bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review on Reinforcement of Aerogel for Development of Advanced Nano Insulation Material for Application in Sustainable Buildings
Authors: Puad Nadzhratul Husna Ahmad , Khamidi Mohd Faris , Azizli Khairun Azizi , Farhan Syed Ahmad
Published: November 2014

Installation of insulation materials in buildings can reduce the usage of air conditioners by retarding heat flow into the building. Aerogel is one of the best insulation materials with distinctive properties that can replace existing building insulation materials such as fibre glass and polyurethane. However, brittleness of Aerogel makes it difficult to handle and disqualifies its viability as a building insulation material. Reinforcement of Aerogel with binding materials can improve its mechanical and thermal properties to overcome its brittleness. However, only a few studies have been carried out on this area. Furthermore, from the few existing studies, vital information such as thermal conductivity and specific application of the reinforced Aerogel studied were not considered. As an initiative to fill in this research gap, a review on reinforcement of Aerogel is presented.
J-Integral Prediction for Semi-Elliptical Surface Cracks in Round Bars Subjected to Torsion Moment
Authors: Ismail Al Emran , Ariffin Ahmad Kamal , Abdullah S. , Ghazali Mariyam Jameelah , Mohd Tobi Abdul Latif
Published: November 2014

This paper presents a numerical investigation on semi-elliptical surface cracks in round bars subjected to mode III loadings. Lack of information can be found in open literature regarding to the J-integral solution especially the surface crack subjected to mode III loadings. Therefore, this work investigates and analyzes crack behavior using J-integral approach. On the other hand, a mathematical model is also developed to predict the J-integral along the crack front. It is found that the J-integral can be used to predict well along the crack front. However, the prediction is strongly influenced by whether the material is elastic-or plastic dominated region.
CFD Model Validation for Charging and Discharging of a PCM Encapsulated in Sphere
Authors: Amin N.A.M. , Mohamad Azizul , Daud R. , Majid M.S. Abdul , Afendi Mohd , Bruno Frank , Belusko Martin
Published: November 2014

The application of phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage (TES) has become one of the viable solutions in energy saving achievable with renewable thermal systems. Packed bed of spheres has been used as TES to enlighten the encapsulated PCM availability in space within the TES system. In order to minimise the high manufacturing cost, the simulation on the TES model is proposed. In accordance to that, a model of TES containing a PCM sphere has been studied in this paper. A commercialised computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is used to simulate the TES model and the result is then compared experimentally, thus validating the simulation model. The model has been validated for both charging and discharging processes. It is also found that with the use of the CFD model, one could determine the effective thermal conductivity of the PCM at different temperatures.
Investigation on the Fretting Wear of a Coated Substrate: Interlayer Stress Behaviour
Authors: Mohd Tobi Abdul Latif , Harimon M.A. , Ismail Al Emran , Saad A.A. , Azalan A.A.
Published: November 2014

The effect of surface modification due to fretting wear behaviour of coated SCMV (High Strength Alloy Steel) with interlayer is investigated by simulation using ABAQUS Software on a cylinder on flat contact configuration under gross sliding conditions. The effect of interlayer stiffness and the surface modification are analysed with the focus on the interlayer stress failures and its associated stresses behaviour. Tangential stress and shear stress are predicted to reduce with the increase of numbers of wear cycles due to the effect of contact conforming. Stresses in the interlayer are predicted to increase with the interlayer stiffness due to the function of the interlayer as the load bearer.
Preparation of Macroporous Ceramic Materials by Using Aluminium Powder as Foaming Agent
Authors: Nasir Nurulfazielah , Jumaidin Ridhwan , Efendy Hady , Selamat Mohd Zulkefli , Beng Goh Keat , Zakaria Muhammad Zulfattah
Published: November 2014

Aluminium powder was used as foaming agent in the production of macro-porous alumina ceramic. The porous ceramic material was developed by mixing an appropriate composition of cement, aluminium powder (Al), alumina (Al2O3), calcium oxide (CaO), gypsum (calcium sulphate dehydrate, CaSO4.2H2O), silica powder and deionized water. Different compositions of porous ceramic were produced at 2wt.%, 3wt.% and 4wt.% of aluminium powder. Their mechanical properties and macro-porosity structural of the porous ceramic material were analysed and compared. It is determined that the optimal properties of porous ceramic material were found at 3wt.% of aluminium powder and degraded drastically at 4wt.%. This phenomenon is due to the chemical reaction between the aluminium powder and DI water in which they form aluminium oxide that promotes the strength of the material but at the same time, more pores are created at higher reaction rate between these two fundamental materials.
Study the Potential Application of Smart Fluid Material and Force Tracking Control of Magnetorheological Damper
Authors: Harun Mohd Hanif , Wan Abdullah Wan M. Zailimi , Jamaluddin Hishamuddin , Ab Rahman Roslan , Hudha Khisbullah , Harun Mohamad Hafiz
Published: November 2014

