Dewatered Sludge Decorated with Nanoparticles for Alum Sludge Conditioning towards the Concept of "End-of-Waste".

The circular economy concept is leading environmental engineering in the search for "End-of-Waste" criteria. Untreated waste residue results from drinking water treatment plants, causing severe environmental issues, and its reuse is essential. In this regard, this investigation introduces the beneficial reuses of alum sludge cake to close the loop between sludge waste generation and reuse. Considering alum sludge as a resource for dewatering instead of its categorization as a waste reflects an "End-of-Waste" approach. Alum sludge cake was thermally calcined at 400 °C and named thermally treated alum sludge cake (TAS-cake). In this study, TAS-cake decorated with magnetite with a percent weight of 5 to 1%, respectively, was labeled as TAS-cake@Fe-(5-1). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and morphologies were applied to characterize the hybrid composite. A Fenton-based hybrid composite was applied to extrude water from alum sludge for 7 min of conditioning time. Furthermore, the factorial design based on response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the operational variables. TAS-cake@Fe-(5-1) and hydrogen peroxide revealed 1.2 g/L and 740 mg/L doses at pH 3.0, showing pronounced performance and revealing the highest capillary suction time (CST) reduction, which reached 53%. A temperature increase also showed a pronounced enhancement effect on the sludge dewaterability that reached 72% when 55 °C was applied. Thus, such a novel conditioner is a promising candidate for alum sludge conditioning.

Thermal Energy Storage Using a Hybrid Composite Based on Technical-Grade Paraffin-AP25 Wax as a Phase Change Material.

Thermal energy storage (TES) has a strong ability to store energy and has attracted interest for thermal applications such as hot water storage. TES is the key to overcoming the mismatch between energy supply and demand by using phase change materials (PCMs). However, a common organic PCM characteristic is low thermal conductivity. This causes a slow thermal response for paraffin-AP25, which is not suitable for many applications. Hence, a search is underway for modifications to enhance its thermal properties. Thus, the current investigation introduces a novel PCM system based on the use of waste material as an economic and efficient system. In the current investigation, nanoparticles were added to a PCM; specifically, a technical-grade paraffin-AP25 wax (AP25 wax)/hybrid composite was synthesized via ultrasonic dispersion. The focus of this investigation is to assess the behavior of a PCM for energy storage via charging (melting process) and discharging (solidification process). Nanoparticles of magnetite were prepared via a simple, cost-efficient route, co-precipitation, augmented with aluminum and silicon derived from waste streams from a hydrothermal facility and mixed with paraffin-AP25 wax to form a hybrid composite PCM. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (augmented with dispersive X-ray analysis, EDX) micrographs, in addition to X-ray diffraction (XRD), show the prepared composite. Different mass fractions of the composite, ranging from 1 to 10 weight %, were embedded in a paraffin-AP25 phase change material. The latent heat storage capacity of the PCM was enhanced by 8% when paraffin-AP25 was applied. Finally, the overall system efficiency was evaluated, and the yield increased by 64% for the 8% hybrid composite.

A Comprehensive Review of Nanofluid Heat Transfer in Porous Media.

In the present paper, recent advances in the application of nanofluids in heat transfer in porous materials are reviewed. Efforts have been made to take a positive step in this field by scrutinizing the top papers published between 2018 and 2020. For that purpose, the various analytical methods used to describe the flow and heat transfer in different types of porous media are first thoroughly reviewed. In addition, the various models used to model nanofluids are described in detail. After reviewing these analysis methods, papers concerned with the natural convection heat transfer of nanofluids in porous media are evaluated first, followed by papers on the subject of forced convection heat transfer. Finally, we discuss articles related to mixed convection. Statistical results from the reviewed research regarding the representation of various parameters, such as the nanofluid type and the flow domain geometry, are analyzed, and directions for future research are finally suggested. The results reveal some precious facts. For instance, a change in the height of the solid and porous medium results in a change in the flow regime within the chamber; as a dimensionless permeability, the effect of Darcy's number on heat transfer is direct; and the effect of the porosity coefficient has a direct relationship with heat transfer: when the porosity coefficient is increased or decreased, the heat transfer will also increase or decrease. Additionally, a comprehensive review of nanofluid heat transfer in porous media and the relevant statical analysis are presented for the first time. The results show that Al2O3 nanoparticles in a base fluid of water with a proportion of 33.9% have the highest representation in the papers. Regarding the geometries studied, a square geometry accounted for 54% of the studies.

Entropy Analysis of Magnetized Carbon Nanofluid over Axially Rotating Stretching Disk.

