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In this study, two improved versions of UiO-66 were successfully synthesised. Modified UiO-66 and UiO-66-Ce were characterised to confirm the integrity of the structure, the stability of functional groups on the surface and the thermal stability. Activated samples were used for removal harmful anionic dye (methyl orange) (MO) from wastewater. Batch adsorption process was relied to investigate the competition between those MOFs for removing MO from aqueous solution. Based on the results, at a higher initial concentration, the maximum MO uptake was achieved by UiO-66-Ce which was better than modified-UiO-66. They adsorbed 71.5 and 62.5 mg g^-1 respectively. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were employed to simulate the experimental data. In addition, Pseudo first order and Pseudo second order equations were used to describe the dynamic behaviour of MO through the adsorption process. The high adsorption capacities on these adsorbents can make them promised adsorbents in industrial areas.

Power system operation and control required models of generators, lines and loads to be accurately estimated, this is to enable operators make a reliable decision on the system.  Generators and lines models are so far considered accurate, while load models are considered perplexing due to invention of new types of loads, distribution system are transforming from passive to active. Future distribution systems are desired to be smart and for a network to be smart the system as to be fully and accurately represented. Penetration of renewable energy and application of power electronic devices as well as participation of active customers in distribution systems make traditional methods of load modeling absolute. Accurate load modeling is required to address the new challenges evolving in the task of power system operation, control and stability studies. It is also an interest of power system researchers globally to realize Smart Networks (SNs), in which accurate load models are required. This work described a review of techniques and approaches for load modeling from traditional methods to the state of art in the area. In addition, gaps in the literature as well as research directions are also pointed out.

Double Rotary Inverted Pendulum (DRIP) is a member of the mechanical under-actuated system which is unstable and nonlinear. The DRIP has been widely used for testing different control algorithms in both simulation and experiments. The DRIP control objectives include Stabilization control, Swing-up control and trajectory tracking control. In this research, we present the design of an intelligent controller called “hybrid Fuzzy-LQR controller” for the DRIP system. Fuzzy logic controller (FLC) is combined with a Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR). The LQR is included to improve the performance based on full state feedback control. The FLC is used to accommodate nonlinearity based on its IF-THEN rules. The proposed controller was compared with the Hybrid PID-LQR controller. Simulation results indicate that the proposed hybrid Fuzzy-LQR controllers demonstrate a better performance compared with the hybrid PID-LQR controller especially in the presence of disturbances.

Dyes substances from the textile industry wastewater are internationally classified as poisonous substances, and they cause a severe threat to humans being and other living things, even at low concentrations. Therefore, this waste has to be treated before discharge to the environment. One of the most effective processes for degrading dyes is photocatalytic oxidation. Two different pretreatments of Spent bleaching earth (SBE) from palm oil refinery plant were applied to produce catalyst supports. The SBEe support was prepared by extraction using n-hexane, SBEc by calcination at 500 ^oC, and then used as a support for CeFeO₃/SBEe and CeFeO₃/SBEc perovskite catalyst. Both catalysts were tested for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) using photocatalytic oxidation. The properties of catalysts were characterized using some characterization methods, such as thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with Dispersive Energy X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), specific surface area (BET) and pore size analysis. CeFeO₃/SBEe catalyst was found more efficient in photocatalytic oxidation for MB compared with the CeFeO₃/SBEc catalyst. CeFeO₃/SBEe catalyst could degrade 99.5% of MB during 120 min, at the condition of 25 mg/L MB, 1.0 g/L catalyst, and pH 7. The effect of pH on the performance of the catalyst followed the order of pH 7 > pH 9 > pH 5. Moreover, the CeFeO₃/SBEe catalyst demonstrated excellent activity in the degradation of MB, displaying that CeFeO₃/SBEe is a favorable catalyst for water purification.

In this study Calcium silicate hydrate based products (CSHP) were synthesized from wet flue gas desulfurization waste (FGD) by alkali fusion followed by hydrothermal treatment. The effect of various factors on the formation of products, such as mineralizing agent, fusion temperature and time, crystallization time and addition of Ca and Si were studied as well as the conditions optimized. The FGD and synthesized materials were characterized by using X-Ray (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XFR), among other methods. A fusion temperature of 600 °C with NaOH, fusion duration of 1 h, and a subsequent hydrothermal temperature of 100 °C for a reaction of 24 h were found to be the optimal conditions. In these synthesis conditions, CSHP containing tobermorite and Al-tobermorite was the major phases. The synthesized CSHP revealed high selective uptake for Cs⁺ in water. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cs⁺ onto the synthesized material, as calculated from the Langmuir model, was 1949 µmol g^-1. The performance on the Cs⁺ removal in the presence of high Na⁺ contents was also evaluated. The adsorbent material showed a high Cs⁺ adsorption capacity in deionized water and a decrease of 56% and 62% in saturated media with the Na⁺ ions and seawater, respectively. Therefore, CSHP as a higher value-added product can be obtained from a by-product of a coal-fired power plant, which has wide range applications, including for Cs⁺ removal from wastewater.