Sustainability assessment of Iranian petrochemical companies in stock exchange: A data envelopment analysis-based approach

The assessment of efficiency is always of particular importance according to different indicators from different perspectives. There are various techniques for evaluating petrochemical companies, among which the data envelopment analysis technique is one of the best techniques that can be used to calculate the relative efficiency of a set of decision-making units with network structures. In the present paper, seven petrochemical companies listed in the Iranian stock exchange were analysed. These companies were evaluated in terms of financial performance and sustainable development, and their relative efficiency was calculated during 2015–2016. According to the obtained results, only Marun Petrochemical Co. was found to be efficient in all areas and years. The results also showed that four companies were efficient in financial terms over the period under study. In the general conclusion regarding the companies' performance, Marun was ranked first, Jam was ranked second, and Zagros was ranked third.     

A Distance Based Communication Mode Selection Mechanism for M2M Communications Over Cellular Networks

The implementation of machine-to-machine (M2M) communications in fifth-generation (5G) cellular networks can facilitate with several benefits like enhancement of bandwidth utilization, accommodating large number of users and decreasing traffic load on evolved node B (eNB). Integration of location information of unknown machine in communication mode selection mechanism is the key feature of this research. In this paper, a distance based communication mode selection mechanism using non-orthogonal resource sharing scheme is adopted in the proposed system model. Under the proposed mechanism, the expressions of throughput and RBs utilization policy are derived, which are the key parameters to evaluate the performance in the proposed network. Depending on the mode selection condition, such as threshold distance and threshold SINR between M2M users and regular cellular users, a UE can automatically choose its communication mode in the network. It is supposed that selection of mode before data transfer can improve the system performance. On the other hand, designing of efficient distance assisted proposed resource blocks (RBs) utilization policy reduces the traffic load on the eNB. Extensive simulations are carried out for evaluating the performance of the proposed mechanisms. The system performance is compared with various changeable parameters, such as throughput, mode selection threshold SINR, threshold distance and RBs. Besides, the proposed mechanism provides better network performance as well as reduces the traffic load in the proposed network.

     

Removal of Cadmium from Aqueous Solution by Nano Composites of Bentonite /TiO2 and Bentonite/ZnO Using Photocatalysis Adsorption Process

Silicon - In this study, bentonite/TiO2 and bentonite/ZnO nanoparticles were used for studying the cadmium removal from the aqueous solution. The experiments were done in a batch condition under...     

A wrapper‐based feature selection for improving performance of intrusion detection systems

Along with expansion in using of Internet and computer networks, the privacy, integrity, and access to digital resources have been faced with permanent risks. Due to the unpredictable behavior of network, the nonlinear nature of intrusion attempts, and the vast number of features in the problem environment, intrusion detection system (IDS) is regarded as the main problem in the security of computer networks. A feature selection technique helps to reduce complexity in terms of both the executive load and the storage by selecting the optimal subset of features. The purpose of this study is to identify important and key features in building an IDS. To improve the performance of IDS, this paper proposes an IDS that its features are optimally selected using a new hybrid method based on fruit fly algorithm (FFA) and ant lion optimizer (ALO) algorithm. The simulation results on the dataset KDD Cup99, NSL‐KDD, and UNSW‐NB15 have shown that the FFA–ALO has an acceptable performance according to the evaluation criteria such as accuracy and sensitivity than previous approaches.     

An Integrated Framework to Evaluate Resilient-Sustainable Urban Drainage Management Plans Using a Combined-adaptive MCDM Technique

Due to the inevitability of urban flood in presence of the rainfalls exceeding design capacity of urban drainage system, resilience approach has been recently considered instead of the conventional urban drainage management. However, acceptance of resilience approach necessitates considering sustainability in the selection of urban drainage projects due to the various aspect of flood impacts. This paper presents a new integrated framework to show how urban drainage plans are resilient and sustainable. The framework consists of several indicators including technical, economic, social, environmental and planning aspects. On the other hand, the selection of suientropy of the probability distribution p _i . In fact, entropy reduces the effect of plan among available suggested plans is complicated in presence of multiplicity of the indicators. A new combined-adaptive multi criteria decision making technique including combination of Adaptive analytical hierarchical process, Entropy and TOPSIS is here introduced to facilitate the decision making process as well as dealing with uncertainties due to the subjective experts’ preferences. Moreover, presented framework are applied on a part of urban drainage system of Tehran, Capital City. Four urban drainage plans are designed and suggested to be evaluated along with existing system in terms of their sustainability and resilience. The results shows the presented framework provide comprehensive information regarding the behavior of the urban drainage plans against urban floods as well as their sustainability for urban managers. In addition, presented framework facilitates and accelerate the complicated process of decision making. Therefore, it can be employed as comprehensive decision support tool for resilient and sustainable urban drainage management.     

