Advanced Materials Research Vol. 1113

Abstract: Reactive distillation is a process that combines both reactor and distillation column in one unit process. The reactive distillation is normally applied in MTBE production in order to achieve high reaction conversion and purity of the MTBE. Controlling such reactive distillation is a challenging task due to its highly nonlinear behavior and the existence of strong interactions among control variables. In this work, a Neural Wiener based model predictive control (NWMPC) is designed and implemented to control the tray temperature of MTBE reactive distillation. The Reduced SQP (RSQP) has been embedded as an optimizer in the NWMPC proposed. The MTBE reactive distillation has been modeled using aspen dynamic and the control study has been simulated using Simulink (Matlab) which is integrated with Aspen dynamic model. The results achieved show that the NWMPC is able to maintain tray temperatures at desired set points, able to reject the disturbance and robust toward robustness test conducted.

Abstract: Recently, diabetes is known as one of non-communicable diseases that can lead to fatal if there is no further cure is to be taken especially in South-East Asia regions. An artificial pancreas is introduced to help diabetes patient controls their blood glucose level but the current device is not functioning as fully automated yet. In order to have fully automated artificial pancreas, a controller needs to be improved as the current controller is 33% less accuracy than required. This improvement will help Type 1 diabetes patient in managing their blood glucose level at recommended range. Besides, the presence of controller will help the patient to live normally as non-diabetes people. This research is done to study behaviours of variables in Hovorka model for Type 1 diabetes and to simulate the Hovorka equations. gPROMS software is used due to its speciality in real-time dynamic simulation, fast calculation in complex mathematical equations and capable to adapt multi-parametric programming and Model Predictive Control (MPC). The study is conducted using simulation software based on previous studies experimental data; focusing on the algorithm of the controller. The results illustrate the most active parameter in the model is the administration (bolus & infusion) of insulin.

Abstract: Dye is a type of colorants that are widely used in many industries. Many dyes are toxic in nature with suspected carcinogenic and mutagenic effects that affect aquatic lives and also human beings. Adsorption process is considered as eco-friendly method to remove color from the aqueous solution compared to other established method. In this study, Casuarina Equitifolia leaves were used as an adsorbent. The Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed, using a central composite design (CCD) to optimize the three important variables, i.e., initial dye concentration, pH of the dye solution and adsorbent dosage in order to remove of methylene blue from aqueous solution. From the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the value (>0.8) of the coefficient of determination (R²) was obtained. The optimal condition was established at pH 6.91, 0.1 g adsorbent dosage and 10ppm initial methylene blue concentration. The removal efficiency was found to be 98.80%. From the findings, it shows that Casuarina Equitifolia leaves powder is suitable to be used as an adsorbent in removal of color from aqueous solution.

Abstract: Bioethanol is mainly produced by sugar fermentation process. Due to global demand on energy for transportation and environmental concern, biofuels as renewable energy in replacing petrol, the non-renewable energy source, has come into picture. Utilization of lignocellulosic biomass such as woody biomass (trees), herbaceous biomass (grasses) and waste cellulosic materials (solid waste) could be used in replacing starch (such as corn and potato) as source of sugar in producing bioethanol. Recently, study on cellulosic ethanol was focussing on fermentation process using ethanologenic strain such as engineered Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Invasive method in the study during fermentation may lead to uncertain or unwanted screening strategies or metabolic pathways. This paper reviews about the online monitoring system used by researchers in order to study the growth kinetics of ethanologenic strain. Online monitoring system for the Oxygen Transfer Rate (OTR) and Carbon dioxide Transfer Rate (CTR) is found to be the important method to study kinetic model of ethanologenic strain, thus increasing metabolic yields with optimum design condition.

Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to identify and to analyze of selected elemental composition in a multi storey house. The concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after digestion with nitric acid and sulphuric acid. The results showed that the highest concentration of heavy metals in eight investigated microenvironment was Fe. The heavy metals concentration were in the order of Fe > Cr > Zn > Cu > Pb > Mn > Ni. All six heavy metals concentration at four different levels of multi storey house were followed the order of Level 1 > Level 2 > Level 3 > Level 4. The correlation analysis was applied to metals variable in order to identify the sources of airborne contaminant. It was indicated that the possible contributor heavy metals in multi storey houses were originated from outdoor sources such as vehicle exhausts, street dust and indoor sources such as cooking, smoking, and cleaning activities.

