ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY
Not a member yet
373 research outputs found
Sort by
Calculation of Electron Swarm Parameters in Tetrafluoromethane
Get PDFThe electron swarm parameters and electron energy distribution function (EEDF) are necessary, especially onunderstanding quantitatively plasma phenomena and ionized gases. The EEDF and electron swarm parameters including the reduce effective ionization coefficient (α-η)/N (α and η are the ionization and attachment coefficient, respectively), electron drift velocity, electron mean energy, characteristic energy, density normalized longitudinal diffusion coefficient, and density normalized electron mobility in tetrafluoromethane (CF4) which was analyzed and calculated using the two-term approximation of the Boltzmann equation method at room temperature, over a range of the reduced electric field strength (E/N) between 0.1 and 1000 Td(1Td=10-17 V.cm2), where E is the electric field and N is the gas density of the gas. The calculations required cross-sections of the electron beam, thus published momentum transfer, vibration, electronic excitation, ionization, and attachment cross-sections for CF4 were used, the results of the Boltzmann equation in a good agreement with experimental and theoretical values over the entire range of E/N. In all cases, negative differential conductivity regions were found. It is found that the calculated EEDF closes to Maxwellian distribution and decreases sharply at low E/N. The low energy part of EEDF flats and the high-energy tail of EEDF increases with increase E/N. The EEDF found to be non-Maxwellian when the E/N> 10Td, havingenergy variations which reflect electron/molecule energy exchange processes. In addition, limiting field strength (E/N)limit has been calculated from the plots of (α-η)/N, for which the ionization exactlybalances the electron attachment, which is valid for the analysis of insulation characteristics and application to power equipment
Optimization of Wastewater Treatment Plant Design using Process Dynamic Simulation: A Case Study from Kurdistan, Iraq
Get PDFSatisfactory effluent characteristics are indispensable to evaluate the performance of any wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) design. Dynamic simulation software has a great role in pursuing this objective, in which an efficient and cost-effective design is constantly performed. In this study, a dynamic simulator sewage treatment operation analysis over time (STOAT) has been used under certain influent conditions to optimize design possibilities for modifying an existing primary WWTP College of Engineering Wastewater Treatment Plant (COEWWTP) at Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq. The optimization was established on the basis of total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) characteristics in the effluent. Two alternative design schemes were proposed; trickling biofilter and aeration basin. In the dynamic simulation for the investigated design schemes, the predicted effluent profile showed that each of the existing and trickling biofilter processes has failed to correspond to the valid effluent limitation, whereas predicted results of the aeration basin exhibited an effluent profile that meets TSS and BOD allowable limits. Different simulation models have been implemented by STOAT to simulate treatment processes in studied design approaches: ASAL 1 model; BOD model; BOD semi-dynamic model; and SSED 1 model. This study offers an additional understanding of WWTP design and facilitates the application of dynamic simulators as tools for wastewater treatment development in Kurdistan
Education Needs to Support Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Collaboration Using Building Information Modeling
Get PDFProjects in the construction industry involve multidisciplinary collaboration between the disciplines of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), and others. Conventionally, the collaboration between these disciplines relied on the recurrent exchange of relevant drawings and documents. Building information modeling (BIM) as a model-based process has given AEC professionals the tools to more efficiently plan, design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure. Yet the AEC industry has been reluctant in fully adopting the BIM as a single standard. This study explores and identifies the bottlenecks in adopting BIM as a single product lifecycle standard in the construction industry and advise on educating new engineers to become the generation to use a virtual collaborative working space covering the entire building lifecycle. Two conducted surveys targeting the AEC academia and industry revealed the needs for multilevel cross-disciplinary interactive collaborative BIM process modeling, and skilled workforce to increase the graduates’ marketability and BIM adaptability. It is concluded that the new age collaborative culture requires new generation of AEC players that are enabled to work on a shared virtual product model supported by proactive BIM skills learned through undergraduate programs
