Desulphurization of Model Oil using Immobilized [BMIM]FeCl4 onto Polysulfone (PSF)

Final Dissertation of the experiment “Desulphurization of Model Oil using Immobilized [BMIM]FeCl4 onto Polysulfone (PSF)” is the requirement of complementation of Final Year Project 2. Desulphurization has become one the important criteria that need to be concentrated especially in oil industries. Other than the conventional Hydrodesulphurization, many methods and alternatives have been discovered and yet to be discovered on order to cater the advance technology of Chemical Engineering, as well as the quality of the existing crude oil throughout the world. One of the major methods is desulphurization using ionic liquids. Ionic liquid is a new technology that can help to improve the quality of desulphurization due to its nature and function. [BMIM}FeCl4 has been found out that it is the most suitable ionic liquid to desulphurize model oil. However, a limitation occurs as the ionic liquid exists in liquid form which later will cause a problem in doing the Liquid-Liquid Extraction. Thus, a new method is required to overcome this problem, which is the immobilization technique, Spraying Suspension Dispersion (SSD). SSD can immobilize any ionic liquid onto a solid structure, such as [BMIM]FeCl4 onto Polysulfone (PSF). It works by dissolving the [BMIM]FeCl4 together with PSF using dichloromethane and later they are sprayed into water solution. The water will wash away dichloromethane and as a result, droplets of PSF with [BMIM]FeCl4 onto it are produced. These droplets will solidify and become a solid compound. The results from characterization has proven that [BMIM]FeCl4 has been successfully hooked onto PSF. The desulphurization results also have shown that the immobilized [BMIM]FeCl4 can still remove sulphur from model oil. Thus, this is a new method of desulphurization that engineers can go into and study into details

Maintainability factors for robust maintainance integrated design (R-MInD) in building design

Building maintainability considerations relate to the extent to which the building maintenance tasks could be seen as being achievable. The purposes of incorporating good maintainability considerations into building designs are to achieve high building performance, ease day-to-day housekeeping tasks, make the building adaptable for future needs and maintain a stable usage cost throughout the building’s design life. This paper identifies the factors suitable for building maintainability interaction evaluation for a robust building design. The evaluation will be used as a holistic evaluation of variable interaction during operational stage, to reduce future maintenance difficulties and cost. The maintainability interaction evaluation has a multidimensional diagnosis system which consists of controlled and uncontrolled factors. The data collection method in this research includes an expert panel interview using prepared semi-structured interview questions and a questionnaire survey to identify the maintainability factors in fulfilling the maintenance-related needs of the building. This research identifies maintainability factors by applying partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. From this research, it is found that the controlled factors are conformance and compliance to regulation and standard; and building services integration while the uncontrolled factors are space planning and, material and equipment selection

Application of multi dimensional diagnosis system or P diagram in building design

Current building design is heavily influenced by design of experiment approach where the analysis is based on computation of factor by factor for evaluation of variability in product characteristics. The outcome of the analysis is not focused on performance during operation. A method such as Robust Engineering (RE) approach in manufacturing has been shown to improve the product’s engineered quality and performance. The RE approach focuses on the interaction of control and uncontrolled factors using a multidimensional diagnosis system. It focuses on stabilizing product characteristics for better performance during operation. The aim of this research is to assess the potential of applying the multidimensional diagnosis system in building design. The luminaires design was selected as an example in this study. The control and uncontrolled factors are developed based on brainstorming sessions with experts. The analysis uses the orthogonal array to execute a balanced design. This paper proposed an approach that is more efficient using energy thinking and interaction of control and un-control factors of luminaires design. The main advantage using this approach compared to the conventioanal approach is that it utilises the technical information to optimize the design. It produces a robust design that is less sensitive to variation during operation

Establishing scale inhibitor retention mechanisms in pure adsorption and coupled adsorption/precipitation treatments

