This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Dr. Muhammad Tawalbeh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Sharjah (UoS). He joined as a faculty member in 2015. He received his Ph.D. degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 2014. He completed his MSc. and BSc. in Chemical Engineering from the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Jordan, in 1997 and 1992, respectively. Dr. Tawalbeh is also a member of the Energy Storage and Management research group and Desalination research group at the University of Sharjah. Dr. Tawalbeh research activities focus on renewable energy and sustainable environment applications. In particular, preparation and characterization of membranes for fuel cells, carbon capture, water desalination, development of solar-powered membrane desalination processes, wastewater treatment using adsorption and advanced oxidation processes, biofuels production from agricultural waste and paper mill sludge, utilization of solar and geothermal energies in absorption chillers, and energy storage materials and systems. Dr. Tawalbeh has published over 70 internationally peer-reviewed publications. He serves as a guest editor for the membranes journal (mdpi), an editorial board member for the International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Engineering, and an editor for the Advances in Chemical Pollution Book (Volume 11) | Membranes In Wastewater Treatment.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) target the endocrine system by interfering with the natural hormones in the body leading to adverse effects on human and animal health. These chemicals have been identified as major polluting agents in wastewater effluents. Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial compounds, pesticides, dyes, and heavy metals are examples of substances that could be considered endocrine active chemicals. In humans, these chemicals could cause obesity, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, autism, reproductive abnormalities, and thyroid problems. While in wildlife, dysfunctional gene expression could lead to the feminization of some aquatic organisms, metabolic diseases, cardiovascular risk, and problems in the reproductive system as well as its levels of hatchability and vitellogenin. EDCs could be effectively removed from wastewater using advanced technologies such as reverse osmosis, membrane treatment, ozonation, advanced oxidation, filtration, and biodegradation. However, adsorption has been proposed as a more promising and sustainable method for water treatment than any other reported technique. Increased attention has been paid to biodegradable polymers and their nano-composites as promising adsorbents for the removal of EDCs from wastewater. These polymers could be either natural, synthetic, or a combination of both. This review presents a summary of the most relevant cases where natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers have been used for the successful removal of EDCs from wastewater. It demonstrates the effectiveness of these polymers as favorable adsorbents for novel wastewater treatment technologies. Hitherto, very limited work has been published on the use of both natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers to remove EDCs from wastewater, as most of the studies focused on the utilization of only one type, either natural or synthetic. Therefore, this review could pave the way for future exploration of biodegradable polymers as promising and sustainable adsorbents for the removal of various types of pollutants from wastewater.
Miral Al Sharabati; Raed Abokwiek; Amani Al-Othman; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Ceren Karaman; Yasin Orooji; Fatemeh Karimi. Biodegradable polymers and their nano-composites for the removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from wastewater: A review. Environmental Research 2021, 202, 111694 .
AMA StyleMiral Al Sharabati, Raed Abokwiek, Amani Al-Othman, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Ceren Karaman, Yasin Orooji, Fatemeh Karimi. Biodegradable polymers and their nano-composites for the removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from wastewater: A review. Environmental Research. 2021; 202 ():111694.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiral Al Sharabati; Raed Abokwiek; Amani Al-Othman; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Ceren Karaman; Yasin Orooji; Fatemeh Karimi. 2021. "Biodegradable polymers and their nano-composites for the removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from wastewater: A review." Environmental Research 202, no. : 111694.
Biological plants such as algae have a great potential of fixating CO2 from flue gases or atmospheric air and converting it into useful biomass. This is because CO2 is part of their photosynthesis process where the gas is an essential input ingredient. In this study, a closed system was designed for algae cultivation and carbon capture as a means to mitigate carbon emissions and at the same time assimilate biomass. Among species of saltwater microalgae there exist the Chlorella, Spirulina and Nannochloropsis among others. The latter was selected, as it is suitable for carbon capture because of its high carbon dioxide absorption characteristics, as well as its high oil content that is needed for the production of biofuel. To achieve this goal, the response of the algae was altered by generational mutations that were driven by environmental control of CO2 concentrations, pH level, and temperature, in addition to the sufficient supply of nutrients. Two flow rates, 2 L/min and 5 L/min were used for the biomass measurements and carbon dioxide capture analysis, resulting in CO2 removal efficiencies of 91.93%, and 65.43%, respectively. The benefit of the proposed system is twofold, first that it combines active carbon capture, which enhances algae growth. The algae is known to be able to thrive in harsh conditions of high temperature and high water salinity, which reflects favorably on the economy of the cultivation system as it does not require any expensive or energy intensive setups or treatments. This cultivation has a pronounced potential of biomass production that is left for a future study.
Abdul Hai Alami; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Shamma Alasad; Mennatalah Ali; Maitha Alshamsi; Haya Aljaghoub. Cultivation of Nannochloropsis algae for simultaneous biomass applications and carbon dioxide capture. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects 2021, 1 -12.
