Showing papers in "International Journal of Advanced engineering, Management and Science in 2017"

Impact of Employee Engagement on Performance

Abstract: Employee engagement is a vast concept and has a wide area of interpretation and thus each organisation interprets the meaning of employee engagement on its own terms, knowledge, and culture Employee engagement is a relationship between the employee and the enterprise, an engaged employee is the one who is entirely engrossed in and ardent about their work and so takes positive steps to further the organisation's prestige and interests The construct employee engagement is built on the foundation of concepts like organisation citizenship behaviour, employee commitment, and job satisfaction Though it relates to and besets these concepts but employee engagement is broader in scope In today's scenario organisations have started looking out for ways more stronger than only monetary incentives to keep employees involved and work towards goals, hence comes the role of employee engagement which helps the employees realise they are a part of the organisation and thus employees are emotionally connected to their organization and highly involved in their job with a great enthusiasm for the success of their employer, going an extra mile beyond the employment contractual agreement assuming all their efforts leads to the growth of what already belongs to them Since Employee engagement is a fairly novel concept thus a lot of measurement metrics are not present to find out direct relationship between employee engagement and its impact on the performance of employees thus the purpose of this paper is to find out an Impact of employee engagement on the performance of the employees

A Study of the Relationship between Work Engagement and Job Satisfaction in Private Companies in Kurdistan

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between work engagement and job satisfaction. The research aimed to examine each of ( equal opportunities, personal influence, nature of career, development opportunity, employee recognition, work challenge, supervisor behaviour, ethics and integrity, and job empowerment) and its relationship with job satisfaction in private companies in Erbil. The researcher used quantitative research method in order to measure the relationship between work engagement and job satisfaction, however only 108 respondents were participated in the current study. The researcher used multiple regression analysis to measure the relationship among variables. The researcher found that workplace challenge had the highest value among other work engagement elements = .671 and P-value = .000 which indicates that many private companies’ employees are engaged to their job because of time management, Overwhelming workloads and communication. This research highlighted the significance of workplace challenge that inspires the individuals to be more engaged to their organization. Employee engagement is a positive attitude towards the workplace and is the degree that an individual is bind to the organization. Only small number of employees had participated in this research from private companies in Kurdistan, which limits the outcome of the study. Keywords— Engagement, Job satisfaction, Kurdistan.

Leading Construction Project Teams: The Effectiveness of Transformational Leadership in Dynamic Work Environments in Kurdistan

Abstract: The main aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership's characteristics and construction project team effectives. The study was carried out in five different construction companies in Erbil, Kurdistan. A quantitative method used to analyze the current study. 71 participants involved in this study. The results revealed that the highest value was for idealized influence characteristic = .737> 0.01 and P-value =.000 which means there is a strong positive relation between idealized influence and project construction team effectiveness.

Extraction of Essential Oil from Neem Seed by Using Soxhlet Extraction Methods

Abstract: Extraction of essential neem oil from neem seed was carried by soxhelt extraction method using different organic solvents and parameters. Physico-chemical property of the extracted oil was also determined by using classical wet chemical method. Result revealed that, soxhlet extraction using hexane has 40.35%; using ethanol-hexane mixture of 60:40% volume proportion has 43.71%, using ethanol 42.65% and using methanol 42.89%. For all solvent type particle size has 355μm, extraction time 1hr up to 3hrs and applied constant and varies temperatures .At smaller extraction time, hexane produced oil yield greater than from ethanol and methanol. Actually, ethanol not produced oil at one hour extraction time. Thus, by effective determination of factors like particle sizes, solvent type, temperature, and time it is possible to investigate the result on the quality and quantity of neem oil. Surprisingly, mixtures of Ethanol and Hexane gave admirable results. Predominantly, ethanol-hexane mixtures of 60:40, and 40:60% (volume proportions) gave better oil yields of 44%, and 41.2% respectively than that of hexane (40.35%) at 3 hours of process time.

Effects of pH, Dosage, Temperature and Mixing Speed on The Efficiency of Water Melon Seed in Removing the Turbidity and Colour of Atabong River, Awka-Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract: Studies were carried out to determine the effects of operating parameters such as temperature, pH, dosage and mixing speed on the efficiency of watermelon seed in removing the turbidity and colour of Atabong River, which serves the people of Eket and their environs in Akwa-Ibom State. Results obtained showed that at an ideal pH of 7.5, temperature of 25oC, dosage of 0.6g/l and mixing speed of 120rpm the water melon coagulum removed turbidity and colour of the raw river water by 87.9% and 84.3% respectively. At this optimum conditions, water melon coagulum decreased the raw water turbidity from 67.7 to 8.18 NTU and colour, 318 to 50 TCU. The findings have demonstrated the effectiveness of water melon seeds as a possible replacement for chemicals like alum and ferric salts normally used in coagulation-flocculation water treatment.

