetric analysis and using a bomb calorimeter. Results and conclusion: Pineapple peel carbonized briquettes had the highest calorific value (25.08 MJ/kg) followed by a composite of banana peels and pineapple peels (22.77 MJ/kg). The moisture content for briquettes ranged between 3.9 to 18.65%. Uncarbonized briquettes had higher volatile matter (ranging between 62.83 and 75.1%) than carbonized briquettes (ranging between 22.01 and 24.74%). Uncarbonized briquettes had shorter boiling time (ranging between 27 and 36 minutes for 2.5 liters) than carbonized briquettes (ranging between 26 and 41 minutes). Water hyacinth alone produced briquettes with low calorific values (16.22 MJ/kg), however, calorific values increased when mixed with banana (20.79 MJ/kg) or pineapple peels (20.55 MJ/kg). The findings reveal crucial information on how agricultural wastes might be used to augment the energy sources pool in order to protect the environment and creating social stability in the community.
Characterization of Slow Pyrolysis Wood Vinegar and Tar from Banana Wastes Biomass as Potential Organic Pesticides
(Journal of Sustainable development, 2017) Omulo, Godfrey; Willett, Sarah; Seay, Jeffrey; Banadda, Noble; Kabenge, Isa; Zziwa, Ahamada; Kiggundu, Nicholas
Slow pyrolysis process has been used in the recent past to yield wood vinegar from various biomass wastes with a quest to investigate their chemical composition and possible uses. This study utilizes the abundant banana wastes in Uganda including leaves, pseudostem and peels (mpologoma, kisansa and kibuzi species) in the slow pyrolysis process to yield vinegar, tar and biochar. Characterization of these banana wastes’ vinegar and tar fractions were investigated via chromatographic and physicochemical analysis. The principle compounds present in the banana wastes vinegar and tar as per percentage peak areas were acids (68.6%), alcohols (62.5%), ketones (27.6%), phenols (25.7%) and furans (21.8%). The products characterization indicate that vinegar and tar contain compounds that can be used as pesticides, termiticide, fungicides, insect repellants, anti-leaching and soil degradation agents. Thus wood vinegar and tar can have sustainable impacts on agricultural sectors and chemical industries especially for developing countries.
Comparison of sum-of-hourly and daily time step standardized ASCE Penman-Monteith reference evapotranspiration
(Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 2018) Djaman, Koffi; Irmak, Suat; Sall, Mamadou; Sow, Abdoulaye; Kabenge, Isa
The objective of this study was to quantify differences associated with using 24-h time step reference evapotranspiration (ETo), as compared with the sum of hourly ETo computations with the standardized ASCE Penman-Monteith (ASCE-PM) model for semi-arid dry conditions at Fanaye and Ndiaye (Senegal) and semiarid humid conditions at Sapu (The Gambia) and Kankan (Guinea). The results showed that there was good agreement between the sumof hourly ETo and daily time step ETo at all four locations. The daily time step overestimated the daily ETo relative to the sum of hourly ETo by 1.3 to 8% for the whole study periods. However, there is location and monthly dependence of the magnitude of ETo values and the ratio of the ETo values estimated by both methods. Sum of hourly ETo tends to give higher ETo during winter time at Fanaye and Sapu, while the daily ETo was higher from March to November at the same weather stations. At Ndiaye and Kankan, daily time step estimates of ETo were high during the year. The simple linear regression slopes between the sum of 24-h ETo and the daily time step ETo at all weather stations varied from 1.02 to 1.08 with high coefficient of determination (R2 ≥ 0.87). Application of the hourly ETo estimation method might help on accurate ETo estimation to meet irrigation requirement under precision agriculture
Contextual investigation of factors affecting sludge accumulation rates in lined pit latrines within Kampala slum areas, Uganda
(Water SA, 2016) Zziwa, Ahamada; Lugali, Yvonne; Wanyama, Joshua; Banadda, Noble; Kabenge, Isa; Kambugu, Robert; Kyazze, Florence; Kigozi, Julia B.; Tumutegyereize, Peter
