Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference Proceedings Volume 2016 Issue 1

Recently, a new group of 2D material showed a great promise in supercapacitors and batteries application due to their good conductivity as well as hydrophilic nature [1]. It has general formula Mn+1Xn, where n = 1, 2 or 3, M is an early transitional metal and X is C and/or N [2]. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS) studies, MXenes can be terminated with a mixtur Read More

Background & Objectives: Power converters have become over the last decades an enabling technology for PV applications. As demonstrated by scientific literature on the subject, current research efforts are directed toward the use of intermediate solutions between fully centralized and totally distributed (one inverter for each panel or strings of panels) PV grid connection architectures, for cost, reliability and maintenanc Read More

Microalgal bioassays are currently used worldwide to help assess the impacts of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems. Algae are particularly important to such assessments because they represent the basic trophic level of the aquatic food web and contribute to ecosystem biodiversity. Toxicological impacts to these species may have follow-on effects (e.g., depletion of food source) on higher trophic levels and subsequen Read More

The major threats to community health were recognized as coming from poor housing, poor management of sewage and drainage, foul air in industrialized towns, unsafe drinking water, and inadequate control of pests. Increasing pest infestation in urban areas is now a reality. The reliance on the use of chemical pesticides leads to negative results. Use of clean ecological methods must be the strategy of the future. Pests ar Read More

Microbial communities in the date palm rhizoshere can play a vital role in the development of the palm and its health. Using the metagenomic as a tool can help in exploring these microbial communities in searching for microorganisms with potential for agricultural practices. Samples (roots and soil) were collected for metagenomic analysis from 12 date palms (khalas cv) growing at Roudat Alfars Research Farm of the Ministry of Read More

One of the most toxic heavy metals in the environment is mercury (Hg). However, it still has major uses in various industrial and agricultural applications; leading to localized mercury pollution. There has been an increase in the number of used fluorescent lamps compared to incandescent bulbs. Mercury is being used in fluorescent lamps in the elemental form where it can be vaporized under high pressure. Th Read More

An important objective of aquatic toxicological assessments is to evaluate the effects of water-borne toxic compounds on organisms which play a crucial role in aquatic communities. In marine ecosystems, copepods have a major impact on essential ecological processes: they exert grazing pressure on phytoplankton, and are a significant food source for several fish and macro crustaceans. Euterpina acutifrons, a harpacticoi Read More

Drill string models are of two major types- Conventional and Periodic. Conventional drill string models are widely used due to their simplicity in manufacturing and dynamics analysis. Drill strings are affected mainly by torsional, lateral and axial vibrations. The dispersive or propagative nature of these vibrations can only be analyzed by using periodic drill string models. Drill pipe makes up the majority of the drill string. In Read More

The marine species Pinctada radiata is the most abundant pearl oyster found in Qatari waters; however, little is known about its reproductive biology, ecological importance and life cycle. This species has been harvested for many centuries primarily for natural pearls but also for edible flesh and lustrous shell. Wild stocks of P. radiata are now significantly threatened in the Arabian Gulf region as a result of both natural (e. Read More

Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) has been attracting lots of attention as a power source for transportation, stationary and portable electronic devices due to the high energy density of methanol and ease of handling compared to gaseous fuels such as hydrogen and natural gas. However, the commercialization of DMFC is still limited due to some technical challenges such as methanol crossover and low methanol electro-ox Read More

Photovoltaics (PVs) are the solar harvesting devices currently envisioned to anchor the will of increasing Renewable Energy in Qatar. These devices are planned to be deployed within the next few years to achieve the GW scale. Less oil and gas dependence is important on the very long timescale, as per the perspective of the energy security grand challenge of the state of Qatar. Within Qatar Environment and Energy Re Read More

Energy efficiency is growing in importance as governments move to decrease their dependence on fossil based fuels. There are many industries with waste heat streams that need to be cooled down to lower temperatures. The excess heat from these hot streams can be used for generating power using a thermodynamic cycle (such as an Organic Rankine Cycle). A natural first step for assessing such power generation option Read More