The aim of this paper is to study the potential application of magnetorhelogical (MR) fluid as a smart material used in semi-active damper of a vehicle suspension system. An MR damper was designed and fabricated and tested in the laboratory using damper test machine. The non-linear behaviour of the MR damper is modelled using third order polynomial model based on experimental data. Force tracking control is carried out in order to track the ability of the MR damper to produce force as close as possible with the desired force. Continuous state control is chosen for the inner loop controller of the MR damper. The performance of the proposed controller as a force-tracking controller is compared with the desired force produced by vehicle system. The results of the study shows that the proposed controller is able to track the desired force successfully.
Development and Testing of Intumescent Fire Retardant Coating on Various Structural Geometries
Authors: Ullah Sami , Ahmad Faiz , Singh Anildav
Published: November 2014

Materials are prone to fire and in modern construction their protection from fire is required. In any structure, various joints such as T-joint, I-beam and elbows are used. The geometry of the component has significant role in protection of structure. A weak joint may lead to failure of main structure. In order to meet these challenges, Intumescent fire retardant coating (IFRC) were developed and tested on various structural geometries such as T-joints, elbows, I-beams and pipe. The control coating formulation (IFC-C) was developed from main ingredients; Ammonium Polyphosphate (APP), expandable Graphite (EG), Melamine (Mel), Boric Acid (BA) mixed with bisphenol A epoxy resin and polyamide hardener. Another set of formulations containing various percentage of aluminium Tri-Hydrate (ATH). Fire test results of ATH based formulation showed that I-beam geometry showed the high expansion of 19 mm. T-joint showed the average surface temperature of 55°C after one hour of Bunsen burner test. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) showed the presence of boron oxide, boron phosphate, sassolite and aluminium oxide in IFC-ATH5 residual char. The 5wt% ATH filler in IFC-C enhanced the fire protection performance of intumescent fire retardant coating formulation.
Finite Element Modeling and Simulation of Thermal Distribution on Full and Ventilated Electric Vehicle Disk Brake
Authors: Budiana Eko Prasetya , Ubaidillah Ubaidillah , Adyatama Hafidz , Dwi Prija Dominicus Danardono
Published: November 2014

This paper examines the phenomenon of heat distribution on the disk while braking. Heat distribution on the brake disk is caused by the change of the kinetic energy into the mechanical energy. The energy change occurs during the process of braking due to the friction between the surfaces of the disk with the caliper pad. Friction also results in the increase of temperature, This phenomenon is very important to be highlighted in order to learn the characteristic of heat distribution occurs on the disk with different disk types namely ventilation disk and full disk. In addition, this study is also aimed to find out the effect of vehicle load on disk temperature during braking process. The purpose of this research is to analyze the thermal distribution of a vehicle disk brake. The thermal distribution on the disk brake is investigated using ANSYS CFX. This simulation results provide useful information for identifying the influence of different models of disks brake as well as the vehicle load with regard to the distribution of heat that occurs during the process of braking.
Investigation on the Interaction between Plasticity Response and Fretting Wear under Partial Slip Condition
Authors: Harimon M.A. , Mohd Tobi Abdul Latif , Saad Abdullah Aziz , Che Seman M.N.
Published: November 2014

The fretting wear behavior of Ti-6Al-4V is studied with the focus on cyclic plasticity effect under partial slip condition. The analysis is simulated using finite element based method with a new worn surface profile model represent a given number of cycles using a cylinder-on-flat geometry. The effect of surface modification on the stresses and plastic strain distribution is studied. As the profiles become deeper and wider, the contact pressure and shear stress increase at the stick zone. Due to this increment, the accumulation of plastic strain will become more significant. This may lead to material’s ductility exhaustion that could initiate the nucleation of crack. Plastic deformation is predicted to occur in the 6000th cycle model and onwards. Overall the relationship of fretting wear and plasticity has been defined qualitatively.
Preliminary Study of Alternative Wall Insulation Materials for Home Residence
Authors: bin Shammuin Mohammad Hafizuddin , Boon Tuan Tee
Published: November 2014

With the growing interest of sustainable and green technology, there is a need of finding the alternative for wall insulation materials. The objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of two types of insulation for the house wall as well as study the effect of those materials on temperature distribution in the house. Insulating materials that have been selected for this preliminary study are polystyrene, cellulose and coconut fiber. The measurement is conducted by using reconfigurable model house where the insulation materials can be inserted in the wall, roof and floor. The temperature data then were recorded using infra-red camera. The preliminary result from the experiment is presented in this paper.
Tensile Strength Test of Photo Biocomposites for Application in Biomedical Materials
Authors: Triyono Joko , Tontowi Alva Edy , Siswomihardjo Widowati , Rochmadi Rochmadi
Published: November 2014

The aim of this research is to perform the tensile strength of photo biocomposite materials. This material consist of hydroxyapatite (HA) as a filler, tri [ethylene glycol] dimethacrilate as a matrix, shellac as a coupling agent and camphorquinone as a photoinitiator. Four ingredients then were used to two mixtures. The first mixture was mixing of TEGDMA and camphorquinone and the second was shellac coated HA. Two of mixtures were mixed to be one solution and was stirred in magnetic stirrer for 1 hour. The solution then was poured into the mold of tensile strength (10 x 10 x 3 mm) and was activated with visible blue light 410 – 500 nm for 40 seconds in order to be polimerization processes. The irradiation process was done with a maximum thickness 1 mm so that the irradiation process was done 3 times (layer by layer processing). The results of tensile strength test showed that the tensile strength would decrease with the addition of HA or would increase by the addition of TEGDMA. The highest tensile strength was obtained at HA/TEGDMA ratio of 20/80%. This material could be used as a bone substitute materials.
CFD Analysis on the Flat Runner Blades of Propeller’s Turbine under Low Head and Low Flow Condition
Authors: Othman Masjuri Musa , Ab Razak Juhari , Bashar Mohd Farriz , Muhammad Nor Salim , Sopian Kamaruzzaman
Published: November 2014

