His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said

Opening Message
Under the great, visionary leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin
Said, the Sultanate of Oman has shown remarkable economic and industrial
development that balances technological change with the preservation of
heritage, culture and the environment. The importance of renewable energy
has been growing significantly and it is going to play a major role in national
and global energy policy as a source of safer and cleaner energy in the future.
Indeed, Oman, in spite of its oil resources, has been very proactive in giving
focus to alternative energy resources and sustainable development.
I believe that there is a need to harness energy in a cost-effective manner,
and to preserve and use these resources wisely. Organising this ICHT 2013
Conference in Oman is therefore very timely and relevant and it will no
doubt provide an excellent platform for sharing opportunities and challenges
in the sector. The organisers, in partnership with the conferences many
sponsors, have brought together at this venue keynote speakers and individuals from academia and industry
from many different countries to facilitate discussion. I am sure this conference will provide all of you with
opportunities to share innovative information on the latest trends within alternative energy development for the
21st century, linked with national and global economic growth.
I extend a warm welcome to Oman, to this Conference, and to fruitful discussions.

HE Dr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Rumhi

Minister of Oil and Gas, Sultanate of Oman

Foreword
As the global energy demand is ever increasing and oil and natural gas
resources are becoming scarce, the need to supplement the energy gap through
alternative resources is of paramount importance. The Government of Oman
is taking the initiative in reducing reliance on fossil fuels by implementing
the concept of an energy mix with alternative sources. There are many
challenges scientific, technological, managerial and cost effectiveness in
harnessing alternative energy. This is the reason why educational institutions,
R&D organisations and industry should come together to discuss the issues
and challenges in the energy sector.
I am confident that discussion and deliberation through this ICHT 2013
conference will stimulate creative input and help find solutions for the many
challenges that we are facing in this field and will result in new avenues being
explored, and new opportunities taken in alternative energy development.
The Technical Committee of ICHT 2013 has reviewed papers from USA, UK, Australia, India, Malaysia,
France, Tunisia, Oman, Saudi Arabia and UAE, and has accepted 33 papers for publication. The papers in the
proceedings cover various conference themes including energy demand, efficiency, conservation, technology,
waste management and environmental impact. A broad range of more than 10 invited papers will discuss
solutions for energy, sustainability and technology issues in the alternative energy sector, covering solar
thermal, solar PV, wind energy and hybrid integration.
The conference has received overwhelming support from local industry, research organisations and educational
institutions, and through generous sponsorship and participation of delegates. The Advisory Committee
is grateful to all authors, participants and sponsors; to Caledonian College of Engineering and the Public
Establishment for Industrial Estates in Oman; and to international committee members for their contribution
and active involvement in making this conference a great success.
My best wishes for a successful conference.

HE Mohammed Abdullah Al Mahrouqi

Chairman, Advisory Committee
ICHT 2013

Preface
I am pleased to welcome you to the 3rd International Conference on
Harnessing Technology ICHT 2013 here at Muscat. Caledonian College of
Engineering (CCE) is highly privileged to host this international conference
under the patronage of H.E Dr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Rumhi, Minister
of Oil and Gas, Sultanate of Oman.
Under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said,
the Sultanate of Oman has taken tremendous strides in all spheres of
development. In spite of its oil resources, the country has recognized the
importance of alternative energy sources as source of sustainable and clean
energy. Since 2008, the ICHT Conference has evolved as one of the most
important international conferences dedicated to renewable energy resources
in Oman. This conference provides an excellent forum for exchange of
information and discussion on a wide variety of alternative energy resources
including the latest developments, challenges and future opportunities. It also gives the opportunity to hear
from 14 distinguished experts in this field from around the globe.
CCE has been contributing to the social, economic and industrial development of the region for over 18 years
by providing education of high quality and supporting the development in the energy sector through research
and training. CCE has been commended in the national green awards for its activities in the field of renewable
energy and it is currently undertaking many research projects.
I would like to express my thanks to all authors and the members of the international technical committee for
their valuable contributions towards the success of this conference.
I would like to acknowledge the support and contribution rendered by Public Establishment for Industrial
Estates (PEIE) as a co-organizer of this event. The successful organization of ICHT 2013 required the talents,
dedication and valuable time of the members of the organizing committee along with the strong support from
the sponsors and I thank each one of them for their generosity. I would also like to express my appreciation
to The Research Council for its support and various professional associations for rendering their technical
guidance.
I hope that you will find this conference informative and valuable and my best wishes for a pleasant, interesting
and successful conference.

Mr. P Mohamed Ali

Chairman, Board of Directors
Caledonian College of Engineering

Committees
Advisory Committee
HE Mohammed Abdullah Al Mahrouqi
Dr P Mohamed Ali
Dr Saif Abdullah Al Hiddabi
Dr Abdullah Mohammed Al Zakwani
Mr Saif H Al Hinai
Prof Ahmed Mohammed Al Naamany
Mr Hussain Hassan Ali Abdul Hussain
Dr Idrees S Al Rahbi
Dr Ahmed Hassan Al-Bulushi

Chairman, Public Authority for Electricity and

water, Oman
Chairman and Board Director, CCE, Oman
Assistant Secretary General, The Research Council,
Oman
Director, Industrial Innovation Centre, Oman
Oil & Gas Consultant, Oman
Dean, MCBS, Oman
CEO, Haya Water, Oman
Head of Research & Development, Oman Oil
Company SAOC
Acting Dean, CCE, Oman

Mr Nizamuddin Ahmed

Deputy Dean & Registrar, CCE, Oman

Prof K P Ramachandran

Associate Dean (PG&R), CCE, Oman

Organising Committee
Prof S Feroz
Mr Basim Al-Nassri

Chairman, CCE, Oman

Public Establishment for Industrial Estates

Mr Hatem Yazidi

CCE, Oman

Dr C V Sudhir

CCE, Oman

Mr Shaji Jalal

CCE, Oman

Mr M Ramakrishna Kumar

CCE, Oman

Mr Ibrahim Issa Al Bulushi

CCE, Oman

Mr Ali Abdullah Hamed Al Mahrouqui

CCE, Oman

Mr Imad Saud Al Naimi

CCE, Oman

Mr Hassan Qasim Ahmed Al Wahabi

CCE, Oman

Mr Moammer Ali Saud al Tubi

CCE, Oman

Mr Asif Syed Khurshid

CCE, Oman

Mr J Varghese

CCE, Oman

Technical Committee
Prof Joseph V Thanikal (Chairman)

CCE, Oman

Prof S M Rizwan

CCE, Oman

Prof Abdelbaki Benamor

Qatar University, Qatar

Prof Kadambot Siddique

University of Western Australia , Australia

Prof Mohan Rao

Prof K R S Sambasiva Rao
Prof Detlef Bahnemann
Prof Hari B Vuthaluru

Michigan Technological University, USA

Acharya Nagarjuna University, India
Leibniz University, Germany
Curtin University, Western Australia

Dr Mahad Baawain

Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

Dr Mushtaque Ahmed

Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

Dr Nitin Labhestwar
Prof IR H J Ahmed Jaffar
Dr Hussain H Al-Kayiem
Prof IR Muhd Fadhil Nurudin
Dr Edwin Tan Chee Pin
Prof Wang Jing-Yuan
Dr Michel Torrijos
Robert F Boehm

National Environmental Engineering Research Institute

(NEERI), India
Universiti Technologi MARA, Malaysia
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia
Universiti Technologi Petronas, Malaysia
Monash University, Sunway Campus, Malaysia
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA),
France
University of Nevada, Las Vegas , USA

Prof David Harrison

Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

Prof Mahmoud El-Sharif

Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

Dr Kuruvilla Mathew

Murdoch University, Perth, Australia

Prof Stas Burek

Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

Dr M Ramaswamy
Prof M C Majumder

Royal Estates, Sultanate of Oman, Oman

N I T Durgapur, India

Contents
ICHT2013 Technical Grid.....................................................................................13
Key Note Speeches................................................................................................. 17
.

Omans Electricity sector and Renewable Energy...................................................................... 17

Prospects of Sustainable Energy Resources for a Sustainable Future Strategy....................... 17

in MENA countries

HE Mohammed Abduallah Al Mahrouqi

Dr Mustapha Taoumi

Energy Security in Small Islands and Remote Communities through Innovative................... 18

Micro-Grid Systems
Professor Chem V Nayar

Authoriy of Electricity Regulators Renewable Energy Initiatives.......................................... 18

Mr John Cunneen

Update on Renewable Energy Initiatives in PDO........................................................................ 19

Dr Syham Bentouati

Invited speeches...................................................................................................... 20
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Co-firing of biomass in coal fired boilers status and lab scale studies.................................... 20

A/Prof Hari Babu Vuthaluru and Dr Kalpit Shah

Some enabling technologies and international grid codes for wind power generators ........... 20

Professor Syed Islam

The contributions of fossil fuels and renewable resources to future energy supplies.............. 20

Dr Stas Burek

Produced Water: From Problems to Possibilities........................................................................ 21

Mushtaque Ahmed

Renewable energy production by anaerobic digestion of solid waste........................................ 21

Dr Michel Torrijos

Estimation models for the global solar radiation in the United Arab Emirates....................... 22

Dr Hassan A.N. Hejase

Advanced thin films for surface passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells............................ 23

Dr Anil Kottantharayil

Flow analysis of low energy direct contact membrane desalination.......................................... 23

Dr Isam Janajreh

Sulfur tolerant catalysts as candidates for application in producing clean fuels...................... 23

Dr Hamdy Farag

Oral presentations.................................................................................................. 25
.
.
.
.

