Determination of optimum operating conditions of carmine decoloration by UV/H2O2 using response surface methodology

In this study, the photolytic decoloration of carmine (C.I. Natural Red 4) via UV radiation in the presence of H2O2 was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). According to analysis of variance (ANOVA) results, the proposed model can be used to navigate the design space. It was found that the response of carmine degradation is very sensitive to the independent factors of carmine concentration, H2O2 concentration, pH and reaction time. The proposed model for D-optimal design fitted very well with the experimental data with R2 and R(adj)2 correlation coefficients of 0.998 and 0.997, respectively.     

Mechanical properties of SG-iron with different matrix structure

Spheroidal graphite (SG) irons with a variety of matrix-structure have been produced. The correlation between tensile properties, impact toughness, hardness and pearlite content is investigated. The pearlite content is varied from 0 to about 95 per cent by the use of different heat treatment processes. The apparent variation in the properties with the pearlite level reveals the remarkable consistency in the relationships between mechanical properties and pearlite content. The study of the tensile properties showed that the yield and ultimate tensile strengths are increased with increasing pearlite level in the matrix structure. For matrix structure with 94.6% pearlite, the increases are about 91% and 98%, respectively, compared with those of the ferritic matrix material. The impact toughness of SG-iron is influenced significantly by matrix microstructure. Energy of about 230 × 10³J/m² is required to fracture a ferritic matrix SG-iron. On the other hand, when the matrix structure approaches a fully pearlitic matrix the fracture energy is decreased by an amount of 75.5%. The Brinell hardness value is found to increase with increasing pearlite content in the matrix structure of the present material. It increases from about 128 for a fully ferritic matrix to about 258 as the matrix structure approaches a fully pearlitic condition. This change in the hardness value reflects the change in the mechanical properties presented in this study.     

Neutronic analysis for core conversion (HEU–LEU) of Pakistan research reactor-2 (PARR-2)

Neutronic analyses for the core conversion of Pakistan research reactor-2 (PARR-2) from high enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel has been performed. Neutronic model has been verified for 90.2% enriched HEU fuel (UAl₄–Al). For core conversion, UO₂ fuel was chosen as an appropriate fuel option because of higher uranium density. Clad has been changed from aluminum to zircalloy-4. Uranium enrichment of 12.6% has been optimized based on the design basis criterion of excess reactivity 4 mk in miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR). Lattice calculations for cross-section generation have been performed utilizing WIMS while core modeling was carried out employing three dimensions option of CITATION. Calculated neutronic parameters were compared for HEU and LEU fuels. Comparison shows that to get same thermal neutron flux at inner irradiation sites, reactor power has to be increased from 30 to 33 kW for LEU fuel. Reactivity coefficients calculations show that doppler and void coefficient values of LEU fuel are higher while moderator coefficient of HEU fuel is higher. It is concluded that from neutronic point of view LEU fuel UO₂ of 12.6% enrichment with zircalloy-4 clad is suitable to replace the existing HEU fuel provided that dimensions of fuel pin and total number of fuel pins are kept same as for HEU fuel.     

Micro‐morphological,environmental and phytochemical investigation of herbal medicines by using LM and SEM: A quality control tool

The use of quality control tool for authentication of Jadwar (Delphinium denudatum Wall. ex Hook.f. & Thomson), a folk herbal drug used for the treatment of different ailments, was studied. People face problems of adulteration for this drug at global, regional, national and local levels. Two different plant species are commercially marketed in the Indo‐Pak Subcontinent under the same trade name of Jadwar. One is D. denudatum Wall. ex Hook.f. & Thomson and the other is Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle. To focus on this problem, a marketable available drug sample of Jadwar was authenticated by using basic microscopy tools (LM) and advanced chemo‐taxonomic markers. Authentication, quality and standardization of this drug was achieved using morphology, organoleptography, UV and IR analyses, scanning electron microscopy of pollen and anatomical investigations. The techniques used for authentication marked the clear difference between the studied plants. Microscopic studies, chemotaxonomic investigation and other techniques used in this project provided the basis for the authentication of this species.     