Abstract: In the agricultural sector, fertilizer and animal waste are main pollutants to water course. Excessive phosphorus in water bodies may increase the growth of algae and aquatic plant in a pond which leads to eutrophication phenomena. Disposal of alum sludge in landfills can lead to contaminant issues thus, researchers are searching for ways to reduce excessive disposal of waste including alum sludge in landfills. This study provides available options in disposing alum sludge. In this study, continuous column tests were conducted with different initial pH and contact initial phosphate concentrations. The Scanning Electron Microscope indicates that rough alum sludge surface will accelerate the phosphate adsorption rate. This result shows that phosphate removal rate is higher in acidic condition but lower in alkaline condition. In wastewater treatment industries, changing wastewater to pH 4 needs a large amount of chemical additive and suggests that the pH 7 ±0.5 is more suitable in wastewater applications.

Abstract: Combustion behaviour study of coal-biooil slurry (CBS) fuel prepared at different ratios was conducted using Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA). The materials comprised of Clermont bituminous coal (Australia) and bio-oil, derived from Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) by means of fast pyrolysis. The samples were heated from room temperature to 110°C and held for 10 minutes before the temperature was ramped to 1100°C and held for another 10 minutes at constant heating rate of 10°C/min under air atmosphere at constant flow rate of 50 mL/min. The proportions of CBS fuel at 50:50 blends were observed to have significant influence on the combustibility of the slurry blends. The addition of bio-oil will shifted the ignition temperature towards early devolatilization. Meanwhile, the DTG profiles of the blends, showed decomposition of VM and char indicating bio-oil to be more reactive than coal with highest degradation rate appears at the blend ratio of 50:50 biooil/coal. These findings could be useful to introduce a new application of bio-oil in energy mix generation into coal mixture to cater for coal consumption reduction strategy for future application in vast existing conventional power plants.

Abstract: This article discussed the effect of feed temperature on the performance of direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) in treating synthetic textile wastewater containing dissolved dye and salt. The DCMD experiments were conducted using an in-house made composite hollow fiber membrane made of organic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and inorganic Cloisite 15A. Prior to dyeing solution treatment process, the influence of feed temperature on membrane permeability was first investigated using deionized water. Then, the membrane was tested using synthetic solution containing 50 mg L^-1 acid red 1 and 60 g L^-1 sodium chloride. The inlet temperature of the feed solution was varied in the range of 50 to 90°C while the temperature of permeate solution was kept constantly at 20°C. The results showed that the vapor fluxes of membrane increased with increasing the feed temperature and maximum flux (J_v = 20.88 kg m^-2 h^-1) was obtained at 90°C.This is mainly due to the higher water vapor pressure sensitivity at the feed side of a higher operating temperature. With respect to separation performance, it is reported that DCMD process could easily achieve excellent rejection for both dye compound and dissolved salts, recording more than 99% rejection.

Abstract: A Green Tower for setup a pilot experiment consists of the solar collector and the tower was built. The temperature distribution of the Green Tower was measured and analyzed. The data of the highest experimental temperature inside the Green Tower collector’s reached was 52oC at 1300 hours at solar irradiation received of 623W/m² respectively, with the ambient temperature at 31 oC. The Green Tower that used solar thermal power and utilizing a combination of solar air collector using the principal of solar oven and central updraft tube to generate a solar induced convective flow, which drives pressure to develop artificial wind. This paper presents the experimental field study and practical experience of the Green Tower. The discussion on temperature distribution and also updraft wind of the Green Tower is described and then the results from the designing, building and experimental are presented. The results and suggestions for the future reference will also be discussed.

Abstract: This research presents a passive method of waste heat recovery and conversion to electricity using Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG). For this purpose, a lab scale bench-top prototype of waste heat recovery and conversion system was designed and fabricated. This bench top system consists of the thermoelectric generators (TEGs) sandwiched between two heat pipes, one connected to the hot side of the TEG and the second connected to the cold side of the TEG. A 2 kW electric heater was used to replicate the waste heat. An electric fan was used to provide air into the system. A theoretical model was developed to predict the system performance. The model was found in good agreement with the experimental data.