Day 1 - Hall 1 - Session I................................................................................................................ 25

Bio-fuel Crop: Jatropha Plantation in Oman.............................................................................. 25

Ahmed Al-Busaidi

Application of renewable energy in health care industries in sultanate of oman..................... 25

Ali Alawi

Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration of banana in Palm Sugar Solution............................... 26

a pretreatment measure for energy conservation
Josephine Selvi N

10

.
.
.
.

Day 1 - Hall 1 - Session II............................................................................................................... 26

Design of Solar Hybrid Desalination System with Pressure Modulation.................................. 26

Ravinder Kumar

SODAR (Sound Detection and Ranging) measurement campaign - case study....................... 26

Hatem Yazidi

Renewable energy in Saudi Arabia and Mauritania: public attitudes towards ...................... 27
solar electricity
Dr Stas Burek

.
.
.

Day 1 - Hall 1 - Session III............................................................................................................. 27

Volatile Organic Compounds in Car Cabin Based on Variables of Time and Temperature... 27

Hamdan, N

Removal of Zinc from aqueous solution by adsorption using Citrus reticulata:...................... 27

Equilibrium and kinetic studies
Dr L Nageswara Rao

Adsorption capacity of various refrigerant-adsorbent pairs for an automotive ..................... 28

adsorption system air conditioning
Peethambaran K M

Day 1 - Hall 1 - Session IV............................................................................................................. 28

Emission reduction of energy from waste gasification plant through maintenance ................ 28
modelling
B. M Alkali

Assessing the reliability of seawater desalination plant energy recovery through .................. 29
maintenace modeling
Al Hinai Ahmed

A general model for reliability analysis of a domestic waste water treatment plant................ 29

S M Rizwan

Day 2 - Hall 1 - Session V............................................................................................................... 30

Production of biogas from co-digestion of food waste and wasted sewage sludge.................... 30
from nitk campus- a case study
Arun Kumar Thalla

Assessment of Fruit and Vegetable waste produced at Al-Mawelah central ............................ 30

vegetable market to evaluate the Methane potential as alternate energy
Hatem Yazidi

Application of a Low Cost Ceramic Filter to Membrane Bioreactor for Treating .................. 30
Greywater
Md. Shafiquzzaman

Prospects and Challenges for Solar Desalination in Oman A Review.................................... 31

Widaad Al Harthy

Day 2 - Hall 1 - Session VI............................................................................................................. 31

A filed investigation of the leachate quantity and quality of Matuail sanitary landfill............ 31
site in Bangladesh
Md. Sufiullah Siddik Bhuyan

Multi criteria decision support system for optimized renewable energy resources ................ 32
utilization
Abraham Debebe Woldeyohannes

The role of vernacular building construction in developing zero-energy homes in Saudi ...... 32
Arabia
Farajallah Alrashed

11

Efficiency analysis of a flat plate solar collector using water-based titanium oxide (TIO2).... 33
nanofluid
Z. Said

.
.
.

Day 2 - Hall 1 - Session VII............................................................................................................ 33

Production bio-fuel from used cooking oil for generation of electricity.................................... 33

Shubber E K

Energy-efficient residential buildings with water pipes embedded mass concrete a.............. 34
critical review
Jai Shankar V

Integration of alternative energy systems via smart grid and smart homes: solar energy..... 34
storage and peak load management
Martin Anda

.
.
.

Day 2 - Hall 2 - Session VIII.......................................................................................................... 35

Concentrated solar power its issues and prospects................................................................... 35

Jatin Patel

Harnessing laterite soil as an iron source to catalyze fenton process to degrade the .............. 35
mixture of halopyridine pharmaceutical compounds in water bodies
Rahul S Karale

Commonality and Difference in Intercepting of Solar Radiation by Flat Panels and ............ 36
3-D Anthills: Lessons for Engineers
Kasimova R G

Posters..................................................................................................................... 37
.
.
.

Treatment of wastewater from food industry using different species of sea shells................... 37

Sara Khalfan Al Kendi

Solar Energy Development-A Case Study of State of Rajasthan in India................................. 37

Vibha Bhandari

Implementation of Fuzzy-Logic Based Modified Hill-Climbing Method For Maximum ....... 38

Power Point Tracking In PV Systems Using PIC Microcontrollers
Nejila V P

12

ICHT 2013 Technical Grid

2013-12-02 (Monday) Hall 1
07:30-09:00

Registration
Inaugural Ceremony
Recitation from the Holy Quran
Dr P Mohammed Ali
Welcome Speech
Chairman, Board of Directors, Caledonian College of Engineering,
Oman

Inauguration
09:00-10:30

Address
Key Note Speech
Key Note Speech
Vote of Thanks

10:30-11:10

Tea Break

11:1011:35

Key Note Speech

2013-12-02 (Monday) Hall 1

11:35-12:00
1:200-12:25
12:25-12:50

12:50-13:15

Session I

Inauguration by HE Dr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Rumhi

Minister of Oil and Gas, Sultanate of Oman

Mr Hilal Bin Hamad Al Hasani

Chief executive Officer, PEIE

HE Mohammed Al Mahrouqi,

Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW)

Dr Mustapha Taoumi
IRENA, UAE

Dr Ahmed Hassan Ali Al Bulushi

Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman

Prof Chem Nayar,

Regen Group Pty Ltd, Australia

Invited Speech
Co-firing of biomass in coal fired boilers status and lab
scale studies
Dr Hari Babu Vuthaluru, Curtin University, Australia

Bio-fuel Crop: Jatropha Plantation in Oman

Ahmed Al-Busaidi

Application of Renewable Energy in Health Care Industries

Energy Resources and
in Sultanate of Oman
applications in Oman Ali Alawi
Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration of banana in Palm
Sugar Solution - a pretreatment measure for energy
conservation
Josephine Selvi. N

13:15 Lunch Break

14:15-14:45

14:15 17:00
Session III

14:45-15:10

15:10-15:35

Innovative
approaches in
alternative and clean
energy

15:35-16:00

17:00 Tea Break & Closing

Invited Speech
The contributions of fossil fuels and renewable resources to
future energy supplies
Dr Stas Burek, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland, UK

Volatile Organic Compounds in Car Cabin Based on

Variables of Time and Temperature
Ku Halim Ku Hamid

Removal of Zinc from aqueous solution by adsorption using

Citrus reticulata: Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic
studies
Prof Feroz
Adsorption capacity of various refrigerant-adsorbent pairs
for an automotive adsorption system air conditioning
Peethambaran K M

13

2013-12-02 (Monday) Hall 2

Invited Speech
Some enabling technologies and international grid codes
for wind power generators

11:35-12:00

12:00-12:25
12:25-12:50

11:35 13:15
Session II

Dr Syed Islam, Curtin University, Australia

Design of Solar Hybrid Desalination System with

Pressure Modulation

Solar Energy and Wind

Energy

Invited Speech
Produced Water: From Problems to Possibilities

14:15-14:45

15:35-16:00

Hatem Yazidi

Stas Burek

13:15 Lunch Break

15:10-15:35

SODAR (Sound Detection and Ranging) measurement

campaign - case study
Renewable energy in Saudi Arabia and Mauritania:
public attitudes towards solar electricity

12:50-13:15

14:45-15:10

Ravinder Kumar

Dr Mushtaque Ahmed, Associate Professor, Sultan Qaboos

University, Oman

14:15 17:00
Session IV

Emission reduction of energy from waste gasification

plant through maintenance modeling
Babakalli Alkali

Reliability, maintenance Assessing the reliability of seawater desalination plant

energy recovery through maintenance modeling
modeling of
renewable energy plants Ahmed Fadhil Said Al Hinai
A general model for reliability analysis of a domestic
waste water treatment plant

16:00-16:30 Poster Session

16:30-17:00 Tea Break & Closing

Syed. Mohd. Rizwan

2013-12-03 (Tuesday) Hall 1

08:30-09:00

Key Note Speech

09:00-09:30

Key Note Speech

09:30-10:15
10:15-10:35

Discussion
Tea Break

Mr John Cunneen
Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER), Oman

Mrs Syham Bentouati,

Head of New Technology Implementation, UCT PDO, Oman

2013-12-03 (Tuesday) Hall 1

10:35-11:05

11:05-11:35

11:35-12:00

14

10:35 13:15
Session V
Integration of
alternative energy
systems

Invited Speech
Renewable energy production by anaerobic digestion of
solid waste

Dr Michel Torrijos, INRA, LBE, Avenue des Etangs, 11100, Narbonne,

France

Invited Speech
Advanced thin films for surface passivation of crystalline
silicon solar cells
Dr Anil Kottantharayil, Department of Electrical Engineering IIT
Bombay, Powai, Oman

Production of biogas from Co-digestion of Food Waste and

Wasted Sewage Sludge from NITK Campus- A Case Study
Arun Kumar

12:00-12:25

12:25-12:50
12:50-13:15

10:35 13:15
Session V
Integration of
alternative energy
systems

Assessment of Fruit and Vegetable waste produced at AlMawelah central vegetable market to evaluate the Methane
potential as renewable energy
Hatem Yazidi

Application of a Low Cost Ceramic Filter to Membrane

Bioreactor for Treating Greywater
Shafiq Uzzaman

Prospects and Challenges for Solar Desalination in Oman

Widdad Al Harthy

13:15 Lunch Break

Invited Speech
Sulfur tolerant catalysts as candidates for application in
producing clean fuels

