Biodiesel can be prepared from various types of vegetable oils or animal fats with the aid of a catalyst.
Calcium oxide (CaO) is one of the prospective heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel synthesis. Modification
of CaO by impregnation on silica (SiO2) can improve the performance of CaO as catalyst. Egg shells and rice
husks as biomass waste can be used as raw materials for the preparation of the silica modified CaO catalyst.
The present study was directed to synthesize and characterize CaO impregnated SiO2 catalyst from biomass
waste and apply it as catalyst in biodiesel synthesis. The catalyst was synthesized by wet impregnation
method and characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and
basicity density. The activity of the catalyst in biodiesel synthesis was assayed at different molar ratios of
palm oil to methanol ranging from 1:6, 1:9, 1:12 and 1:15. The biodiesel composition was determined by gas
chromatography-mass spectroscopy and the properties of the biodiesel were also characterized. The results
showed that the CaO impregnated SiO2 catalyst was successfully synthesized based on confirmation by XRD
and XRF. The catalyst has a surface area, average pore diameter, total pore volume, and basicity density of
19.38 m2
/g, 3.22 nm, 0.0122 cm3
/g, and 3.4 mmol/g, respectively. The catalyst activity assay indicates that
the molar ratio of palm oil to methanol of 1:12 is the optimum condition for biodiesel synthesis. At this
molar ratio, 81.4% biodiesel yield was achieved, and it met the quality standards according to ASTM D
6751.
Rainwater harvesting could be a possible solution to decrease the consequences of water scarcity and energy deficiency in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). This study aims to calculate the water and energy (electricity) saved by rainwater harvesting for rooftops and green areas in Sulaimani city, KR, Iraq. Various data were acquired from different formal entities in Sulaimani city. Moreover, Google Earth and ArcMap 10.4 software were used for digitizing and calculating the total rooftop and green areas. The results showed that for the used runoff coefficients (0.8 and 0.95), the harvested rainwater volumes were 2901563 and 12197131 m³ during the study period (2005 – 2006) and (2019-2020). Moreover, by compa
... Show MoreIn the present work, the thermo-fluid characteristics of a heat exchanger formed of helical coiled tubes immersed in cold water are investigated experimentally. Two types of helical coiled tube are tested, a conventional vertical single helical coiled tube and a new triple vertical helical coiled tube in parallel connection called as meshed coils. The effect of hot water flow rates inside the tubes (ranges from 2.67 to 7.08 l/min), and its inlet temperatures (namely 50, 60, 70 and 80 °C) are investigated. The experimental results show that increasing the flow rate inside the meshed coils leads to decrease the temperature difference between inlet and outlet. An enhancement of heat transfer for meshed coils compared to single coil has been n
... Show MoreThe research (Anthropology and Representations of magic in Arab Theatrical Text, Harut and Marut's play as a Model) is concerned with studying magic and the forms of its presence in the theatrical text in different human cultures where it belongs. The research consists of four chapters.
The first chapter includes the research problem that revolves around the following questions: (what is the mechanism of employing magic anthropology and its representations in the Arab theatrical text Harut and Marut's play as a model?), and the research importance which is attributed to the necessity of studying (magic) in the Arab theatrical text as it is considered the inauguration of one of the social phenomena that many researchers in the field o
Purpose: The present study seeks to examine various history stages in which undergone by the concept of scenarios, and development of this concept to integration with the strategic management practices:
Methodology: The current study relied on a literature review and approach in providing total picture of different stages undergone by this concept.
The main results: the scenarios did not reach maturity in their quest for integration with strategic management, and still need a great effort for the maturation of this thought in the framework of strategic management, and through it can contribute in creating important knowledge evolution.
Originality and value: providing a contemporary model linking the roots of this concept and cu
Bacteria strain H7, which produces flocculating substances, was isolated from the soil of corn field at the College of Agriculture in Abu-Ghrib/Iraq, and identified as Bacillus subtilis by its biochemical /physiological characteristics. The biochemical analysis of the partially purified bioflocculant revealed that it was a proteoglycan composed of 93.2 % carbohydrate and 6.1 % protein. The effects of bioflocculant dosage, temperature, pH, and different salts on the flocculation activity were evaluated. The maximum flocculation activity was observed at an optimum bioflocculant dosage of 0.2 mL /10 mL (49.6%). The bioflocculant had strong thermal stability within the range of 30-80 °C, and the flocculating activity was over 50 %. The biofloc
... Show MoreLipase enzyme has attracted a lot of attention in recent years because of its diverse biotechnological applications. The present study was conducted to screen germinated seeds of four crops, namely sunflower (Helianthus annuus), flaxor linseed (Linum usitatissimum ), peanut (Arachis hypogaea ) and castor bean (Ricinus communis), for the activity of their lipases. to the study also included the extraction and purification of lipase from the seeds of the most promising crop using different solvents. The results indicated that the maximum enzymatic activity (0.669 U/ml) was obtained when 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer extract was used after 3 days of seed germination of all the tested species, as compared to the other test solvents
... Show MoreThe fauna of bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from different regions of Iraq is surveyed in this study; there were 16 species, 13 genera that belong to four families which are collected in this investigation.
Also, all the species that are recorded for Iraq in previous investigations are revised; totally there are 110 species, 32 genera belonging to five families: Apidae, Andernidae, Colletidae, Halictidae and Megachilidae were listed.
The phenomenon of informal building Spread recently in Iraqi residential areas, in general, and in Baghdad, in particular, due to the urgent housing need, on the one hand, and lack of commitment to building controls, on the other hand, to highlight the phenomenon of uncommitted building to controls and housing governing legislation in Iraq, leading to heterogeneity in both building densities and plot areas, and disorder in the urban fabric and urban escape of those areas. Research problem identified as the absence of a clear vision about the General aspects of the phenomenon of informal building in residential street scene, and the role of designed housing projects as a substitute for informal building in built residential areas. The des
... Show MoreThe research discusses one of the most critical issues of corporate finance which is related to asset utilization efficiency. Researchers used internal growth rate as independent variable (Proxy of asset utilization efficiency) and sustainable growth rate-dependent variable (proxy of stockholders wealth). According to these two variables, researchers formulate major hypotheses (There is no significant effect of internal growth rate on sustainable growth rate), as well as two sub-hypotheses, examine the components of major variables. Sample of Iraqi industrial companies which listed in the Iraqi stock exchange selected to test and examine main hypotheses. Result of simple and multiple regressions explain there is a significant effect of i
... Show More