Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Qianjin Dai, Qiang Liu, Murat Yilmaz, Xueyang Zhang
Summary: Co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge and lignin is a promising method for disposing of sludge and obtaining valuable biochar. The addition of lignin promotes the sludge decomposition and improves the specific surface area and adsorption capacity of biochar.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED PYROLYSIS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ali Zaker, Zhi Chen, Mohammed Zaheer-Uddin, Jianbo Guo
Summary: This study investigates the thermal behaviors, kinetics and thermodynamics of sewage sludge (SS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and their blends during co-pyrolysis, confirming a positive interaction between SS and LDPE leading to improved weight loss rate and devolatilization. The activation energies, Gibbs free energy, and lower difference of enthalpy showed potential for converting bio-solid wastes into bioenergy.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hai-Bo Wan, Zhen Huang
Summary: This study conducted experimental measurements and kinetic analysis of the pyrolysis process of nylon-6/polyethylene double-layer pouch wastes. By utilizing various isoconversional model-free methods, the most appropriate mechanism function and kinetic parameters were identified, and the experimental results were accurately predicted. The study also estimated the service life and thermodynamic parameters of the pyrolysis process.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jun Zhang, Rui Zhao, Yuying Du, Liang Chen, Zizhao Chen, Na Xiao, Zhengshun Wu
Summary: The study found a strong synergistic effect between sewage sludge and wood powder during co-pyrolysis, resulting in increased gas yield and decreased char yield, improving resource utilization and product characteristics. The proportion of wood powder has a significant impact on co-pyrolysis characteristics and the degree of synergistic effect.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hasan Merdun, Zakari Boubacar Laouge
Summary: Thermal and kinetic analyses of co-pyrolysis of greenhouse vegetables wastes (GVW) and coal were conducted using TGA with different heating rates in this study. The synergistic effect between GVW and coal during co-pyrolysis was highlighted by calculating the deviation between experimental and calculated values of mass loss and mass loss rate. The blend of 50%wt showed the smallest activation energy and was identified as the best combination for the simultaneous valorization of GVW and coal through pyrolysis.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhidong Chen, Yichen Hou, Mingyu Liu, Guoqiang Zhang, Kai Zhang, Dongke Zhang, Lijun Yang, Yanqiang Kong, Xiaoze Du
Summary: A system integrating sewage sludge drying, incineration, and power generation was proposed and analyzed in terms of thermodynamics and economics. Among the three alternative schemes considered, Scheme 2 showed the best performance with the lowest electricity cost and a relatively short payback period.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mingyan Ma, Donghai Xu, Xuehan Gong, Yunfei Diao, Peng Feng, Krzysztof Kapusta
Summary: Biochar derived from municipal sewage sludge (MSS) pyrolysis can be used as a catalyst to achieve product recycling and enhance conversion rate. The kinetics of MSS product recirculation catalytic pyrolysis were investigated through non-isothermal thermogravimetric experiments. The results revealed that MSS noncatalytic/catalytic pyrolysis reaction involves five stages, with the main decomposition occurring between 180 and 680 degrees C and accounting for a significant mass loss.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ali Yaras, Bilal Demirel, Fatih Akkurt, Hasan Arslanoglu
Summary: This study reports the pyrolysis behavior, kinetic, and thermodynamic parameters of paper mill sludge (PMS) under non-isothermal conditions. The findings of the kinetic and thermodynamic analyses provide valuable insights for the process design of PMS pyrolysis.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Mohammad Saleh Khodaparasti, Mohammad Reza Shirazvatan, Omid Tavakoli, Abbas Ali Khodadadi
Summary: Co-pyrolysis of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and municipal sewage sludge was studied in a fixed-bed reactor to investigate the effects of temperature, mixing ratio, and Argon flow rate on pyrolysis products. The process was optimized using response surface methodology, and artificial neural network models were developed to simulate and predict pyrolysis yields. The study found that the mixing ratio had the most significant impact on bio-oil yield, while temperature had the highest influence on both biochar and biogas efficiency. The results demonstrate the potential for co-pyrolysis of microalgae and sewage sludge as a sustainable waste-to-energy conversion process.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Carol Huang, Badr A. Mohamed, Loretta Y. Li