Arduino based Dual Axis Smart Solar Tracker

Abstract: Solar energy is rapidly advancing as an important means of renewable energy resource It is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaic, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis Trackers direct solar panels or modules toward the sun These devices change their orientation throughout the day to follow the sun's path to maximize energy capture The use of solar trackers can increase electricity production by around a third, and some claim by as much as 40% in some regions, compared with modules at a fixed angle In any solar application, the conversion efficiency is improved when the modules are continually adjusted to the optimum angle as the sun traverses the sky This paper presents the designing of a solar tracking system which is based on Arduino UNO and which provides movement of solar panel in the direction of maximum sun light incident As a result of which we get more efficient system which is compact, low cost as well as easy to use

Attendance Monitoring System of Students Based on Biometric and GPS Tracking System

Abstract: This paper is a study of a fingerprint recognition system based on minutiae based fingerprint algorithms used in various techniques. This line of track mainly involves extraction of minutiae points from the model fingerprint images and fingerprint matching based on the number of minutiae pairings among to fingerprints. This paper also provides the design method of fingerprint based student attendance with help of GSM. This system ignores the requirement for stationary materials and personnel for keeping of records. The main objective of this project is to develop an embedded system, which is used for security applications. The biometrics technology is rapidly progressing and offers attractive opportunities. In recent years, biometric authentication has grown in popularity as a means of personal identification in college administration systems. The prominent biometric methods that may be used for authentication include fingerprint, palmprint, and handprint, face recognition, speech recognition, dental and eye biometrics. In this paper, a microcontroller based prototype of attendance system using fingerprint sensor and face recognition module is implemented. The tracking module is used here to identify the location of the missing person.

Analysis of the Relationship between Lifestyle and Coffee Consumption Habits, from the Myth Approach, in the Municipalities of Orizaba, Tehuipango, and Zongolica Veracruz

Abstract: Coffee consumption habits have evolved along with society for more than 300 years around the world. Social changes imply different lifestyles in each culture. Lifestyles influence the myths used by people in their consumption decisions. The objective of this research is to determine the relationship between lifestyle and coffee consumption habits, from the perspective of myth, in the inhabitants of the Mexican municipalities of Orizaba, Tehuipango, and Zongolica. A survey was conducted with a sample of inhabitants of the three municipalities studied. The statistical analyzes applied were the central limit theorem, Pearson, and Chi-square. The results show that the variables Consumption habits-Lifestyle-Myth, are highly dependent on the level of perception of people. It is concluded that the coffee myth corresponds to the "family union" in the study municipalities. This myth is not characterized in the evolutionary stages contemplated in the "waves of coffee".

Evaluation of Flexible Pavement Failures-A Case Study on Izki Road

Abstract: Pavement is a multi-layer system that distributes the vehicular loads over a larger area. It helps to make them durable and able to withstand traffic and the environment. Pavement consists of three basic layers the first layer is Sub grade (Gravel) which is the foundation layer, the second layer is sub base (layer Assistant foundation) and the top layer is base (a layer of pavement) which consists of Bituminous Carpet + Bituminous Macadam. Cracking of pavement is a defect that appears in the top layer of the road. Pavement can be under compression and tension at the same time, but in different directions. While a tire compresses a pavement downward, it forms a deflection basin which causes the pavement to go into tension in both horizontal directions. If the pavement is not strong enough, the asphalt is stretched too far, which separates and a crack forms in the wheel track. A crack may also form between the wheel tracks. The maintenance of roads means protecting, restoration and strengthening of all elements of the road to maintain sustainability of the road. Road maintenance also includes additional work that is necessary in order to raise the level of performance and reach the best level of safety and comfort for the road users. Roads are high-cost investments and need constant maintenance so that these investments continue to perform as required. Therefore, care must be taken to maintain the roads in optimum maintenance and in a scientific manner. The aim of this Study is to identify the most common types of cracks and defects which occur in Izki road and suggest suitable option for maintenance. The objectives are to identify different types of cracks & defects, to find out the different reasons that cause defects and cracks in Izki road and to suggest suitable maintenance methods. A 2km length of the road was selected for the study. Survey was carried out and the reasons for cracking and other failures in pavement were studied. Finally, the required maintenance solution for each type of failures was identified and the best maintenance option was selected.