AMA StyleAbdul Hai Alami, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Shamma Alasad, Mennatalah Ali, Maitha Alshamsi, Haya Aljaghoub. Cultivation of Nannochloropsis algae for simultaneous biomass applications and carbon dioxide capture. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects. 2021; ():1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbdul Hai Alami; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Shamma Alasad; Mennatalah Ali; Maitha Alshamsi; Haya Aljaghoub. 2021. "Cultivation of Nannochloropsis algae for simultaneous biomass applications and carbon dioxide capture." Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects , no. : 1-12.
The absence of women in STEM and energy sectors is driven by discrimination and socio-cultural factors. A greater number of women “leak out” from Energy and STEM fields than me. AI-enabled solutions offer analysis tools to measure and evaluate diversity and inclusion.
Waad Abuwatfa; Nada Zamel; Amani Al-Othman. Lessons learned from the underrepresentation of women in STEM: AI-enabled solutions and more. Energy and AI 2021, 5, 100086 .
AMA StyleWaad Abuwatfa, Nada Zamel, Amani Al-Othman. Lessons learned from the underrepresentation of women in STEM: AI-enabled solutions and more. Energy and AI. 2021; 5 ():100086.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWaad Abuwatfa; Nada Zamel; Amani Al-Othman. 2021. "Lessons learned from the underrepresentation of women in STEM: AI-enabled solutions and more." Energy and AI 5, no. : 100086.
Adsorptive membranes have attracted attention recently and have been employed to remove variety of pollutants from wastewater. Part I of this work was devoted to provide an overview on the latest progress in their fabrication techniques. This part is devoted to review the studies performed towards environmental applications. Adsorptive membranes were used to remove pollutants such as dyes, heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals. The major findings of this review include presenting the various benefits associated with the use of adsorptive membranes in micro-pollutants removal from water samples and discussing the potential utilization of bio-adsorbents such as chitosan. While adsorptive membranes proved their effectiveness in removing several pollutants, they still however, suffer from various drawbacks and challenges on a large scale implementation. These drawbacks include the low adsorption capacity, the cost, reusability and fouling. Finally, the paper concludes that exploiting adsorptive membranes in the removal of emerging pharmaceutical compounds in particular have not yet been researched extensively in the literature and more efforts should be focused in this direction.
Liyan Qalyoubi; Amani Al-Othman; Sameer Al-Asheh. Recent progress and challenges of adsorptive membranes for the removal of pollutants from wastewater. Part II: Environmental applications. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 2021, 3, 100102 .
AMA StyleLiyan Qalyoubi, Amani Al-Othman, Sameer Al-Asheh. Recent progress and challenges of adsorptive membranes for the removal of pollutants from wastewater. Part II: Environmental applications. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. 2021; 3 ():100102.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLiyan Qalyoubi; Amani Al-Othman; Sameer Al-Asheh. 2021. "Recent progress and challenges of adsorptive membranes for the removal of pollutants from wastewater. Part II: Environmental applications." Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 3, no. : 100102.
Dust accumulation on photovoltaic (PV) modules is responsible for the reduction in solar radiation received and/or transmitted, hence, decreases the efficiency of the PV cells. To enhance the performance of PV modules, the nature and the structure of dust should be evaluated. This paper investigates the seasonal variability of dust and PV soiling losses over 4 months (15 weeks, over the summer of 2018) in a soiling station deployed at the American University of Sharjah, UAE. A custom-made setup was employed to collect the dust samples on glass sheets. This will provide a better understanding of the soil deposition rates and composition. The accumulated dust was characterized for its morphological and elemental properties. The dust samples were directly collected from the panels mounted outdoor in the desert environment. Various characterization techniques were performed to determine the dust samples’ composition. The results showed that the dust particles are mostly rich in carbon, oxygen, calcium, silicon, thus indicating the presence of silica and calcite. UV–Vis results showed a decrease in transmittance of 30% after 15 weeks of soiling. This results of this work are essential for the development of proper self-cleaning techniques for PV modules deployed in Sharjah.
Rached Dhaouadi; Amani Al-Othman; Ahmed A. Aidan; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Rawan Zannerni. A characterization study for the properties of dust particles collected on photovoltaic (PV) panels in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Renewable Energy 2021, 171, 133 -140.
AMA StyleRached Dhaouadi, Amani Al-Othman, Ahmed A. Aidan, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Rawan Zannerni. A characterization study for the properties of dust particles collected on photovoltaic (PV) panels in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Renewable Energy. 2021; 171 ():133-140.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRached Dhaouadi; Amani Al-Othman; Ahmed A. Aidan; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Rawan Zannerni. 2021. "A characterization study for the properties of dust particles collected on photovoltaic (PV) panels in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates." Renewable Energy 171, no. : 133-140.