Summary: This study investigated the feasibility of co-pyrolysis as a sewage sludge treatment process. The results showed that mixing co-feed biomass with sewage sludge reduced the overall environmental burden by 58-83%. Co-pyrolysis of wheat straw/SS performed better than sawdust/SS in terms of environmental impact. All examined scenarios achieved a net positive energy balance and reduced global warming potential. Sensitivity analysis indicated that transportation of feedstock and pyrolysis products should be prioritized to limit environmental burden. Co-pyrolysis is an eco-friendly and economically viable method for sewage sludge treatment.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Sanjay Singh, Ankita Tagade, Ashish Verma, Ajay Sharma, Shyam P. Tekade, Ashish N. Sawarkar
Summary: This study investigated the co-pyrolysis of wheat straw and polyethylene using thermogravimetric experiments. The results showed that the maximum decomposition temperature ranges and kinetic parameters differed for the two materials. First-order reaction kinetics and diffusion models were found to dominate the co-pyrolysis process. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed the feasibility of the co-pyrolysis.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Szymon Sobek, Sebastian Werle
Summary: This study investigated a fixed-bed solar pyrolysis of three waste biomass types emphasizing on heating behavior, product yields, and quality. The results showed that the bio-oil obtained from waste wood pyrolysis had the highest quality, while the chars produced after solar pyrolysis had high heating values, indicating potential for renewable solid fuel. The correlation between model-free kinetic predictions and gaseous species evolution was found, showing the value of apparent isoconversional activation energy profiles in describing solar pyrolysis gas compound formation at the laboratory scale.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Weimin Wang, Guanqun Luo, Yuan Zhao, Yuanjun Tang, Kaige Wang, Xuan Li, Yousheng Xu
Summary: This study evaluated the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of non-catalytic and catalytic co-pyrolysis of pine wood and HDPE, using Fraser-Suzuki function for deconvolution. The presence of catalyst HZSM-5 decreased activation energy and preexponential factor and affected reaction mechanisms of each component.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bing Zhao, Xinyang Xu, Ran Zhang, Miao Cui
Summary: The novel magnetic biochar derived from sewage sludge and biomass co-pyrolysis, loaded with nanosized iron oxide particles, showed increased adsorption capacity and separation efficiency. The MBC-5 exhibited remarkable adsorption capacity for Cu(II) contamination, with a wide pH range of 3.0-6.0, and maintained high efficiency after multiple cycles. The adsorption mechanism involved physical adsorption, ion exchange, and electrostatic surface complexation on the biochar surface.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Liansheng Liu, Xinyi Zhang, Rongxuan Zhao, Guojun Song, Liang Tian
Summary: This study investigated the pyrolysis behavior and kinetic characteristics of different parts of Phragmites hirsuta, revealing that the root had higher activation energy, indicating higher reactivity. The pyrolysis of different parts can be separated into stages of dehydration, volatilization and carbonization, with reaction mechanisms fitting well with different reaction models.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Azeem Asghar, Chen-Guang Liu, Imtiaz Ali, Aqib Zafar Khan, Hui Zhu, Ning Wang, Muhammad Nawaz, Tanveer A. Tabish, Muhammad Aamer Mehmood, Raqiqa Tur Rasool
Summary: This study found that Saccharum bengalense has high biomass energy value and low sulfur content, making it suitable for pyrolysis reactions to produce various chemicals and energy.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Abdul Ahad Khan, Salman Raza Naqvi, Imtiaz Ali, Muazzam Arshad, Hamad AlMohamadi, Umair Sikandar
Summary: The aim of this work is to synthesize algae-derived biochar through slow pyrolysis and use it as an adsorbent to remove Cr (VI). The maximum removal percentage of Cr (VI) is 97.88% and the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-nth order models are suitable to describe the adsorption and kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity of algal biochar is 186.94 mg/g.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Ammar Y. Alqahtani, Anas A. Makki, Hassan M. Alidrisi
Summary: This study aimed to assess the noise levels in Saudi university laboratories and classrooms and determine their compliance with international standards. A design of experiments approach was used to evaluate nine noise components in university settings. The results showed that the noise level exceeded the tolerable limit in classrooms and laboratories. Additionally, the study revealed significant interactive effects of noise variables, highlighting the combined impact of these variables on classroom and laboratory noise.
JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Anas A. Makki, Ammar Y. Alqahtani, Reda M. S. Abdulaal, Ayman I. Madbouly
Summary: This research proposes a new approach to rank university colleges by evaluating their educational quality. Standard criteria from multiple international ranking systems and a university's strategic plan are used for the evaluation, and a new framework is applied to six colleges of a non-profit university in the Middle East. The study reveals their performance rankings and contributions to the university's educational quality objectives.
