Green Synthesis of Graphite Oxide as Metal free Catalyst for Petrochemicals Production

Graphite oxide was synthesized by the modified Hummer’s method. The degree of the oxidation of the graphite was systematically controlled via the oxidation time, KMnO4 : Graphite wt. ratio and the addition of the phosphoric acid to the oxidation media. The Physicochemical properties of the synthesized graphite oxide are investigated by using different techniques ; XRD,  FTIR, zeta potential, and TEM. It was found that the structure of the expanded graphite can be easily and remarkably disordered by oxidation. Three phases of interlayer distances were identified at 3.4 , 4 and 6A⁰ , specified for the pristine graphite, intermediate and the fully expanded graphite oxide respectively  These phases were cooresponding to the compositions : epoxide, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups respectively . as confirmed by FTIR.The catalytic activity of the prepared graphite oxide samples was tested for petrochemical production from the ethanol conversion reaction at different reaction temperature 100-250oC and resulted pressure ranging  40-92 atm . The converted products were mainly composed of  acetone, ethylene, acetaldehyde, diethylether, and heavyhydrocarbons( >c). Acetone was found to be the main product at all reaction temperatures with selectivity ‘‘53-94%’’. XRD and TEM analyses of the prepared samples confirmed  the transformation of  the prepared graphite oxide into graphene like material at reaction temperature 250oC

An Analysis of Policy Making for Dry Port Location and Capacity: A Case study on Alexandria

Container terminal capacity is a crucial issue for port and terminal operators nowadays as it is one of the key points for their success and increasing their competitive market position in the maritime industry. Therefore, researchers have tried to find solutions for the over capacity problem that faces many terminal operators. This research suggests dry ports as one of the most suitable solution for this problem through proposing a structured framework to adopt the right policy decisions for Dry Port location and capacity. To achieve the presented framework some areas were addressed in detail to have the full picture clear. The current status of the global container sector was assessed, also, the main capacity problems of container terminals with a view to reviewing the suggested solutions was investigated, hence the need for dry ports. In addition, policies for providing optimal location and capacity decisions for container terminals were identified. A technique that supports assessing container terminal location and capacity policy decisions with particular reference to dry ports were developed. Moreover, a case study on Alexandria International Container Terminal for validating the results was conducted. The current research was facilitated by experts from the maritime transport industry, through the application of the Delphi Technique. Applying such a technique enables collaborating experts to share experience modify statements and re-asking to reach a final exact answer that could be generalized. The consensus achieved will help build knowledge and understanding of potential Dry Ports’ policies of the maritime transport sector. This research seeks to make an original contribution to knowledge by developing a structured framework to identify policy decisions for location and capacity of Dry Ports using a Delphi technique as a support tool for terminal managers and operators, port planners, policy makers, and investors in deciding decisions relevant to Dry Port investment.Arab Academy for science & Technology & Maritime Transpor

OUTDOOR ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING EFFECTS ON LIVABILITY OF PEDESTRIAN PATHS IN URBAN HERITAGE CONTEXT

Lighting is an important ecological factor that influences individuals’ outdoor activities as well as the development of livable communities in cities. Artificial outdoor lighting is vital in improving the quality of urban open places throughout the nighttime and has a significant impact on the pedestrians\u27 night-time perception and mental safety. This study aims to uncover whether outdoor lighting has indeed an effect on the livability of the pedestrian paths of a community and if so, what is the optimal design that fits an urban heritage setting. The research employs a mixed methods approach, where both qualitative and quantitative methods are used. The first part of the study, being qualitative, used a survey conducted in the historic region of the city of Batroun in Lebanon to collect data concerning what the paths’ users regard as important when it comes to artificial outdoor light design with concerns to perceived urban design qualities related to neighborhood livability. The second part of the study is based on simulations of proposals of outdoor artificial light using Dialux in order to find the design the most appropriate to the context of Batroun

Effect of doping profile and the work function variation on performance of double-gate TFET