Analysis of Unsteady Squeezing Flow Between Two Porous Plates With Variable Magnetic Field

Abstract: Analysis will be made for the non-isothermal Newtonian fuid flow between two unsteady squeezing porous plates under the infuence of variable magnetic feld. The similarity transformations will be used to transform the partial differential equations into nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations. The modeled nonlinear differential equations representing the flow behavior in the geometry under consideration will be investigated using analytical and numerical method. Comparison of the solutions will be made. Convergence of solution will also be discussed. Flow behavior under the infuence of non-dimensional parameters will be discussed with the help of graphical aids.

Review on Super Capacitor-Battery based Hybrid Energy Storage System for PV Application

Abstract: Hybrid energy storage systems are becoming an option for energy management in better performance of automotive, hybrid electrical vehicle and avionics systems. The main objective of this paper is to review and study of Hybrid Energy Storage System for PV application and to increase energy efficiency, behavior of super capacitor and utility scale storage facilities using renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Literature survey clear problem has been observed from single energy storage system (ESS) aspects and solution of hybrid energy storage system. Therefore review about Battery-super capacitor Hybrid Energy Storage System to high energy density, high power density as well as to improve battery lifetime extension and power enhancement. This paper is based on study and review of Hybrid Energy Storage System using Super capacitor, Battery and PV Module for any Load. Keywords— Hybrid Energy Storage system, Super

A Literature Review on Study of Silica fume as Partial Replacement of Cement in Concrete

Abstract: In the recent past, there has been considerable attempts for improving the properties of concrete with respect to strength and durability, especially in aggressive environments. High performance concrete appears to be better choice for a strong and durable structure. A large amount of by-product or wastes such as fly-ash, copper slag, silica fume etc. are generated by industries, which causes environmental as well as health problems due to dumping and disposal. Proper introduction of silica fume in concrete improves both the mechanical and durability characteristics of the concrete. This paper present literature review on replacement of Cement by Silica Fume which includes current and future trends of research.

Appraisal of the Perception of Quantity Surveying Profession by Non-allied construction professionals in Nigeria

Abstract: Quantity Surveyors are an asset to both the building clients and other professionals within and outside the construction industry. This is because quantity surveyors are in charge of financial matters and provide cost management expertise in the industry. Not fully knowing their roles as quantity surveyors have hindered their engagement by the public, especially non-construction professional. This research work was carried out with the Aim of appraising the perception of Quantity Surveying Profession by Non-allied construction professionals in Nigeria, with a view to determining the level of awareness on the existence and roles of the quantity surveyors in Nigeria. The study employed questionnaire survey. Mean item score and percentage were used to analyze the data collected. It was discovered that 94.6% of the respondents have heard about the Profession and majority of them are aware of the profession for over 5 years. The study concluded that the awareness level of quantity profession among the non-construction professionals is high although, they are not well patronized by the public due to the cost of hiring the professionals. Also, there were low level of awareness in few of quantity surveyors' duties and roles. It is recommended that there is the need for the Professionals to work hard to improve their image so as to attract patronage.

Chemical and Nutrient Composition of Selected Banana Varieties of Kerala

Abstract: Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Many studies shows that banana is richest source of various nutrients which having the health beneficial for humans. The chemical and nutrient compositions of eight banana varieties were studied. TSS was found to be more in Kadali (23.900 Brix) followed by Rasakadali (23.830 Brix) and Nendran (220 Brix). Maximum Acidity was noticed in Poovan (1.28%). The variety Nendran exhibited highest carbohydrate content (41.33g/100g) where as protein content was found to be higher in variety Poovan (1.37g/100g). Total mineral content of banana varieties ranged between 0.17g- 0.70g/100g and varieties such as Rasakadali (260 mg/100g) and Nendran ( 546.66 mg/100g) exhibited highest content of Na and K respectively. The calcium content of the selected banana varieties ranged between 0.35-1.35 mg/ 100g.

Handover in Mobile Wireless Communication Network - A Review

Abstract: Mobility is the characteristics of mobile communication that makes it irresistible by all and sundry. The whole world is now engaging in wireless communication as it provides users' ability to communicate on-the-go. This is achieved by transferring users from a radio network to another. This process is called handover. Handover occurs either by cell crossing or by deterioration in signal quality of the current channel. The continuation of an active call is a critical characteristic in cellular systems. Brief overview of handover, handover type, commonly used handover parameters, some methods employed in the literature and we present the convergent point for furtherance in the area of mobile wireless communication Handover.