A new process for the production of bioethanol from paper mill sludge (PMS) is described in this work. PMS biomass feedstock was processed via the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with and without accelerants. The enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation were first evaluated, and the energy demand was 2.2 MJ/L of produced ethanol. When the enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation were combined, the energy demand was reduced to 1.0 MJ/L ethanol, the sugars production increased, and the overall capital cost of the process decreased. The sugar yield was improved by adding accelerant and selecting the optimal fiber recovery method. The accelerant improved the enzymatic hydrolysis via a pathing/bridging mechanism. The SSF with the chemical fiber recovery method coupled with accelerant addition would be the best process configuration. Upon this combination, the glucose profile was enhanced from 9.8 g/L to 17.0 g/L. The sludge fiber conversion by SSF was improved by selecting an efficient fiber recovery method combined with the accelerant addition. SSF in chemical fiber recovery with accelerant addition was the best process by a 10% improvement of ethanol yield. The proposed process configuration offers a lower cost and sustainable process and contributes to the circular economy of zero waste discharges.
Malek Alkasrawi; Amani Al-Othman; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Shona Doncan; Raghu Gurram; Eric Singsaas; Fares Almomani; Sameer Al-Asheh. A novel technique of paper mill sludge conversion to bioethanol toward sustainable energy production: Effect of fiber recovery on the saccharification hydrolysis and fermentation. Energy 2021, 223, 120018 .
AMA StyleMalek Alkasrawi, Amani Al-Othman, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Shona Doncan, Raghu Gurram, Eric Singsaas, Fares Almomani, Sameer Al-Asheh. A novel technique of paper mill sludge conversion to bioethanol toward sustainable energy production: Effect of fiber recovery on the saccharification hydrolysis and fermentation. Energy. 2021; 223 ():120018.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMalek Alkasrawi; Amani Al-Othman; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Shona Doncan; Raghu Gurram; Eric Singsaas; Fares Almomani; Sameer Al-Asheh. 2021. "A novel technique of paper mill sludge conversion to bioethanol toward sustainable energy production: Effect of fiber recovery on the saccharification hydrolysis and fermentation." Energy 223, no. : 120018.
The development of novel wastewater reuse technologies appears to be a thriving area of research. Adsorptive membranes are considered among the promising technologies that exhibited efficiency and competence in water reuse. They have the potential of removing different types of emerging pollutants from wastewater that cannot be removed via conventional methods. These membranes are attractive because of the dual advantage of adsorption/filtration mechanisms and by virtue of their various types and configurations. The use of adsorptive membranes tackles several issues including fouling, process cost, adsorbent regeneration, adsorption capacity, membrane permeability, rejection rates, and selectivity. This review is devoted to discussing adsorptive membranes and their fabrication techniques, as well as presenting their various types and classifications. The challenges associated with their application are also reviewed. Their classifications can be established based on either the type of the adsorbent used or their polymers matrix. The major challenges are fouling and identifying the right filling materials. The review also identified the great potential of using these membranes in removing emerging pollutants.
Liyan Qalyoubi; Amani Al-Othman; Sameer Al-Asheh. Recent progress and challenges on adsorptive membranes for the removal of pollutants from wastewater. Part I: Fundamentals and classification of membranes. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 2021, 3, 100086 .
AMA StyleLiyan Qalyoubi, Amani Al-Othman, Sameer Al-Asheh. Recent progress and challenges on adsorptive membranes for the removal of pollutants from wastewater. Part I: Fundamentals and classification of membranes. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. 2021; 3 ():100086.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLiyan Qalyoubi; Amani Al-Othman; Sameer Al-Asheh. 2021. "Recent progress and challenges on adsorptive membranes for the removal of pollutants from wastewater. Part I: Fundamentals and classification of membranes." Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 3, no. : 100086.
Implantable and stretchable electrodes have managed to progress the medical field from a medical diagnosis aspect to a patient treatment level. They offer the ability to detect biosignals and conduct electrical current to tissues that aid in muscle stimulation and axon regeneration. Current conventional electrodes are fabricated from stiff and very expensive, precious metals such as platinum. In this work, novel, low cost, and highly flexible electrode materials were fabricated based on titanium dioxide (TiO2) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) supported by a silicone polymer matrix. The electrode materials were characterized by their electrochemical, mechanical, and surface properties. The electrodes possessed high flexibility with Young’s modulus of 235 kPa, revealing highly stretchable characteristics. The impedance at 1 kHz was around 114.6 kΩ, and the charge capacity was 1.23 mC/cm2. The fabricated electrodes appeared to have a smooth surface, as seen in the scanning electron microscope micrographs, compared with electrodes in the literature. Long-time stability tests revealed an overall decrease in impedance and an increase in the charge capacity up to 475% of the initial value within three weeks.