Hydropower is one of the most widely source to produce electricity for domestic houses as well as for industries around the world. However, for those off-grid settlements the pico-hydro scheme is more suitable due to its cost-effectiveness (less maintenance), clean, user-friendly and do not involved with huge construction works. Even the installation of this type of hydropower scheme is very simple as do it yourself (DIY) concept. One of the most popular pico-hydro turbines which have been implemented widely in rural areas until nowadays is propeller type or also known as axial turbine. Propeller turbine is selected because it is suitable to operate under low head with high flow rate condition. However, in this particular case, low head with low flow rate of water are the two main parameters which need to be considered. This is because during dry or drought season the water level of the rivers will become low and fluctuated, and this scenario affected the performance of the propeller turbine itself. In order to overcome this problem, the runner blades of the propeller turbine need to be redesigned to suit with this nature behavior. Therefore, in this study the runner blades with flat profile with few different angles and number of blades will be applied under 2 meters head. On the other hand, since the low flow is another parameter which needs to be focused therefore the value of the water flow rate has been set to 13 l/s. Analysis tools such as Computer Fluid Dynamic (CFD) is applied in this study in order to determine the most optimum results based from few selected parameters which has been mentioned. From the CFD’s final result, 3 blades with angle 300 was the best combination among the parameters involved.
Technical Impact of PV Penetration on Distribution Network under Various Load Levels
Authors: Ibraheem Wadhah Esmaeel , Gan Chin Kim
Published: November 2014

Traditionally, bulk power was delivered by the central generation unit to the loads. However at present, Distribution Generation (DG) systems are normally connected at the distribution level and near to the load. This paper presents the modelling of Photovoltaic (PV) and the factors that affect the PV output power. The impact of PV in the distribution feeders operation in different cable capacities and penetration levels are also investigated. The results indicate that the impact of (50-150)% PV system penetration in the case of higher maximum demand is larger than the smaller maximum demand. Losses in systems showed a sharp decline in high penetration with high demand than those in lower levels.
Thermal Modeling of Photovoltaic Thermal System with Polymer Sheet in Tube Absorber Collector
Authors: Rosli Mohamad Afzanizam Bin Mohd , Misha Suhaimi , Sopian Kamaruzzaman , Mat Sohif , Sulaiman Mohd Yusof , Salleh Elias
Published: November 2014

This study developed a thermal model of a photovoltaic thermal collector (PVT) to predict the performance and outlet temperature of the system. The PVT consisted of a polycrystalline photovoltaic module, a polymer collector–type sheet in a tube, and an insulator. The motivation of the present work is that the polymer materials are flexible, low cost and lightweight which are for the PVT applications. The outlet temperature of the PVT increased with the decreasing rate of mass flow into the riser because the water had sufficient time for thermal heating. One unit of polymer collector can achieve an outlet temperature of 69 °C at 500 W/m2 at a mass flow rate of 0.0063 kg/s.
An Overview of Hydrogen Production from Renewable Energy Source for Remote Area Application
Authors: Abdol Rahim Abdul Hadi , Tijani Alhassan Salami , Wan Mohamed Wan Ahmad Najmi , Hanapi Suhadiyana , Sainan Khairul Imran
Published: November 2014

Hydrogen production through solar energy technology plays a very important role in the development of sustainable energy systems. Traditionally, a wide variety of methods are available for hydrogen production from conventional sources such as natural gas, coal and oil. Their application, however, contributes to emission of ozone depleting gases such as CO2. This paper reviews the recent developments of hydrogen production methods related to solar-hydrogen production for remote area application. The methods discussed are thermochemical, photoelectrochemical and electrochemical where water is the basic raw material. From this review, the low overall efficiency of photoelectrochemical and thermochemical processes make them non-attractive for remote areas application. This paper concludes that the most suitable method for hydrogen production for remote area application is electrochemical process where electrolyzer represents the most important process to obtain hydrogen without any emission of air pollutants or greenhouse gases. This paper will be useful for manufacturers, academicians and researchers who are involved and interested in solar hydrogen system.
Thiosulfinates Concentration in Garlic Extract at Different Storage Temperatures
Authors: Samsudin Sity Juaeiriah , Mansor Nurlidia , Sufian Suriati , Man Zakaria
Published: November 2014