PC to PC Transfer of Text, Images Using Visible Light Communication (VLC)

Abstract: Light Emitting Diodes are assuming a noteworthy part in numerous regions of our everyday life. Aside from transmitting light, these LED's can be used for data transmission utilizing Visible Light Communication (VLC). In this paper, We propose a complete model to transfer text, images from one device to another using Visible light communication, in which transmitter transmits the encrypted data through visible light and the receiver at the receiving end identifies the transmitted data and decrypts it to retrieve the data sent.

Study of the Densities of Some R4NI - Solutions in Water - Isopropyl Alcohol Solvent Mixtures at 313.15 K by Magnetic Float Densitometerz and Then Study Masson’s Equation from Фv Data

Abstract: Based on Masson's equation we study the molecular interactions between the compositions of the binary solution mixtures for different (%) compositions of Water– Isopropyl alcohol by adding tetraalkyl ammonium iodide at 313.15K. The densities of the solution mixtures (ρ¬s)have been measured very accurately by using Magnetic float Densitometer. The densitometer works on the electrostatic attraction force developed by the passage of current through a solenoid .using this technique, the densities (d¬0¬) of Water – Isopropyl alcohol solvent and mixtures of some tetra alkyl ammonium iodide, viz. Et4NI, Pr4NI, But¬4NI, Pen4NI at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100% compositions (v/v) have been determined experimentally. The apparent molar volumes have been calculated from density data using Masson's equation and graph plotted between ϕv vs √c . The slopes of curves shows that in low dielectric constant medium (i.e, 20% water, =30.76 and 40% water, ∈=42.74 for all the four tetraalkyl ammonium iodide salts have positive slope. But as the dielectric constant of the solvent medium is increased by adding Water – Isopropyl alcohol, further additions of salts in the solution will start contributing towards the volume so the volume will increase on increasing the salt concentration therefore the plot ϕ¬¬¬v+ vs √c curves will give a positive and negative slope the data have been explained on the basis of dielectric constant of the solvent mixtures and size of the electrolyte ion.

The Influence of Personal Information Capability and Management Commitment on the Success of the Implementation of Accounting Information System in Baznas of District / City Level in West Java Province

Abstract: Law No. 23 of 2011 has become the most important partof making changes towards a professional BAZNAS. These changes should be supported by good personal information capabilities and management commitment in supporting those changes towards the better, especially in the development of integrated accounting information systems as an easy form of making financial reports that can provide timely, relevant and accurate information. BAZNAS integrated accounting information system is very important to build and create quality information and transparencythat can lead to the increase of public trustfor the managers of National Zakatorganization. Especially in districts and cities of West Java. This research's objective is to test and analyze the influence of personal informationcapability and management commitment on the successful implementation of accounting information systems. Explanatory research method is used for this research. Data collection is through survey techniques by distributing questionnaires and interviews on BAZNAS in district and city level in West Java.Meanwhile the observation unit is the users of accounting information system. The research instruments are validity and reliability tests. Data analysis is performed descriptively and verified using SEM-PLS. The result of the research shows that at the significant level of 5% , the capability of personal information and management commitment have a significant influence on the successful implementation of zakat accounting information system in BAZNAS of Regency / city level in West Java Province with the influence of 77.5%. Meanwhile 22.5% are influenced by other factors that have not been studied.

Poverty Assessment in Urban Area of Jodhpur District in Western Arid Region of Rajasthan

Abstract: An attempt has been made to assess the poverty status in rural area of Jodhpur district of western Rajasthan. Two villages were randomly selected fall in the radius of 20 km from the Jodhpur city whereas another two villages were selected 60 km far from Jodhpur city with poor infrastructure facility and poor non-farm employment. 30 respondents were randomly selected from each selected village.A total of 120 respondents were selected from four village for the study. Simple tabulation method was used. For determining the poverty status, income method was used. From the study, it is revealed that agriculture, livestock, non-farm-labor activities are the main factor for poverty assessment. Size of land holding is a crucial factor. Marginal and small land holding couple with low income, are the main reason for poverty. The percentage of earners in the family size groups and percentage of dependents is inversely proportionate. Keywords— Poverty Assessment, western Rajasthan,

The MIR Flickr Retrieval Evaluation Proposal Based on User Tags and Textual Passwords

Abstract: In most well known image retrieval test sets, the imagery typically cannot be freely distributed or is not representative of a large community of users. In this paper we present a collection for the MIR community comprising 69,000 images from the Flickr website which are redistributable for research purposes and represent a real community of users both in the image content and image tags. We have extracted the tags and EXIF image meta data, and also make all of these publicly available. In addition we discuss several challenges for benchmarking retrieval and classification methods and applications.