14:15-14:45
Session VII
14:45-15:10
15:10-15:35

Business
opportunities in
alternative energy
technologies

Dr Hamdi Farag, Chemistry Dept., Faculty of Science, Mansoura

University 35516, Egypt

Production of bio-fuel from used cooking oil for generation

of electricity
Esmail Shubber

Energy-efficient residential buildings with water pipes

embedded mass concrete a critical review
T D John

Integration of alternative energy systems via smart grid

and smart homes: solar energy storage and peak load
management

15:35-16:00

16:00 Tea Break & Closing

2013-12-03 (Tuesday) Hall 2
10:35-11:05

Martin Anda

Invited Speech
Estimation Models for the Global Solar Radiation in the
United Arab Emirates
Dr Hassan Hejase, College of Engineering at UAE University

11:05-11:35

10:35 13:15
Session VI

11:35-12:00
12:00-12:25

Integration of
alternative energy
systems

Invited Speech
Flow analysis of low energy direct contact membrane
desalination
Dr Isam Janajreh, MASDAR (UAE)

A field investigation of the leachate quantity and quality of

Matuail sanitary landfill site in Bangladesh
Shafiq Uzzaman

Multi criteria decision support system for optimized

renewable energy resources utilization
Abraham Debebe Woldeyohannes

12:25-12:50

The role of vernacular building construction in developing

zero-energy homes in saudi ARABIA

12:50-13:15

Efficiency analysis of a flat plate solar collector using waterbased titanium oxide (TIO2) nanofluid

13:15 Lunch Break

Stas Burek

Zaffar Said

15

Invited speaker
Photocatalytic water treatment: solar energy applications

14:15-14:45
14:45-15:10

15:10-15:35

Prof Detlef Bahnemann, Leibniz University, Germany

Concentrating Solar Power Its issues and prospects

1415 1600
Session VIII
Process

Mriganka Kalita

Harnessing laterite soil as an iron source to catalyze

fenton process to degrade the mixture of halopyridine
pharmaceutical compounds in water bodies.
Rahul S. Karale

15:35-16:00

Commonality and Difference in Intercepting of Solar

Radiation by Flat Panels and 3-D Anthills: Lessons for
Engineers
Kasimova R G

16:00 Tea Break & Closing Ceremony

16

Abstract of Key Note Speeches

Omans Electricity sector and Renewable Energy
HE Mohammed Abduallah Al Mahrouqi
Chairman, Public Authority for Electricity and Water
Omans economic growth over the past decade has been accompanied by substantial increase in the demand for
electricity and water across the whole sultanate of Oman. It is seen that the predicted rate of increase in energy
demand cannot be sustained based on physical fossil fuel resources alone unless there is a strategy for future
energy mix. One of key challenges of energy sustainability by using energy mix is the extent to which Oman
relies on highly subsidized energy prices as well managing fuel subsidies. This keynote address will provide a
glimpse of impact on energy subsidies and PAEW initiatives to preform wide ranging study of energy use in
order for establishing a national energy strategy and energy polices along with some promising examples. This
presentation will also focus on importance of energy efficiency policies.

Prospects of Sustainable Energy Resources for a Sustainable Future Strategy in

MENA Countries
Dr Mustapha Taoumi
Programme Officer for MENA region, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Abu Dhabi, UAE
MENA region is an economically diverse region that includes both oil-rich economies and countries that are
resource-scarce in relation to population.
The majority of MENA economies are growing at a considerable rate and are expected to continue this
expansion. This growth has also been energy-intensive, with power demand expanding by around 3% to 8%
annually.
The MENA region has also been identified as being especially vulnerable to climate change effects, with a
further important challenge in the region being water scarcity.
An additional pressure that MENA countries face is the need to address unemployment especially amongst the
educated youth.
On the other hand, the region has an advantageous geography and climate. In fact, MENA region has the
worlds greatest technical potential for solar power generation. Furthermore, the region has good wind speeds
and, in some cases, high potential for hydropower energy and waste.
Further, renewable energy sources could replace the oil or gas currently used for power generation and the
surpluses created could become available for more profitable downstream applications and export. In the same
direction, the renewable energy industry could drive economic diversification and create jobs thereby allowing
to create wealth and added value to local economies.
On the ground, a number of large-scale projects have been realized and others are under development to exploit
this potential. Smaller installations are proliferating, mainly in areas far from the grid as well.
Although and despite the fact that countries are doing a lot of efforts to enhance the contribution of renewables
in their energy mix, many countries in MENA region still facing some major challenges. In particular regarding
policy and regulations, institutional framework, grid infrastructure, financial resources and capacity building.

17

In order to facilitate the transition to a RE systems, IRENA has been working closely with its members in
MENA region on a range of projects and initiatives. This includes work in the areas of strategies, technology
co-operation and capacity building.
Renewable energy presents an opportunity for the region to achieve a globally important position in the
renewable energy market, which is likely to become the cornerstone of the low-carbon green economy of the
future.

Energy Security in Small Islands and Remote Communities through Innovative

Micro-Grid Systems
Professor Chem V Nayar
Regen Power Pty Ltd, Curtin University of Technology, Canning Vale, Western Australia
Sustainable energy - energy that is accessible, cleaner, more efficient and affordable- is crucial for every major
challenge and opportunity facing the world today. A large number of Small Island and remote communities
around the world will not be connected to a main electricity grid for many years to come. These communities
today are dependent on imported fossil fuels for most of their energy requirements and are exposed to fuel
price volatility, frequent fuel spills and high operation and maintenance costs including fuel transportation and
bulk storage. Solar and wind power technologies are clean, affordable, readily available, and sustainable and
can replace or supplement generators. Hybrid energy systems integrate these renewable energy technologies
with diesel or biodiesel generators, inverters and batteries to provide grid quality power in remote areas not
connected to a utility grid. Such an isolated grid is known as Remote Micro-Grid and is widely recognized as
the remote area electrification technology for the 21st century.
One solution to save fuel in a diesel generator is to enable the engine to operate at variable speeds in direct
relation to the electrical load demand. The author has developed an innovative variable speed generator
technology (patent pending) with high penetration of renewable energy. There are a number of applications
where the power demand varies greatly that can benefit from the new technology which maintains constant
voltage and frequency while adjusting the engine speed to power demand. This paper will summarise the
various components of the microgrid and will present case studies on some of the projects implemented/
proposed.

Authoriy of Electricity Regulators Renewable Energy Initiatives

Mr John Cunneen
Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER), Oman
Mr John Cunneen will update conference on two ongoing initiatives.
First, is the electricity regulators renewable energy initiative that passed an important milestone on 14
November 2013 with the signing of project agreements for a 303kW PV solar plant in Al Mazyouna. The
electricity regulator has been closely involved in shaping the project structure and risk allocation which will
serve as a template for further renewable energy projects in rural areas. The project places an obligation on
the developer to monitor performance and make all monitoring/performance data available to the Authority.
Second, is a small scoping study of residential energy use in Oman being conducted by the Authority in
partnership with the Energy Institute of University College London and PassivSystems. The study utilizes
innovative technologies to gather data on electricity consumption, in home appliance use and comfort levels
in conjunction with ambient temperature data and survey data on building characteristics and occupancy.

18

The study objective is to show how intensive data monitoring using PassivSystem technologies combined with
statistical analysis undertaken by UCL can provide insights into residential home energy use that if conducted
on a wider scale could provide evidence based conclusions to support new and targeted energy efficiency
policies.

Update on Renewable Energy Initiatives in PDO

Dr Syham Bentouati
Petroleum Development Oman
This Keynote Speech will address the Conferece on three subjects :
First, a general description of renewable energy use in the oil and gas industry. This will include an overview
of what is possible in the short term and aspirations for the future, and opportunities and challenges. She will
also look at PDOs efforts in applying alternative energy sources and in promoting energy efficiency in general.
The second part of her speech will focus on solar energy, with an update on PDOs solar steam generation pilot
performance, lessons learnt and future plans.
Finally, she will talk about PDOs ongoing study on using solar energy for power generation on larger scale
than current applications.

19

Abstracts of Invited Speeches

Invited Speech - Day 1, Hall 1, Session I
Co-firing of Biomass in Coal Fired Boilers Status and Lab Scale Studies
Asst. Prof Hari Babu Vuthaluru and Dr Kalpit Shah
School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Curtin University, Australia, *currently in Department of
Chemical Engineering at University of Newcastle
One of the most attractive and easily utilizable renewable energy sources for co-firing technologies is biomass
which can be fired up to 20% with coal in existing pulverized coal (pc) fired boilers. When biomass is used
as a supplemental fuel in an existing coal boiler, this renewable energy source can provide several benefits
including reduced gaseous emissions. However, there are several operational bottlenecks in terms of ash
related issues. Our studies with European collaborator for nearly decade dealt with ash related issues covering
ash transformation mechanisms for both pc-fired boiler environments with the objective of developing a Cofiring Advisory Tool (CAT). Some of the research outcomes to date along with status on co-firing activities are
addressed in this paper. The studies towards the development of CAT addressed in this collaborative venture
are expected to benefit power utilities in making informed decisions while selecting the renewable energy
resources for power generation.

Invited Speech - Day 1, Hall 2, Session II

Some Enabling Technologies and International Grid Codes for Wind Power
Generators
Professor Syed Islam, PhD
FIET, FIEAust, SMIEEE, John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Curtin University of Techology, Australia
This paper presents some key international grid codes enforced by transmission system operators on large wind
power plants (WPPs). The emphases are given to low and high voltage ride-through capabilities, active and
reactive power responses during and after faults, and reactive power (voltage) regulation. Rapid technological
developments are in progress to meet various grid code requirements. In this paper, some research done at the
Centre for Smart Grid and Sustainable Power Systems at Curtin University are presented.