Thiosulfinates (TS) found in garlic extract is the main compound which determines the effectiveness of this plant towards inhibition. TS shows its ability to inhibit other compounds has been proved by several researchers especially in medical application. However, TS is an unstable compound and transform into more stable compound with time. Therefore, TS concentration may decrease. During analysis, garlic extract was stored at two different temperatures: 25°C and 4°C to determine the suitable temperature for TS to maintain its composition in garlic extract for a long time. After 10 and 60 storage days, the extract was tested for its TS content by reaction of L-cysteine and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), DTNB with garlic extract. As result, TS concentration was high and shows slight difference for both storage temperatures at 10 storage days. Meanwhile, at 60 storage days, TS concentration at 25°C has lower reading compared to 4°C. This is due to TS rapid transformation to other compound at warmer temperature. Low concentration of TS reduces garlic extract efficiency towards inhibition. Therefore, the best storage temperature for garlic extract long term analysis is at 4°C.
Simulation of Enriched Air-Steam Biomass Gasification in a Bubbling Fluidized Bed Gasifier
Authors: Niu Miao Miao , Huang Ya Ji , Jin Bao Sheng
Published: November 2014

A model was developed for the enriched air-steam biomass gasification in a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) gasifier using Aspen Plus. Restricted equilibrium method was used to eliminate the deviation caused by the diffusion effect of gas-particle. The model has been divided into three stages (drying and pyrolysis, partial combustion and gasification) for predicting the gasifier performance. Simulation results for gas composition, carbon conversion and cold gas efficiency versus oxygen percentage and steam to biomass ratio (S/B) were compared with the experimental results. Higher oxygen percentage improves the gasification process, increases the production of H2 and CO and results in better gasification efficiency. With increasing oxygen percentage, the production of CO2 and CH4 show decreasing trends. Steam injection enhances the H2 and CO2 production but decreases CO and CH4 production. Carbon conversion presents a slight decrease trend over the S/B range, while cold gas efficiency is first constant and then decreased.
Fuel System Response of a Common Rail Passenger Car Engine Fuelled with Palm Oil Biodiesel
Authors: Abdullah M. Adlan , Ani Farid Nasir , Hassan Masjuki
Published: November 2014

This study investigated the effects of palm oil methyl ester blends on a common rail passenger car engine in terms of changes in the fuel system response. Up to 40% biodiesel blend was used in this study. Operating on biodiesel causes the engine control system to modify the injection parameters by increasing the injection pressure and duration while advancing the start of injection timing for the same power output. This engine control system-response to biodiesel is due to the inherent low energy density of biodiesel. Low and medium speed/load region was proposed as an area where improvement by injection strategies optimization can be made.
Production of Biodiesel from Waste Cooking Oil via Ultrasonic-Assisted Catalytic System
Authors: Ngadi Norzita , Ma Lai Nyuk , Alias Hajar , Johari Anwar , Rahman Roshanida Abd , Mohamad Mardhiah
Published: November 2014

In this study, production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO) was carried out via ultrasonic-assisted transesterification method. Calcium oxide (CaO) was used as a catalyst. The effects of methanol to oil molar ratio, reaction temperature and the catalyst amount towards the percentage conversion of oil to biodiesel were investigated. The biodiesel produced was analyzed using GC-FID method. The results obtained showed that 82 % of oil was successfully converted into biodiesel. This indicates that the used oil (WCO) has the potential to be the future source of biodiesel. Catalyst concentration of 3 w/w%, methanol to oil molar ratio of 15:1 and temperature of 65°C are the best condition for the conversion of oil to biodiesel. The result obtained was found out that, methanol to oil molar ratio and catalyst amount has given significant effect on the conversion of oil. However, temperature ranged from (35 to 75) °C apparently, showed no significant effect on percentage conversion of oil.
Mathematical Modeling of Thermoelectric Generator with Solar Parabolic Dish
Authors: Muthu Gunalan , Shanmugam Subramaniam , Veerappan Arunachalam
Published: November 2014

The use of solar energy in the production of electricity is gaining momentum for obvious reasons. This article presents an analytical model of thermoelectric generator (TEG) driven by a solar parabolic dish collector having open mouth diameter of 3.56 m with focal length of 1.11 m. The focal receiver is embedded by flat thermoelectric modules with an absorber plate and it is enclosed in an acrylic cover. TEG with acrylic cover and without acrylic cover were studied analytically for different solar beam radiation at a constant flow rate of heat transfer fluid of water. TEG with acrylic cover system was able to produce 35.3% improvement in overall efficiency and 55.1% improvement in electrical power output at solar beam radiation of 1100W/m2.
Performance Comparison for Parabolic Dish Concentrating Solar Power in High Level DNI Locations with George Town, Malaysia
Authors: Affandi Rosnani , Gan Chin Kim , Ab Ghani Mohd Ruddin
Published: November 2014

Parabolic Dish (PD) Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) generation has appeared as one of Renewable Energy (RE) that is efficient and trustworthy. As technology moves into commercialization, it is necessary to study the performance of PD system at various locations. Current literature on PD especially for tropical environment such as Malaysia and locations with Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) lower than 1500 kWh/m2/year is still scarce and scattered. Most of the studies are focusing on the performance at location with DNI higher than 2100 kWh/m2/year. Therefore, this paper presents the performance of PD in tropical environment of Malaysia and four other locations such as; Thailand, Korea, Australia and United States of America (USA). System Advisor Model (SAM) was used to analyze the performance of PD for the selection countries. The simulation result shows that the annual energy production for George Town in Malaysia is 21,845 kWh, and shows areas of high DNI have high power output such as Pheonix, USA 184,189kWh; Canberra, Australia 121,536 kWh; Bangkok, Thailand is 48,736 kWh and Inch’on, Korea 45,450 kWh.
Development of Hybrid Photovoltaic-Wind System for LED Street Lighting
Authors: Nasir M.N.M. , Jali Mohd Hafiz , Rashid Muhammad Alif Ridzuan , Sulaima Mohamad Fani , Bohari Zul Hasrizal , Yahaya Muhammad Sharil
Published: November 2014