Most adsorbents used in reactors of adsorption refrigeration and heat pump systems are often initially manufactured for different applications namely drinking water treatment, waste water treatment, gas storage, gas and liquid filtration or separation in industrial processes, dehumidification process. Furthermore there will be a requirement of mapping of refrigerant specific uptake against operating condition Read More

In recent years, novel two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted much attention due to their unique properties and numerous possible applications [1]. In particular, one of the key domains that can be addressed with the 2D materials refers to the energy conversion and storage [2]. In this context, the novel monolayer group-VI B transition metal dichalcogenides (MX2, where M = Mo, W and X = S, Se, Te) are of speci Read More

The issue of hydrate formation during gas processing is a challenging problem for the oil and gas industries. Billions of dollars spent annually to get rid of the blockage of pipelines due to hydrate clogging by applying various methodologies [1]. Among them injecting chemical inhibitors is the most widely accepted solution; however, choosing a chemical is a difficult task which depends a lot on the gravity of the situation. Generally m Read More

Crude oil and natural gas are usually transmitted in metallic pipelines. These pipelines, in some cases extending for hundreds of kilometers, are inevitably exposed to harsh environment such as extreme temperature, internal pressure, corrosive chemicals, etc. Thus, at some point in their lifetime, metallic pipelines are highly expected to develop serious metal-loss defects such as corrosions, which, if left undetected and im Read More

The use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) material is widespread although the overall amount in the mix and the plant technology vary for each country. Reusing RAP allows for potential benefits due to less material consumption and possible energy savings although the benefit greatly varies depending upon the technology adopted for recycling (hot, warm, or cold asphalt recycled mixes) and material performance duri Read More

Reliable knowledge of wave climate in a large water body such as in the Arabian Gulf for navigation, recreational, maintenance and installation of offshore-infrastructure (e.g. oil platforms) etc. is an important pre-requisite. Predicting waves in a region like Arabian Gulf, which is approximately 1000 km in length (north to south) and 550 km in width and shallower (average water depth is ∼35 m) requires a well-developed wave Read More

With the unexpectedly fluctuating price of oil and the increasing threat of global climate change, Electric Vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy, particularly photovoltaic (PV) generation are becoming a viable option since they are not directly affected by the unstable oil price and yet are environmentally friendly. The PV generation has attracted attention in the “Solar Belt” countries, especially in Qatar where annual mean Read More

Availability of clean water is one of the most urgent challenges for our societies. Practically, all water sources around the world are polluted to some degree due to a heavy influx of industrial effluents and domestic and agricultural wastes discharged into water sources. Membrane technology has gained significant attention in the water treatment, because of its advantages such as cost effective, no phase change, e Read More

We report on a number of climate and air quality anomalies during 2015 and their potential impacts on human health, solar power generation and water security in Qatar and the wider region. The anomalies include a strong cut-off low pressure system and accompanying sand-storm in early April, elevated Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) from early summer through October in the Arabian Gulf, substantially higher year-on-ye Read More

This paper is aiming at raising awareness, informing decision makers and informing the transportation community of the implications of road accidents and high accident rates and severities in Qatar and similar Gulf countries. The paper is also recommending to adopt an integrated approach with a set of measures and actions to policy makers in Doha, including environmental measures which can aim at improving p Read More

Middle East (ME) supplies more than 47% oil exported in the world (IEA 2013) and has highest energy self-sufficiency in the world. It includes 12 countries and has a population of 205 million in 2010, which increased by about 61.4% from 1990 (IEA 2010). Its energy demand has increased astronomically at the rate of 7% per year, since 1971–2013, faster than in any other region in the world. Buildings majorly contribute to Read More

Introduction: To date, a variety of studies have been published on the topic of long term energy system transition. Most studies on future energy systems, however, have a shorter time frame or adopt a supranational focus (e.g. the Energy Roadmap, 2011 or the World Energy Outlook, 2015). It then constitutes a sincere challenge to perform a national energy system transition study with as time horizon 2050 and covering a fa Read More

The concept of electromagnetic energy harvesting and wireless power transfer had been proposed more than half a century ago. In all published works related to electromagnetic energy collection, classical antennas have been used while the focus shifted to the rectification circuitry. Recent works showed that the weakest link in the traditional energy harvesting chain is the antenna itself. Here, we show that metasurfaces pro Read More