Invited Speech - Day 1, Hall 1, Session III

The Contributions of Fossil Fuels and Renewable Resources to Future Energy
Supplies
Dr Stas Burek
Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, Scotland UK
Two key issues surrounding dependence on fossil fuels for our energy supply are: first, being a non-renewable
resource, they will run out at some time, and second, carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels could
affect the global climate. These concerns have prompted international agreements and actions, which have
given a boost to development of renewable energy systems worldwide.

20

This paper reviews data presented at ICHT2008 on fossil-fuel consumption and renewable energy production,
and examines progress in the intervening years. It concludes that, given historical trends in consumption of
fossil fuels, they could run out by 2060. Currently the contribution of new renewables is very small, but
if the current expansion of wind and solar capacity continue, these could be making significant low-carbon
contributions within ten years. Nevertheless, such development poses challenges, and so the paper reviews the
technical potential of renewable resources, together with other low-carbon technologies.

Invited Speech - Day 1, Hall 2, Session IV

Produced Water: From Problems to Possibilities
Dr Mushtaque Ahmed
Associate Professor, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
Large quantities of water are produced (commonly during oil extraction in Oman and most other oil producing
countries, which form the largest single waste in the entire oil producing business. This water is usually utilized
for reservoir pressure maintenance by injection into shallow and deep sub-surface formations at oil fields
or disposed off by injecting them into aquifers that are not usable. The produced water is mostly saline and
contaminated with oil. It is, therefore, desirable to find a method that utilizes this huge quantity of produced
water after treatment. Most oil producing countries are also water stressed countries. By 2025, billions of
people will be living in water-scare and water-stressed countries. Upgrading of low quality water (i.e. produced
water) for greening the desert, growing biofuels or any other useful purposes will be boon for sustainable
development.
The current global water production associated with oil and gas field is estimated around 250 million barrels
per day (40% of this amount is discharged into the environment) compared with around 80 million barrels
per day oil. The water to oil ratio is around 3:1. This ratio will continue to rise as the oil wells get older. The
oil and gas operators are treating the huge quantities of produced water through the following options: reduce
production of water through the application of downhole water separators which separates water from oil and
gas streams and inject it back to its formations or through the use of gels to block the fractures; inject into
shallow and deep aquifers with the possibility that the injected water may seep through fractures and fissures
and pollute the underground water; discharge to the environment subject to satisfying government regulations
and reuse in oil and gas operations such as drilling, stimulation after minimal treatment.

Invited Speech - Day 2, Hall 1, Session V

Renewable Energy Production by Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste
Dr Michel TORRIJOS
INRA, UR50, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de lEnvironnement, Avenue des Etangs, Narbonne, F-11100,
France

Definition
Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process involved in the biogeochemical cycle of carbon. It occurs in
many natural environments such as: marshes, paddy-fields, lakes and marine sediments, soil, digestive tract of
mammals and termites. Many microorganisms are involved in the process of anaerobic digestion which breaks
down biodegradable organic matter in the absence of O2 and produces biogas, mainly made-up of methaneCH4 and carbon dioxide-CO2.

21

The main Applications of anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic digestion can be used for wastewater treatment, solid waste management and renewable energy
production

Wastewater treatment
Anaerobic digestion is widely used worldwide for the treatment of effluents containing biodegradable organic
matter. The possibility to use the biogas produced as an energy source and the lower quantity of biomass
generated during the treatment are two of the main advantages of anaerobic processes compared to aerobic
treatments. Several reactor configurations have been developed such as for example the UASB reactor (Upflow
anaerobic sludge blanket) using bacterial granules or the fixed bed reactor using supports to increase the
quantity of biomass inside the reactor.

Solid waste management

Anaerobic digestion is also a way to stabilize the organic matter of solid waste and to reduce the amount
of waste to handle before the waste is disposed of on soils, in landfills or incinerated. For example, in
wastewater treatment, anaerobic digestion is used to stabilize aerobic excess sludge which is the solid
residue generated during medium to high rate aerobic processes. Anaerobic digestion can also be used for
the treatment of municipal solid waste to process the source-separated organic fraction of municipal solid
waste or can be alternatively combined with mechanical sorting systems to process residual mixed municipal
waste.

Energy production
Anaerobic digestion is widely used as a source of renewable energy from effluents or solid residues and
the use of biogas as a fuel makes it possible to replace fossil energy. The biogas produced from the organic
matter fed to the digesters can be directly used for cooking, for heat production, for combined heat and
electrical power generation (co-generation) or upgraded to natural gas-quality biomethane with injection into
the natural gas grid or used as fuel for vehicles. Furthermore, the digestate produced can be used as fertilizer.
The main advantages of the anaerobic digestion are: net production of energy provided the biogas is used;
reduced CO2 emissions by displacement of fossil fuels; environmental benign waste and wastewater treatment;
recycling benefit provided the compost is used; potential to treat the organic fraction of municipal solid waste
in countries considering banning land filling of waste; volume reduction of the waste for subsequent disposal.
The main disadvantages of the anaerobic digestion are: cost this is a major barrier, as anaerobic digestion is
slightly more expensive than composting in many cases; the anaerobic digestion of solid waste often does not
treat whole waste, just a fraction of it.

Invited Speech - Day 2, Hall 2, Session VI

Estimation Models for the Global Solar Radiation in the United Arab Emirates
Hassan A N Hejase 1, Ali H Ass 2, Maitha H Al Shamisi 3
1

Department of Electrical Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, UAE

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon

Maitha H Al Shamisi, Department of Electrical Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box
15551, Al-Ain, UAE
3

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoys plenty of sunny days with an annual average of 9.7 daily sunshine
hours. This attests to the abundance of solar and its potential to produce clean energy sources. This paper
presents the developed empirical regression and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) models used for estimating

22

the monthly average daily global solar radiation in the UAE. The models are validated against available
satellite-based data with very good agreement. These models are a viable alternative in the absence of the
measuring stations in the regions where solar data are required.

Invited Speech - Day 2, Hall 1, Session V

Advanced thin films for surface passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells
Anil Kottantharayil1,2, Meenakshi Bhaisare1,2 and Sandeep S. S.1,2,
1

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay

National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE), IIT Bombay

In this paper we present two promising candidates for the passivation of crystalline silicon surfaces in solar
cells. AlOX deposited by pulsed-dc sputtering process is promising for passivation of n-type silicon surfaces,
and plasma grown oxide capped with ICP-CVD nitride is shown to be promising for n-type silicon surfaces.
The films are deposited or grown at low temperatures using materials that are easy to handle, enhancing their
application potential in industrial solar cell processes.

Invited Speech - Day 2, Hall 2, Session VI

Flow Analysis of Low Energy Direct Contact Membrane Desalination
Dr Isam Janajreh
Institute Center for energy (i-energy), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box: 54224, Abu
Dhabi,UAE
Currently, direct contact membrane desalination (DCMD) is observing much attention because of the lower
energy consumption compared to other technologies. In this work, numerical fluid dynamics based model
is developed to study the steady state performance of DCMD. The developed model solves for the spatial
temperature gradient/distribution across the membrane that responsible in the creation of potential pressure
deference which transport the energy and feed vapor through the pours of the permeable membrane. The DCMD
membranes coefficient is evaluated along with the mass flux, heat flux, temperature and polarization factor.
Following a plausibly agreement in the results, sensitivity study is conducted. Results show an asymptotically
decreasing trend for the temperature polarization for the parallel flow and symmetrical decreasing-increasing
trend for the counter flow. Temperature polarization increases with the increase in the flow rate, while stay
insensitive to the temperature variation. The overall productivity of desalinated water favors the counter flow
configuration.

Invited Speech - Day 2, Hall 1, Session VII

Sulfur Tolerant Catalysts as Candidates for Application in Producing Clean Fuels
Dr Hamdy Farag
Chemistry Dept., Mansoura University, 35516 Egypt
An overview of MoS2 synthesis is presented. MoS2 catalyst structure and morphology play distinct roles
which displayed diverse impacts on the catalytic properties of such system. MoS2 catalysts may facilitate
numerous reactions such as hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, hydrogen evolution, methanation and
in production of synthetic alcohols and hydrocarbons from syngas. In most of these reactions, the catalyst is

23

subject to poisoning or inhibition by H2S which is a by-product accompanied the feedstock system. Recently,
certain structures of MoS2 catalysts were found to reveal advanced catalytic properties in the presence of H2S.
The activity is speculated to be caused by the unsaturated coordinated active sites. Indeed, the structure-activity
correlations play important roles in this matter. MoS2 is a layered anisotropic material of various stacking
sequences. The correlation between the textural characteristic of MoS2 layers and their catalytic performances
for the hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene model reaction is discussed. The MoS2 catalysts being
catalytically improved in the presence of H2S is an advantageous merit for this catalyst system in which an
extension of application to other system can be feasible.

24

Abstracts of Oral Presentation

Day 1 - Hall 1 - Session I
Bio-fuel Crop: Jatropha Plantation in Oman
Ahmed Al-Busaidi and Mushtaque Ahmed
College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 34, Al-Khod 123, Oman,
E-mail: ahmed99@squ.edu.om
A preliminary study was done to evaluate the ability of Jatropha plant to grow and survive under saline irrigation
(3 & 6 dS/m) and heat stresses conditions. The study was done under three different metrological conditions:
in a glasshouse with controlled temperature, in a shade house and in an open area. The results showed that
glasshouse plants were the best even if the plants were irrigated by saline water up to 6 dS/m. Whereas the
worst growth was found in the open field where the temperature was very high (average = 40 oC) and salts
were accumulated in the soil surface. It was difficult for the young Jatropha plants to grow under heat and
salinity stress conditions. However, the plants showed some strength and they did not die completely.
It was concluded that Jatropha plant can grow well under saline and drought stress conditions but the plant
should be transplanted when the average temperature is around 30 oC. The best plants from this study were
transplanted in plots. They are growing very well and producing seeds that can be used for bio-fuel production.

