School of Engineering (SEng.) Collections
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ItemA techno-economic feasibility study of pv systems application in the telecommunication industry in Burundi(Makerere University, 2026)Burundi’s telecommunication industry faces persistent energy challenges due to unreliable grid infrastructure and heavy reliance on diesel generators, particularly in off-grid regions. These constraints have led to elevated operational costs and hindered service reliability. This study evaluated the techno-economic feasibility of deploying photovoltaic (PV) systems to sustainably power telecom infrastructure in Burundi, using selected sites in Burundi. A combination of site surveys, solar resource assessments, and simulation tools (PVGIS and HOMER Pro) was used to model energy output, system performance, and economic viability under PV-only and hybrid (PV+diesel) configurations. Load profile analysis revealed average daily energy demands of 67 kWh, 44 kWh, and 33 kWh for the hub, up, and end sites, respectively. Solar resource assessment showed an average annual global horizontal irradiance (GHI) of 4.9 to 5.4 kWh/m²/day, indicating strong solar energy potential. Optimised hybrid simulations indicated full load coverage with excess electricity < 9%, while PV-only systems produced up to 58% excess energy but with unmet load ranging from 0.05% to 0.37% due to shading and variability. Economic analysis demonstrated superior performance for hybrid systems, with an average Return on Investment (ROI) of 157%, a Net Present Value (NPV) of USD 91,000, and a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of US Dollar cents 36/kWh, significantly lower than US Dollar cents 75/kWh for PV-only setups. Sensitivity analysis indicated that system efficiency was influenced by battery sizing, load variation, and sitespecific shading. The findings allude to the fact that PV-diesel hybrid systems present the most viable solution for reducing fuel consumption, enhancing energy reliability, and lowering operational costs in Burundi’s telecom sector. The study recommends a phased roadmap for PV integration and policy reforms to enable broader adoption. These results underscore PV’s transformative role in supporting resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy systems across critical industrial sectors in Burundi.
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Item3D Electrospun poly L-lactic acid nanofibrous structures coated with regenerated silk fibroin and silver nitrate for burn wounds(Makerere University, 2026)Pediatric burn victims, who are the majority in Uganda, are treated with cotton gauze embedded with topical creams that require painful, frequent changes because of their adherence tendency due to absorption properties. This research developed a 3D-ES poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) nanofibrous structure coated with antibacterial properties that is also biocompatible and biodegradable. An optimized pristine 3D-ES structure had a height of 23.58 mm and a fiber diameter of 0.77 ± 0.05 µm (p > 0.05), suggesting uniform fiber diameters. It had a contact angle of 120°, 40.3% in vitro degradation, and 480.29% fluid take-up on Day 4. No cytotoxicity was observed by Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, and cells adhered and grew, indicating biocompatibility. The 3D-ES structure was coated with regenerated silk fibroin (RSF), whose optimized extraction process was based on Activity-Based Costing (ABC) accounting for the total cost of producing 1 g of RSF, which cost $ 100.06 compared to the $379.58 cost of 1 g of Lyophilized RSF. With optimized spray parameters, silver nitrate (AgNO3) was coated onto the 3D-ES structure. Prior, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and maximum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 0.5 mg mL-1 AgNO3 were analyzed and recorded as the 1st and Neat for all standard and clinical isolates for S. aureus and E. coli. The zone of inhibition (ZOI) decreased with increasing serial dilution, with the widest clearance being 24 mm for SE. coli clinical isolate. Overall, the 3D-ES PLLA structure coated with RSF and AgNO3 was biodegradable, biocompatible, and had antibacterial properties. This research introduces the potential of using 3D-ES drug-loaded structures as potential wound dressings.