Nanofluids receive recognition from researchers and scientists because of their high thermal transfer rates. They have impactful industrial and technological modules in daily activities. In recent times, the heat transfer rate has been strengthened even more by a certain type of nanofluid known as "carbon nanotubes". The water-based magnetohydrodynamic flow with the nanoparticles MWCNT and SWCNT over an axially rotating stretching disk is highlighted in this article. In addition, the perspectives of viscous dissipation and MHD were taken into consideration. In order to formulate the physical problem, Xue's model is considered with the thermophysical properties and characteristics of carbon nanofluid. The current modeled system of partial differential equations is transformed into an ordinary differential equation system by the suggesting of the best similarity technique. Later, the transformed system of ordinary differential equations is solved numerically by using the Keller box method and the shooting method. Figures and charts are used to study and elaborate the physical behavior of the key subjective flow field parameters. The saturation in the base fluid is considered in both kinds of carbon nanotubes, the single-wall (SWCNTs) and the multiwall (MWCNTs). It is noted that the heat transfer mechanism shows some delaying behavior due to the increase in the Eckert number and the volume fraction elevation values. For the larger volume fraction values and the magnetic parameter, the skin friction increases. In addition, while the temperature profile increases with the Biot numbers, it falls for the increasing values of the Prandtl number. Furthermore, it is noted that the irreversibility of the thermal energy is influenced by the Biot number, temperature difference, Brinkmann number, and magnetic field, which all have dynamic effects on the entropy and the Bejan number.

Theoretical Analysis of the Effects of Exothermic Catalytic Chemical Reaction on Transient Mixed Convection Flow along a Curved Shaped Surface.

The present problem addressed the transient behavior of convective heat and mass transfer characteristics across a curved surface under the influence of exothermic catalytic chemical reactions. The governing non-linear mathematical model wastransformed into a convenient form with the help of a primitive variable formulation. The final primitive formed model wassolved numerically by applying the finite difference method. The analysis of the above said computed numerical data in terms of oscillatory heat transfer, skin friction, and oscillatory mass transfer for various emerging parameters, such as the mixed convection parameter λT, modified mixed convection parameter λc, index parameter n, activation energy parameter E, exothermicparameter ß, temperature relative parameter γ, chemical reaction parameter λ, and Schmidt number Sc is plotted in graphical form. An excellent agreement is depicted for oscillatory heat transfer behavior at the large value of activation energy E. The amplitude of heat transfer and prominent fluctuating response in mass transfer with a certain height is found at each value of the index parameter n with a good alteration. An increase in the activation energy led to an increase in the surface temperature, which yielded more transient heat transfer in the above-said mechanism. The main novelty of the current study is that first, we ensured the numerical results for the steady state heat and fluid flow and then these obtained results wereused in the unsteady part to obtain numerical results for the transient behavior of the heat and mass transfer mechanism.

Immobilization of Magnetic Nanoparticles on Cellulosic Wooden Sawdust for Competitive Nudrin Elimination from Environmental Waters as a Green Strategy: Box-Behnken Design Optimization.

The role of engineering in our society is not to just to continue creating chemicals, but sharing the responsibility for environmentally sound appropriate design of substances for a circular economy. Concerning this contemporary strategy, waste wooden sawdust (WSD) as a biobased by-product is augmented with magnetite (Mag) nanoparticles to meet the concept of cyclic application of resources in environmentally relevant photocatalytic reactions. The physical properties of the prepared WSD:Mag material were characterized to emphasis their structure and morphology by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), then the prepared catalyst was applied in augmentation with hydrogen peroxide as a type of photocatalyst in the form of Fenton's reaction system to oxidize Nudrin pesticide in queues media. Twinned WSD:Mag has been verified to exhibit higher performance than pristine single-phase catalysts. System parameters, i.e., pH, hydrogen peroxide, catalyst dozing, and temperature, were studied to check their effect on the reaction activity. In the present study, further promotion of photocatalytic activity of twinned WSD:Mag was obtained by optimizing the process parameters at the optimal reaction time of 30 min. The optimal results investigated via Box-Behnken design regression model based on response surface mythology (RSM) showed that the photocatalytic activity of the twinned catalyst could reach 94% at pH 2.5 and 386 and 38 m/L of H2O2 and WSD:Mag, respectively. The regression coefficient and probability obtained from analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to check the adequacy of the applied model, and were 92% and 0.02, respectively. Additional confirmatory tests were carried out under optimum conditions for verification and agreed with the predicted values. Experimental data analysis revealed that the reaction is well fitted with the second-order reaction model. Thermodynamic parameters highlighted the oxidation reaction is non-spontaneous at high temperature and exothermic in nature and proceeds at a low activation energy barrier (31.46 kJ/mol). Catalyst recyclability was also checked, which confirmed catalyst sustainability and high removal rates (78%) after six cycles of use. This work introduces a new concept to design a promising environmentally benign photocatalyst with high potential for applicability to environmental remediation of agricultural effluents with a view to a circular economy.