With growing climate change concerns, depleting natural resources and decrease in oil and gas prices, it is more vital than ever to efficiently manage natural resource allocation. Methane, the key component in natural gas and a raw material for numerous chemicals, is Qatar's more abundant resource. Natural gas can be monetized through many alternative paths. It can be sold as natural gas, either through pipeline Read More

The surge in the field of renewable energy aiming to develop clean energy technology is continuing to rise. Quest for a H2-based economy derived from non-fossil resources remains at the forefront of future fuels. During the past few decades there has been intense research on the utilization of electrical energy to produce H2 in an energy efficient and environmentally benign way. Electrocatalytic hydrogen generation via water e Read More

Background Chlorine is extensively used as a powerful oxidizing agent in the countries surrounding the Arabian Gulf for water treatments and biofouling control. The usage has been increasing significantly as demand for water grows considerably both in industry and domestic use. This is due to the fact that it is a well-tested technology, has had a history of long-term worldwide industrial use and is of acceptable cost. Sodi Read More

The amount of water below 1000 m3 per capita per annum is considered as the water poverty zone. With business as usual scenario it is estimated that by the year 2025 half the world's people will live in countries with high water stress. Based on Global averages irrigation water demands accounts for about 70% of all water uses. Meanwhile water use efficiencies of irrigated projects are generally very low particularly those Read More

Atmospheric concentration of CO2, which is considered as one of the major greenhouse gases (GHGs), has increased up to 398 ppmv as of 2015. CO2 concentration in atmosphere was 280 ppmv in pre-industrial era, and due to the continuous discharge, it is expected to increase up to 550 ppmv by 2050. Many of the major industrial sources of CO2 emissions are natural gas fired power plants, synthesis gas used in integrate Read More

Lithium ion batteries (LIB) are widely applied to energy storage systems, like electric vehicles, ships. While limited reserves of lithium and cost of lithium enforced to explore new materials. Hence, Low cost and abundance of sodium has made Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) an attractive alternative for energy storage. Li ion replacement with Na ion will not require change of design in present LIBs, except change of cathod Read More

Environmental conditions such as irradiance, temperature, humidity and dust accumulation have impact on PV performance and reliability. In this paper, we will focus on the effect of temperature and how to mitigate this effect by using passive cooling approach. Qatar is rich with solar irradiance favored for photovoltaic; however, the high temperature (a module temperature of 50°C was measured during summer mon Read More

The main target of membrane technologies such as the Ultrafiltration (UF), Nanofiltration (NF) and Reverse osmosis (RO) is to produce better filtration and separation of organic and inorganic substance from water as well as for longer life of the membrane. The phase inversion method is a well-known method to fabricate UF, NF and RO membranes for different application. The UF membrane is widely used in separation of Read More

With around 60–80% of electricity used for air conditioning, and around 99% of potable water production being supplied by desalination plants, sustaining life in Qatar, as well as GCC and hot arid countries around the world, is uniquely energy intensive. As District Cooling Plants (DCPs) have a potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, Qatar and GCC are continuously shifting paradigm towards adoption of DC Read More

Abstract The present paper evaluates the composite risk of anthropogenic and climate change on the future water status in Jordan during the period 2030–2050. The projected water status in the country is evaluated based on the more likely population growth and climate change scenarios. The most likely figure for the population of Jordan, excluding refugees from neighboring countries, in 2040 would be ∼15 milli Read More

Buildings represent one of the most significant sources of negative impacts to the natural ecosystems on which Qatar's inhabitants health and environmental quality depend. The market has identified Qatar as one of the busiest construction areas in the world (Ibrahim 2011), While rapid economic development, population growth, and construction boom are positive indicators of growth, they may also present issues relat Read More

Qatar is the biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, LNG, in the world and is a main oil-producing member of The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. A fossil fuel-based industry emerged around the ports of Ras Laffan and Mesaieed, Qatar's industrial cities, perusing industrial diversity and maximising the huge fossil fuel reserves that serve as the primary feedstock for the industrial sector. LNG, crude Read More