Application of Renewable Energy in Health Care Industries in Sultanate of Oman

Ali Alawi 1 , M Ramaswamy 2, Holger Gutgesell 3, Farooq Al Jahwari 4
1

PDO, Oman.

Technical Expert, Technical Expert, Royal Court Affairs, Sultanate of Oman.

2
3

Gutgesell corporation, Germany.

College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.

In Sultanate of Oman, Ministry of Health, (MOH) which is responsible for providing comprehensive health
services to the people of Oman, has achieved substantial progress during the last three decades. All hospitals
are equipped with latest available technology in the world. A typical hospital consists of many-sophisticated
equipment ranging from syringe pumps to CT scan. Hospital needs strict indoor environment and falls in the
high-energy consumption industry category. It is a known fact that buildings are responsible for around a third
of energy consumption and all hospitals in Oman use conventional energy. A hospital of approximately 250-bed
capacity needs 3000 to 3500 KW of electrical load in addition to the fuels used for boilers and medical waste
treatment plants. Energy consumption for a typical hospital in Oman accounts for 10% of the running budget
of the hospital. Therefore there is great potential to use renewable energy in health care industries at Oman. In
this paper feasibility study to use renewable energy in health care industries is discussed in detail with few case
studies and conclusions based on the studies are reported. Methodology to implement the proposal, subject of
the availability of funds, is summarized. Conclusions based on the study are listed in this paper.

25

Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration of banana in Palm Sugar Solution - a

Pretreatment Measure for Energy Conservation
Josephine Selvi N1, Baskar G2, Aruna Singh3
1

Research Scholar, Sathyabama University, Chennai.

Dept. of Biotechnology St. Joseph College of Engineering, Chennai.

Dept. of Chemical Engineering Vellor Institute of Technology, ,Vellore.

In the process of osmotic dehydration partial water is removed by immersion of cellular solids in hypertonic
solution. This leads to less enzymatic browning, better retention of natural flavor, less heat damage, and above
all it is a good energy conserving technique since the water removed does not endure phase change. This study
was carried out using central composite experimental design[1] in Design Expert 8.0 with four independent
variables whose level varied from 40% to 60% w/w for concentration, 40oC to 60oC for temperature, 60 min
to 180 min for immersion time and from 3mm to 9mm of slice thickness. The responses of the experimental
designs were the solid gain (SG), weight reduction (WR), water loss (WR). The results showed that when
water loss and solid gain take place in a parallel mode, the rate of water loss is always higher than the rate
of solid gain. The optimal conditions for maximum water loss, weight reduction and minimum solid gain
correspond to temperature of 42.76oC, processing time of 180 min, Palm sugar solution concentration of 60
Brix and slice thickness of 3mm in order to obtain weight reduction of 30.24(g/100 g fresh sample), solid gain
of 4.33 (g/100 g fresh sample) and water loss of 34.57 (g/100 g fresh sample).

______________________________
Day 1 - Hall 2 - Session II
Design of Solar Hybrid Desalination System with Pressure Modulation
Ravinder Kumar 1, Umanand L 2
1

Senior Lecturer, E & CoE, Caledonian College of Engineering, Al Hail, Oman.

Associate Professor, DESE, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.

Desalination is a process in which potable water is extracted from seawater. The existing desalination systems
are centralized, require huge capital cost and enormous amount of concentrated energy from fossil fuels such
as diesel and natural gas. This paper proposes design of a standalone system that uses hybrid solar energy
for all its needs for desalination process. The paper presents a pressure control method by means of dynamic
pressure modulation within the evaporation chamber for flash evaporation depending on the inlet temperature
of the saline water. The paper also presents detailed design of sub-systems of the desalination system.

SODAR (Sound Detection and Ranging) Measurement Campaign - Case Study

Hatem Yazidi
Caledonian College of Engineering, Muscat, Oman
The evolution of large wind turbines (multi-megawatt) has resulted in a significant increase in rotor sizes and
hub heights. The wind regime should therefore be measured at larger distances from the surface. Usually the
wind speed is measured with cup anemometers that are mounted on a meteorological mast (Met mast). The
increasing cost of Met mast erection to measured wind speed above 60 m, and the demand for more detailed
knowledge about the wind profile characterising the lower Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) has made
the use of remote sensing techniques an attractive alternative. In this paper I will discuss the SODAR, an
alternative wind monitoring tool, operation at chosen location within a proposed wind energy development
project. Wind characteristics were measured by the SODAR from 30 m to 140 m with a 5 m vertical resolution.
Comparison studies with Met tower were done to evaluate the SODAR performance.
26

Renewable energy in Saudi Arabia and Mauritania: Public Attitudes Towards

Solar Electricity
Dr Stas Burek, Khalid Ahmed Aldehbashi, Abidine Abidine,
Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, Scotland UK
Saudi Arabia and Mauritania are two countries with similar climates and similar high rates of solar radiation.
A key difference is the relative wealth of the two countries Saudi Arabia is oil-rich and one of the worlds
wealthiest countries, whereas Mauritania is underdeveloped one of the poorest. This paper reports on surveys
in these two countries to gauge public attitudes towards small-scale solar electricity. In Saudi Arabia the
survey sample were well-disposed to installing solar photovoltaic panels, despite having a good supply of
grid electricity. Resources are available research and development of renewable energy systems, which may
be regarded as a means of extending it the lifetime of its finite oil reserves. In contrast, in Mauritania, despite
a few high-profile projects, there is little direct investment or government subsidy for renewables. The survey
sample regarded access to affordable food as a high priority, but were also positive about solar panels despite
their perceived high initial costs. The results show that, despite the differences in economic wealth, people
in both countries share a concern for the environment, and regard solar electricity as a means to reduce their
environmental impacts.

______________________________
Day 1 - Hall 1 - Session III
Volatile Organic Compounds in Car Cabin Based on Variables of Time and
Temperature
Hamdan N, Ku Halim K H, Muhd Rodhi M N and Musa M.
Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Investigation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from car cabin is main objective of this paper. The
volatiles also known as carcinogens could be originated from internal parts of car cabin, wherein those gases
could be adversely effect on human health. Concentration of the unhealthy VOCs inside a car is considerable
high especially at a higher temperature compared than lower temperature. It is to confirm that by some
researchers, VOC contributed mainly from polymeric parts of the car. A new technique of VOCs trapping was
developed for this purpose. Nevertheless, as the temperature increases, the VOCs will slowly diffuse away
if proper ventilation exists. This paper highlights the determining the presence and types of VOCs released
in car cabin different time and temperature. As a result, automotive industries should embark into green
parts installed in car cabin order to reduce the VOCs inside car cabin and to ensure health of the driver and
passengers.

Removal of Zinc from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption using Citrus Reticulata:

Equilibrium and kinetic studies
Dr L Nageswara Rao, Dr Shaik Feroz
Department of Chemical Engineering, RVR &JC College of Engineering (A), Chowdavaram, Guntur, Andhra
Pradesh, India
Research Professor, Caledonian College of Engineering, Sultanate of Oman, Oman
The potential of using Citrus reticulata powder as a new adsorbent for the removal of Zinc from aqueous
solutions was investigated. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to find out the effective Zinc removal
at different metal ion concentrations, adsorbent size and dosage. Adsorption of Zn2+ ion was strongly affected

27

by pH. The Citrus reticulata exhibited the highest Zinc adsorption capacity at pH 6. Isotherms for the adsorption
of Zinc on Citrus reticulata were evaluated with the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models.
The equilibrium data fitted well to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. At pH 6, the maximum Zinc
adsorption capacity of Citrus reticulata estimated with the Langmuir model at different temperature levels,
ranges from 303K to 333K were increased from 22.39 mg g1 to 30.08 mg g1 adsorbent.

Adsorption Capacity of Various Refrigerant-adsorbent pairs for an Automotive

Adsorption System Air Conditioning
Peethambaran K M 1, Asok Kumar N 2, John T D 3
1

Professor, Department of Mechanical Engg., Govt. College of Engineering Kannur, Kerala, India.

Professor, Department of Mechanical Engg., College of Engineering Trivandrum, Kerala, India.

Professor, Department of Mechanical Engg., Govt. College of Engineering Kannur, Kerala, India

The use of waste heat for refrigeration and air conditioning purposes have been accepted by people and
various systems have been developed and proven attractive but its implementation in real applications is still
limited. The adsorption system is advantageous in small scale systems if compared with absorption systems
especially for the handling of the system and the cost. Adsorption refrigeration and heat pump cycles rely on
the adsorption of a refrigerant gas into an adsorbent at low pressure and subsequent desorption by heating the
adsorbent. The adsorbent acts as a chemical compressor driven by heat. As it makes use of heat to pressurize
the refrigerant, this system can be used in various situations which enable waste heat recycling like in factories
and automobiles.
The objective of this work was to compare various adsorbent-refrigerant pairs and find the best pair, which
would give maximum COP and will be cheap and easily available. The adsorbent-refrigerant pairs considered
for the present study were silica gel-water, silica gel-methanol, zeolite-methanol, zeolite-water, activated
carbon- ammonia, and activated carbon- methanol.
Experiments were carried out to analyse the adsorption nature of these pairs. The variation of adsorption
capacity with temperature and time was analysed. It is concluded that the silica gel - water is the best among
the pairs compared in terms of coefficient of performance. It is also found that water attains its saturation point
on zeolite quickly followed by water on silica gel and ammonia on carbon.

