Pious O. Okekunle is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria. He had his Bachelor of Technology Degree from LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Ibadan, Nigeria and his Doctor of Engineering Degree in Mechanical and Control Engineering Degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. He was the Best Graduate Student in Mechanical Engineering Department, LAUTECH (2002), the Best Graduating Student in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, LAUTECH (2002), the Best Graduating Masters Student in Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Ibadan (2006) and the Best Poster Presenter, The Second Energy-Global Centre of Excellence Career Development Forum, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan (2010). Prof. Okekunle specializes in thermo-fluid and energy studies. For more than a decade, he has been studying thermochemical processing and conversion of biomass materials through computational fluid dynamics simulations and experimentation. More than seven Masters students under his supervision have completed their dissertations and graduated. He is currently supervising five Masters and four Ph. D. students. He has close to fifty publications to his credit. He is currently working on catalytic pyrolysis of lignocellulosic materials, with emphasis on fuel characterization of the derived bio-oil. Prof. Okekunle has benefitted from various scholarships and research grants, including Ogbomoso Sons and Daughters in America Scholarship, Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarship of the Japanese Government and Energy-Global Centre of Excellence Research Grant (two times) of Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. He is currently studying the effects of various catalysts on the physico-chemical properties of derived biofuels from catalytic pyrolysis.
(i) Jekayinfa, S.O., Ojediran, J.O. and Okekunle, P.O. (2003). An Evaluation of Corrosion Prevention Practices in Agricultural Equipment Manufactured and Used in Nigeria. Journal of Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials 50(5): 364 – 370.
(ii) Jekayinfa, S.O., Okekunle, P.O., Amole, I.G. and Oyelade, J.A. (2005). Evaluation of Corrosion Cost in Some Selected Food and Agro-Processing Industries in Nigeria. Journal of Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials 52(4): 214 – 218.
(iii) Okekunle, P.O., Pattanottai, T., Watanabe, H. and Okazaki, K. (2011). Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Intra-particle Heat Transfer and Tar Decomposition during Pyrolysis of Wood Biomass. Journal of Thermal Science and Technology 6(3): 360-375.
(iv) Okekunle, P.O., Pattanottai, T., Watanabe, T. and Okazaki, K. (2012). Effect of Biomass Size and Aspect Ratio on Intra-particle Tar Decomposition during Wood Cylinder Pyrolysis. Journal of Thermal Science and Technology 7(1): 1-15.
(v) Okekunle, P.O., Watanabe, T. and Okazaki, K. (2013). Analysis of Biomass Pyrolysis Product Yield Distribution in Thermally Thin Regime at Different Heating Rates. Mathematical Theory and Modeling 3(11): 29-34.
(vi) Okekunle, P.O. (2013). Numerical Investigation of the Effects of Thermo-physical Properties on Tar Intra-particle Secondary Reactions during Biomass Pyrolysis. Mathematical Theory and Modeling 3(14): 83-97.
(vii) Okekunle, P.O. and Osowade, E.A. (2014). Numerical Investigation of the Effects of Reactor Pressure on Biomass Pyrolysis in Thermally Thin Regime. Chemical and Process Engineering Research 27: 12-22.
(viii) Okekunle, P.O., Adeniranye, D.I. and Osowade, E.A. (2014). Numerical Investigation of the Effects of Reactor Pressure on Biomass Devolatilization in Thermally Thick Regime. Chemical and Process Engineering Research 28: 1-10.
(ix) Okekunle P.O., Ayano, J.D. and Shasanya, A.O. (2014). Experimental Investigation of Product Distribution from Pyrolysis of Different Wood Species Residues. LAUTECH Journal of Engineering and Technology 8(2): 65-68
(x) Okekunle, P.O. and Adeniranye, D.I. (2015). Effects of Pressure and Heating Rate on Products Release Rates and Yields during Biomass Pyrolysis in Thermally Thick Regime. Journal of Energy Technologies and Policy 5(4): 35-49.
(xi) Okekunle, P.O. (2015). Effect of Peak Temperature on Biomass Pyrolysis Characteristics in Thermally Thin Regime in a Fixed Bed Reactor. Mathematical Theory and Modeling 5(5):136-146
(xii) Okekunle, P.O. (2015). Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Reactor Severity on Biomass Pyrolysis Characteristics in Thermally Thick Regime. Chemical and Process Engineering Research 33: 70-80.
(xiii) Okekunle, P.O., Akogun, T.O., Alagbe, G.O. and Osinuga, M.A. (2015). Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Reactor Temperature on Soft and Hardwood Pyrolysis Characteristics in a Fixed Bed Reactor. Journal of Natural Sciences Research 5(10): 144 - 150.
(xiv) Okekunle, P.O., Adunola, V.L., Whanvoh, E.S., Afolabi, A.P. and Idiok, E.P. (2015). Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Sample Shape on Biomass Pyrolysis Characteristics in a Fixed Bed Reactor. Journal of Natural Sciences Research 5(10): 120-126.