Pit latrines in slums areas of Uganda fill up faster than might be expected from some estimates owing to inappropriate use and failure to consider critical factors affecting sludge accumulation rates at the planning, design and construction stages. This study sought to investigate factors affecting filling rates of lined pit latrines in slum areas of Kampala with the goal of contributing to accurate planning, design, construction, emptying and overall maintenance. Fifty-five pit latrines were selected from the five divisions of Kampala city using stratified random sampling. Data collected included: number of users, frequency of emptying, years taken since last emptying, type of non-faecal materials deposited, cross-sectional dimensions of the pit, rate of sludge degradation and geo-physical factors of pit location. Methods used were: field surveys, questionnaires and key informant interviews plus on-site depth measurement. Mass loss tests to investigate the rate of sludge degradation were carried out in the laboratory at moisture content levels similar to those in pit latrines. Sludge accumulation rates were calculated using volume of sludge in the pit, number of users and time taken since last emptying. Statistical analyses included correlation and one-way ANOVA. Results revealed that number of users and type of material deposited in the pit latrines, especially non-faecal matter, had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on sludge accumulation rate. Public pit latrines with a higher number of users had lower sludge accumulation rates and this was attributed to greater degradation taking place and greater restriction on entry of non-faecal matter. The rate of sludge degradation was higher at 90–100% than 80–90% moisture content, due to better degradation conditions. Tighter restrictions on non-faecal material deposition into pit latrines are recommended to reduce filling rates of pit latrines in slum areas.
Differentiated Spatial-Temporal Flood Vulnerability and Risk Assessment in Lowland Plains in Eastern Uganda
(Hydrology, 2022) Erima, Godwin; Kabenge, Isa; Gidudu, Antony; Bamutaze, Yazidhi; Egeru, Anthony
This study was conducted to map flood inundation areas along the Manafwa River, Eastern Uganda using HECRAS integrated with the SWAT model. The study mainly sought to evaluate the predictive capacity of SWAT by comparisons with stream flow observations and to derive, using HECRAS, the flood inundation maps. Changes in Land-use/cover showed by decrease in forest areas and wetlands, and conversions into farmlands and built-up areas from 1995 to 2017 have resulted in increased annual surface runoff, sediment yield, and water yield. Flood frequency analysis for 100-, 50-, 10-, and 5-year return periods estimated peak flows of 794, 738, 638, and 510 m3/s, respectively, and total inundated areas of 129, 111, 101, and 94 km2, respectively. Hazard classification of flood extent indicated that built-up areas and commercial farmlands are highly vulnerable, subsistence farmlands are moderately to highly vulnerable, and bushland, grassland, tropical high forest, woodland, and wetland areas are very low to moderately vulnerable to flooding. Results demonstrated the usefulness of combined modeling systems in predicting the extent of flood inundation, and the developed flood risk maps will enable the policy makers to mainstream flood hazard assessment in the planning and development process for mitigating flood hazards.
Effect of Wettability on Oil Recovery and breakthrough Time for Immiscible Gas Flooding
(Petroleum Science and Technology, 2016) Sagala, Farad; Mugisa, John; Alahdal, Hussein A.; Kisiki, Nsamba Hussein; Kabenge, Isa
The effect of wettability on oil recovery at higher water saturation is still not fully understood, especially in the case of mixed wettability. This study was conducted to examine the effects of wettability on oil recovery and breakthrough time through experiments for two wettability conditions (water-wet and mixed-wet) and three water saturations (20%, 40%, and 60%). Clashach sandstone core with a porosity of 12.8% and a permeability of 75 md was utilized as the porous media. Immiscible gas flooding was performed by injecting nitrogen gas into the core at room temperature and pressure. The results showed 54.3% and 48.8% of the initial oil in place (IOIP) as the ultimate oil recovery at 40% water saturation from mixed-wet core and water-wet core respectively. In contrast, the water-wet core displayed better results (32.6% of the IOIP) in terms of breakthrough time compared to the results of water-wet core (10.6% of the IOIP) at the same water saturation. In conclusion, oil recovery was found highly dependent on water saturation while breakthrough time was mainly affected by the wettability of the cores.