This paper presents the development of hybrid Photovoltaic (PV)-Wind system connected to light emitting diode (LED) street lighting as the load. The aim of this research is to analyze the energy performance from the combination of PV system and wind system which is hybrid system to the LED lamp as the load. In this project, the PV panel and wind turbine used to generate the energy and the output of the energy control by two equipments which are solar charger controller and hybrid charger controller. The output of both PV and wind connected with the battery as storage energy for this system. In this research, the PV system produces the best energy compared to the wind system and it is reliable to charge the battery of the system and supply to the load.
Design and Stress Simulation of Crankshaft for Slider-Crank Drive Stirling Engine
Authors: Zainudin Mohd Farid , Rosli Abu Bakar , Ming Gan Leong , Shamshir Ali Tanti Zanariah , Anak Sup Billy
Published: November 2014

In this present work, the design and simulation of crankshaft for multi-cylinder Stirling engine is studied based on finite element analysis. The proposed crankshaft design is based on the typical crosshead slider-crank mechanism that is being used with the consideration of design needs for multi-cylinder Stirling engine. The study focused on the piston-crankshaft assembly that is subjected to compression load in Stirling cycle. Based on the simulation results, the maximum von Mises stress for crankshaft model varies from 0.82 MPa at 1 bar charge pressure to 1.65 MPa at 20 bar charge pressure. Minimum factor of safety is founded to be 33 with maximum deformation under maximum charge pressure. For piston-crankshaft assembly load, minimum factor safety of 2 was observed with maximum compression pressure for minimum charge pressure. The results indicate no yielding and structural failure under compression load case, can be satisfied.
An Investigation of a Self-Pressurized Alpha V-Type Stirling Engine Converted Diesel Engine
Authors: Yusof Mohamad , Zainal Z.A. , Farid N.A. , Miskam M.A.
Published: November 2014

This study reports the investigation results of 194cc. alpha V-type Stirling engine converted from a four-stroke diesel engine that operated in self-pressurized mode. Tests were conducted with air as the working gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as the heat source. The engine started operating at 600 °C for hot cylinder temperature and 60 °C for cold cylinder temperature, respectively. At heat input of 1100 J/s, the engine performance was successfully tested at both no load and load conditions. For mechanical shaft power assessment, the engine approximately produced a maximum brake power of 7 W, brake thermal efficiency of 0.6% at 717 rpm speed, 811 °C hot cylinder temperature and 96 °C cold cylinder temperature. For electrical power assessment, the engine was capable of generating a maximum electrical output power of 1.7 We at 657 rpm speed, 855 °C hot cylinder temperature and 98 °C cold cylinder temperature. Despite its low engine performance, the study of alpha V-type Stirling engine is a worthwhile step towards clean and sustainable energy in mass production.
Predicting the Performance and Emissions Characteristics of a Medium Duty Engine Retrofitted with Compressed Natural Gas System Using 1-Dimensional Software
Authors: Alimin Ahmad Jais , Ismail Muhammad Yusri , Osman Shahrul Azmir
Published: November 2014

The rise of crude oil price and the implications of exhaust emissions to the environment from combustion application call for a new reliable alternative fuel. A potential alternative fuel for compression ignition (C.I.) engine is the compressed natural gas (CNG). For C.I. engines to operate using CNG, or to be converted as a retrofitted CNG engine, further modifications are required. Previous works reported loss in brake power (BP) and increase in hydrocarbon (HC) emission for C.I. engine retrofitted with CNG fuelling. Verification of performance characteristics for CNG retrofitted engine through experimental analysis requires high cost and is very time consuming. Thus, a 1-Dimensional simulation software, GT-Power, was introduced in this study to reduce the experimental process and setup. A 4-cylinder medium duty C.I. engine (DE) and CNG retrofitted engine (RE) GT-Power models were used in this simulation work over various operational conditions: low, medium and high load conditions. As compared with DE model, results from RE model showed that RE model achieved an average 4.9% improvement for brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and loss in BP by 37.3%. For nitrogen oxides (NOX) and carbon dioxides (CO2) RE model predicted reduction of 48.1% (engine mode 1-9) and 33.4% (all engine modes), respectively. Moreover, RE produced 72.4% more carbon monoxide (CO) and 90.3% more HC emission.
Synthesis of Activated Carbon from Coal for Enhancing Hydrogen Content in Syngas from Co-Gasification of Rice Husk and Coal
Authors: Arifin Zainal , Suyitno Suyitno , Putri Sanurya , Kusbandriyo Hery , Kroda Kinastryan Jita , Wibowo Atmanto Heru , Setyo Nugroho Arif , Dharmanto Dharmanto
Published: November 2014