Guerrilla Marketing - Innovative and Futuristic Approach towards Marketing

Abstract: In this economic and conventional world, company doing conventional things unconventionally. Company is doing their advertising for the consumer demands through creativity and their budget. In recent times bulk marketing in the sales process of company gain maximum benefit at the minimum cost. Therefore, the term “Guerrilla marketing” is used to describe an unusual system of promotions on a very low budget, relying on time, energy, and the imagination instead of big marketing budgets. This is nothing but to describe aggressive, unusual marketing methods generically. The paper serves to explore the uses and needs for the Guerrilla marketing approach and how they are superior and different from the traditional marketing tactics. In this paper we will describe cost cutting and bearing maximum impact on the consumer will also be highlighted. This paper also will try and understand the terminology, its literature, application to the small business and profitability.

Ethnocentric Behaviour and Business Performance of Multinational Enterprises (MNES): Evidence From South-West Nigeria

Abstract: The globalised world has become more integrated and has witnessed an unprecedented dispersal of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) across various nations and regions of the world. Most of these MNEs advertently or inadvertently exhibit tendencies that show them off as ethnocentric- possessing superior culture than those of their host country. This study assessed the effects of ethnocentric behaviours on the performance of MNEs in the South West of Nigeria. Adopting a survey design, the study made use of primary data collected mainly through administering a set of questionnaire to 207 management staff of selected MNEs from Oyo, Lagos and Ogun states respectively. Findings inter alia revealed that: engaging expatriates in strategic positions by MNE's leads to increased operating costs; foreign culture of MNE's home country negatively affects the local acceptance of management techniques by employees in host countries and MNE's standardized marketing strategies encouraged customers' loyalty and patronage in the Nigeria business environments. The work among other things, recommends that local employees in host nations must be incorporated into key decisions to aid MNE's continuous effectiveness. The work, in addition to that, also advised that MNE's should guide against culture shock i.e. the disorientation, cultural risks and stress associated with being in a foreign environment.

Quantic Analysis of the Adherence of a Gram-Negative Bacteria in A HEPA Filter

Abstract: It is known that Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are the most frequent bacteria in hospital units. It is also known that GNBs generate a greater number of nosocomial infections in critical areas. In the present work, the adhesion of the bacterial cell wall (BCW) to the compounds of the material layers of a high efficiency filter (HEPA) was analyzed. The analysis was carried out by means of molecular simulation and quantum chemistry. The BCW and HEPA molecules were designed using Hyperchem software for simulation. The calculations of the quantum interactions of the molecules were carried out using the theory of the electron transfer coefficient (ETC). It obtained from 4 to 6 compounds that are more likely to interact even as a chemical reaction. The compounds of the glass fibers are the ones that work best for the adhesion and destruction of the BCW.

Free cashflow and firm performance: Evidence from sectoral levels for Vietnamese listed firms

Abstract: Using data of listed firms on Hochiminh Stock Exchange, the study examines the impact of free cashflowson firm performance of manufacture, trade and real estates sectors. The findingsconsistently show that free cashflowshave a positive effect on firm performance for all sectors. However, the impact of free cashflows on firm performanceis different between firms with and without investment opportunities. This shows the relevance of Jensen's free-cashflows theory (1986) to listed Vietnamese firms at thesectoral level.

Quantum Theory of the Electron Transfer Coefficient

Abstract: In the recent years, quantum chemistry has taken an essential place in the prediction of molecular interactions, in both for chemical reactions and for solutions.The primary objective of this work is to present a new theory of the electron transfer coefficient (ETC) one molecule to another.As a result of the application of this theory, examples are presented in which theoretical calculations coincide with the results of laboratories of already published works.

Customer Behavior Analysis for Social Media

Abstract: It is essential for a business organization to get the customer feedback in order to grow as a company. Business organizations are collecting customer feedback using various methods. But the question is ‘are they efficient and effective?' In the current context, there is more of a customer oriented market and all the business organizations are competing to achieve customer delight through their products and services. Social Media plays a huge role in one's life. Customers tend to reveal their true opinion about certain brands on social media rather than giving routine feedback to the producers or sellers. Because of this reason, it is identified that social media can be used as a tool to analyze customer behavior. If relevant data can be gathered from the customers' social media feeds and if these data are analyzed properly, a clear idea to the companies what customers really think about their brand can be provided.