(xv) Okekunle, P.O., Osowade, E.A. and Oyekale, J.O. (2015). Numerical Investigation of the Combined Impact of Reactor Pressure and Heating Rate on Evolution and Yields of Biomass Pyrolysis Products in Thermally Thin Regime. Journal of Energy Technologies and Policy 5(3): 93-106.
(xvi) Oladeji, J.T., Itabiyi, E.A. and Okekunle, P.O. (2015). A Comprehensive Review of Biomass Pyrolysis as a Process of Renewable Energy Generation. Journal of Natural Sciences Research 5(5): 99-105.
(xvii) Okekunle, P.O., Adetola, S.O., Itabiyi, O.E., Alayande, I.O., Ogundiran, H.O. and Odeh, K.G. (2016). Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Microwave Drying and Reactor Temperature on Product Yields from Pyrolysis of Cassava Chaff. Nigerian Journal of Technology 35(4): 874-879.
(xviii) Okekunle, P.O., Itabiyi, O.E., Adetola, S.O., Alayande, I.O., Ogundiran, H.O. and Odeh, K.G. (2016). Biofuel Production by Pyrolysis of Cassava Peel in a Fixed Bed Reactor. International Journal of Energy for a Clean Environment 17(1):57-65.
(xix) Adekeye, T., Adegun, I.K., Okekunle, P.O., Hussein, A.K., Oyedepo, S.O., Adetiba, E. and Fayomi, O.S.I. (2017). Numerical Analysis of the Effects of Selected Geometrical Parameters and Fluid Properties on MHD Natural Convection Flow in an Inclined Elliptic Porous Enclosure with Localized Heating. Heat Transfer Asian Research 46(3): 261-293.
(xx) Okekunle, P.O. and Adeoye, O.O. (2018). Numerical Investigation of the Effects of Some Selected Thermo-physical Properties on Products Evolution and Yields during Biomass Pyrolysis. Biofuels 9(4): 415-428.
(xxi) Okekunle, P.O., Oyetunji, O.R., Oke, M.A., Ashamu, B.S. and Olayiwola, T.D. (2018). Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Reactor Temperature on African Oak (Oldfieldia Africana) Sawdust Pyrolysis. International Journal of Research 5(16): 722-728.
(xxii) Oyebanji, J.A., Oyedepo, S.O., Okekunle, P.O., Lasode, O.A. and Adekeye, T. (2018). Product Yield Distribution and Essential Oil Composition of Eucalyptus Terminalis Sawdust Pyrolysis. IOP Conf. Series: Material Science and Engineering 391:1-9.
(xxiii) Itabiyi, O.E., Okekunle, P.O. and Ogunwobi, D.O. (2018). Influence of Operating Parameters on the Product Yields during Pyrolysis of Oil Palm Husk. Journal of Energy Technologies and Policy 8(1): 6-13.
(xxiv) Oyebanji, J.A., Okekunle, P.O., Lasode, O.A. and Oyedepo, S.O. (2018). Chemical Composition of Bio-oils Produced by Fast Pyrolysis of Two Energy Biomass. Biofuels 9(4): 479-487.
(xxv) Oyebanji, J.A., Okekunle, P.O. and Lasode O.A. (2017). Product Yield Distribution and Characterization of Bio-oil from West African Cordia Sawdust Pyrolysis. Nigerian Journal of Technological Research, 13(2): 25-30.
(xxvi) Okekunle, P. O., Itabiyi, O. E., Olafimihan, E. O., Alayande, I. O., Najeemdeen, M. O., Adisa, O. A., and Popoola, A. B. (2019). Effect of Chicken Type and Reactor Temperature on Biofuel Yields from Pyrolysis of Poultry Litter. European Scientific Journal, 15(3): 61–68.
(xxvii) Okekunle, P. O., Itabiyi, O. E., Olafimihan, E. O., Adetola, S. O., Oyetunji, O. R., Abdulrasheed, K. A., Olowolagba, D. E., and Falomo, O. M. (2019). Effect of Reactor Temperature on Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Medical Waste in a Fixed Bed Reactor. European Scientific Journal, 15(15): 244–251.
(xxviii) Okekunle, P. O. (2019). Modelling and Simulation of Intra-particle Heat Transfer during Biomass Torrefaction in a Fixed-bed Reactor. Biofuels, https://doi.org/10.1080/17597269.2019.1637071
(xxix) Olukunle E. Itabiyi, Okekunle, P. O., Sangotayo, E. O., Ogunwobi, D. O., Adeleke, K. M., and Ilori, O. O. (2019). Effects of Pyrolysis Variables on the Product Yields during Pyrolysis of Palm Kernel Shells. International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology, 8(08): 407–413.
(xxx) Okekunle, P. O., Itabiyi, O. E., and Ogunwobi, D. O. (2019). Modelling and Simulation of Biomass Pyrolysis in Thermally Thin Regime. Nigerian Research Journal of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 4(2): 545–558.