One of the most common and efficient ways for preventing formation of inorganic solids deposition such as carbonate and sulphate scales in reservoir and near wellbore formation is by applying scale inhibitor (SI) squeeze treatments. The two main mechanisms that govern the scale inhibitor retention and release process in the formation are by adsorption/desorption and precipitation/dissolution. They are described by different but related modelling approaches, and there is not complete agreement in the literature about when to use one mechanistic description or another. The equilibrium adsorption isotherm determines the general nature and extent of the scale inhibitor return process in the low concentration flow regime. However, the additional SI “loading” within the near wellbore formation may be greatly enhanced by precipitation. The dynamic effects of adsorption and precipitation, also have a strong bearing on a field squeeze treatment and may significantly affect the profile of the inhibitor return curve. Field observations are not accurate enough to distinguish between different mechanisms and a detailed analysis of a given retention mechanism (e.g. pure adsorption or coupled adsorption/ precipitation) requires carefully designed laboratory experiments at the appropriate “field relevant” conditions. In this study, we present novel experimental techniques systematically from static to dynamic tests, as follows; 1. Static Adsorption/Compatibility Experiments – these experiments were conducted on two phosphonate scale inhibitors; namely DETPMP (a penta-phosphonate) and OMTHP (an hexa-phosphonate) using sand, kaolinite and siderite as the mineral phase. Adsorption experiments were carried out at a range of adsorbent mass/ fluid volume ratios (m/V), since this indicates whether we are in the purely adsorbing or in the coupled adsorption/precipitation regime. 2. Dynamic Sand Pack Experiments – based on the static tests, OMTHP scale inhibitor and sand mineral were selected for dynamic tests as it has the most clearly interpretable results. The experiments were conducted using a sand pack flow apparatus at different flow rates using identical procedures, which demonstrates the non-equilibrium effects which occur in both adsorption and precipitation treatments. iii The experimental results from static tests show excellent agreement with the theory in different regions of pure adsorption and coupled adsorption/precipitation. Whereas for dynamic sand pack experiments, the effect on post flush effluent inhibitor concentration is in the same direction for each system under test, i.e. reduced flow rate leads to higher effluent concentrations and vice-versa. These results also show clearly how such laboratory measurements should be carried out to determine both the levels of SI retention and the precise retention mechanism. The generated data from this work will be used as a basis to further develop existing coupled adsorption-precipitation () models within the Flow Assurance Scale Team (FAST) in Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University to improve the future prediction of scale inhibitor squeeze treatments

Maximum Strain Effect and Secant Modulus Variation of Hemic Peat Soil at large Deformation due to Cyclic Loading

This study presents the findings obtained in post-cyclic behaviour and degradation of shear strength from the static triaxial test, cyclic triaxial test and post-cyclic monotonic triaxial test to study the dynamic loading relationships with the degradation of shear strength after cyclic loading to the maximum strain effect due for Hemic peat soil and aim of this research was to assess the post-cyclic loading condition that brought to the understanding of secant modulus by using dynamic triaxial apparatus. It begins with a visual inspection of fibre characteristics. This is followed by an analysis of static, cyclic, and post-cyclic loading with stress-strain behaviour. Shear strength decreased and notched lower strength than its initial strength. As a matter of fact, PNpt-25 kPa from 1, 2, and 3 Hz are accumulated in the adjacent maximum strain. With regards to this maximum strain, the undrained shear strength ratio shows sequent decreases from higher to lower frequency applied. For instance, PNpt-25 kPa-1Hz to PNpt-25 kPa-3Hz recorded 1.16 to 1.13 undrained shear strength ratios, respectively. The secant modulus (Esec) for all specimens reflects decrement. The secant modulus for BSpt at an effective stress of 100 kPa in static monotonic is about 18.74 MPa, while in post-cyclic, the secant modulus expanded to 19.630 MPa cyclically loaded with 1 Hz. Unfortunately, the secant modulus returned to decline position when higher frequency applied at 2 Hz, where the secant modulus is about 12.781 MPa and continues to decline with 3 Hz at 7.492 MPa. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-10-015 Full Text: PD

Iklim sekolah dan efikasi kendiri dalam kalangan guru bimbingan dan kaunseling sekolah menengah di Kelantan

Artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti hubungan antara iklim sekolah dan efikasi kendiri guru bimbingan dan kaunseling di negeri Kelantan. Responden kajian adalah terdiri daripada 181 orang guru bimbingan dan kaunseling Sekolah Menengah di negeri Kelantan.Kajian rintis dijalankan ke atas 30 orang guru bimbingan dan kaunseling di daerah Tanah Merah.Secara spesifiknya, kaedah kuantitatif digunakan untuk tujuan pengumpulan data.Maklum balas melalui soal selidik telah diperolehi dan seterusnya data dianalisis menggunakan Perisian Program SPSS 20.0 yang mana melibatkan nilai Min, Sisishan Piawai, ujian t dan korelasi Pearson. Instrumen yang digunakan didalam kajian ini diambil dan diubahsuai dari soal selidik Tahap Persekitaran sekolah (SLEQ) oleh Johnson dan Steven (2007).Instrumen bagi mengukur efikasi guru bimbingan dan kaunseling pula menggunakan instrumen yang diambil daripada School Counselor Self Efficacy Scale (SCSE) yang diadaptasi daripada Bodenhorn & Skaggs(2005).Dapatan daripada ujian korelasi Pearson menunjukkan iklim sekolah mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan efikasi guru bimbingan dan kaunseling.Dapatan kajian juga menunjukkan dimensi perhubungan pelajar mempunyai hubungan yang paling kuat berbanding dimensi lain dengan efikasi kendiri guru bimbingan dan kaunseling.Seterusnya dapatan kajian ini juga mendapati bahawa iklim sekolah merupakan peramal kepada efikasi guru bimbingan dan kaunseling di sekolah.Akhir sekali, implikasi kajian diperincikan agar ianya dapat memberikan sumbangan kepada bidang ilmiah penyelidikan pendidikan

The effects of pro-poor health insurance on health facility delivery and skilled birth delivery in Indonesia: a mixed-methods evaluation

PROBLEM: As part of Indonesia’s strategy to achieve the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), large investments have been made to increase health access for the poor. These have resulted in the implementation of various public health insurance (PHI) schemes, including Jamkesmas, the largest health insurance program in Indonesia in 2012, targeted towards the poor and near-poor. In the backdrop of Indonesia’s aspiration to reach UHC is the high rate of maternal mortality that disproportionally affects poor women. With the implementation of various pro-poor PHI programs in Indonesia, there is limited understanding of how these programs impact maternal health services among poor women. METHODS: This study used a mixed-methods design. The quantitative component entailed secondary analysis of the Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) from 2007 and 2012 on key outcomes of interest: health facility delivery (HFD) and skilled birth delivery (SBD). Qualitative interviews (n=55) were conducted from May-Aug 2015 in the province of Jakarta and Banten among community representatives and key stakeholders to describe the successes and challenges of health insurance membership and maternal health services among the poor. RESULTS: Controlling for all independent variables, poor women with Jamkesmas were 21% (OR=1.21 [1.05–1.39]) more likely to have HFD and 20% (OR=1.20 [1.03–1.39]) more likely to have SBD compared to poor women without health insurance. Qualitative interviews provide some explanation to the modest effect of Jamkesmas health insurance on HFD and SBD seen in the quantitative analysis, including: the preference for pregnant women to deliver in their parents’ village; the use of traditional birth attendants; lack of proper documentation for health insurance registration, distance to health facilities; shortage of qualified health providers; overcrowded health facilities; and lack of health facility accreditation. CONCLUSION: Poor women with Jamkesmas membership had a modest increase in HFD and SBD. These findings indicate that pro-poor PHI schemes may be able to reduce financial barriers to care. However, factors such as socio-cultural beliefs, accessibility, and quality of care are important elements that need to be addressed as part of the national UHC agenda to improve maternal health services in Indonesia

Factor influencing the level of Islamic retail banking adoption by consumers in Malaysia / Mohamad Izzuddin Ibrahim

The issues of accountability, trustworthiness and reliability of the financial service provider has been discussed since the starts of modern trading era. The history of banks acting unethically has cumulatively cost billions to the financial consumers. As the world pragmatically and dynamically changing, Islamic finance industry growing bigger and stronger with year on year market growth exponentially increase by 6.9%. As the consumers now having options to choose either conventional or Islamic financing product suits them most, the issues of governance emerge involving Islamic Financial Service (IFS) provider. The consumers aware and question the accountability, trustworthiness and reliability of the IFS in offering Islamic Retail Banking (IRB) to the market. This study analysed the factors (IRB Attributes, Promotional Effort and Perceived Information Quality) effecting the adoption of IRB products by Malaysians and later thoroughly examined either the IFS, during exercise of such factors, did or did not breaching or endangering and compromising the ethicality of corporate governance principle. The finding of this study suggests that there is significance relationship between IRB Attributes, Promotional Effort and Perceived Information Quality toward adoption of IRB products in Malaysia, with promotional effort being the most influential factor affecting the decision to acquire IRB products. The finding also found that there is less governance concern from the consumers' perspective, as they view the IFS might, in some situation, did not manipulating the IRB attributes, promotional material and quality of information delivered to the consumers in unaccountable manner. Hence, the IFS is acting legitimately ethical

Acoustic emission from ferroelectric crystals.

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