Performance analysis of various hybrid renewable energy systems using battery,hydrogen, and pumped hydro‐based storage units

The aim of this research is to analyze the techno‐economic performance of hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) using batteries, pumped hydro‐based, and hydrogen‐based storage units at Sharurah, Saudi Arabia. The simulations and optimization process are carried out for nine HRES scenarios to determine the optimum sizes of components for each scenario. The optimal sizing of components for each HRES scenario is determined based on the net present cost (NPC) optimization criterion. All of the nine optimized HRES scenarios are then evaluated based on NPC, levelized cost of energy, payback period, CO₂ emissions, excess electricity, and renewable energy fraction. The simulation results show that the photovoltaic (PV)‐diesel‐battery scenario is economically the most viable system with the NPC of US$2.70 million and levelized cost of energy of US$0.178/kWh. Conversely, PV‐diesel‐fuel cell system is proved to be economically the least feasible system. Moreover, the wind‐diesel‐fuel cell is the most economical scenario in the hydrogen‐based storage category. PV‐wind‐diesel‐pumped hydro scenario has the highest renewable energy fraction of 89.8%. PV‐wind‐diesel‐pumped hydro scenario is the most environment‐friendly system, with an 89% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with the base‐case diesel only scenario. Overall, the systems with battery and pumped hydro storage options have shown better techno‐economic performance compared with the systems with hydrogen‐based storage.     

A novel image encryption scheme based on Arnold scrambling and Lucas series

Secure data transmission over the public channels have high impact and increasingly important due to theft and manipulation in contents. The requirement of public/ private organizations to develop an efficient scheme to provide security to their contents. We developed a digital contents encryption scheme based Arnold scrambling and Lucas series, which is very simple to implement but almost impossible to breach in this article. We perform encryption at standard images by using Lucas series at different iterations of scrambled images of Arnold transform. Numerical simulation analyses performed to analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of the projected structure.

     

Interpretation of infinite shear rate viscosity and a nonuniform heat sink/source on a 3D radiative cross nanofluid with buoyancy assisting/opposing flow

With respect to bionomical concerns and energy security, the performance of refrigeration systems should be enriched, which can be done by improving the characteristics of working liquids. Nanoliquids have attracted interest in the fields of engineering and industry due to their prominent thermophysical characteristics. Researchers have used nanoliquids as working liquids and noticed significant fluctuations in thermal execution. In this study,  our prime aim was to study the impact of thermal radiation and varying thermal conductivity on a cross-nanofuid with the addition of a nonuniform heat sink–source, chemical process, and activation energy (AE) together with effects of assisting and opposing buoyancy. Furthermore, the relationship of zero-mass flux together with the mechanism of thermophoresis and Brownian motion is considered. Traditionalistic transformations gave the ordinary differential equations (ODEs), which are further dealt with the approach of the Shooting Scheme to change the boundary value problem (BVP) into an initial value problem (IVP) and a numerical comparison is made with the Matlab solver package bvp4c. Bvp4c is based upon a collocation scheme, which yields numeric outcomes for nonlinear ODEs with IVP. Impacts of the involved parameters on mass transfer profile, heat, and momentum fields are shown through graphs. Mass transfer of the cross nanofluid increases with increasing values of AE parameter. Values of physical quantities like drag forces, rate of transport of heat and mass in the case of assisting/opposing flow are tabulated. The drag force magnitudes are greater for enhancing values of M, a, and n, while on the other hand, the opposing tendency is seen for We₁ and We₂. The magnitude of the rate of heat transport (Nusselt number) falls for greater values of m, σ, δ, and N_t, but in contrast, it accelerates for E, Pr, and n.     

Hydrogen treated TiO2 nanoparticles onto FTO glass as photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells with remarkably enhanced performance

Hydrogen treatment is a facile and efficient approach for the enhancement in the functioning of TiO₂ nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). In this work, TiO₂ nanoparticles have been synthesized in the hydrogen environment followed by the deposition onto FTO glass substrates with various film thickness as photoanodes for DSSC. The synthesized hydrogen treated TiO₂ nanoparticles based photoanodes have showed significantly improved photocurrent in the resulting fabricated devices. SEM and TEM analyses have confirmed the particle size and morphology of TiO₂ nanoparticles at various magnifications. The crystalline structure and phase identification were studied by XRD analysis and Raman spectroscopic measurements. The UV–Vis spectroscopy analysis was carried out to find the response of samples for ultraviolet and visible light. The current-voltage measurements have confirmed the improvement of photocurrent that is principally due to improved photo-activity of hydrogen treated TiO₂ nanoparticles. Moreover, hydrogen treated TiO₂ nanoparticles-based photoanode with the film thickness of 11.65 μm has remarkably enhanced power conversion efficiency of 6.05% in DSSCs. The ability of highly photoactive hydrogen treated TiO₂ nanoparticles will provide the new openings in different fields that include photo-electrochemical water splitting and in many other applications.