bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Study of Oil in the North of Russia by the Geological Committee at the End of the 19th Century – the Beginning of the 20th Century
Authors: Filippova T P 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The article draws attention to the study of the historical experience of Russian science in the development of the Arctic and northern territories of Russia. Based on a wide range of archival and published sources, the role of the Geological Committee in the scientific study of the Ukhta oil-bearing region is analyzed. The chronological framework of the study covers the period of the organization’s activity from 1882 to 1929. The field studies carried out by the Geological Committee which started during this period in the Ukhta region are considered in detail. As a result of this activity, this territory was comprehensively studied for the first time, including a detailed geological survey, the search for oil deposits, and an assessment of its industrial potential. It has been determined that as a result of the surveys of the Geological Committee, new information about the features of the geological and orographic structure of the region was obtained and the oil-bearing potential was proved. It has been concluded that the research of the scientists of the committee laid a fundamental basis for the study of the Ukhta oil-bearing region and predetermined its further development history and great significance for the state.
Efficient Thermal Energy Management of Hollow Pin Fin Heat Sinks with and without Phase Change Material
Authors: Ong K. S. , Lim C.H. , Munusamy Y. , Choo K.C. , Chai G. J. , Saii Patmashini , Naghavi S. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Electronic devices need to be cooled efficiently. Phase change material (PCM) could be incorporated into a conventional fin heat sink (FHS) for such a purpose. This paper reports experimental results obtained on the thermal performances of four FHSs fabricated with different arrays and numbers of hollow aluminium pin fins with various lengths and diameters. Tests were conducted with and without filling them with PCM. Heat input was kept on for 2 hours and varied from 1W, 5W and 10W. Transient heating surface temperatures were recorded on a data logger and plotted every 5 minutes. The results showed that the PCM-filled FHS resulted in faster cooling rates and lower heating surface temperatures. Long and large diameter pins performed better than small and short pins. Efficient fin heat sinks for electronic cooling are essential in view of the weight and size of the component. Hence the findings of this paper would be beneficial for electronic cooling and useful to the electronic industry for efficient thermal energy management.
Synthesis of Titanium Dioxide/Cellulose Derived from Banana Peel for Sonocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue
Authors: Tan Hui Wun , Pang Yean Ling , Lim Steven 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Banana peel was used as the source of cellulose and titanium dioxide (TiO2)/cellulose composites with different weight ratios were successfully synthesised by using sol-gel method. The composites were then characterised by using the scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The synthesised TiO2 was found to be in anatase phase. TiO2 particles were spherical in shape and consisted of both titanium (Ti) and oxygen (O) elements only. Meanwhile, the morphology of extracted cellulose was found to have a rough surface. TiO2 particles were found to be covering the cellulose surface when preparing the composite samples and clusters of agglomerated TiO2 particles on cellulose surface could be observed. FTIR results indicated that the absorption peaks intensity of cellulose slowly reduced as compared to the composite materials. The sonocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in the presence of TiO2/cellulose at weight ratio of 1:2 showed the highest degradation efficiency of 74.14 % at the optimum conditions (initial dye concentration of 10 ppm, catalyst dosage of 1.0 g/L and solution pH of 8). Study on the degradation kinetics of methylene blue at different solution pH proved that the reaction kinetics fitted well into pseudo first-order. Additionally, a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 94.44 % was also achieved after 30 minutes of ultrasonic irradiation under the prescribed optimum conditions.