Exact Analysis of Non-Linear Fractionalized Jeffrey Fluid. A Novel Approach of Atangana-Baleanu Fractional Model

It is a very difficult task for the researchers to find the exact solutions to mathematical problems that contain non-linear terms in the equation. Therefore, this article aims to investigate the viscous dissipation (VD) effect on the fractional model of Jeffrey fluid over a heated vertical flat plate that suddenly moves in its own plane. Based on the Atangana-Baleanu operator, the fractional model is developed from the fractional constitutive equations. VD is responsible for the non-linear behavior in the problem. Upon taking the Laplace and Fourier sine transforms, exact expressions have been obtained for momentum and energy equations. The influence of relative parameters on fluid flow and temperature distribution is shown graphically. As special cases, and for the sake of correctness, the corresponding results for second-grade fluid and Newtonian viscous fluid are also obtained. It is interesting to note that fractional parameter α provides more than one line as compared to the classical model. This effect represents the memory effect in the fluid which is not possible to elaborate by the classical model. It is also worth noting that the temperature profile of the generalized Jeffrey fluid rises for higher values of Eckert number which is due to the enthalpy difference of the boundary layer.     

Enhancing the fluidization quality of nanoparticles using external fields

Fluidization quality of beds containing alumina and iron oxide nanoparticles in the Agglomerate Bubbling Fluidization (ABF) was improved by applying a combination of vibration and magnetic field. Pressure fluctuations were measured and analyzed by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Recurrence Plot (RP) and Recurrence Quantitative Analysis (RQA). Results of FFT showed that the wall vibration creates a periodic signal at 100?Hz which is not originated from the bed hydrodynamics. RP of pressure fluctuations before and after applying the assisting forces showed that the white areas in the plot decrease in size, which indicates an increase in the contribution of meso-structures such as agglomerates and small bubbles. The transition in the equilibrium bed hydrodynamics, between the condition in which assisting forces are not applied and condition in which they are applied, was tracked. It was shown by the determinism of pressure fluctuations that when the iron oxide nanoparticles exist alongside with alumina nanoparticles, this transition to the new equilibrium condition was reached in a shorter time. Determinism of pressure fluctuation of beds containing iron oxide decreased after applying the assisting forces. This trend confirms that large bubbles start to disappear and become substituted by smaller structures when magnetic field is applied to the bed. Under this condition, the interphase contact efficiency increases and the bed becomes closer to the Agglomerate Particle Fluidization (APF) regime.     

Influence of preparation procedure and ferric oxide nanoparticles addition on transport properties of homogeneous cation-exchange SPPO/SPVC membrane

Homogeneous cation-exchange membranes were prepared through evaporation and phase inversion methods using sulfonated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (SPPO) and sulfonated polyvinylchloride as binders. The effect of polymers blend’s ratio and preparation method on structure and electrochemical properties of the prepared membranes were evaluated. The microstructures of the membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the sulfonation of polyvinylchloride was confirmed by elemental analyses. Moreover, the membranes performance was evaluated by ion-exchange capacity (IEC), fixed ion concentration, membrane potential, transport number, permselectivity, areal resistance, ionic permeability, flux of ions, current efficiency, membrane oxidative stability, mechanical properties and water content tests. The results indicated that IEC and water content were affected by the SPPO content and microstructures of the membranes. The results showed increased efficiency and suitable electrochemical properties for membranes prepared by the evaporation method in comparison with others. Also, \(\hbox {Fe}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}\) nanoparticles were synthesized at room temperature by a simple sonochemical reaction between ferric chloride and NaOH. The results revealed that the addition of different amounts of \(\hbox {Fe}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}\) nanoparticles to the polymeric matrix could affect the hydrophilicity and transport properties of ion-exchange membranes.     

Different morphologies fabrication of NiAl<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanostructures with the aid of new template and its photocatalyst application

In the area of water purification, nanotechnology offers the possibility of an efficient removal of pollutants and germs. Nowadays, nanostructures used for detection and removal of chemical and biological substances include metals, azo dyes, nutrients, cyanide, organics, algae, bacteria, parasites, and etc. In the current study, an attempt is made to synthesize and characterization of NiAl₂O₄ nanostructures in an aqueous environment through the simple sol–gel method. Besides, three capping agents as glycine, asparagine, and alanine were used to investigate their effects on the morphology and particle size of NiAl₂O₄ nanostructures. This method starts from of the precursor complex, and involves the formation of homogeneous solid intermediates, reducing atomic diffusion processes during thermal treatment. The formation of pure crystallized NiAl₂O₄ nanocrystals occurred when the precursor was heat-treated at 800 °C in air for 150 min. The stages of the formation of NiAl₂O₄, as well as the characterization of the resulting compounds were done made using UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties of as-prepared NiAl₂O₄ nanostructures were also investigated with vibrating sample magnetometer. Furthermore, the photocatalytic properties of as synthesized NiAl₂O₄ were evaluated by degradation of methyl orange as water contaminant.