Non-Linear loads such as Compact Fluorescent lamps (CFLs), Light Emitting diodes (LEDs),Solid state voltage regulators, and variable speed electric drives are increasingly being added tothe domestic, residential and industrial power network. These light sources and other house-hold appliances using power electronic converters are termed as non-linear loads and they introduce distortion in the power network by generating har Read More

Drilling in deeper formations and in high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) environments is a new frontier for the oil industry. Fifty years ago, no one would have imagined drilling in more than 10,000 feet of water depth like we do today. However, more issues need to be researched, tested, and studied in order to maintain a good drilling efficiency as deeper depths are drilled. One of these issues is the great effect tha Read More

Torsional vibrations experienced by drill strings can be detrimental to drilling operations. With a goal of understanding torsional vibrations experienced by drill strings and determining means to attenuate undesired vibrations, the authors have studied the effect of adding a sinusoidal modulation to a constant rotation speed of a drill string. A combination of modeling, analysis, and experiments is used to explore the infl Read More

The growing energy demand across the globe has resulted in an increase in the deep water oil exploration activities which in turn has increased the risk of occurrence of associated accidental oil releases. Oil and Gas offshore businesses are important to Qatar's economy. Further, the country is heavily dependent on its marine water resources for fulfilling its potable water needs through the desalination process. So, it is imperati Read More

Due the movement of the sun throughout the day, the insolation level incident on the fixed panel surface varies largely. The maximum level of insolation occurs only around noon. This leads to the panel to be under-utilised. To maximise the utilisation of the panel during the day, mechanical solar tracking is used. This method not only increases the utilisation of the, but increases the power being extracted from the panel. Sol Read More

In this paper an open ended seven phase stator winding drive is considered for analysis that is to be fed from matrix converter controlled by space vector pulse width modulation scheme. Open-end winding variable speed drives with dual matrix converter supply have been extensively investigated for various applications in the past, based on a three-phase machine configuration. This topology is relatively simple for pra Read More

Abstract Objective: In this era of increasing antibiotic resistance (WHO)[1], we are running out of time as common bacterial infections are progressively rejecting drugs that would be standard for treatment. It is due to these reasons that research regarding bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria has seen a sudden revival. The Science Education Alliance- Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science Read More

Nanocrystalline metals -with grain sizes less than 100 nm- have proven to attain exceptional mechanical properties such as strengths that exceed those of coarse-grained and alloyed metals with grain size greater than 1 μm. As a result, such materials are to be acknowledged as the new class of high-performance engineering materials and to be implemented in various structural applications. The main reason behind the ultrahi Read More

Thermoelectric (TE) is the science associated with converting the thermal energy into electricity based on the Seebeck effect. The attractive features of thermoelectric devices are their long life, low maintenance, highly reliable and they do not produce emissions harmful to the environment. Thermoelectric generators are used to provide electrical power in medical, military, and space applications where their de Read More

There is considerable investment in construction industry in Qatar for civil infrastructures and taking into account the severe environmental conditions, they would entail for proper maintenance, repair and strengthening for safe, continuous, uninterrupted, and efficient functionality. Reinforced concrete (RC) structural members, which constitute majority of construction works in Qatar, can be easily deteriorated by th Read More

Introduction: Pathogen attacks impose natural selection on plants to evolve complex arrays of defensive strategies. Among the diverse defensive mechanisms evolved by plants to withstand pathogen attack, the ability to synthesize an arsenal of low-molecular weight volatile and non-volatile chemicals including phenolics helps them to prepare a robust defense response against pathogen entry. Systemic induction and accumu Read More

Automotive researchers attempts to simulate combustion of fuels in order to improve engine performance.[1] Conventional fuels are difficult to represent in these simulations due to their complex composition. Surrogates that meet American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards are a good alternative to conventional fuels. This study aims at design and analyzing surrogate mixtures for both gasoline and diesel. Su Read More

Hybrid Perovskites (HP) recently emerged as alternative light harvesting layer to fabricate high efficiency thin film solar cells. The perovskite based solar cells took advantage of the experience gained in the field of the dye sensitizes solar cells and the extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells. It is worth mentioning that the structure of the perovskite solar cell is very similar to a dye sensitized solar cell and ETA solar cell. These ce Read More