The Engineering Materials Development Institute (EMDI), Akure has credited a concentration on constant improvement for its successful partnerships and ground-breaking inventions over the years.
The research and development institute, commissioned in 1995, is one of those under the direct supervision of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Idu, Abuja.
In a statement made available to Science Nigeria today (May 10, 2022), the institute said it has successfully developed a reverse-engineered cross-flow impulse, hydro turbine and propeller reaction of 10kW capacity which was installed and has its performance evaluated at Awara Dam in Ikare Akoko, Ondo.
“Spurred by the successes recorded on the capacity developed in hydro-power technology and due to demand of exhibition, a mobile 1kw demonstration propeller hydro turbine has now been developed. This was developed mainly for demonstration purposes, as it has an improvised ‘simulated dam’ that constantly supplies water that sustains the system.
“The various turbines described above were successfully developed and produced using advanced manufacturing techniques. The relatively low cost of production is expected to make the turbine available and affordable for off-grid applications in Nigeria, thereby conserving foreign exchange on imported ones.”
The statement went ahead to list the institute’s other flagship products designed, modelled and manufactured in its factories; 100kg rotary furnace, 300kg recuperative rotary furnace, salt bath furnace, muffle furnace, industrial blower, water pump impeller, train brake shoe, bull gear, channel gratings, 10kw propeller hydro turbine, 35kw small hydropower turbine, 8-mould interlocking brick making machine, 2-mould interlocking brick making machine, yam pounding machine, hammer mill, sieving machine.
The institute outlined its duties to include “engaging in research and development into engineering materials, its processes and systems for converting its unrefined and semi-processed materials into exemplary engineering materials prototypes.
“Designing and development of machines, spares and components in multifarious engineering endeavours for national development.
“In furtherance of our mandate, technological outputs and innovations formulated by the institute are transferred to SMEs for proliferation and, subsequently, yield a pivotal technological turnaround for the country.”
The EMDI said its supervising agency (NASENI) went into recent collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation Regional Centre for Small Hydro Power in Africa (UNIDO-RC-SHP) in Abuja, Nigeria, to sponsor eight Nigerian engineers to P.T-ENTEC, Bandung, Indonesia for a four-week intensive training programme on SHP. “The selected engineers were trained in the design, manufacturing, installation, testing and maintenance of micro and small hydro-turbines.”
The institute, known for its operational excellence has grown in status and currently provides the manpower and infrastructure for the design as well as the manufacture of SHP equipment.