______________________________
Day 1 - Hall 2 - Session IV
Emission reduction of energy from waste gasification plant through maintenance
modelling
B M Alkali
Department of Mechanical Electrical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering & Built
Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University.
The conversion of waste to energy through waste gasification technique is inherently accompanied by the
emission of toxic pollutants into the surrounding atmosphere. Flue gases containing particulate matter and a
variety of hazardous pollutants like CO, nitrogen oxides, and dioxin and furan compounds, are expelled into air.
These toxic pollutants pose serious threats to the health of inhabitants. Keeping the emission limit value (ELV)
of exhaust gases within acceptable range of emission level is a major challenge. This paper investigates the
intermittent ELV failures data information of critical equipment in a waste gasification plant. A comprehensive
failure mode and effect analysis is conducted to identify failure modes to determine maintenance requirements.
A graphical display of the failure modes is presented and two stochastic models are proposed that are used

28

to model both the failure and preventive maintenance policy to determine optimum cost effective preventive
maintenance strategy for implementation to reduce the emission of toxic pollutants. A numerical example of
analysis is presented through modelling simulation.

Assessing the Reliability of Seawater Desalination Plant Energy Recovery through

Maintenace Modeling
Al Hinai Ahmed 1, Alkali B M 2, Zhou C 3 & Farrag M 4
Department of Mechanical, Electrical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering & Built
Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University
1

2,3,4

The adequacy of energy recovery is an important factor in water desalination plant. Desalination plant energy
recovery system deteriorates due to the accumulation of solid particles on the internal surfaces of membranes.
Scaling and fouling of the membrane is considered to be one of the main reasons for reduction in plant
performance and large numbers of breakdown events. This study focuses on investigating the operating costs
of the excessive use of energy as a result of inadequate maintenance strategies on selected critical equipment in
a water desalination plant. A comprehensive failure mode and effect analysis is conducted on the plant critical
equipment to identify their failure modes and their impacts on the plants overall efficiency. A reliability
analysis of 5 years historical failure data of the reverse osmosis plant is conducted and the results are compared
against the competing failure modes identified. The framework of a classical competing risk model is presented
and conditional independent multiple competing risk models are proposed. A simulation example using the
failure data collected is proposed and simulated results of the models cost curve show optimal cost effective
preventive maintenance schedules for the plant critical equipments.

A general model for reliability analysis of a domestic waste water treatment plant
S M Rizwan1 , Joseph V Thanikal 2 & Michel Torrijos 3
1&2
3

Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman

INRA-LBE, France

The paper presents a general model for analyzing a domestic wastewater treatment plant from reliability
perspective. The plant operates at a minimum capacity during the non-touristic months and at full capacity
during touristic months which is roughly for about 6 months in a year. The main components of the plant
are pumps used for pumping at various stages. The pumps for pumping from the primary settling tank for
pretreatment are of 6 in nos. with a capacity of 168cu. m. /hr. where one is always kept as standby pump. There
are 4 pumps for supply of ferric chloride, works at intervals and 5 pumps used for back washing and to pump
out the treated effluent. The reliability of these pumps/components is useful from maintenance perspective in
order to carry on the whole process without the component failures of tolerable limits and there is no alternative
way as well to store the waste water other than treating the effluents and rejecting to the sea. Three years of
maintenance data for this treatment plant have been analyzed and important reliability indices are obtained.
The semi-Markov process and regenerative point techniques are used in the entire analysis.

29

Day 2 - Hall 1 - Session V

Production of biogas from co-digestion of food waste and wasted sewage sludge
from nitk campus- a case study
Arun Kumar Thalla 1 and Rahul Gautham 2
1

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, NITK Surathkal, Mangalore, Karnataka, INDIA,

Research Student, Department of Civil Engineering, NITK Surathkal, Mangalore, Karnataka.

In the present study, the production of the biogas is observed in an anaerobic bioreactor of 3L capacity
to evaluate the co-digestibility of food wastes (FW) and waste activated sludge (WAS) under mesophilic
conditions. For the proposed study, substrates i.e. wasted activated sludge and Food waste were collected from
NITK sewage treatment plant and NITK hostels. Seven proportions of FW/WAS volumetric ratios 100/0;
80/20; 60/40; 50/50; 40/60; 20/80; 0/100 were adopted. pH, alkalinity, mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS),
mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS), gas volume and volatile fatty acids were regularly monitored
in the reactor. Based on the results on the experimental model, It is observed that the optimum pH for biogas
production is 6.5-7.3.The proportion of FW/WAS 50/50, 60/40, and 40/60 had showed good gas production
amongst 7 proportions studied. It was evident that co-digestion of food waste and waste activated sludge could
be a highly feasible solution for the in house treatment of solid waste.

Assessment of Fruit and Vegetable waste produced at Al-Mawelah central

vegetable market to evaluate the Methane potential as alternate energy
Hatem Yazidi 1, Seema Roopesh 1, J V Thanikal 1, S M Rizwan 1, Michel TORRIJOS 2
1

Caledonian College of Engineering, Muscat, Oman.

INRA, LBE, Avenue des Etangs, 11100, Narbonne, France

This study is a part of anaerobic co-digestion of fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) along with oil and fatty
residue. An attempt to study the evolution of FVW at Al-Mawelah central market is made to further evaluate
the feasibility of biological process for treatment and methane potential to produce energy and fertilizer as
byproduct. The study conducted for a period of one year, almost at two seasons, revealed that a daily average
of 5-6 tons of FVW is produced at the market. It is not unrealistic that 240 liters of methane can be produced
per day from such quantity of FVW through anaerobic digestion and can be increased by 30% by addition of
1.8% in mass of oil and fatty residue.

Application of a Low Cost Ceramic Filter to Membrane Bioreactor for Treating

Greywater
Md. Shafiquzzaman 1, Md. Mahmudul Hasan 2, AbdelKader T. Ahmed 3 and Jun Nakajima 4
1&3

Department of Built and Natural Environment, Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman

Department of Environmental Systems Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1Nojihigashi, Kusatsu,

Shiga, Japan
2&4

The concept of greywater reclamation and reuse is becoming a promising concern in recent years due to
shortage of water especially in the area of rapid urbanization and development. In this study, application of this
simple ceramic filter to MBR process (CMBR) has been examined to treat greywater for reclamation and reuse.
The laboratory scale CMBR was assembled by submerging a ceramic filter in an acrylic cylindrical column.
Synthetic greywater was prepared by using three commercial daily-use products, namely shampoo, liquid dish
cleaner and powdered laundry detergent and fed into the reactor continuously for 169 days (around 6 months).

30

The effluent through the filter was obtained by the gravitational pressure. The average flux performance was
observed 0.28 m/d with an average hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1.7 days. The removal efficiency of
organic pollutant and micro pollutant was as follows: BOD (97%); TOC (88%); and MBAS (99%). The
quantity and quality of the effluent was sufficient to establish a sustainable water circulation system for the
reuse of residential greywater. The consistency of flux, >0.25 m/d, until the end of operation indicated that
the filter can be operated for a long time without fouling. Low manufacturing cost of the ceramic filter and
using gravitational filtration to reduce operational cost would be advantageous to apply this CMBR process in
developing countries for greywater reclamation and reuse.

Prospects and Challenges for Solar Desalination in Oman A Review

Widaad Al Harthy, Hasna Al Jabri and S Feroz
Caledonian College of Engineering, Sultanate of Oman
In Sultanate of Oman, due to rapid industrialisation and population growth water consumption rate is increasing
over the years thereby the demand is exceeding far by the supply. The average rainfall in Oman is only 100mm
and there is continuously decline in ground water resources. Desalination is the only solution for the water crisis
in Sultanate with a number of plants coming up in different parts of the Oman. However almost all the plants
depend on conventional energy which is non-renewable? Efforts are being considered to look for renewable
energy especially solar based desalination plants in Oman. In this paper, the current scenario of desalination
along with the prospectus and challenges for solar desalination in Sultanate of Oman were discussed.

______________________________
Day 2 - Hall 2 - Session VI
A filed investigation of the leachate quantity and quality of Matuail sanitary
landfill site in Bangladesh
Md. Sufiullah Siddik Bhuyan 1, Abdur Razzak 2, Md. Shafiquzzaman 3 and Md. Abdul Jalil 4
1

Dhaka South City Corporation, Bangladesh

Dhaka North City Corporation, Bangladesh

Department of Built and Natural Environment, Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman

Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology

Matuail, sanitary landfill in Dhaka is the first sanitary landfill site in Bangladesh and has been operating
since 2008. To operate the leachate treatment system efficiently, it is essential to identify the variations in the
quantity and quality of leachate throughout the year. This study analysed and compared the quality and quantity
of leachate at Matuail landfill for both in dry and rainy season. Leachate generation rate were measured and
calculated with rainfall intensity throughout the year. For monitoring seasonal variations, raw leachate samples
were collected and analysed for 17 water quality parameters. It was observed that production of leachate
was increased in rainy seasons but collection efficiency was hindered due to lack of proper maintenance and
operation of the landfill. The characterization of leachate has shown a wide range of dissolved organic and
inorganic contaminants, including heavy metals. COD, BOD, EC, NH3-N, alkalinity, Cl- and heavy metals
contents were higher in dry season than those in rainy season. Chromium (Cr) concentrations for the leachate
samples were significantly higher than other heavy metals indicating the landfill received significant amount of
metallic waste containing Cr. The ratios of BOD to COD of the collected leachate were 0.51 and 0.72 for the
rainy and dry seasons, respectively indicated that the leachate is stable and difficult to be degraded biologically
in dry season. Therefore, both biological and physico-chemical treatment is suggested in dry season in order to
minimise the pollutant to an acceptable level prior to discharge to water body.