Evaluation of various preparation methods of oil palm fiber (OPF) biochar for ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) removal
Authors: Ahmad Tanveer , Sethupathi Sumathi , Bashir Mohammed J K , Tan Sin Ying 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The aim of this study is to develop a oil palm based biochar for the selective removal of NH3-N in low concentration from aquaculture wastewater. In this study, three different preparation methods of biochar were evaluated for the adsorption of NH3-N from synthetic aquaculture wastewater. The three methods are pyrolysis, activation with acid before pyrolysis and activation after pyrolysis with numerous oxidizing agents. In the 1st method, various biochars have been prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures (300 – 500 °C) and holding time (0.5 – 2 hr). The maximum removal efficiency of 50 % was achieved at preparation condition of 300 °C and 2 hr. In the 2nd method, the acid activated raw OPF was pyrolyze at 300 °C, 1 hr. The maximum removal was lower compared to the 1st method without acid treatment. In the 3rd Method, the optimized biochar from the 1st method was activated with different activating agents such as, HNO3, HCl, H3PO4, H2SO4, CH3COOH and H2O2 at 100 °C for 2 hr. It was noticed that activation after pyrolysis did not show any improvement in the removal of NH3-N from synthetic aquaculture wastewater. Characterization of optimized samples were carried out to investigate the adsorption mechanism process of NH3-N. The 1st method (pyrolysis) was the best which reported the highest (50 %) removal of NH3-N. Pyrolyzed OPF is a potential adsorbent for NH3-N.
Development of Statistically Downscaled Regional Climate Model based on Representative Concentration Pathways for Ipoh, Subang and KLIA Sepang in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Seng Chin Kah , Weng Tan Kok , Nakayama Akihiko 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Climate change is one of the challenging global issues that our world is facing and it is intensely debated on the international agenda. It is a fact that climate change has brought about many disastrous events on a global scale which affect our livelihoods. Climate models are commonly used by researchers to study the magnitude of the changing climate and to simulate future climate projections. Most climate models are developed based on various interactions among the Earth’s climate components such as the land surface, oceans, atmosphere and sea-ice. In this study, the second-generation Canadian Earth System Model (CanESM2) was statistically downscaled to develop a regional climate model (RCM) based on three representative concentration pathways (RCPs): RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The RCM will be used to simulate the average minimum and maximum temperatures and average precipitation for Ipoh, Subang and KLIA Sepang in Peninsular Malaysia for the years 2006 to 2100. The simulated data were bias corrected using the historical observation data of monthly average minimum and maximum temperatures and monthly average rainfall retrieved from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD). The different trends of the simulated data for all the three locations based on the RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 were evaluated for future climate projection.
Comparison of Segmentation Performance of Activated Sludge Flocs Using Bright-Field and Phase-Contrast Microscopy at Different Magnifications
Authors: Tan Der Sheng , Mahmood Danyal , Nisar Humaira , Yeap Kim Ho , Dakulagi Veerendra , Elaraby Ahmed 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Activated sludge (AS) is a type of process which is commonly used for the treatment of sewage and industrial wastewater. In this treatment process, the settling of the sludge flocs is important to ensure the normal functioning of the system, while sludge bulking has become a common and long-term problem that greatly affects floc settleability. Thus, methods based on image processing and analysis are introduced for monitoring AS wastewater treatment plants. However, the effectiveness of using image processing methods heavily depends on the performance of segmentation algorithms. The AS wastewater plant can be monitored through microscopic images of the flocs and filaments. Water samples are taken from the aeration tank of the wastewater plants and then observed using bright field and phase-contrast microscopy to compare the segmentation accuracy at different magnifications i.e., 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x. In this paper, three methods to segment and quantify the flocs in bright field and phase-contrast microscopy images have been analyzed. The first method is image segmentation using Bradley local thresholding method, the second method is texture segmentation using range filtering and Otsu’s thresholding and the third method is Gaussian Mixture Method based segmentation. The experimental results show that Gaussian Mixture Model Method gives the best segmentation accuracy for bright-field microscopy and 10x magnification gives the best results.