Omnia Mohamed; Amani Al-Othman; Hasan Al-Nashash; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Fares Almomani; Mashallah Rezakazemi. Fabrication of titanium dioxide nanomaterial for implantable highly flexible composite bioelectrode for biosensing applications. Chemosphere 2021, 273, 129680 .
AMA StyleOmnia Mohamed, Amani Al-Othman, Hasan Al-Nashash, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Fares Almomani, Mashallah Rezakazemi. Fabrication of titanium dioxide nanomaterial for implantable highly flexible composite bioelectrode for biosensing applications. Chemosphere. 2021; 273 ():129680.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOmnia Mohamed; Amani Al-Othman; Hasan Al-Nashash; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Fares Almomani; Mashallah Rezakazemi. 2021. "Fabrication of titanium dioxide nanomaterial for implantable highly flexible composite bioelectrode for biosensing applications." Chemosphere 273, no. : 129680.
Ionic liquids have emerged as potentially safer and more sustainable electrolytes for energy storage and renewable energy applications, such as Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells. Conductivity is one of the key physical properties influencing the performance of an electrolyte in such applications. In this study, an extensive database for conductivity of ionic liquids was compiled, containing around 3800 data points over the temperature range from 234 K to 484 K, from 134 previously published literature sources. A total of 285 unique ionic liquids consisting of 152 unique cations and 82 unique anions, were included. The data were systematically analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between the ionic liquid conductivity and various structural parameters, such as cation type, anion type, hydrocarbon chain length and functional groups. The correlations between conductivity and several other transport and thermodynamic properties of ionic liquids were also investigated and the COSMO-RS method was evaluated as a predictive tool for IL conductivity. Finally, the temperature dependence for each individual ionic liquid was correlated using the Arrhenius equation and the VTF equations. This work will assist in improving the design of ionic liquids as electrolytes in energy storage and renewable energy applications.
Paul Nancarrow; Amani Al-Othman; Dhruve Kumar Mital; Sandra Döpking. Comprehensive analysis and correlation of ionic liquid conductivity data for energy applications. Energy 2021, 220, 119761 .
AMA StylePaul Nancarrow, Amani Al-Othman, Dhruve Kumar Mital, Sandra Döpking. Comprehensive analysis and correlation of ionic liquid conductivity data for energy applications. Energy. 2021; 220 ():119761.
Chicago/Turabian StylePaul Nancarrow; Amani Al-Othman; Dhruve Kumar Mital; Sandra Döpking. 2021. "Comprehensive analysis and correlation of ionic liquid conductivity data for energy applications." Energy 220, no. : 119761.
Hanin Mohammed; Amani Al-Othman; Paul Nancarrow; Yehya Elsayed; Muhammad Tawalbeh. Enhanced proton conduction in zirconium phosphate/ionic liquids materials for high-temperature fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2021, 46, 4857 -4869.
AMA StyleHanin Mohammed, Amani Al-Othman, Paul Nancarrow, Yehya Elsayed, Muhammad Tawalbeh. Enhanced proton conduction in zirconium phosphate/ionic liquids materials for high-temperature fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2021; 46 (6):4857-4869.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHanin Mohammed; Amani Al-Othman; Paul Nancarrow; Yehya Elsayed; Muhammad Tawalbeh. 2021. "Enhanced proton conduction in zirconium phosphate/ionic liquids materials for high-temperature fuel cells." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 46, no. 6: 4857-4869.
Muhammad Tawalbeh; Alex S. Rajangam; Tareq Salameh; Amani Al-Othman; Malek Alkasrawi. Characterization of paper mill sludge as a renewable feedstock for sustainable hydrogen and biofuels production. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2021, 46, 4761 -4775.
AMA StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh, Alex S. Rajangam, Tareq Salameh, Amani Al-Othman, Malek Alkasrawi. Characterization of paper mill sludge as a renewable feedstock for sustainable hydrogen and biofuels production. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2021; 46 (6):4761-4775.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh; Alex S. Rajangam; Tareq Salameh; Amani Al-Othman; Malek Alkasrawi. 2021. "Characterization of paper mill sludge as a renewable feedstock for sustainable hydrogen and biofuels production." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 46, no. 6: 4761-4775.