Theoretical Calculations for the Acidity of Cyanopolyynes HC2n+1N (n = 0–5) in Gas and Aqueous Phases Using Ab initio Methods
Get PDFCyanopolyynes have been found in the interstellar medium, cold dust cloud Taurus Molecular Cloud-1, and the Titan’s atmosphere. Theoretical calculations are carried out to predict gas and aqueous phase acidities of a series of cyanopolyynes acids. Two levels of theory were used in this study, with the combination of density functional theory, and Møller–Plesset perturbation (MP2) theory, MP2 methods with two types of basis set, namely, Pople’s 6–311++g (d, p) basis set and Dunning’s aug-cc-pVTZ basis set. The calculations of these molecules reveal that pKa values varying from 12.25 to 17.25 and indicate that the acidity of these molecules in aqueous phase increases whereas the acidity in gas phase decreases with an increasing chain length of these acids
Aqra Anticline: A Growing Structure in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region
Get PDFAqra Anticline is a double plunging anticline, oriented NW–SE with a steep southwestern limb and even overturned. Geomorphological features are interpreted using satellite images, as a result, it was found that the anticline shows clear geomorphological and structural features which indicate the lateral growth of the anticline. Among those features are water gaps, wind gaps, forked-shaped valleys, curved valleys, inclined valleys and dislocated and abandoned alluvial fans. Some of the vague interpreted features were checked and confirmed in the field
VOLUME 7, NO 1 (2019)
No full textDear readers, Aro, the Scientific Journal of Koya University, is closing its twelve issue (Vol VII, No 1, 2019). It has been a challenging, exciting and yet progressive season for our journal. Aro is publishing its 7th issue as an internationally listed Scientific Journal in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Notably, Aro has been accepted for indexing in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), a new edition of Web of Science™ as of Feb 2016. Content in this issue is under consideration by Clarivate to be accepted in the Science Citation Index Expanded™ (SCIE) during 2019. Aro’s individual articles are currently listed by Clarivate using articles unique DOI numbers which is a historical achievement for our academic community. Aro is starting its seventh-year journey in leading the quality of regional scientific publications with global impact. The editorial team have been working tirelessly to keep the novel mission and sustain Aro’s future publications with greater impacts and citations. It is exciting that Aro has been awarded to DOAJ Seal listing which is an indication of a trusted high standard open access scientific work that so far has allocated to 88 journals worldwide only. The upcoming new season will be an even more exciting period in Aro’s life as Thomson Reuters will examine our journal for a full permanent listing. Aro continues its mission to provide resources, support and advice for researchers in the process of publishing their scientific papers with a global standard quality for an internationally recognised scientific publication, while at the same time offering free public access to scientific research by open online access. This is a daunting task which we hope to advance in the years to come. Thus, in the sections to follow, we would like to share and elaborate on the core elements that constitute Aro. However, finding reliable and skilled reviewers remain a big challenge for us.Aro was created with a long-term vision of becoming accessible to all researchers in Kurdistan and beyond, and covering a wide range of scholarly disciplines in the sciences. Aro is a peer-reviewed, open access journal that publishes original scientific research, global news, letters and commentary as well as review articles in areas of natural sciences and technology. In this issue, you will have access to original research papers in a variety of areas, such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Material Science, Civil Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and Geology.The great responses from researchers, academics and professionals in the last five years have made us create a wider Editorial Board which serves the wider submitted scientific manuscripts. However, it is clear that having a dedicated and well-organised editorial board for the journal is only one side of the coin. The other is the ability to attract submissions of quality research and scholarly work. We are thankful to all of those who put their trust in Aro and presented their original research work for publication in Vol VII, No 1 (2019)of the journal, as well as, our thanks are extended to the 23 peer-reviewers from the Universities worldwide for their efforts in reviewing and enabling this issue of Aro. Your support and feedback are invited and appreciated.Dilan M. RostamEditor-in-ChiefWali M HamadExecutive PublisherDilan M. Rostam, Salah I. Yahya, Basim M. Fadhil, Fahmi F. Muhammad, Mohammed H.S. Zangana, Jorge Correia, Fouad Muhammad and Nadhir Al-AnsariExecutive Editorial Boar