Energy potential of Municipal Solid Waste in Kampala, a Case Study of Kiteezi Landfill Site
(African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management, 2017) Mboowa, Drake; Kabenge, Isa; Banadda, Nobel; Kiggundu, Nicholas
Less than 10% of the population have access to electrical and thermal energy in Uganda and there is a heavy dependence on wood fuel as a source of energy. In this study, the energy potential of Municipal Solid Waste at Kiteezi landfill, Kampala was qualitatively determined by carrying out Municipal solid waste (MSW) characterization, proximate analysis, and calorific value measurements. The samples were picked on different days and for each day, waste was randomly selected from five garbage trucks coming from residential areas (private trucks) and commercial areas (Kampala City Council Authority trucks). It was then sorted, weighed and packed in polythene bags and take to the laboratoty for analysis. Waste from the commercial areas consisted of 87.3 % food and yard waste, 2.0% papers, 0.4% plastics, 3.6% polyethylene, 2.2% water bottles, 0.9% textiles, 1.9% Glass, 0.2% metals, and 1.6% others. Whereas the waste from residential areas comprised of 94.4% food and yard waste, 1.2% papers, 0.3% plastics, 2.3% polyethylene, 0.6% water bottles, 0.4% textiles, 0.3% Glass, 0.1% metals, and 0.4% others. The organic waste on average had moisture content (8.69 wt. %), volatile matter (73.3 wt. %), fixed carbon (3.22 wt. %), and ash content (13.65 wt. %) on a dry basis. The organic waste also had a gross energy content of 19.26 MJ/Kg of dry matter. It was concluded that the organic waste generated in Kampala city can contribute positively to the energy sector.
Estimation of Methane Generation Based on Anaerobic Digestion and Mass Balance at Kiteezi Landfill, Kampala, Uganda
(African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2015) Mboowa, Drake; Banadda, Noble; Kiggundu, Nicholas; Kabenge, Isa; Komakech, Allan John
Kiteezi landfill site is the main solid waste dumping site in Kampala City (Uganda). In this study, the generation of methane from waste at Kiteezi landfill was measured using laboratory-scale anaerobic digestion experiment and estimated using the Mass balance model. The samples were collected in the wet and dry seasons, with five replicates for each season which were processed for further experiments focused on moisture content analysis and anaerobic digestion. The moisture content analysis results showed a significant change (P < 0.05) between wet season and dry season. Also, the anaerobic digestion revealed that moisture content was a determining factor in gas generation. The average monthly methane production estimate from the mass balance model was 1.63 Gg methane/month and was comparable (within 14%) to the amount estimated by laboratory-scale anaerobic digestion experiment (1.43 Gg methane/month). It is a worthwhile undertaking to further investigate the potential of commercially producing methane from Kiteezi landfill as an alternative source of green and clean energy for urban masses.
Estimation of Spatial and Temporal Water Requirements of Grain Amaranth Using Satellite, Local and Virtual Weather Stations Datasets in Uganda
(International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2016) Kyagulanyi, Joseph; Kabenge, Isa; Banadda, Noble; Muyonga, John; Mulamba, Peter; Kiggundu, Nicholas
In this study, an integrated approach incorporating Remote Sensing (RS), Geographical Information System (GIS), local meteorological weather stations’ data and NASA’s virtual meteorological stations’ data were used to quantify Grain Amaranth (GA) water requirements in Uganda. Penman-Monieth method within CropWAT8 model and Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) Model was used to quantify the evapotranspiration. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), daily spatial distribution of Evapotranspiration (ET), Land Surface Temperature (LST) and surface albedo were extracted from satellite imagery. The ratio of effective rainfall (Pe) to Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) – (Pe/PET) and time series for NDVI were computed to determine the growth stage of GA in different areas. The GA water demand was the highest in Karamoja sub-region (467.5 mm/season) and the lowest in Tororo (174.1 mm/season). The growing season for GA in most areas of Uganda was from March to December. Estimation of evapotranspiration in Karamoja sub-region with SEBAL model corresponded to the NDVI extracted, especially for highly vegetated areas. CROPWAT indicated that if GA was planted during the late September and early October in Karamoja sub-region, despite the decreasing moisture levels, the crop could have sufficient water supply during emergence to maturity. The ability to utilize low available moisture levels makes GA a potential crop to bridge the gap (due to the elongated drought) for the food production cycle in Karamoja sub-region.