Photovoltaic (PV) systems are regarded as clean and sustainable sources of energy. Although the operation of PV systems exhibits minimal pollution during their lifetime, the probable environmental impacts of such systems from manufacturing until disposal cannot be ignored. The production of hazardous contaminates, water resources pollution, and emissions of air pollutants during the manufacturing process as well as the impact of PV installations on land use are important environmental factors to consider. The present study aims at developing a comprehensive analysis of all possible environmental challenges as well as presenting novel design proposals to mitigate and solve the aforementioned environmental problems. The emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) from various PV systems were also explored and compared with fossil fuel energy resources. The results revealed that the negative environmental impacts of PV systems could be substantially mitigated using optimized design, development of novel materials, minimize the use of hazardous materials, recycling whenever possible, and careful site selection. Such mitigation actions will reduce the emissions of GHG to the environment, decrease the accumulation of solid wastes, and preserve valuable water resources. The carbon footprint emission from PV systems was found to be in the range of 14–73 g CO2-eq/kWh, which is 10 to 53 orders of magnitude lower than emission reported from the burning of oil (742 g CO2-eq/kWh from oil). It was concluded that the carbon footprint of the PV system could be decreased further by one order of magnitude using novel manufacturing materials. Recycling solar cell materials can also contribute up to a 42% reduction in GHG emissions. The present study offers a valuable management strategy that can be used to improve the sustainability of PV manufacturing processes, improve its economic value, and mitigate its negative impacts on the environment.
Muhammad Tawalbeh; Amani Al-Othman; Feras Kafiah; Emad Abdelsalam; Fares Almomani; Malek Alkasrawi. Environmental impacts of solar photovoltaic systems: A critical review of recent progress and future outlook. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 759, 143528 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh, Amani Al-Othman, Feras Kafiah, Emad Abdelsalam, Fares Almomani, Malek Alkasrawi. Environmental impacts of solar photovoltaic systems: A critical review of recent progress and future outlook. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 759 ():143528.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh; Amani Al-Othman; Feras Kafiah; Emad Abdelsalam; Fares Almomani; Malek Alkasrawi. 2020. "Environmental impacts of solar photovoltaic systems: A critical review of recent progress and future outlook." Science of The Total Environment 759, no. : 143528.
The decarbonization of hydrocarbons is explored in this work as a method to produce hydrogen and mitigate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. An integrated process for power generation and carbon capture based on a hydrocarbon fueled-decarbonization unit was proposed and simulated. Ethane and propane were used as fuels and subjected to the thermal decomposition (decarbonization) process. The system is also composed of a carbon fuel cell (CFC) and hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) for the production of power and a pure CO2 stream that is ready for sequestration. The HFC is a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell operating at 200 °C. Simulations were performed using ASPEN HYSYS V.10 for the entire process including the CFC and HFC being operated at various operating temperatures (200–800 °C). The power output from the CFC and the HFC as well as the overall process efficiency were calculated. The model incorporates an energy recovery system by adopting a counter-current shell and tube heat exchangers and a turbine. The water produced from the fuel cell system can be utilized in the plant to recover the heat from the furnace. The results showed a 100% carbon capture with a nominal plant capacity of 108 MWe produced when propane fuel was fed to the decarbonizer. The CFC theoretical efficiency is 100% and the practical efficiency was taken as 70% when all internal polarizations were considered. The results showed that, in the case of propane, the CFC power output was 89 MWe when the CFC operated at 650 °C, and the HFC power output was around 45 MWe at 200 °C with an overall actual plant efficiency of 35% and 100% carbon capture. Sensitivity analysis recommends a hydrocarbon fuel cost of 0.011 $/kW as the most feasible option. The results reported here on the decarbonization of hydrocarbon fuels are promising toward the direct production of hydrogen with full carbon dioxide sequestration at a potentially lower cost especially in rural areas. The overall actual efficiencies are very competitive to those of conventional power plants operated without carbon capture.
Remston Martis; Amani Al-Othman; Malek Alkasrawi; Muhammad Tawalbeh. Fuel cells for carbon capture and power generation: Simulation studies. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2020, 46, 6139 -6149.
AMA StyleRemston Martis, Amani Al-Othman, Malek Alkasrawi, Muhammad Tawalbeh. Fuel cells for carbon capture and power generation: Simulation studies. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2020; 46 (8):6139-6149.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRemston Martis; Amani Al-Othman; Malek Alkasrawi; Muhammad Tawalbeh. 2020. "Fuel cells for carbon capture and power generation: Simulation studies." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 46, no. 8: 6139-6149.
This work evaluates date palm waste as a cheap and available biomass feedstock in UAE for the production of biofuels. The thermochemical and biochemical routes including pyrolysis, gasification, and fermentation were investigated. Simulations were done to produce biofuels from biomass via Aspen Plus v.10. The simulation results showed that for a tonne of biomass feed, gasification produced 56 kg of hydrogen and fermentation yielded 233 kg of ethanol. Process energy requirements, however, proved to offset the bioethanol product value. For 1 tonne of biomass feed, the net duty for pyrolysis was 37 kJ, for gasification was 725 kJ, and for fermentation was 7481.5 kJ. Furthermore, for 1 tonne of date palm waste feed, pyrolysis generated a returned USD $768, gasification generated USD 166, but fermentation required an expenditure of USD 763, rendering it unfeasible. The fermentation economic analysis showed that reducing the system’s net duty to 6500 kJ/tonne biomass and converting 30% hemicellulose along with the cellulose content will result in a breakeven bioethanol fuel price of 1.85 USD/L. This fuel price falls within the acceptable 0.8–2.4 USD/L commercial feasibility range and is competitive with bioethanol produced in other processes. The economic analysis indicated that pyrolysis and gasification are economically more feasible than fermentation. To maximize profits, the wasted hemicellulose and lignin from fermentation are proposed to be used in thermochemical processes for further fuel production.