Hydrogen-rich syngas either from nonrenewable or renewable sources plays a key role for fulfilling the future energy demand. The CO2 sorbent, activated carbon, synthesized from coal was studied and introduced into the process of co-gasification rice husk with coal. The research was conducted in the continuous gasification reactor with a capacity of 5 kg/h. The raw material used was rice husk and coal while the mass concentration of rice husk was varied at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. The steam as a gasification agent was maintained at temperatures of 400°C and 500°C. The effect of coal, steam temperature, and activated carbon to enrich hydrogen in the syngas was disclosed. The synergistic effect of enhancing hydrogen content in the syngas from the co-gasification was found the mass concentration of coal around 50%. This paper found also the characteristic of activated carbon to increase the concentration of hydrogen in the syngas and the suggestions for improving them were proposed.
CFD Modelling of a Fluidized Bed Gasifier; Effects of Drag Model and Bed Heights
Authors: Md Isa Kamariah , Osman Kahar , Abdullah Nik Rosli , Mukhtar Azfarizal , Othman Nor Fadzilah
Published: November 2014

One of the unresolved issues in using the gasifier is the inability to determine the occurrence of the transition regime of fluidized bed. In modeling gas-solid phase, drag force is one of the main mechanisms for inter-phase momentum transfer. Thus, a simulation of fluidized bed was developed to study the effect of using various drag models over different bed height of H/D ratio such as 0.5, 1 and 2. A two dimensional model using Eulerian-Granular Multiphase Model (EGM) based on two fluid models have been used to simulate hydrodynamics of a bubbling fluidized beds. Gas-solid interactions are modeled via inter-phase of a drag model. The drag correlations of Gidaspow, Wen Yu, Syamlal-O'Brien, Hill Koch Ladd (HKL) and Representative Unit Cell (RUC) were implemented to simulate the interaction between phases. From this study, we found that different H/D ratio such as 0.5, 1 and 2 yields different volume fraction as increasing bed height slows kinetic transport of particle sand to the upper side of the bed. Besides that, different H/D ratio also resulted in different velocity vector. The results also show that Wen Yu and Syamlal-O'Brien are sufficient enough in detecting the change from one regime to another regardless of the bed height.
Characteristics of a Reciprocating Pump for Low-Cost Sustainable Water Hydraulic Technology Demonstrator
Authors: Zaili Zarin Syukri , Yusof Ahmad Anas , Mohd Nor Nur Fathiah , Mohd Hanafi Mohd Hafidzal , Ibrahim Mohd Qadafie
Published: November 2014

An investigation of water-based reciprocating triplex piston pump was conducted to propose a low cost solution for the substitution of the traditional oil hydraulics to water hydraulics. Triplex pumps used in this investigation as the water hydraulics require continuous pumping. These pumps are capable of handling a wide range of fluid types, including corrosive fluids, abrasive fluids, and slurries containing relatively large particulates. Thus, an evaluation of the triplex pump using a simple simulation process that focuses on the volumetric efficiency has been conducted in order to understand its ability in energy-efficient system. In this paper, the results of a simulated study of a positive displacement triplex piston pump are presented. The result concludes that the use of water is relatively efficient if the slip factor is maintained to 0.003, with the system pressure is set from 10 to 40 bar.
Conceptual Design and Performance Analysis of Parallel Drive-Train for Hybrid Electric Motorcycle
Authors: Teoh Sun Jie , Rosli Abu Bakar , Ming Gan Leong , Yasti Mustika
Published: November 2014

Increasing numbers of motorcycles are causing urban source of unregulated pollutants which are hazardous to environment and human health. Hybrid electric motorcycle (HEM) could be a solution to the problem as the electric system operates at high efficiency, allow diversification of energy resources, zero local emission and work silently. A HEM with parallel drive-train configuration has better fuel economy but post complex drive-train. In this paper, a parallel drive-train is proposed where two numbers of one way clutch are used to isolate the power source components when operating at different speed. The parallel drive-train allows the control unit to utilize and manage the power sources efficiently by operating at various modes based on the driving requirement. Meantime, maximum torque is available in blended mode when the internal combustion engine and electric motor operate simultaneously. The proposed drive-train posts the advantages of being simple, low cost and ease for control design for a HEM.
Transportation Algorithm for Optimizing Renewable Energy Resources Utilization at Rural Areas
Authors: Woldeyohannes Abraham Debebe , Woldemichael Dereje Engida , Ing Lim Chye , Ru Eng Ze
Published: November 2014

This paper aims to address the issues related to renewable energy (RE) resources optimization at rural areas. A transportation algorithm is proposed in order to optimize the utilization of renewable energy and allocate various renewable energy resources to different demand stations. A rural area in Sarawak, Malaysia is selected as a pilot area for implementing the proposed method. The total annual energy demand for the pilot research area is 860,567.12 kWh, while the annual renewable energy potentially available is 879,419.48 kWh. The simulation results of this transportation model reflect that although there is a potential for solar and wind energy at the selected rural area, the model has selected hydropower and biomass as a more viable option. The results obtained from the proposed transportation model have been verified with the results of other RE studies. It is proven that the developed model could be used as a decision making tool to evaluate application of various alternative renewable energy resources and to determine the optimal location for development of these resources.
The Effect of Ceramic Substrates Surface Roughness on the Deposition of AgTiO2 Coatings
Authors: Mohd Rosli Zulkifli , Ahmad Rusli Nur Hamizah , Mohd Juoi Jariah , Zainudi Mazidah
Published: November 2014