Evaporative losses from a common reed-dominated peachleaf willow and cottonwood riparian plant community
(Water Resources Research, 2012) Kabenge, Isa; Irmak, Suat
Our study is one of the first to integrate and apply within-canopy radiation physics parameters and scaling-up leaf-level stomatal resistace (rL) to canopy resistance (rc) approach to quantify hourly transpiration (TRP) rates of individual riparian plant species—common reed (Phragmites australis), peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides), and cottonwood (Populus deltoides)— in a mixed riparian plant community in the Platte River Basin in central Nebraska. Two experimental years (2009 and 2010) were contrasted by warmer air temperature and presence of flood water in 2010. The seasonal average rc values for common reed, peachleaf willow, and cottonwood in 2009 were 76, 70, and 107 s m 1, respectively. The corresponding rc values in the flood year (2010) were 70, 66, and 105 s m 1 for the same species, respectively. In 2009, the seasonal total TRP for common reed, peachleaf willow, and cottonwood were 483, 522, and 431 mm, respectively. Corresponding TRP values in 2010 were greater as 550, 655, and 496 mm, respectively. In 2009, TRP accounted for 64% of ETa during June–September, and the proportion varied between 41% and 69% for most of the season. In 2010, TRP accounted for 61% of ETa during June–September, and the proportion varied between 41% and 65% for most of the season. The average surface evaporation rate of the riparian zone was 0.81 mm d 1 in 2009 and 1.70 mm d 1 in 2010. Seasonal evaporation was 160 mm in 2009 and 312 mm in 2010. The study provides a basis for understanding the dynamics of transpiration for riparian vegetation in response to the environmental conditions and provides valuable water use data for more complete water balance analyses by accounting for the water use of riparian vegetation species.
FluNet: An AI-Enabled Influenza-Like Warning System
(IEEE sensors journal, 2021) Ward, Ryan J.; Jjunju, Fred Paul Mark; Kabenge, Isa; Wanyenze, Rhoda; Griffith, Elias J.; Banadda, Noble; Taylor, Stephen; Marshall, Alan
Influenza is an acute viral respiratory disease that is currently causing severe financial and resource strains worldwide. With the COVID-19 pandemic exceeding 153 million cases worldwide, there is a need for a low-cost and contactless surveillance system to detect symptomatic individuals. The objective of this study was to develop FluNet, a novel, proof-of-concept, low-cost and contactless device for the detection of high-risk individuals. The system conducts face detection in the LWIR with a precision rating of 0.98, a recall of 0.91, an F-score of 0.96, and a mean intersection over union of 0.74 while sequentially taking the temperature trend of faces with a thermal accuracy of ± 1 K. In parallel, determining if someone is coughing by using a custom lightweight deep convolutional neural network with a precision rating of 0.95, a recall of 0.92, an F-score of 0.94 and an AUC of 0.98. We concluded this study by testing the accuracy of the direction of arrival estimation for the cough detection revealing an error of ± 4.78 . If a subject is symptomatic, a photo is taken with a specified region of interest using a visible light camera. Two datasets have been constructed, one for face detection in the LWIR consisting of 250 images of 20 participants’ faces at various rotations and coverings, including face masks. The other for the real-time detection of coughs comprised of 40,482 cough / not cough sounds. These findings could be helpful for future low-cost edge computing applications for influenza-like monitoring.
Formulation of Surfactants from Coconut Coir Containing Lignosulfonate for Surfactant - Polymer Flooding
(American Journal of Science and Technology, 2016) Sagala, Farad; Manan, Muhammad A.; Nsamba, Hussein Kisiki; Galiwango, Emmanuel; Kabenge, Isa
Interfacial tension (IFT) reduction between oil and water using surfactants has been used to recover trapped oil after the primary and secondary recovery, however petroleum based surfactants are costly. More research in required on other possible sources of surfactants that can be used to supplement the existing petroleum based surfactants. In this study, surfactant formulations mixed with Lignosulfonate which was sulfonated from local coconut coir lignin, were characterized and screened through micro emulsion phase behavior experiments as a function of Lignosulfonate, primary surfactant, and alcohol concentration. Three different formulations were evaluated for their performance in residual oil recovery when followed with a polymer flood for oil displacement experiments using sand pack model at room temperature. It was found that for the system which used decane as an oil phase, surfactant formulation consisting of 2.0% (w/v) sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS) and 2.0% (v/v) isopentanol was able to give high oil recovery and water solubilization ratios at 2.8% (w/v) NaCl. These oil and water solubilization ratios increased slightly when 2.0 (w/v) lignosulfonate was added into the same formulation. It was evidenced that surfactants generated from coconut coir had higher potential to recover residual oil and more promising when combined with polymers.