31

Multi criteria decision support system for optimized renewable energy resources
utilization
Abraham Debebe Woldeyohannes 1, Siaw Pui Ching 2 , Dereje Engida Woldemichael 3
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Caledonian College of Engineering, CPO Seeb 111,
Sultanate of Oman
1

Curtin University Sarawak Malaysia, CDT 250, 98009 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 31750 Tronoh,, Malaysia

As a result of increased concern on the depletion of conventional energy sources, the support from the
government on the use of renewable energy (RE) resources is increasing in various countries. Though countries
have tremendous potential of RE resources, it is important to develop and utilize the RE resources optimally
for sustainable energy utilization. This paper focuses on developing a multi criteria decision support (MCDS)
system which could assist decision making in selection and evaluation of various RE projects. The method
was developed by combining resource optimization with Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method to assist
decision makers by ranking the various alternatives renewable energy projects to satisfy the required demand.
A typical region having 750Mwh/year demand with potential of wind and solar energy resources were used to
justify the proposed model. The developed decision support system takes into account, cost of development,
environmental and social impact, greenhouse gas emissions and the area required by the RE project. The
decision support system is implemented based on Microsoft Excel Solver 2010. The methodology proposed
based on multi criteria could be extended to various regions to assist decision making process for governments
and renewable energy investors.

The role of vernacular building construction in developing zero-energy homes in

Saudi Arabia
Farajallah Alrashed, Stas Burek and Muhammad Asif
School of Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow,
G4 0BA, United Kingdom
The significance of the building sector in Saudi Arabia can be realized from the fact that the residential
buildings alone account for 52 percent of the national electricity consumption. In order to promote sustainable
development it is vital for Saudi Arabia to move towards energy efficient and environmentally friendly
buildings and Zero-Energy Homes (ZEHs) can be an option.
Vernacular adobe massive construction has been demonstrated to support the achievement of energy-efficiency
in buildings. However, current building practice in Saudi Arabia is very different from historically heavyweight
designs. Energy-hungry air-conditioning systems have led to a move away from traditional sustainable forms,
and much of the architectural knowledge built up over the previous centuries appears to have been forgotten.
This paper explores the role can be played by adobe construction in achieving ZEHs in Saudi Arabia. The
paper present results of simulations using IES software, which show that energy consumption differs between a
building based on vernacular construction design, current typical design and a ZEH benchmark. Also discussed
the perceptions of housing in Saudi Arabia, where sustainability was found to be desirable, but few people
seemed to understand what might contribute to sustainable housing design and practice.

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Efficiency analysis of a flat plate solar collector using water-based titanium oxide
(TIO2) nanofluid
Z. Said 1,2, M. A. Alim 1 ,M.H. Sajid 1, R. Saidur 1,2, N.A. Rahim 2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
1

UM Power Energy Dedicated Advanced Centre (UMPEDAC), Level 4, Wisma R & D, University of Malaya,
50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2

The thermal efficiency of a flat plate solar thermal collector is largely affected by the thermal conductivity
of the fluid used. Experiments are undertaken to determine the efficiency of plate flat solar collector using
water-based Titanium Oxide (TiO2) nanofluid at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University Malaya for
conversion of solar thermal energy. Malaysia due to its presence on the equatorial zone receives an average
of more than 900 W/m2 solar insolation daily and can reach a maximum value of 1200 W/m2 for most of the
year. Traditionally, for the withdrawal of the solar thermal energy, water at an optimal flow rate is pumped
through the collector. Once the outlet temperature of water has reach the highest temperature, further flow of
water through the collector is of no use. This occurs due to the low thermal conductivity of water (0.6 W/m.K)
compared to that of metal oxides which in many orders in higher. The surface temperature can be reduced
either by pumping water at higher flow rates or by improving the fluid properties by suspending nanoparticles
in it. The overall efficiency of the system is reduced by pumping water at higher flow rates. Solar insolation
differs throughout the day, a minimum in the morning, reaching its peak at 2 p.m. and then reducing after that.
The objective of this paper is to analyse the performance of a thermal solar flat plate collector by using TiO2/
water nanofluid as the media for transfer of heat, and used to enhance the efficiency. The Energy efficiency
is improved by 24 % at output temperature of 355K, whereas the exergy efficiency is improved by 7.6 %
compared to the system working with conventional fluid with a flow rate of 1 litre/minute for both liquids.

Day 2 - Hall 1 - Session VII

Production bio-fuel from used cooking oil for generation of electricity
Shubber E K, Waffa Al-Hosini, Assma Al Bahri, Majda Al Ismailyand N S Bijukumar
Department of Applied Science, The Higher College of Technology, Ministry of Manpower AL_Khuwair
PO Box 74, PC 133, Muscat, Oman.
It is common that used vegetable oil ends up at landfills or gets poured down the drain. It is widely reported
that used cooking oil can be recycled into bio-fuel.
This study attempts to work on conversion of used cooking oil collected from households and local restaurants.
Collected used cooking oil was filtered and heated at 100 C for 60 minutes to remove the water content before
chemical treatments. The conversion of dried used cooking oil into bio fuel is achieved by alkali catalyzed
(Methanol+ NaOH) chemical reaction known as a transesterification,American Standard Tests Methods
(ASTM 6751)[2].
The product was then treated chemically and separated completely from the byproduct, glycerol. From the
results it was clear that the products bio-fuel was within the recommended standard of bio-fuel/ petro-fuel.
A small generator of a capacity [Fireman SPG950], 900 watts/hour, process used for generation of electricity.
Petro-fuel mixed with 2% lubricated oil was used to test the potency for electric generation. For bio-fuel
samples test for generation of electricity: prepared bio-fuel samples were mixed with petro-fuel in ratios of
10%, 20%, and 30% (V/V) in a total volume of 2 liters for generation of a fixed 580 watts/hr light for 90
minutes.

33

Current and voltage (amperes), fuel combustion quantity, and CO2 emission were measured.
A stable power was achieved during these tests. Bio-fuel was blended with petro fuel at a ratio of 10, 20, and
30%. Significant reduction in fuel consumption (14.7%) and level of emitted CO2 (27.9%) were observed
using bio-petro-fuel mixture.

Energy-efficient residential buildings with water pipes embedded mass concrete

a critical review
Jai Shankar V 1, Dr T D John 2 , Dr V I Beena 3
1

Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engg, ILM College of Engg and Technology, Kerala, India

Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engg, Govt. College of Engg , Kannur, Kerala, India.

Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg, Govt. College of Engg , Kannur, Kerala, India

Reducing the external energy demand of a building is a matter of concern all over the world. Different methods
have been devised around the world to reduce the external energy consumption of a building which often
leads to huge initial investment and stringent maintenance schedules. Concrete is used as a roofing material
in many countries. Utilizing the thermal mass of the concrete roof structures by embedding water pipes seems
to be a viable and economic solution which needs to be evaluated. Different studies conducted in this area
such as the use of Phase Change Materials (PCM), Roof Integrated Solar Heaters, Solar Concrete Collectors
and Embedded Pipes have been analyzed and critically reviewed. It was evident that the work in the direction
of solar concrete collector which picked up acceleration in 1990s and early 2000s then gradually gave way
for use of Phase Change Materials in roofs and concrete collector as horizontal wall panels. All the reviews
conducted in this article are pointing towards the fact that, there is an urgent need for further research in the
area of mass concrete embedded with water pipes as permanent roof for achieving energy-efficient residential
buildings. The method seems to be a viable solution to the regulation of comfort conditions inside the buildings
in GCC states and other hot countries. Depending on the demand, additional energy savings can be achieved
by using the hot water for buildings hot water needs, coupling it with thermal power units, solar absorption
refrigeration system or even simple solar stills to produce potable water.

Integration of alternative energy systems via smart grid and smart homes: solar
energy storage and peak load management
Martin Anda & Justin Temmen
Murdoch University, Western Australia. 6150
This paper explains the engineered design of a modern electricity system for a smart home, with incumbent
smart systems - including advanced metering infrastructure and micro-grid interconnectivity, embedded
renewable energy and energy storage systems - for application across multiple domains.
Of particular importance to land developers, seeking to roll out these systems across new urban residential
subdivisions is the affordability, operability, and viability of devices and component systems. On the other
hand, key concerns of the network operators are the integration of communications, distributed variable output
renewable generation, storage, control, and metering onto aging network infrastructure, whilst maintaining the
principle of social justice with uniform consumption tariffs independent of location.
The Smart Home-Smart Grid solution explained in this paper utilizes Home (HAN), community / cluster
(LAN), and regional (WAN) area network scales to manage the above issues. Explained in the paper is the
application of such infrastructure to remote mining towns and Indigenous communities; the adaptability of

34

the solution lends itself to application to the retrofit of urban dwellings by prosumers, new subdivisions and
urban redevelopments across utility, cluster and household scale generation
An investigation in to the resource availability and cost feasibility of such systems applied at residential /
household and community scales, is followed by proposed system architecture presented diagrammatically. The
paper will present the methods of implementing such systems into remote desert settlements (say, population
of 50-500 or 20-100 houses), though equally applicable to urban villages in cities (say, 50 to 5,000 houses).