Remston Martis; Amani Al-Othman; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Malek Alkasrawi. Energy and Economic Analysis of Date Palm Biomass Feedstock for Biofuel Production in UAE: Pyrolysis, Gasification and Fermentation. Energies 2020, 13, 5877 .
AMA StyleRemston Martis, Amani Al-Othman, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Malek Alkasrawi. Energy and Economic Analysis of Date Palm Biomass Feedstock for Biofuel Production in UAE: Pyrolysis, Gasification and Fermentation. Energies. 2020; 13 (22):5877.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRemston Martis; Amani Al-Othman; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Malek Alkasrawi. 2020. "Energy and Economic Analysis of Date Palm Biomass Feedstock for Biofuel Production in UAE: Pyrolysis, Gasification and Fermentation." Energies 13, no. 22: 5877.
Industrial processes generate toxic organic molecules that pollute environment water. Phenol and its derivative are classified among the major pollutant compounds found in water. They are naturally found in some industrial wastewater effluents. The removal of phenol compounds is therefore essential because they are responsible for severe organ damage if they exist above certain limits. In this study, ground Ziziphus leaves were utilized as adsorbents for phenolic compounds from synthetic wastewater samples. Several experiments were performed to study the effect of several conditions on the capacity of the Ziziphus leaves adsorbent, namely: the initial phenol concentration, the adsorbent concentration, temperature, pH value, and the presence of foreign salts (NaCl and KCl). The experimental results indicated that the adsorption process reached equilibrium in about 4 h. A drop in the amount of phenol removal, especially at higher initial concentration, was noticed upon increasing the temperature from 25 to 45 °C. This reflects the exothermic nature of the adsorption process. This was also confirmed by the calculated negative enthalpy of adsorption (−64.8 kJ/mol). A pH of 6 was found to be the optimum value at which the highest phenol removal occurred with around 15 mg/g at 25 °C for an initial concentration of 200 ppm. The presence of foreign salts has negatively affected the phenol adsorption process. The fitting of the experimental data, using different adsorption isotherms, indicated that the Harkins-Jura isotherm model was the best fit, evident by the high square of the correlation coefficient (R2) values greater than 0.96. The kinetic study revealed that the adsorption was represented by a pseudo-second-order reaction. The results of this study offer a basis to use Ziziphus leaves as promising adsorbents for efficient phenol removal from wastewater.
Abeer Al Bsoul; Mohammad Hailat; Arwa Abdelhay; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Amani Al-Othman; Isra' Nawaf Al-Kharabsheh; Ahmed A. Al-Taani. Efficient removal of phenol compounds from water environment using Ziziphus leaves adsorbent. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 761, 143229 .
AMA StyleAbeer Al Bsoul, Mohammad Hailat, Arwa Abdelhay, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Amani Al-Othman, Isra' Nawaf Al-Kharabsheh, Ahmed A. Al-Taani. Efficient removal of phenol compounds from water environment using Ziziphus leaves adsorbent. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 761 ():143229.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbeer Al Bsoul; Mohammad Hailat; Arwa Abdelhay; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Amani Al-Othman; Isra' Nawaf Al-Kharabsheh; Ahmed A. Al-Taani. 2020. "Efficient removal of phenol compounds from water environment using Ziziphus leaves adsorbent." Science of The Total Environment 761, no. : 143229.
This study presents a novel design that combines cooling tower (CT) and traditional solar chimney power plant (SCPP) technologies for electricity generation and seawater desalination. The proposed hybrid solar chimney power plant (HSCPP) shares the operation of the chimney part and the bi‐directional turbine between the SCPP and CT, allowing alternative operation of the CT during the nighttime and the SCPP during the daytime, and achieving continuous system utilization. The performance of the HSCPP design was validated against baseline models using 1 year of weather data from the city of Aqaba in Jordan. Results revealed that the HSCPP has the potential to produce ~50% electricity (528 MWh/year) higher than the traditional SCPP (365 MWh/year). The annual seawater desalination capacity of the HSCPP was estimated at 138300 m3, which is 1.5 folds higher than the traditional SCPP. The HSCPP reduced the annual CO2 emissions by 40% (~500 tons) compared to traditional SCPP with annual revenue of US$190 000. Furthermore, the results show that the HSCPP is 1.4 times more efficient than the traditional SCPP. The HSCPP achieved a system utilization factor of 0.73% compared to 0.52% for the traditional SCPP. The HSCPP showed promising sustainable and economical technology for the production of electricity and water while reducing the emission of GHG.