This research aims to determine the effect of ceramic substrates surface roughness on the deposition of silver-titania (AgTiO2) coating. The ceramic substrates were prepared from three batch mixture of waste glass namely transparent glass (99 wt. %): carbon black (1 wt. %), green glass (85 wt. %): ball clay (15 wt. %) and transparent glass (85 wt. %): ball clay (15 wt. %) deposited with AgTiO2 using sol gel dip coating method. Ti and Ag phases have been identified via glancing angle X-Ray diffraction analysis (GAXRD). The thickness and morphology of coatings were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Analyses conducted have confirmed that AgTiO2 coating layers have been successfully deposited into various types of selected ceramic substrates. Microstructure analysis shows that coatings deposited on ceramic substrate with a moderate surface roughness of 2.13 (green glass: ball clay) produced the most homogeneous surface and uniform thickness.
Improve the Bit Error Rate Performance of Free Space Optical Communication due to Atmospheric Turbulence Effect through the Robust Modulation
Authors: Rahman A.K. , Aljunid S.A. , Anuar M.S. , Fadhil H.A.
Published: November 2014

This paper focus on improvement bit error rate (BER) performance due to atmospheric turbulence effect in free space optical communication (FSOC) using new modulation technique that is dual diffuser modulation (DDM) technique. This technique uses two transmitter and differential mode detection at the receiver. The combination of dual diffuser with differential detection mode at receiver produce the superior modulation against the turbulence especially reducing the scintillation index, overcome the signal detection with fix zero threshold and improve the power received. These three element factors are important in order to improve the overall performance of free space optical system. The analysis result shows that under strong turbulence condition, the BER can improve 42 percent in term of FSO distance propagation.
The Correlation Parameters for the Construction of Passive Grease Trap for Effective Waste Management
Authors: Karjanto Juffrizal , Md Yusof Nidzamuddin , Mohammad Taha Mastura , Zakaria Muhammad Zulfattah , Ismail Nurhidayah
Published: November 2014

Fat, oil and grease are the three elements usually found in the municipal sewage systems as the results of improper disposal from the sink. These elements come from domestic and commercial kitchens. The absent or inefficient of a plumbing device known as grease trap has caused the trapped of fat, oil and grease in the sewage systems. There are two types of grease trap, namely Passive Grease Trap and Active Grease Trap. These grease types are collected and they can be recycled and used to produce an energy source, for example biodiesel. In Malaysia, the usages of passive grease traps are exercised. There are two parameters that govern the construction of the grease trap, namely retention time and flow rate. The ratio of sizing including the empirical formulations regarding the flow rate and the retention time will be discussed thoroughly in this paper. Furthermore, the understanding of the nature of the fat, oil and grease and the construction guideline for grease trap will be covered in this paper.
Preparation and Characterization of Pure and Lanthanum Doped ZnO Nanoparticles by Solution Route
Authors: Prabhavathy S. , Jothilakshmi R.
Published: November 2014

In this study, Undoped and lanthanum doped ZnO nanopowders have been successfully synthesized by solution method using the mixture of Zinc acetate dihydrate and ethanol. The powders were annealed at various temperatures. The effect of lanthanum incorporation on the structural and optical properties of the ZnO nanoparticles has been investigated and the effect of temperature impact on as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles with respect to the morphological and optical characteristics has also been investigated. Structural studies were done by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Morphological studies were done by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The surface-related optical properties have been investigated by Raman spectrum.
Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Drugs Sensing: A Review
Authors: Kasinathan Bavani , Zawawi Ruzniza Mohd
Published: November 2014

Carbon-based nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers and nanodiamonds have been fascinated considerable attention as promising materials for drug sensing. These materials have tremendous amount of attraction due to some extraordinary features such as excellent electrical and thermal conductivities as well as high mechanical strength. Hence, these nanomaterials have been used extensively in sensor technology in order to achieved desired sensitivities. To date, carbon based nanomaterials have been exploit in the development of various drug sensing due to their simple preparation methods, and cost effectiveness. The aim of this review is to focus upon carbon based nanomaterials predominantly on drugs sensing applications. This review has been written in summary form including properties, fabrication method, and analytical performances.Abbreviation:Au, Gold; CNFs, Carbon Nanofibers; CNTs, Carbon Nanotubes; CVD, Chemical Vapour Deposition; D-, Dextrorotatory enantiomer; D, Dimensional; DNase, deoxyribonuclease; ESD, Electrospinning deposition; GCE, Glassy Carbon Electrode; Gr, Graphene; GrO, Graphene Oxide; ILs, ionic liquids; L-, Levorotatory enantiomer; LOD, Limit of Detection; MTase, Methyltransferases; MW, Microwave; MWCNTs, Multi-walled Carbon nanotubes; NDs, Nanodiamonds; NPs, Nanoparticles; PECVD, Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition; RGO, Reduced Graphene Oxide; SPE, Screen-Printed Electrode; SPR, Surface Plasmon resonance; ssDNA, single-stranded DNA; SWCNTs, Single-walled Carbon nanotubes.
Optical Sensing of TiO2 Nanofluid for Self Stability
Authors: Subramaniyan A.L. , Kotaisamy M. , Ilangovan R.
Published: November 2014