______________________________
Day 2 - Hall 2 - Session VIII
Concentrated solar power its issues and prospects
Jatin Patel, Mriganka Kalita
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, India
In todays world most of the power produced comes from burning fossil fuels and this results in emitting
carbon dioxide in heavy amounts resulting in pollution and harming the environment. The need of the hour is
to develop and promote new and renewable technologies as the fossil fuels in the long run will come to an end.
Solar energy is a form of renewable energy which has been gaining attention and is one of the fastest growing
forms of energy technologies. One such technology of harnessing solar energy is Concentrating Solar Power
(CSP). CSPs use mirrors to reflect and concentrate the sunlight onto receivers to collect the solar energy and
convert it to heat, and this thermal energy is used to produce electricity via a steam turbine or heat engine. This
technology has tremendous potential as an energy source but there are various issues like being intermittent
and being stochastic which pose as hindrances to its effective use and development. This paper gives an
overview and describes the maturity of this technology and also the various challenges it has faced and also
its future prospects.

Harnessing laterite soil as an iron source to catalyze fenton process to degrade the
mixture of halopyridine pharmaceutical compounds in water bodies.
Rahul S Karale 1, Basavaraju Manu 2, S.Shrihari 3 and Navaneeth M T 4
Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka,Surathkal,
Mangalore-575025, India.
1

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka,Surathkal,

Mangalore-575025, India.
2

Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka,Surathkal,

Mangalore-575025,India..
3

Assistant Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka,Surathkal,

Mangalore-575025,India.
4

Pharmaceutical contamination of water bodies is an emerging concern over the globe. Priority pollutants like
halogenated pyridine derivatives which are widely used in pharmaceutical and agrochemical sector are of
most concern due to their toxic and carcinogenic potential on aquatic fauna. Among these 2-Chloropyridine
(2-CP) and 2-Bromopyridine (2-BP) are the significant compounds detected in the effluents due to inefficient
conventional treatment technologies. Use of Advanced Oxidation technologies like Fentons oxidation has
proven to be a promising alternative to degrade these recalcitrant and non-biodegradable compounds. The
Present study accesses the applicability of laterite soil as a source of iron catalyst in Fentons oxidation process
to degrade a synthetic mixture of 2-CP and 2-BP at various concentrations. The study simulates a raw water
body containing the mixture of pharmaceuticals. Parameters like pH, dosage of laterite iron, hydrogen peroxide

35

are optimized. Effect of initial concentration of compounds on degradation kinetics is also investigated. Up to
75% degradation was achieved in a total reaction time period of 10hrs corresponding to Laterite iron: H2O2
ratio of 1: 50 at a pH of 3 for a mixture containing both compounds at 10mg/L each. Use of iron in Fentons
oxidation process harnessed from the laterite soil can be a suitable alternative to treat polluted water bodies
contaminated with pharmaceutical halopyridine compounds.

Commonality and Difference in Intercepting of Solar Radiation by Flat Panels

and 3-D Anthills: Lessons for Engineers
Kasimova R G 1, Tishin D 2, Obnosov Yu V 3, Kacimov A R 4
1

German University of Technology in Oman,

Department of Ecology, Kazan Federal University, Russia,

Department of Differential Equations, Kazan Federal University, Russia,

Department of Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

The ant-termite mounds, ATM, are structures constructed by social insects, with an intricate juxtaposition
of: a)Smart thermophysical properties of the material of the ATM walls, b) Ability of the whole structure
to intercept the incident solar radiation, generation of the in-nest heat and maintaining biologically ideal
(about 25-30 C) temperature in the interior. We present experimental results and a mathematical model of
optimization of ATM, which captures radiation through a segment (cone frustum). Measurements of the total
solar energy by a pyranometer placed on slopes of ATM at different azimuthal and tilt angles with simultaneous
measurements of temperature by thermocouples inside the nest are presented. We use a standard methodology
to calculate the direct and diffuse radiation. ATMs, as dwelling-shelter entities, are paraboloidal, conical, hemispheroidal, cathedral-shaped, etc. whose incident angle of Sun beams is spatially nonuniform. Consequently,
integration of the incoming energy flux is carried out with the angle of the normal to the surface and the
so-called second fundamental form, both changing from one point to another. Optimal shapes of ATM are
explicitly presented for given climatological conditions.

36

Abstracts of Poster Presentation

Treatment of wastewater from food industry using different species of sea shells
Sara Khalfan Al Kendi 1, Dr Shafiq Uzzaman MD 2, Rafeeq Ameen 3
Final Year student, Environmental Civil Engineering, Department of Built and natural Environment,
Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman, moon8969@Yahoo.com
1

2,3

Department of Built and natural Environment, Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman.

Wastewater from National biscuit factory was collected and analyzed in the laboratory for its physical and
chemical properties and then it was treated by using four different species of sea shells. The project aims to
investigate the effectiveness of sea shells as a coagulant in the treatment of wastewater. Four different types
of sea shells were collected, washed, dried, homogenized to fine powder and sieved with 0.15mm diameter
sieve. Turbidity and COD analysis was used as index measurement to determine the optimum dosage. After
treatment by using the optimum dosage of each shell, a different parameter was tested including pH, turbidity,
electrical conductivity, TS, TSS, TDS, DO, BOD and COD. The results of treated wastewater from Auger shell,
Giant eastern murex shell, Architectonica nobilis shell and cone shell were recorded and it was as follows:
After removing the impurities from turbid wastewater, a clear sample was obtained. Reduction in turbidity
values from 509 to 23, 44, 150 and 43 NTU respectively. Conductivity from 0.273 to 0.09, 0.17, 0.261and 0.22
mscm-1 respectively, TSS from 7400 to 400, 2000, 2000, 200mg/l respectively.TDS from 21800 to5000, 4200,
18800, and 13600 mg/l respectively and TS from29200 to 5400, 6200, 20800, and 13800 mg/l respectively.
Also, reduction in BOD value from 36.2 to14.9, 26.8, 25.3 and 16.5 mg/l respectively. COD value from 812.9
to 285, 362.8, 409.9 and 364.2 mg/l respectively whereas the DO value increased from 0.59 to 8.08, 8.12, 4.77
and 6.09 mg/l respectively. By observing the results of treated wastewater from different shells, the Auger
shell was considered as the most effective shell amongst the four shells and it can be effectively and efficiently
utilized in treating waste water from food industry.

Solar Energy Development-A Case Study of State of Rajasthan in India

Dr Vibha Bhandari
Assistant Professor, Department of International Business Administration, College of Applied Sciences, Nizwa,
Sultanate of Oman
In pursuit of progress mankind has recklessly used the available resources of non-renewable energy. But with
the fast depletion of these resources, the world is now moving towards alternative sources of energy to further
its pursuits of development and progress.
One of the major sources of alternative energy is the Solar Energy or Solar Power. This form of energy uses
the glowing power of sun and is the very best replenishable source of energy due to the fact that it can be made
use of in different types.
Rajasthan is a western state of the Indian peninsula. Blessed with more than 325 sunny days in a year, the state
receives one of the best solar radiations in the world- 6 -7 kWh/m2/day. Accompanied with this approximately
60% of its land area is underutilized flat land. Having the conditions necessary for the generation of solar
energy, the state of Rajasthan along with its neighboring state of Gujarat account for 80% of Indias installed
capacity of solar energy.
The present paper shall present a case study of developing Solar Energy in Rajasthan. As such the paper shall
present the current status, various issues and major initiatives taken by the government to promote solar energy
in Rajasthan.
37

The Sultanate of Oman is also blessed with a sunny and dry climate like Rajasthan. Following the success of
solar energy development in Rajasthan, Oman can also well diversify itself into development of this alternative
source of energy.

Implementation of Fuzzy-Logic Based Modified Hill-Climbing Method For

Maximum Power Point Tracking In PV Systems Using PIC Microcontrollers
Nejila V P (PG Scholar), A Immanuel Selvakumar
Associate Professor & HoD-EEE , Karunya University
Increasing energy demands and diminishing availability of fossil-based fuels has urged mankind to search for
alternative sources of energy. With advancements in power electronic technology, PV systems utilizing solar
energy has been recognized as an important natural energy resource which can play a key role in producing
clean inexhaustible energy to supply the growing demands for electricity.
The PV arrays have highly non-linear voltage-current characteristics. Also, they have an optimum operating
point, called the maximum power point (MPP), at which it delivers the maximum power. But, the MPP varies
according to the cell temperature and solar insolation. It is important to track the MPP accurately under all
conditions in order to extract the maximum available power from the solar panel.
A fuzzy-logic controller based on modified hill-climbing method for tracking maximum power point in
PV system is proposed. The features of maximum power point tracker based on conventional hill-climbing
algorithm are studied. The new controller incorporates the advantages of hill-climbing algorithm and
eliminates its drawbacks. This technique provides fast and accurate convergence to the maximum power point
during steady-state and gradually changing weather conditions. The hill-climbing algorithm is implemented
using 17 fuzzy control rules. Simulation and experimental results are provided to illustrate the validity of the
proposed hill-climbing based fuzzy-logic controller.The model of the proposed scheme has been simulated
using PSIM &MATLAB/Simulink. The hardware implementation is done using PIC 18F4520. Using a closedloop microprocessor control system, voltage and current from the solar panel are continuously monitored to
determine the instantaneous power. Based on the power level calculated, an output PWM signal is generated
using fuzzy-logic based modified hill-climbing algorithm which continuously adjusts the duty cycle of the
converter to extract maximum power from the solar array. The control algorithm is written using Hi-Tech
C Language in MPLAB editor. Using a solar panel simulator instead of solar panel, system design testing
confirms simulation of expected results.

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