Emad Abdelsalam; Feras Kafiah; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Fares Almomani; Ahmad Azzam; Ibrahim Alzoubi; Malek Alkasrawi. Performance analysis of hybrid solar chimney–power plant for power production and seawater desalination: A sustainable approach. International Journal of Energy Research 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleEmad Abdelsalam, Feras Kafiah, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Fares Almomani, Ahmad Azzam, Ibrahim Alzoubi, Malek Alkasrawi. Performance analysis of hybrid solar chimney–power plant for power production and seawater desalination: A sustainable approach. International Journal of Energy Research. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmad Abdelsalam; Feras Kafiah; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Fares Almomani; Ahmad Azzam; Ibrahim Alzoubi; Malek Alkasrawi. 2020. "Performance analysis of hybrid solar chimney–power plant for power production and seawater desalination: A sustainable approach." International Journal of Energy Research , no. : 1.
Many emerging contaminants (ECs) are not currently removed by conventional water treatment methods and consequently, often reach the aquatic environment. In the absence of proper management strategies, ECs can accumulate in water bodies, which poses potential environmental and health risks. This paper critically reviews, for the first time, the reported occurrence and treatment of ECs in the Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA) region. The paper also provides recommendations to properly manage EC risks. In the MENA region, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been detected in surface water, seawater, groundwater, and wastewater treatment plants. A focus on surface water in the published literature suggests that studies are skewed towards worldwide trends, whereas studies on ECs in seawater are of great importance in the study region. The types of PPCPs detected in the MENA region vary, but anti-inflammatories and antibiotics dominate. In comparison, microplastics have mainly been studied in surface waters and seawater with much less focus on drinking water. The majority of microplastics in the region are secondary types resulting from the degradation of larger plastic debris; polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) fibers are the most frequently detected polymers, which are indicative of local anthropogenic sources. Research progress on ECs varies between countries, having received more attention in Iran and Tunisia. Most MENA countries have now begun monitoring water bodies for ECs; however, studies are still lacking in some countries including Sudan, Djibouti, Syria, Ethiopia, and Bahrain. Based on this review, critical knowledge gaps and research needs are identified. Countries in the MENA region require further research on a broader range of EC types. Overall, water pollution due to the use and release of ECs can be tackled by improving public awareness, public campaigns, government intervention, and advanced monitoring and treatment methods.
Mariam Ouda; Dana Kadadou; Balsam Swaidan; Amani Al-Othman; Sameer Al-Asheh; Fawzi Banat; Shadi W. Hasan. Emerging contaminants in the water bodies of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): A critical review. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 754, 142177 .
AMA StyleMariam Ouda, Dana Kadadou, Balsam Swaidan, Amani Al-Othman, Sameer Al-Asheh, Fawzi Banat, Shadi W. Hasan. Emerging contaminants in the water bodies of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): A critical review. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 754 ():142177.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMariam Ouda; Dana Kadadou; Balsam Swaidan; Amani Al-Othman; Sameer Al-Asheh; Fawzi Banat; Shadi W. Hasan. 2020. "Emerging contaminants in the water bodies of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): A critical review." Science of The Total Environment 754, no. : 142177.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main contributor to global warming; therefore, research efforts aim at its capture. Membranes, in particular, zeolite membranes offer a promising approach for CO2 separation and capture. Membranes are typically characterized by their selectivity and permeance that are highly dependent on the operating conditions namely, total feed pressure and composition. Therefore, more reliable characterization parameters are required such as Maxwell- Stefan exchange diffusivities. In this work, a model based on Maxwell−Stefan equations and Extended Langmuir isotherm was developed to investigate the transport of binary mixtures of CO2 and N2 through thin silicalite-1 membranes. The exchange diffusivities, D12 and D21, of CO2 and N2 were determined at different total feed pressures and feed compositions. All gas separation tests were conducted at stage cut not exceeding 5%. The single component diffusivities of CO2 and N2 required by the model were found experimentally using the results of the respective single gas permeation tests. The results displayed that as CO2 concentration in the feed increased from 15% to 85%, the values of D12 and D21 decreased from 2.8 × 10−10 to 1.1 × 10−10 m2/s and 2.8 × 10−10 to 1.3 × 10−10 m2/s, respectively, while the N2 permeance decreased by about one order of magnitude from 2.7 × 10−7 to 2.4 × 10−8 mol/m2.s.Pa. Consequently, the exchange diffusivities showed considerably smaller dependence on the operating conditions compared to the permselectivity and permeance. Hence, they are more appropriate in describing the intrinsic transport characteristics of silicalite-1 membranes.
