Lawrence Kaptoge

Areas Lawrence Kaptoge is Knowledgeable in:

Techniques Lawrence Kaptoge Uses:

Lawrence Kaptoge's Problem Solving Skills:

1. On-farm and Off-farm postharvest handling systems, value chain and agro industries.
2. Conducting Lectures, Research and Practicals to both undergraduate and postgraduates.
3. Technologies involved in the Processing, Harvesting, Handling and Storage of both durable and fresh produce.
4. Identification and control of post harvest quality degradation in durable and perishable crops.
5. Storage of Horticultural produce; Seed Processing and Storage; Farm Mechanization; Agricultural Power and machinery; Transmissi

Lawrence Kaptoge's Problem Solving Experience:

1. - Designed and implemented automated temperature monitoring and control in a total of 48 drying bins, hot air drying tunnels and transfer tunnels.
   - Computerised all seed driers operation i.e. seed intake, despatch, raw seed payments and computation of the conversion factor used for grower payment.
2. - Automated all the weighing and seed handling processes. Started by converting the weighbridges from analogue to digital and using the computer in all weighing operations.
3. • Designed installed and commissioned three disc coffee pulping machine for Soet coffee Factory, Small Dam and Irrigation facilities.
   - Designed and build coffee fermentation and washing tanks.
   - Design and construction small dam to supply water required by the coffee factory and to irrigate the coffee plantation when required.
   - Designed and build coffee drying tables.
   - Designed the irrigation for the 100 acre coffee plantation, complete with water pumping and storage.
4. Designed, supervised construction and commissioning of;
   1. Three storey Ultra Modern 20 Ton/hr Seed Processing plant.
   2. New automated 20 Ton/hr Rejects and commercial grain handling plant.
5. - Designed standby Generator house (2 Gensets 1 MW each) complete with foundation details, ducting for cables and control panel.
6. - Designed, installed and commissioned Waterwide cob burner for use on the new 20 ton/hr commercial grain/rejects plant dryer
7. • Designed and installed 2 boilers to provide heat for drying at Cereal Grain Services instead of diesel/IDO burners.
   - Carried out comprehensive study on alternative source of fuel for use in this plant with special emphasis on use of waste/by products to generate the required heat for drying.
   - Assessed boilers that were offered for disposal, procured them, disassembled, transported to site, carried out thorough maintenance before installation, testing and commissioning.
   - Designed and converted the LPG dryer to use steam.
8. • Designed, supervised the construction, Installation and Commissioning of an Ultra Modern 60 ton/hr Commercial Grain drying, processing, handling and storage plant. Comprising:
   - Intake, conveying, pre-cleaning and bulk loading capacity of 60 tons/hr.
   - Two self emptying hopper silos holding 100 tons each (wet holding bins).
   - Four main silos holding 1,125 tons each.
   - Grain Dryer with a capacity of 20 tons/hr, oil burner and fuel storage system.
   - Four belt weighers.
   - High speed bagging scale and sewing machine.
   - 80 ton, 18 m long weighbridge.
9. – Design, supervision of construction and installation of 8 ton/hr mobile LPG grain drying plant for Cereal Grain Services Ltd.
   • - Constructed housing for the dryer and installed a 3-phase power supply to the facility.
   - Maintenance of the dryer fan, gas burner, gas valves, discharge and intake screw augers etc.
   - Designed and installed LPG tank and made all the gas (LPG) connections/plumbing works from the tank to the dryer.
   - Installed a 20 ton/hr fine cleaner.
   - Changed the dryer drive from tractor PTO to 25 hp electric motor by designing and installing appropriate belt and pulley system.
   - Designed and installed intake and dispatch pits.
   - Designed, fabricated and installed belt-bucket elevators and dry grain conveyor belt system.
10. I have Supervised the following student projects:
    1. Ayieko Osborn 4th Year: Evaluating operator performance during ploughing in relation to seedbed quality for maize.
    2. Ruth Peter Kwamboka 5th year: Animal Waste Management.
    3. Dickson Mungou 5th year: Animal Waste Management.
11. • Designed and installed Mobile Seed Processing and packaging plant to facilitate processing and packaging of seed the company grew seed under irrigation in Taveta and subsequent sale in the same region, coast and central.