Nanofluids are colloidal suspensions of nanoparticles in a base fluid which are mainly used as modern heat transfer fluids. The applications of nanofluids include electronic cooling systems, direct absorption solar collectors, magnetic smart fluids and in biomedical treatments. The success of these applications depends on stability of nanofluid. In the present work TiO2nanofluids have been synthesized by two step technique .The nanoparticle of TiO2are prepared by sol gel and characterized by XRD, SEM and UV. The sedimentation of prepared nanofluid is observed by the gravity sedimentation method and transmitted intensity is recorded by a photo detector. A profile between the transmitted intensity and distance of nanofluid from laser source is obtained which shows the potential application of nanofluid as optical sensors for detecting stability of nanofluid.
Solvatochromism and Electroabsorption Studies of Drug Carriers
Authors: Jothilakshmi R. , Rajeswari R. , Thanikaivelan E.
Published: November 2014

2, 6-Diaminoanthraquinone is used in drug delivery. The absorption and fluorescence spectral properties of 2,6-Diaminoanthraquinone (DAAQ) have been investigated in a series of organic solvents with different polarity functions ranging from 0.207 to 0.762.The different solvents used are Tetrahydrofuran (THF) (0.207), Dimethylformamide (DMF) (0.404), ethanol (0.654) and Methonal (0.762).The fluorescence shifts are more pronounced than the absorption shifts indicating that the change in dipole moment is positive. The change in dipole moment and the ratio of the dipole moments are determined and discussed by Solvatochromism method. The third order nonlinearity of 2,6-DAAQ in PVA dissolved in DMF solution is determined using Electroabsorption. Higher order nonlinearities can be deduced on successful recording of the stark spectrum at the higher order of the applied electric field.
Fracture Toughness of Hardox-400 Steel at the Ductile-to-Brittle Transition Temperature Range − The Influence of the In-Plane Constraint
Authors: Neimitz Andrzej , Pala Tadeusz , Dzioba Ihor
Published: November 2014

Fracture toughness is a structural elements property. Critical values of the J - integral, JIC measured according to the standards requirements, when transferred to engineering applications can lead to a significant conservatism in assessing integrity of a structure. In the article the formulae to estimate the fracture toughness taking into account the in-plane constraint in elements are proposed. These formulae are based on the analysis of the stress field in front of the crack proposed by Hutchinson, Rice and Rosengren (HRR), and O'Dowd's, Shih's modifications of HRR field, as well as the analysis of the stress field in front of the crack, computed numerically.
The Usage of the Method of Fundamental Solution for Twisting Composite Rod as a Basis of the Local Analysis
Authors: Gorzelanczyk Piotr
Published: November 2014

The paper presents a resilient torsion of composite bars, which has a cross-section of a circle with a central circular fiber. Composite material is material with heterogeneous structure. It is composed of two or more components with different properties. The problem of torsion of homogeneous prismatic bars was discussed in many publications, however, there is very little work, concerning compute rods. In general form, the discussed question was first asked and solved mathematically by Мусхелишвили. He used a twisting function φ (X, Y), analogic to the stresses function and the rule of de Saint-Venant for homogeneous prismatic bars. On the basis of his work other were created, which include, Векуа i Рухадзе
In this article the function of stress presented by Чобаня is used to solve the issue of composite torsion of prismatic rods. On this basis, it was found that the introduction of the stress function ψ (X, Y) simplifies the way of solving prismatic bars composed of different materials, especially when they have polygonal contours. The application of the theory of the function of twisting stresses in the composite rods allows the use approximate methods which can include: variational method, small parameter method or method used in the fundamental solution method.
The analytical results were verified using numerical methods [1]. In the fundamental solution method stress concentrations occurring at the border of the fiber and the matrix was used to solve the problem of the composite rod twisting. This gives better results than the use of local analysis
Evaluation of the Riveted Joint Load-Carrying Capacity Based on the Formed Rived Head Dimension
Authors: Lis Zbigniew , Lipski Adam
Published: November 2014

The formed rivet head was measured in order to verify rivet closing-up forcein the executed riveted joint. The measurements were performed using two specimen series with strapped joint. The first series of specimens was prepared using standard riveting technology: drilling and reaming of holes and kinematic heading of rivets. In the second series of specimens modified technology was used: drilling, sizing and heading of rivets with controlled heading force.The relationship of the formed rivet head diameter on the heading force was determined. For that purpose tests with controlled heading force were performed and the formed rivet head diameter for each force was measured. The limits of formed rivet head diameter for the second series of specimens, which were headed using controlled heading force were calculated. Based on the scatter of formed rivet head diameters for the first series of specimens the range of forces achieved during kinematic heading of rivets was determined. The riveted joint load-carrying capacity using tension was assumed. Special instrumentation was prepared for riveted joint tests. Achieved joint load-carrying capacity results were collated with specific heading forces for the first series of specimens. Based on the heading force values put on the load-carrying capacity diagram was concluded that kinematic heading does not guarantee achievement of the optimum load-carrying capacity.