Assessment of Natural Radioactivity Levels and Radiation Hazards for Soil Samples Used in Erbil Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan
No full textIn this work, the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples from Erbil governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan were investigated by a gamma-spectroscopy system based on high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. This is to assess the dose of radionuclides exposure to the population, knowing the health risks and to have a baseline for future changes in the environmental radioactivity. It was found that the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were ranged from (14.6 ± 1.6 to 38.2 ± 2.8 Bq.kg-1), (4.5 ± 1.4 to 52.4 ± 5.8 Bq.kg-1) and ( 302.8 ± 12.6 to 388.6 ± 12.8 Bq.kg-1), respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide average activity of soil. Radium equivalent activities, absorbed dose rate, excess lifetime cancer risk and the values of hazard indices were calculated for the measured samples to assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in all samples to the people. It was concluded that the radium equivalent activities of the studied samples are below the internationally accepted values. These results show that annual effective dose absorbed via occupant from activity construction of soil samples used in the under place is below 1.0 mSv.y-1. It is concluded that the assessment radioactivity of soil are within acceptable levels and does not pose any health hazard to the population
Removal of Listeria monocytogenes Biofilm with Some Local Plant Extracts of Kurdistan Region
Get PDFThe results of removing or reducing biofilm were determined using subinhibitory concentrations (SICs) of some local plants in the flora of Kurdistan region of Iraq on biofilm production in Listeria monocytogenes. About 10–500 µg/ml of the plant extracts were used against growth and biofilm production in tissue culture plates which were measured spectroscopically. The SIC effects of each of Eugenia caryophyllata (Clove) and Rhus glabra (Sumac) have significantly affected on planktonic cells and reduced sessile cells or biofilm formation in L. monocytogenes. Remarkably, the data showed strong biofilm reduction under synergistically effect of the plant extract mixed with the antimicrobial agents in multidrugresistant L. monocytogenes. Whereas the SIC some of other plant extracts such as Salix candida and pomegranate (Punica granatum) have significantly enhanced biofilm expression in L. monocytogenes, but the use of these extracts synergistically with some antibiotics also resulted in inhibition of biofilm in comparison to merely use of either the extracts or antibiotics. The result of statistical analyses shows that P > 0.05. The results showed that the combination of plant extract with antibiotic together has more effect than using plant merely
High-Performance Ultra-Compact Dual-Band Bandpass Filter for Global System for Mobile Communication-850/Global System for Mobile Communication-1900 Applications
Get PDFThis work presents a novel microstrip dual-band bandpass filter (BPF) using meandros spirals and patch cells, which is proposed for the first time by this work. It occupies a very compact size of 0.0017 λg2. The proposed filter is designed to operate at Fo1=0.85 GHz and Fo2=1.85 GHz for GSM-850/GSM-1900 applications. In addition to the small size, it has several advantages in terms of wide fractional bandwidths (FBW), low insertion losses and high return losses at both channels. The simulated insertion losses at the lower and upper passbands are 0.05 dB and 0.1 dB, respectively. Another advantage of the proposed BPF of this work is the attenuated harmonics, where it is able to suppress 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th harmonics (4.11 Fo1) with -20 dB maximum harmonic level
Molecular Typing of Human Brucella melitensis Isolated from Patients in Erbil, Iraq
Get PDFBrucellosis is a reemerging infectious zoonotic disease of worldwide importance. In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, it is a widely spread disease and remains a challenging health problem. This disease is mainly caused by Brucella melitensis, in human. For confirmation of these isolates, a study was performed, by isolation and molecular typing of Brucella Spp. from human patients in Rizgari Hospital at Erbil city (Iraq), between March 2014 and November 2016. One hundred sixty seven samples of blood collected from patients suspected for brucellosis, one hundred twenty one samples from these were recorded as genus of Brucella, using biochemical test and confirmed by applying polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using genus specific primer for omp31 gene which was specific for B. melitensis. These results support using molecular method that based on PCR as diagnostic test for the control of brucellosis in Erbil. Further studies are needed from different geographical areas of the country with different level of endemicity to plan and execute control strategies against human brucellosis