Abstract Tunnel Field Effect Transistor (TFET) can be considered as one of the promising transistors because it can switch ON and OFF at lower voltages than the operation voltage of the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). This paper presents the effects of gate electrode work function and the doping profile terminating within and outside the drain on the ambipolar current, the ION/IOFF ratio, and the subthreshold swing. The results show that, Gaussian doping profile terminating within the drain is the most promising for on/off ratio. All the simulations and results have been performed and obtained with the help of ATLAS device simulator (Silvaco) and MATLAB

UPGRADING HERITAGE URBAN PUBLIC SPACES BY USING RECYCLING WASTE PLASTIC MATERIALS

In low-income countries, population expansion and urbanization bring challenges of inadequate living standards to the fore. Some of the issues could be solved if well-functioning plastic recycling systems were built. To reduce the environmental burden and improve the overall situation in dense cities, the already existing local informal waste treatment system, which is widespread in many low-income nations, needs to be developed with efficient sorting and composting solutions. A case study is carried out in the city of Mina, Lebanon, with the goal of establishing a viable decentralized recycling plastic pavilion material. The effort aims to lessen the climate harm caused by non-recycled waste, improve the quality of life for residents, and enhance the affected locations\u27 aesthetical, educational, and recreational attributes. The concepts were generated according to the resident\u27s needs and to find solutions to the existing problem of the area under study. The goals are based on data and observations about the city, the current waste management system, the stakeholders, the project organization, and any roadblocks. The project\u27s overall work method is known as the Logical Framework Approach. It\u27s a goal-oriented project planning method that relies on disciplined thinking and logical analysis. Literature review, observations, study visits, site analyses, photography, drawing, 3D modeling, and other sub-methods are included in the study. Proposals for plastic pavilions and plastic features for open public spaces in Al Mina are the result of the process. Because the areas have both comparable and dissimilar characteristics, site-specific solutions are required

EFFECT OF GREEN FACADE ON THE URBAN MICROCLIMATE WITH DIFFERENT STREET CANYON

Using simulation tools, this study investigates the effect of green walls (GWs) on the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon within different street sizes. It can be planted without taking up more area and could enhance the microclimate environment, which is why it has a wide range of use potential in urban areas. Because Mina City has a threat of UHI, it was chosen for this study. The temperature within various street sizes in the research region was evaluated using only software called ENVI-met that simulates climate, and three common scenarios were chosen. In the first experiment, green walls extending over an area of 50 m in the south facades of the street building, including a 3m Street width, are simulated to show the effect of GWs on UHI. In the second experiment, the Street width changed to 6 m, and the GWs are placed in the same condition. The last experiment is the same with a 9m street width. Temperature decreases from each green wall were contrasted with the street canyon situation as it was at the time of evaluation 1\u27s highest heat. In comparison to evaluation 1, the temperature decreases achieved by evaluation alternatives 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 2.17 °C, 1.97 °C, 1.78 °C, and 0.90 °C, accordingly. Conclusion: A well-planned urban green wall can significantly improve UHI in tropical Lebanon

Supervised Learning Based Super-Resolution DoA Estimation Utilizing Antenna Array Extrapolation

In this paper, we introduce a novel algorithm that can dramatically reduce the number of antenna elements needed to accurately predict the direction of arrival (DOA) for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) radar. The new proposed algorithm predicts the received signal of a large antenna setup using reduced number of antenna by using coupled dictionary learning. Hence, this enables the MIMO radar to resolve more paths, which could not be resolved by the fewer antennas. Specifically, we overcome the problem of inaccurate DOA estimation due to a small virtual array setup. For example, we can use dictionary learning to predict 100 virtual array elements using only 25. To evaluate our algorithm, we used multiple signal classification (MUSIC) as a DOA estimation technique to estimate the DOA for non coherent multiple targets. The results show that using the predicted received signal, the proposed algorithm could resolve all the targets in the scene, which could not been resolved using only the received signal from the reduced antenna setup.Comment: 2020 IEEE 91st Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC2020-Spring