Cement Kilns Dust Management In Iraq

Hundred thousands tons of cement kiln dust (CKD) as well as other emissionsare generated annually from existing cement plants in Iraq with significanteconomic and environmental impacts. Therefore, an environmental sector planshould be adopted to scrub the emissions and sound management of CKD wasteleading to save resources and secure better environmental quality are called for.A survey was conducted and carried out covering all cement plants. Analysis ofdata collected has shown that the production capacity was significantly decreasedto about 38 % on the average of the designed capacity. The consumption of rawmaterials and fuel per unit production was increased by about 13 % and 23 %,respectively. The amount of generated CKD is found to be variable among thedifferent cement plants. It can be estimated that the generated CKD on the averageis about (8-33) % of the production output depending on the conditions of eachplant.This study serves to establish a factual basis to develop a convenientenvironmental management plan for the cement industry sector. This studyproposes an environmental mitigation and monitoring plan to address theenvironmental and social challenges to improve the environmental performance ofIraqi cement industry sector

Development of eco-friendly wall insulation layer utilising the wastes of the packing industry

Efficient thermal insulation materials considerably lower power consumption for heating and cooling of buildings, which in turn minimises CO2 emissions and improves indoor comfort conditions. However, the selection of suitable insulation materials is governed by several factors, such as the environmental impact, health impact, cost and durability. Additionally, the disposal of used insulation materials is a major factor that affects the selection of materials because some materials could be very toxic for humans and the environment, such as asbestos-containing materials. Therefore, there is a continuous research effort, in both industry and academia, to develop sustainable and affordable insulation materials. In this context, this work aims at utilising the packing industry wastes (cardboard) to develop an eco-friendly insulation layer, which is a biodegradable material that can be disposed of safely after use. Experimentally, wasted cardboard was collected, cleaned, and soaked in water for 24 h. Then, the wet cardboard was minced and converted into past papers, then cast in square moulds and left in a ventilated oven at 75 °C to dry before de-moulding them. The produced layers were subjected to a wide range of tests, including thermal conductivity, acoustic insulation, infrared imaging and bending resistance. The obtained results showed the developed material has a good thermal and acoustic insulation performance. Thermally, the developed material had the lowest thermal conductivity (λ) (0.039 W/m.K) compared to the studied traditional materials. Additionally, it successfully decreased the noise level from 80 to about 58 dB, which was better than the efficiency of the commercial polyisocyanurate layer. However, the bending strength of the developed material was a major drawback because the material did not resist more than 0.6 MPa compared to 2.0 MPa for the commercial polyisocyanurate and 70.0 MPa for the wood boards. Therefore, it is recommended to investigate the possibility of strengthening the new material by adding fibres or cementitious materials

Controversy and Consensus on Indications for Sperm DNA Fragmentation Testing in Male Infertility: A Global Survey, Current Guidelines, and Expert Recommendations

Purpose: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing was recently added to the sixth edition of the World Health Organization laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. Many conditions and risk factors have been associated with elevated SDF; therefore, it is important to identify the population of infertile men who might benefit from this test. The purpose of this study was to investigate global practices related to indications for SDF testing, compare the relevant professional society guideline recommendations, and provide expert recommendations. Materials and Methods: Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to take part in a global online survey on SDF clinical practices. This was conducted following the CHERRIES checklist criteria. The responses were compared to professional society guideline recommendations related to SDF and the appropriate available evidence. Expert recommendations on indications for SDF testing were then formulated, and the Delphi method was used to reach consensus. Results: The survey was completed by 436 experts from 55 countries. Almost 75% of respondents test for SDF in all or some men with unexplained or idiopathic infertility, 39% order it routinely in the work-up of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), and 62.2% investigate SDF in smokers. While 47% of reproductive urologists test SDF to support the decision for varicocele repair surgery when conventional semen parameters are normal, significantly fewer general urologists (23%; p=0.008) do the same. Nearly 70% would assess SDF before assisted reproductive technologies (ART), either always or for certain conditions. Recurrent ART failure is a common indication for SDF testing. Very few society recommendations were found regarding SDF testing. Conclusions: This article presents the largest global survey on the indications for SDF testing in infertile men, and demonstrates diverse practices. Furthermore, it highlights the paucity of professional society guideline recommendations. Expert recommendations are proposed to help guide clinicians

Production of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete with Low Energy Consumption and Carbon Footprint Using Supplementary Cementitious Materials Instead of Silica Fume: A Review

The increase in cement production as a result of growing demand in the construction sector means an increase in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. These emissions are estimated at 7% of the global production of CO2. Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) has excellent mechanical and durability characteristics. Nevertheless, it is costly and affects the environment due to its high amount of cement, which may reach 800–1000 kg/m3. In order to reduce the cement content, silica fume (SF) was utilized as a partial alternative to cement in the production of UHPC. Nevertheless, SF is very expensive. Therefore, the researchers investigated the use of supplementary cementitious materials cheaper than SF. Very limited review investigates addressed the impact of such materials on different properties of UHPC in comparison to that of SF. Thus, this study aims to summarize the effectiveness of using some common supplementary cementitious materials, including fly ashes (FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), metakaolin (MK) and rice husk ashes (RHA) in the manufacturing of UHPC, and comparing the performance of each material with that of SF. The comparison among these substances was also discussed. It has been found that RHA is considered a successful alternative to SF to produce UHPC with similar or even higher properties than SF. Moreover, FA, GGBS and MK can be utilized in combination with SF (as a partial substitute of SF) as a result of having less pozzolanic activity than SF