Impact of Daily and Seasonal Variation of Raw Water Quality on Treatability: a Case of Gaba Complex
(Global Journal of Engineering Science and Research Management, 2016) Kiggundu, Nicholas; Cherotich, Sam; Banadda, Noble; Kabenge, Isa; Ogaram, David
Conventional water treatment is constrained by factors such as variation in raw water quality, inefficient coagulation, use of inappropriate sand for filtration, and poor backwashing process among others. The objective of this study was to find out the impact of daily and seasonal variation of raw water quality on conventional water treatment through the jar testing process. Short filter run times as low as 12 h were experienced at Gaba complex requiring emergency backwashing. The short filter run times were envisaged to be resulting from the inability of the coagulation process to cope with the varying water quality. Generally, the pH of the water samples showed no significant (p>0.05) difference in both the dry and wet period. The water turbidity and colour were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the dry period compared to the wet period. The optimum alum dose (60 to 70 mg L-1) for each jar test showed up to 92% turbidity removal and complete colour removal. Variation in the raw water quality both daily and seasonally did not significantly (p>0.05) affect the amount of coagulant required for optimal water treatment. The short filter run times therefore, could be due to other factors to be investigated.
Impacts of Biofuel Policies on Welfare and Food Security: Assessing the Socioeconomic and Environmental Trade-offs in Sub-Saharan Africa
(International Journal of Renewable Energy Research, 2017) Kiggundu, Nicholas; Arhin, Samuel Gyebi; Banadda, Noble; Kabenge, Isa
The global interest in biofuels production is agued to have substantial impacts on food security. A slew of studies have identified a nexus between biofuel production intensification and food price hikes in the international market. Regardless of the results of these studies, global biofuels production keeps increasing and it is projected to escalate even further within the next decade. A major concern is that some sub-Saharan African countries with food security worries have policies to enhance the production and use of first generation biofuels. In view of that, this paper examines the potential consequences of diverting food and agricultural lands for biofuels production with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. It reviews the current and projected trends in the production of biofuels and trade of feedstocks, analyses the potential of “food gap”, land use change and associated carbon emissions and the effects on biodiversity and water resources within the region. In conclusion, the study accentuates the doubt on the potential of first generation biofuels as a realistic source of energy particularly in sub-Saharan Africa as it could have substantial effects on the regions’ food security as well as on its natural resource. It also suggests ways to enhance the sustainability of the region’s biofuel policies to maximize welfare gains and enhance food security.
Membrane fouling control in low pressure membranes: A review on pretreatment techniques for fouling abatement
(Environmental Engineering Research, 2016) Arhin, Samuel Gyebi; Banadda, Noble; Komakech, Allan John; Kabenge, Isa; Wanyama, Joshua
Conventional treatment techniques cannot meet the stringent modern water quality regulations emanating from the need to provide high quality drinking water. Therefore, a number of studies have suggested low pressure membrane filtration as a worthwhile alternative. However, a major constraint to the extensive use of this technology in low and middle income countries is the high operating and maintenance costs caused by the inherent predisposition to membrane fouling. Notwithstanding, pretreatment of feed water using techniques such as coagulation, adsorption, oxidation and bio-filtration is believed to control fouling. In this review paper, the existing scientific knowledge on membrane fouling and pretreatment techniques for controlling fouling in low pressure membranes is analyzed with the aim of providing new and valuable insights into such techniques, as well as unveiling crucial issues noteworthy for further studies. Among the techniques reviewed, coagulation was observed to be the most cost-effective and will remain the most dominant in the coming years. Although oxidants and magnetic ion exchange resins can also control fouling, the propensity of oxidants to form health treating precursors and the high economic implications of magnetic ion exchange resins will hinder their adoption in developing countries.

Browsing by Author "Kabenge, Isa"

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