The Exhaust Emission Characteristics of a Spark-Ignition Engine Fuelled with Gasoline and Synthesized Biogas from Non-Thermal Plasma
Authors: Tzeng Lim Mook , Vijayakumar Sureiyn Nimellnair a/l , Aros Ridzwan Bin Tajol 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
This study synthesizes biogas with low methane contents (<50%) to hydrocarbons that form a combustible synthesis gas (syngas) mixture. Conventional methods used for reforming biogas has limitations in terms of fabrication, maintenance, and cost. This is especially true when the biogas’ composition fluctuates. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is an alternative method to produce combustible syngas for power generation. Thus, the exhaust emissions from a 2 kWe spark ignition (SI) engine fuelled with gasoline and NTP-synthesized biogas is investigated with respect to the type of NTP reactor, plasma power consumption and biogas composition. Two types of NTP reactors are used: a cylindrical reactor where the gas flow path is linear, and a cyclonic reactor where the gas flow path is a curvature, similar to that of a gas-solid cyclone separator. The results show that the NTP reactors produced additional hydrocarbons, decreasing flue gas temperatures by 4°C and reducing NOx emissions by 35%.
Synthesis of Z-scheme BiOCI/CuFe2O4 Composite with Enhanced Visible Light Photodegradation of Palm Oil Mill Effluent
Authors: Tan Jin Han , Sin Jin Chung , Lam Sze Mun 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The palm oil industry generated thick brownish liquid waste known as POME (palm oil mill effluent). POME is one of the wastes that can seriously threaten the survival of aquatic life if discharged untreated. In this study, efficient photocatalytic degradation of POME by CuFe2O4 decorated on BiOCl (BiOCl/CuFe2O4) was reported. The Z-scheme BiOCl/CuFe2O4 composite was successfully fabricated via a precipitation-hydrothermal method. The fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) result clearly displayed the presence of BiOCl and CuFe2O4 in the composite photocatalyst. Compared to pure BiOCl, the composite photocatalyst demonstrated a redshift in the wavelength absorption and great visible light absorbing ability. The photodegradation experiments indicated that the BiOCl/CuFe2O4 demonstrated exceptional POME degradation and decolourization efficiencies of 60% and 68%, respectively after 720 min illumination when compared to the single-phase component photocatalysts. The photocatalytic enhancement of BiOCl/CuFe2O4 can be attributed to the efficient charge carrier separation via the Z-scheme heterojunction.
Synthesis and applications of zinc oxide for removal of various pollutants: A review
Authors: Pang Chee Yung , Issabayeva Gulnaziya , Ning Kelly Low Yee , Mee Chu Wong 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The versatility of zinc oxide applications in the removal of various pollutants has attracted a wide interest of researchers in the past decade. Numerous studies reported on zinc oxide synthesis pathways and resulting nanoparticle morphologies, applications, formation mechanisms and synthesis parameters. In this review the reported zinc oxide synthesis methods are classified into chemical, physical and biological routes; they are evaluated in terms of the required chemicals, synthesis conditions and the resulting morphologies and properties of zinc oxide. The chemical route of zinc oxide synthesis covers precipitation, micro-emulsion, solgel, solvothermal and hydrothermal paths. The physical route includes laser ablation and high energy ball milling, while the biological route covers plant extracts and microbe mediated synthesis. The mechanisms of zinc oxide formation of the mentioned routes are based on one or more of the following processes: particle nucleation, diffusional growth, Ostwald ripening, particle aggregation and sintering. The most influencing synthesis parameters overall are temperature, drying duration and additives’ effect. Higher temperatures (>200°C) commonly produce larger particles of zinc oxide (> 80 nm); the prolong duration (> 60 min) often results in the agglomeration and sintering of zinc oxide particles. However, additives may mitigate agglomeration extent. Overall, the chemical route is more preferable due to its flexibility that is also linked to the greater variability of zinc oxide particles. The physical method produces more consistent zinc oxide particles but requires higher energy inputs. The biological method is very promising and associated with low chemicals consumptions and good quality of zinc oxide.