Development of eco-friendly wall insulation layer utilising the wastes of the packing industry

Efficient thermal insulation materials considerably lower power consumption for heating and cooling of buildings, which in turn minimises CO2 emissions and improves indoor comfort conditions. However, the selection of suitable insulation materials is governed by several factors, such as the environmental impact, health impact, cost and durability. Additionally, the disposal of used insulation materials is a major factor that affects the selection of materials because some materials could be very toxic for humans and the environment, such as asbestos-containing materials. Therefore, there is a continuous research effort, in both industry and academia, to develop sustainable and affordable insulation materials. In this context, this work aims at utilising the packing industry wastes (cardboard) to develop an eco-friendly insulation layer, which is a biodegradable material that can be disposed of safely after use. Experimentally, wasted cardboard was collected, cleaned, and soaked in water for 24 h. Then, the wet cardboard was minced and converted into past papers, then cast in square moulds and left in a ventilated oven at 75 °C to dry before de-moulding them. The produced layers were subjected to a wide range of tests, including thermal conductivity, acoustic insulation, infrared imaging and bending resistance. The obtained results showed the developed material has a good thermal and acoustic insulation performance. Thermally, the developed material had the lowest thermal conductivity (λ) (0.039 W/m.K) compared to the studied traditional materials. Additionally, it successfully decreased the noise level from 80 to about 58 dB, which was better than the efficiency of the commercial polyisocyanurate layer. However, the bending strength of the developed material was a major drawback because the material did not resist more than 0.6 MPa compared to 2.0 MPa for the commercial polyisocyanurate and 70.0 MPa for the wood boards. Therefore, it is recommended to investigate the possibility of strengthening the new material by adding fibres or cementitious materials.Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-11-21 (joosat);CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 License;</p

Progetto del Team KNOW-HOWse, competizione internazionale Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018, Dubai

Team Sharjah is composed of the University of Sharjah (UOS), leader institution, and Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (SHUROOQ). UOS is an academic institution with a distinctive learning style and a global vision. It is a pioneer in academia, scientific research and arts in the UAE. The Architectural Engineering Department (AE) will coordinate the team thanks to its expertise in design and construction management. SHUROOQ will assist with technical issues and connecting with potential sponsors. The team comprises also a scientific third-party, Architettura&gt;Energia Research Centre (University of Ferrara, Italy) and two sponsors: Bee’ah and X-lam Dolomiti S.r.l. Key members and third parties will cooperate in synergy to meet the SDME goals. The extended team is currently involved in research, design consultancy, projects, and training services for public administrations, companies, and privates, in the fields of energy efficiency and environmental quality of buildings and urban spaces. These activities include: accredited energy assessment; membership of GBC and LEED Scientific Committee; energy consultancy for architecture and engineering companies; research and application of BiPV. Project Goal. Know-Howse is an educational program. The SDME prototype house will be a showcase for innovation and energy efficiency practices that will educate society to sobriety. Nowadays, UAE is responsible for one of the largest residential energy consumption in the world. Such unaware habit is the result of lacking education on resources consumption, but is also implicitly supported by the local policies on the (low) tariffs for electricity and water. The education program aims at increasing environmental awareness by rediscovering a new dimension of “living small but comfortably”. Yet, Know-Howse represents just one tile of a larger framework that involves society, economics, and urbanism. To this regard, the prototype house is conceived as a test-unit extracted form an innovative apartment building that combines occupants’ comfort with environmental goals such as reducing land-use and resource consumption

Progetto del Team KNOW-HOWse, competizione internazionale Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018, Dubai

Team Sharjah is composed of the University of Sharjah (UOS), leader institution, and Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (SHUROOQ). UOS is an academic institution with a distinctive learning style and a global vision. It is a pioneer in academia, scientific research and arts in the UAE. The Architectural Engineering Department (AE) will coordinate the team thanks to its expertise in design and construction management. SHUROOQ will assist with technical issues and connecting with potential sponsors. The team comprises also a scientific third-party, Architettura>Energia Research Centre (University of Ferrara, Italy) and two sponsors: Bee’ah and X-lam Dolomiti S.r.l. Key members and third parties will cooperate in synergy to meet the SDME goals. The extended team is currently involved in research, design consultancy, projects, and training services for public administrations, companies, and privates, in the fields of energy efficiency and environmental quality of buildings and urban spaces. These activities include: accredited energy assessment; membership of GBC and LEED Scientific Committee; energy consultancy for architecture and engineering companies; research and application of BiPV. Project Goal. Know-Howse is an educational program. The SDME prototype house will be a showcase for innovation and energy efficiency practices that will educate society to sobriety. Nowadays, UAE is responsible for one of the largest residential energy consumption in the world. Such unaware habit is the result of lacking education on resources consumption, but is also implicitly supported by the local policies on the (low) tariffs for electricity and water. The education program aims at increasing environmental awareness by rediscovering a new dimension of “living small but comfortably”. Yet, Know-Howse represents just one tile of a larger framework that involves society, economics, and urbanism. To this regard, the prototype house is conceived as a test-unit extracted form an innovative apartment building that combines occupants’ comfort with environmental goals such as reducing land-use and resource consumption