Optimization of Material Removal Rate of WEDM Process on Mild Steel Using Molybdenum Wire

Abstract: For any manufacturing process and, particularly, in process related to WEDM the correct selection of process parameters is one of the most important aspects to be taken into consideration. WEDM is capable of machining geometrically complex shapes or hard material components, such as composites, carbides, heat treated tool steels, super alloys, ceramics and heat resistant steels etc. These hard material components are widely used in die and mold making industries, aerospace, aeronautics and nuclear industries. This study discusses the influence of process parameters like current, Pulse on time, Pulse off Time and Voltage on the performance parameters such as material removal rate. The experiment has been conducted on Mild Steel work piece using brass wire, because Mild Steel has various industrial applications in manufacturing of frame of motorcycles, dies, automobile chassis, base of boilers and cook wares etc. The experimental layout is based on Taguchi L16 orthogonal array. Further, the analysis of variance [ANOVA] is used to analyze the results obtained from Taguchi method. The analysis of results obtained for material removal rate indicate that current and pulse on time has the highest impact on material removal rate. As the current and pulse on time increases, the material removal rate also increases. Pulse off time and voltage has no significant effect on material removal rate.

Experimental study and calculation of the electron transfer coefficients on the dissolution behavior of chitosan in organic acids

Abstract: Chitosan (CH) consists of water-insoluble Nacetylglucosamine and D-glucosamine molecules and has a higher solubility at a pH below six. This studyevaluated the solubility of chitosan in solutions of organic acids for the formation of films. HyperChemsoftware was used to perform the quantum analysis. In the experimental trials, the total soluble mass (TSM) and the viscosity of the solutions were measured by capillary viscometer. The chitosan filmswere made by the plate melting method, and the filmcharacteristics were evaluated. A quantum simulation suggested that lactic acid (LA) has a greater stability to react with chitosan. It was then verified experimentally that LA is a better solvent for chitosan due to the increase in its viscosity. The chemical interaction between CH and LA in solution favors the polymerization of films with better physical properties. We thereforeconclude that the uniformity in the formation of films of this polymer depends on the chemical interaction between the CH and the acid and not on the degree of solubility of the polymer. Keywords—Chitosan, Electron Transfer Coefficient (ETC), HyperChem, Organic Acid, Quantum Chemistry

Enhancement of Landfill Daily Cover in Minimizing the Migration of Heavy Metals in Landfill Leachate by Using Natural Soil, Pressmud Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) in PulauBurung Landfill

Abstract: This study emphasizes on the removal of heavy metals in landfill leachate by using natural soil mixed with agricultural wastes. The agricultural wastes used in this study werenatural soil or known as laterite soil, pressmud which is a waste from sugar refinery process and Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB), one of many forms of waste fromoil palm industry. The laterite soil was mixed with these wastes at different percentages of weight ratio namely 50S:40P:10E, 50S:30P:20E, 50S:25P:25E, 50S:10P:40E and 50S:20P:30E. The terms S, P and E each refers to soil, pressmud and empty fruit bunch respectively.Removal efficiency tests were also carried out and the results showed that the mixtures of laterite soil have the ability to remove concentrationsof As2+, Cd2+, Cr2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+between a range of 86% (minimum) and 99% (maximum) compared to removal via soil per se. Ergo, the laterite soil-pressmud-EFB mixtures signify great potential to be made as a daily cover material that minimizes heavy metals migration in landfill leachate, eliminates odor issues and providesadditional protection from further infiltration.

Using Porous Media to Enhancement of Heat Transfer in Heat Exchangers

Abstract: According to increasing human needs for energy and to avoid energy waste, researchers are struggling to increase the efficiency of energy production and energy conversion. One of these methods is increasing heat transfer and reducing heat dissipation in heat exchangers. Using porous materials in the fluid flow is one of the passive methods to increase heat transfer in heat exchangers. The existence of porous media in the flow path, improve the matrix of thermal conductivity and effective flow thermal capacity and also matrix of porous-solid increase radiation heat transfer, especially in two phase flow (gas-water) systems. In this paper, recent studies on the effect of using porous media on enhancement the amount of heat transfer in heat exchangers has been investigated via using porous media with difference porosity percentage, material and geometric structure in the flow path in numerical simulations and laboratory studies.