Adsorptive Pattern Using Drinking Water Treatment Residual for Organic Effluent Abatement from Aqueous Solutions.

Zeolite (ZSM-12) is a unique material obtained from the drinking water treatment plants' residual "alum sludge", as a result of using aluminum sulphate as a primary coagulant in the plants. Herein, alum sludge (AS) is initially dewatered and subjected for various calcination temperatures 400 °C, 600 °C and 800 °C and the corresponding materials are named as AS400, AS600 and AS800, respectively. Such calcination is provided to attain ZSM-12, which is considered a highly adsorptive material. The material characterization and morphology were investigated using scanning X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron microscope (SEM) that confirm the presence of ZSM-12 and porosity of such prepared materials. Thereafter, such materials are introduced for phenol remediation from aqueous solution. The experimental data reveal that AS400 had the largest adsorption capacity (275 mg-phenol/g), in comparison to the commercial adsorbent materials during 2 h of isotherm time. Such a result confirms the suitability of alum sludge residue to be a good candidate for environmental remediation. Furthermore, adsorption isotherm models were applied, and the data are well-fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model. In addition, thermodynamic parameters are investigated which verify the physisorption adsorption process and exothermic nature with a spontaneous reaction system.

Mixed convection flow along a curved surface in the presence of exothermic catalytic chemical reaction.

In the current study, the attention is paid on the phenomena of mixed convection flow under the effect of exothermic catalytic chemical reaction along the curved surface. The proposed problem is modeled in nonlinear coupled partial differential equations. In keeping view the principle of homogeneity the dimensional flow model is transformed into dimensionless by using an appropriate scaling. This well arranged form of equations is then discretized with the aid of finite difference method for the numerical solution. The solutions of the considered model are estimated and displayed in the graphs. Here, in the contemporary study variables of physical significance such as velocity profile, temperature distribution and mass concentration are encountered efficiently. The incorporated pertinent dimensionless numbers that is body shape parameter, mixed convection parameter, modified mixed convection parameter, Prandtle number, exothermic parameter, chemical reaction parameter, temperature relative parameter, dimensionless activation energy parameter, and Schmidt number for which variations in the concentrated physical variables are estimated and presented in graphical way. For each boundary conditions computations are performed along the curved surface for different body shape parameter (n) values range from 0 up to 0.5; the obtained results satisfied by the boundary conditions. The velocity profile becomes increasingly more significant for n equal to 1 and due to the uniformly heated surface temperature profile and mass concentration are uniformly distributed.

3D MHD nonlinear radiative flow of CuO-MgO/methanol hybrid nanofluid beyond an irregular dimension surface with slip effect.

The 3D MHD nonlinear radiative hybrid nanofluid flow across an irregular dimension sheet with slip effect is studied numerically. The hybrid nanofluid consists of copper oxide (CuO) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles embedded in methanol or methyl alcohol (MA). The governing PDEs' are altered as ODEs' using similarities and numerical solutions are attained using shooting scheme. The role of corporal factors on the transport phenomenon is analyzed and reflected by plots and numerical interpretations. Simultaneous solutions presented for CuO-MA nanofluid and CuO-MgO/MA hybrid nanofluid. Results ascertain that the temperature and flow boundary layer thicknesses are not unique for the hybrid nanofluid and nanofluid. The heat transfer enactment of CuO-MA nanofluid is high when equated to CuO-MgO/MA hybrid nanofluid. This concludes that the CuO-MgO combination works as a good insulator.

3-D magnetohydrodynamic AA7072-AA7075/methanol hybrid nanofluid flow above an uneven thickness surface with slip effect.

A 3-D magnetohydrodynamic flow of hybrid nanofluid across a stretched plane of non-uniform thickness with slip effects is studied. We pondered aluminum alloys of AA7072 and AA7072 + AA7075 in methanol liquid. The aluminum alloys amalgamated in this study are uniquely manufactured materials, possessing enhanced heat transfer features. AA7072 alloy is a composite mixture of Aluminum & Zinc in the ratio 98 & 1 respectively with added metals Silicon, ferrous and Copper. Equally, AA7075 is a mixture of Aluminum, Zinc, Magnesium, and Copper in the ratio of ~90, ~6, ~3 and ~1 respectively with added metals Silicon ferrous and Magnesium. Numerical solutions are attained using R-K based shooting scheme. Role of physical factors on the flow phenomenon are analyzed and reflected by plots and numerical interpretations. Results ascertain that heat transfer rate of the hybrid nanoliquid is considerably large as matched by the nanofluid. The impact of Lorentz force is less on hybrid nanofluid when equated with nanofluid. Also, the wall thickness parameter tends to improve the Nusselt number of both the solutions.