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ItemModelling of the Behavior of the Heated Crude oil in the East African Crude oil Pipeline.(Makerere University, 2026)The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is designed to transport waxy crude oil from Uganda to the port of Tanga, Tanzania. Uganda's crude oil has a uniquely high pour point of 40°C, making active heating necessary for flow assurance. This research developed an integrated numerical model (Finite Element Method (FEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in ANSYS) to simulate the behavior of heated crude oil in the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) under normal and failure scenarios. The specific objectives were to quantify radial heat loss across the pipe cross‑section for different crude oil fill levels (full, ¾, ½, ¼ bore) and ambient soil temperatures (18 °C to 35 °C), to simulate temperature, velocity, and viscosity profiles along an 18 m pipeline section for five scenarios (normal operation: 50 °C inlet temperature with 70 °C heat trace , heating failure at 50 °C and 40 °C inlet temperature) and to assess the impact of a 20 mm wax layer on those profiles under heating failure at the same two inlet temperatures. The key findings were firstly, the polyurethane foam (PUF) layer contributed 97.8 % of the total thermal resistance, heat loss varied by 32.8 % across the soil temperature range and fill level had a negligible effect when crude oil was present in the pipe. Secondly, under normal heating, the temperature drop was only 2‑3 °C over 18 m and viscosity remained constant; without heating and with a 40 °C inlet, the crude oil cool ed below its pour point (36.5 °C) and viscosity increased by 300 %. Thirdly, a 20 mm wax layer caused a 31‑47 % velocity increase: however, while offering a minor thermal insulation (10 % reduction in cooling rate). The FEM cross‑sectional results were validated against the analytical multi‑layer conduction solution with a deviation <0.2 %. The study concluded that EACOP’s heated and insulated design is sound, but operational success requires maintaining the inlet temperature above 50 °C, proactive pigging before wax reaches 20 mm, and dynamically adjusting heating power according to soil temperature variations.
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ItemDevelopment of a Single - Phase Power Quality Monitoring System(Makerere University, 2026-06-10)Electricity is crucial for the social, cultural, and overall well-being of Uganda. However, the absence of real-time monitoring and reporting on single-phase electricity networks exacerbates downtime and power instability, resulting in reduced productivity, equipment damage, and revenue loss. The existing call center structure, which depends on social media feedback and phone calls to the Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), is susceptible to human error, process delays, and is labor-intensive in managing reference numbers. This study aimed to develop a prototype of an automated voltage quality reporting system with location updates. The conceptual framework was employed to visually represent the relationships between various concepts and variables. A comprehensive literature review of related studies and system development life cycle (SDLC) models was conducted to inform and guide the research. Methods were developed to address the research questions and to guide activities to fulfill the objectives' requirements. Data were gathered using measurement instruments from a sample area of single-phase households, with a focus on shops for ease of accessibility. The findings were subsequently employed to benchmark the study's test setup. The data collected from the sample area closely aligned with the test bench results, exhibiting only minor deviations, which indicated that the trends observed in the test bench were consistent with those in the sample area. The hardware and software were assembled and calibrated, resulting in a functional singlephase power quality monitoring system, with reports and alerts accessible online and on mobile devices. The developed prototype exhibited hardware and software configurations analogous to those documented in comparable studies. The study recommended integrating the system with an existing powermeter for regular power supply to prevent misreporting of power failures when customer units are depleted. Further research recommends embedding of algorithms and AI tools for designing power distribution topologies, promoting continuous improvement within the energy sector.
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ItemInvestigating the influence of masonry infill walls on the seismic response of reinforced concrete frame structures in Uganda(Makerere University, 2026)This study investigates the influence of masonry infill walls on the seismic response of Reinforced Concrete frame structures in Uganda, where current seismic design codes lack explicit provisions for infill wall and RC frame interactions. The study develops a site-specific design response spectrum for Uganda’s highest seismic zone. Finite element modelling in ABAQUS was employed to simulate the detailed nonlinear in-plane behaviour of infilled and bare RC frames. For broader parametric studies across varying building heights and infill types, like, clay bricks and solid concrete blocks, the equivalent diagonal strut method was implemented in ETABS. Model validation was conducted against established experimental results from pseudo-dynamic tests, ensuring accuracy in displacement, drift, and base shear predictions. Nonlinear static pushover analyses were performed to evaluate seismic performance indicators, including lateral displacement, storey drift, base shear capacity, and stiffness contribution. Results indicate that concrete block infills, owing to their higher compressive strength, provide greater initial stiffness and higher base shear capacity than clay brick infills. However, stiffness contribution decreases with increasing building height, reducing the relative benefit of infills in taller frames. Infill walls significantly reduced displacement and storey drift across all configurations, while Base shear was increased. Displacement was reduced by 80% for the concrete infill in the 2-storey structure and by 73 % for the clay infill. However, the stiffness contribution decreased as building height increased. This is observed by concrete infill reducing displacement by 79.7% in a 2-storey structure, but reducing it by 50% in a 10-storey structure. This research, therefore, provides region-specific evidence for the inclusion of masonry infill effects in seismic design.