Muhammad Tawalbeh; Mukhtar Al-Ismaily; Boguslaw Kruczek; F. Handan Tezel. Modeling the transport of CO2, N2, and their binary mixtures through highly permeable silicalite-1 membranes using Maxwell−Stefan equations. Chemosphere 2020, 263, 127935 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh, Mukhtar Al-Ismaily, Boguslaw Kruczek, F. Handan Tezel. Modeling the transport of CO2, N2, and their binary mixtures through highly permeable silicalite-1 membranes using Maxwell−Stefan equations. Chemosphere. 2020; 263 ():127935.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh; Mukhtar Al-Ismaily; Boguslaw Kruczek; F. Handan Tezel. 2020. "Modeling the transport of CO2, N2, and their binary mixtures through highly permeable silicalite-1 membranes using Maxwell−Stefan equations." Chemosphere 263, no. : 127935.
The modern society’s sustainable development and the ever-increasing population growth are facing the serious challenge of shortage in water resources. The solution to this global problem needs collective efforts at multiple levels and one of them could be finding new methods of clean water production. In this regard, microbial desalination cells (MDCs) have emerged as a promising technology that has the potential to help address this problem. This work reviews the recent developments in MDC technologies as well as the current research work being done in this area. This paper also presents recent advances in membranes, cell design and the cells’ capability of being integrated with other desalination systems to enhance desalination capacity and power production. Attention is also paid to the various materials and components of MDC systems while highlighting the advances in each of these categories. Furthermore, economic and environmental assessments are made to show various challenges in the application and reliability of this technology. The results of this review show that the main challenge in MDC is the feasibility of its large-scale implementation. It further shows that more efforts are needed to improve its efficiency in power generation to make it a viable technology.
Muhammad Tawalbeh; Amani Al-Othman; Karnail Singh; Ikram Douba; Dania Kabakebji; Malek Alkasrawi. Microbial desalination cells for water purification and power generation: A critical review. Energy 2020, 209, 118493 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh, Amani Al-Othman, Karnail Singh, Ikram Douba, Dania Kabakebji, Malek Alkasrawi. Microbial desalination cells for water purification and power generation: A critical review. Energy. 2020; 209 ():118493.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Tawalbeh; Amani Al-Othman; Karnail Singh; Ikram Douba; Dania Kabakebji; Malek Alkasrawi. 2020. "Microbial desalination cells for water purification and power generation: A critical review." Energy 209, no. : 118493.
A novel bioprocess design to convert paper mill sludge (PMS) to biofuels is proposed in this work. The design utilizes cellulosic fiber recovered from the PMS via optimized de‐ashing (HCl washing) step. This work specifically provided a technical and economic analysis of paper mill sludge conversion into biofuel production using a novel protocol. The protocol is based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis to assess the quality of the contained cellulose prior to further processing. The results are crucially important to determine the suitability of the PMS feedstock to produce biofuels. SEM analysis was employed as a preliminary screening tool to evaluate sludge digestibility and conversion. The SEM characterization technique established a direct relationship between the fiber morphology, presence of crystals salts and sugar yield after enzymatic hydrolysis. Substantial structural changes were observed before and after de‐ashing the sludge samples, leading to a correlation between the surface morphology and the washing step. The results suggested that de‐ashing changes the surface morphology and upon analysis, increased the sugar yield up to about 86% as opposed to 2.2% in sludge sample A as an example. The PMS conversion into biofuel was simulated using Aspen PLUS and compared to a similar process using corn stover as feedstock. The simulation results showed it is 20% cheaper to produce bioethanol from PMS compared to corn stover. The simulation revealed less energy demand by around 13 320 MJ/h compared to that when corn stover was used.
Malek Alkasrawi; Alex S. Rajangam; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Feras Kafiah; Amani Al‐Othman; Sameer Al‐Asheh; Qiang Sun. Techno‐economic analysis and a novel assessment technique of paper mill sludge conversion to bioethanol toward sustainable energy production. International Journal of Energy Research 2020, 44, 12602 -12613.
AMA StyleMalek Alkasrawi, Alex S. Rajangam, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Feras Kafiah, Amani Al‐Othman, Sameer Al‐Asheh, Qiang Sun. Techno‐economic analysis and a novel assessment technique of paper mill sludge conversion to bioethanol toward sustainable energy production. International Journal of Energy Research. 2020; 44 (15):12602-12613.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMalek Alkasrawi; Alex S. Rajangam; Muhammad Tawalbeh; Feras Kafiah; Amani Al‐Othman; Sameer Al‐Asheh; Qiang Sun. 2020. "Techno‐economic analysis and a novel assessment technique of paper mill sludge conversion to bioethanol toward sustainable energy production." International Journal of Energy Research 44, no. 15: 12602-12613.