(xxxi) Okekunle, P. O., Itabiyi, O. E., Olawale, K., and Orowole, I. A. (2019). Development of an Integrated Refrigeration and Air – Conditioning System. Nigerian Research Journal of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 4(2): 688–701.
(xxxii) Okekunle, P. O., Ajayi, O. O., Bolarinwa, O. O., Alayande, I. O., and Fatai, M. A. (2020). Effect of Oven Drying and Reactor Temperature on Rice Husk Pyrolysis in a Fixed Bed Reactor. International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies, 19(1): 260–265.
(xxxiii) Okekunle, P. O., Awani, O. S., and Jimoh, D. O. (2020). Effect of Potassium Carbonate Catalyst on Pyrolysis of Milicia excelsa in a Fixed Bed Reactor. FUOYE Journal of Engineering and Technology, 5(2): 123–126.
(xxxiv) Oyebanji, J. A., Okekunle, P. O. and Fayomi, O. S. I. (2020). Synthesis and Characterization of Zeolite-Y using Ficus exasperata leaf: A preliminary study. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 2(June), 100063.
(xxxv) Okekunle, P. O., Maduekwe, S., Ajadi, G. S., and Olugbemisoye, S. A. (2020). Effect of Temperature and Residence Time on Torrefaction Characteristics of African Birch (Anogeissus leiocarpa). Covenant Journal of Engineering Technology, 4(2): 43 – 49.
(xxxvi) Okekunle, P.O., Babayemi, O.A., Abodunrin, E.D. and Daramola, O.M. (2020) Catalytic Pyrolysis of Tectona grandis: Effect of Temperature and Magnesium Oxide Catalyst on Product Distribution. Journal of Research and Innovation in Engineering, 5(2): 193-201.
(xxxvii) Okekunle, P. O., Ogunsola, A. D., Babayemi, O. A., Abodunrin, E. D., and Daramola, O. M. (2021). Fuel characterization of bio-oil from fast pyrolysis of tectona grandis in a fixed bed reactor at different temperatures (400 - 700 oC). International Journal of Energy for a Clean Environment, 22(3), 1–14.
(xxxviii) Oyebanji, J. A., Okekunle, P. O., Oyedepo, S. O., and Fayomi, O. S. I. (2021a). Physicochemical Properties of Wood Sawdust: A Preliminary Study. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1107(1), 012125, 1-8.
(xxxix) Oyebanji, J. A., Okekunle, P. O., Oyedepo, S. O., and Fayomi, O. S. I. (2021b). Characterization of Liquid and Solid Products from Pyrolysis of Terminalia ivorensis. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1107(1), 012127, 1-8.
(xl) Okekunle, P. O., Ogunsola, A. D., Babayemi, O. A., Abodunrin, E. D., and Daramola,
O. M. (2021). Analysis and Comparison of the Fuel Properties of Bio-oils Produced by
Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Tectona grandis. Uludağ University Journal of the Faculty of Engineering, 26(2): 693 – 706.
(xli) Oyebanji, J.A., Okekunle, P.O., and Itabiyi, O.E. (2023) Box Behnken Design Application for Optimization of Bio-oil Yield from Catalytic Pyrolysis of Agro-residue. Fuel Communications, 16, 100091.
Referred Conference Proceedings/Book of Abstract:
(xlii) Watanabe, H., Okekunle, P.O and Okazaki, K. (2009). Numerical Investigation of Biomass Pyrolysis: Intra-particle Heat Transfer Effects. The Second International Forum on Multidisciplinary Education and Research for Energy Science, December 12-19, Okinawa, Japan, pp. 127-128.
(xliii) Okekunle, P.O., Watanabe, H. and Okazaki, K. (2010). Numerical Investigation of Intra-particle Secondary Tar Decomposition during Biomass Pyrolysis. The Third International Forum on Multidisciplinary Education and Research for Energy Science, December 9-14, Ishigajima, Japan, pp. 83-84.
(xliv) Okekunle, P.O., Watanabe, H. and Okazaki, K. (2011). Numerical Investigation of Biomass Pellet Pyrolysis and Gasification, 48th National Heat Transfer Symposium, June 1-3, Okayama, Japan, pp 45-46.
(xlv) Okekunle P.O., Itabiyi, O.E., Bello, M., Adeleke, A.G., Olayanju, A. and Olapade, O. (2018). Biofuel Yields from Sawdust Pyrolysis of Different Woods in a Fixed Bed Reactor, International Conference of Mechanical Engineering, Energy Technology and Management, IMEETMCON, September 4-7, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, pp. 217 – 223.
(xlvi) Adekeye T., Okekunle, P.O., Adegun, I.K., and Hussein A.K. (2021). Effects of Grashof and Hartmann Number on MHD Natural Convection Flow in an Oriented Elliptic cavity, 3rd College of Engineering International Conference, May 24-26, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria, pp. 46-47.