Research Progress and Prospect of Constructed Wetland-microbial Fuel Cell Coupling System
Authors: Shi Yucui , Tang Gang , Ye Yanchao , Luo Xinyi , You Shaohong 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell coupling system is a new type of bioelectrochemical system that couples constructed wetland and microbial fuel cell. The system plays an important role in biological power generation and sewage purification. The principle is that the bottom of the constructed wetland bed (low ORP) serves as the anode of the microbial fuel cell. The organic matter in the water is degraded under the action of the electricity-producing microorganisms and released during the degradation process. The electrons are transferred along the external circuit to the biocathode on the surface of the bed (higher ORP) to complete the redox reaction. This article summarizes the research progress of the microbial fuel cell-constructed wetland coupling system from two aspects: system structure and factors affecting system operation. The system structure includes electrode materials, substrates, wetland plants and microorganisms. The influencing factors include HRT, DO, organic matter concentration and wastewater composition, electrode structure. Finally, the problems and research directions of the microbial fuel cell-constructed wetland coupling system are summarized, and the research potential of the system is prospected.
Thermal Management of Hybrid Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Yeang Jonathan Yong Kai , Baharand Rubina , Boon Ooi Jong 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Photovoltaic cells can be quite sensitive to the change in temperature, as the entire system’s performance will be affected mainly by an increase in temperature. This is due to the degradation occurring in the solar panel when heat is absorbed, thus producing lesser electricity with the same amount of solar irradiance absorbed. Wind can provide additional cooling on the system; it is too unreliable to consider since wind can come unpredictably. For the design proposed, heat generated is carried away via the water channel underneath each collector’s glass panel. In order to utilize the removed heat, two subsystems are combined to the solar thermal collector. The primary subsystem uses heat to raise the temperature of the hot water storage tank. It can be further heated to the required temperature for the hot water used in the shower. The secondary subsystem consists of an absorption refrigeration system that will provide additional space cooling circulating the house. Based on the available data for maximum solar irradiance, the hot water storage tank can deliver up to 43.8 °C. Additional power of 2.28 kWh is required to raise the temperature to 50 °C. For space cooling, a coefficient of performance of about 2.2 is obtained at maximum solar irradiance. A breakeven point is also estimated to be approximately one year, even though the initial fixed cost for the system is way higher than the installation of conventional products.
Investigation on Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Performance Utilizing GNP-based Colloidal Suspension Flow in Finned Conduit
Authors: Wang Yanru , Oon Cheen Sean , Tran Manh-Vu , An Joshua Yap Kee 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Heat exchangers have been widely used in various engineering applications. It is important to develop a highly efficient heat transfer equipment to reduce carbon footprint. In the current research, the effect of 0.025wt% CGNP/water nanofluid on convective heat transfer and pressure drop performance is investigated numerically in finned conduits with circular and square geometry. ANSYS FLUENT is used to analyze the turbulent flow inside the conduits with Reynolds number ranging from 7360 to 28011 and constant heat flux 12254.90W/m2 and 9615.38W/m2 in circular and square geometry, respectively. Only 1/8 of the pipe was constructed in the simulation as the geometry is symmetrical. The numbers of mesh elements are 465488 and 469144 for circular and square conduits. SST k-omega viscous model, SIMPLEC scheme and second-order upwind solvers are used in this model, where SST k-omega viscous model is good at solving turbulence parameters in the near wall boundary regions. It is found that the use of CGNP/water nanofluid can increase convective heat transfer coefficient without increasing pressure drop compared with water. Besides, the circular pipe shows higher heat transfer enhancement compared with square pipe. Furthermore, the increase in Reynolds number enhances the Nusselt number and heat transfer coefficient in both circular and square geometries. It is recommended that circular finned pipe and CGNP/water colloidal suspension could be applied in low turbulence flow setting heat exchanger.