EDUCATION SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Economics
Anas A. Makki, Ammar Y. Alqahtani
Summary: This research aims to evaluate the financial performance of companies in the Saudi energy sector during the years 2019, 2020, and 2021, capturing and analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results highlight the significance of efficiency and profitability for energy companies, followed by leverage and liquidity.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mudassir Hussain Tahir, Imtiaz Ali, Esma Yeliz Kaya, Selim Ceylan
Summary: The thermal conversion of waste furniture boards (WFB) was investigated using a coupled TG-FTIR system under inert atmosphere at different heating rates. Kinetic analysis revealed an average activation energy (Ea) of 175.91 (+/- 3.50), 171.41 (+/- 5.01), and 172.70 (+/- 5.06) kJ/mol, calculated using three model-free methods. Distribution of activation energy (DAEM) analysis indicated that the pyrolytic conversion of WFB is endothermic but favorable. A neural network model accurately predicted the thermal degradation, with a mean square error (MSE) of 0.3694 and adjusted R2 value of 0.9686. Pyrolysis of WFB produced molecules with -OH and -COOH functional groups, as well as small gas molecules such as CH4, CO2, and H2O.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ramesh Kanthasamy, Eydhah Almatrafi, Imtiaz Ali, Hani Hussain Sait, Mohammed Zwawi, Faisal Abnisa, Leo Choe Peng, Bamidele Victor Ayodele
Summary: This study uses Bayesian optimized multilayer perceptron neural network to model the prediction of biochar and syngas from biomass-derived waste pyrolysis. The performance of the neural networks is influenced by the number of connecting layers and the size of the hidden neurons. The best-performing neural network architecture for predicting biochar yield is 3-2-10-10-1 with R2 of 0.984 and RMSE of 0.34, while for predicting syngas yield it is 3-7-10-3-1 with R2 of 0.999.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ramesh Kanthasamy, Eydhah Almatrafi, Imtiaz Ali, Hani Hussain Sait, Mohammed Zwawi, Faisal Abnisa, Leo Choe Peng, Bamidele Victor Ayodele
Summary: Biochar, produced through pyrolysis, is a crucial nanomaterial for wastewater treatment. This study uses a data-driven approach to model biochar production from agricultural wastes and finds that temperature, heating rate, residence time, and nitrogen flow rate significantly impact biochar yields. Support vector machine (SVM) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) models show potential for predicting biochar production, with GPR outperforming SVM. Artificial neural network-based algorithms provide even better prediction accuracy. Residence time during valorization reaction is identified as the most influential factor.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ramesh Kanthasamy, Imtiaz Ali, Bamidele Victor Ayodele, Hisham A. Maddah
Summary: This study models biohydrogen production from photocatalytic conversion of wastewater using a data-driven approach and neural network models. The best network architectures were obtained for different algorithms, and all models demonstrated good predictability with high R2 values and low RMSE values. The MLPNN-BR model displayed the best performance with an R2 of 0.999 and RMSE of 0.138. The independent variable analysis showed that all factors significantly influenced the predicted biohydrogen production, with catalyst size having the most significant effect.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Reda M. S. Abdulaal, Anas A. Makki, Isam Y. Al-Filali
Summary: Financial sustainability is a crucial challenge for higher education institutions. This study proposes a novel approach for prioritizing investment initiatives to ensure sustainable income. A hybrid method is used to determine accurate investment priorities based on multiple criteria and rank alternatives effectively. The results prioritize investment initiatives based on quantitative and qualitative criteria, identifying quick-winning initiatives and high-potential projects for financial sustainability.
Article
Mathematics
Anas A. Makki, Reda M. S. Abdulaal
Summary: This article introduces a new hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach that combines fuzzy MEREC-G and fuzzy RATMI methods. The research demonstrates that this method exhibits high accuracy and consistency in real-world problems and is sufficiently sensitive to changes in criteria weights.
Article
Management
Ammar Y. Alqahtani, Anas A. Makki
Summary: This study models the factors influencing destination image (DI) in the tourism industry and develops a valuable framework for decision-makers to enhance and shape the DI.
ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Maham Hussain, Omer Ali, Nadeem Raza, Haslinda Zabiri, Ashfaq Ahmed, Imtiaz Ali
Summary: Thermochemical processes for biomass conversion are complex and time-consuming. To optimize these processes, modeling strategies have been developed. Dynamic modeling and control are necessary for precision in biomass gasification.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Anas Ahmad Makki, Ammar Yahya Alqahtani, Reda Mohamed Said Abdulaal
Summary: Scheduling is crucial in determining production cost aspects for industrial and manufacturing sectors. Solving flow-shop problems reduces production costs and improves output. This paper compares heuristic techniques for solving Permutation Flow-Shop Sequencing Problems and evaluates their performance. Eight techniques were compared using a computer simulation program, and a multi-criteria decision-making approach was followed for performance evaluation. The study reveals the ranking of the techniques and provides a framework for the evaluation of new scheduling methods.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING-THEORY APPLICATIONS AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Ammar Y. Alqahtani, Anas A. Makki, Reda M. S. Abdulaal
Summary: The main goal of this research is to propose and evaluate an approach using the Self-Evaluation Scale (SES) to assess higher educational programs. The proposed approach breaks down the original performance criteria into sub-criteria and elements to ensure data quality. The second goal is to compare the original performance criteria with the proposed evaluation sub-criteria using the TOPSIS method. Results show that the proposed approach provides more conservative and accurate quality performance ratings.
DECISION SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