Investigation of heat transfer enhancement in an annular conduit with angled fins using functionalized GNP colloidal suspension
Authors: Nair Sayshar Ram , Oon Cheen Sean , Tan Ming Kwang , Kazi S.N. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Heat exchangers are important equipment with various industrial applications such as power plants, HVAC industry and chemical industries. Various fluids that are used as working fluid in the heat exchangers such as water, oil, and ethylene glycol. Researchers have conducted various studies and investigations to improve the heat exchanger be it from material or heat transfer point of view. There have been attempts to create mixtures with solid particles suspended. This invention had some drawbacks since the pressure drop was compromised, on top of the occurrence of sedimentation or even erosion, which incurs higher maintenance costs. A new class of colloidal suspension fluid that met the demands and characteristics of a heat exchanger was then created. This novel colloidal suspension mixture was then and now addressed as “nanofluid”. In this study, the usage of functionalized graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) nanofluids will be studied for its thermal conductivity within an annular conduit with angled fins, which encourage swirling flows. The simulation results for the chosen GNP nanofluid concentrations have shown an enhancement in thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient compared to the corresponding base fluid thermal properties. The data from this research is useful in industrial applications which involve heat exchangers with finned tubes.
Fire Performance of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete: Effect of Burning Temperature
Authors: Razak Siti Nooriza Abd , Shafiq Nasir , Guillaumat Laurent , Wahab Mohamed Mubarak Abdul , Farhan Syed Ahmad , Husna Nadzhratul , Ismail Fouad Ismail 
Published: December 2021

AbstractGeopolymer concrete (GEO) is a cementless concrete produced from the reaction of an aluminosilica-rich material, in particular, fly ash, with an alkaline solution, which can either be sodium or potassium-based. In light of the potential of fly ash-based GPC as an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)-based concrete as a green building material, an investigation on the fire performance of GEO, in comparison to OPC-based concrete, is essential. The results of an experimental study on the fire performance of fly ash-based GEO that was subjected to a flame test using a methane burner torch, after 28 days of curing, to simulate a real fire event, are presented. Concrete specimens were exposed to a fire flame at 500 °C and 1200 °C for two hours and subsequently cooled to the ambient temperature, prior to testing. Visual inspection was performed on the specimens to observe for any cracking, spalling and change in colour. Losses of mass and residual compressive strength were measured. The results were compared with those of OPC-based reference specimens. The findings revealed that, in contrast to OPC-based concrete, the strength of GPC increased when exposed to fire at 500 °C. GEO also suffered a smaller loss of mass as compared to OPC-based concrete due to the smaller amount of loss in moisture from burning. It was also observed that no spalling had occurred on the GEO, with less cracking on the exposed surface in relation to OPC-based concrete, hence indicating that the structural integrity of GEO was successfully maintained.
Recent development of chemically complex metallic glasses: from accelerated compositional design, additive manufacturing to novel applications
Authors: Zhang J Y , Zhou Z Q , Zhang Z B , Park M H , Yu Q , Li Z , Ma J , Wang A D , Huang H G , Song M , Guo B S , Wang Q , Yang Y 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Metallic glasses (MGs) or amorphous alloys are an important engineering material that has a history of research of about 80–90 years. While different fast cooling methods were developed for multi-component MGs between 1960s and 1980s, 1990s witnessed a surge of research interest in the development of bulk metallic glasses (BGMs). Since then, one central theme of research in the metallic-glass community has been compositional design that aims to search for MGs with a better glass forming ability, a larger size and/or more interesting properties, which can hence meet the demands from more important applications. In this review article, we focus on the recent development of chemically complex MGs, such as high entropy MGs, with new tools that were not available or mature yet until recently, such as the state-of-the-art additive manufacturing technologies, high throughput materials design techniques and the methods for big data analyses (e.g. machine learning and artificial intelligence). We also discuss the recent use of MGs in a variety of novel and important applications, from personal healthcare, electric energy transfer to nuclear energy that plays a pivotal role in the battle against global warming.