Journal of Engineering

The study investigates the effect of using two types of nanofluids with Al₂O₃ and CuO nanoparticles suspended in deionized water. The research compares the effectiveness of these nanofluids with conventional liquid cooling systems. The experimental results, supported by numerical simulations, show that nanofluids significantly enhance heat transfer characteristics, with the perforated fin plate configuration showing the highest air heat dissipation.

This investigation studies the mechanical properties and microstructure of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) of Al.6061 alloy reinforced by ceramic materials SiC and Al2O3 with different additive percentages (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt.%). The composites were prepared by stir casting using the vortex technique and then thermally treated. Mechanical tests, including impact, hardness, and tensile tests, were conducted before and after heat treatment. The results showed improvements in mechanical properties with an increase in the percentage of SiC and Al2O3, with SiC showing more significant improvements.

The study investigates the thermal properties (thermal transfer and thermal expansion coefficient) of enhanced epoxy resin (MWCNT/x-TiO2) by weight ratios (0%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10%) with a constant ratio of 3% MWCNT. Ultrasonic technology was used to prepare the neat and composites, which were then poured into Teflon molds according to standard conditions. Thermo-analyzer sensor technology was used to measure thermal transfer properties, including thermal conductivity, thermal flow, thermal diffusion, thermal energy, and heat resistance. The results showed that thermal conductivity, flow, and diffusion values increased with the weight ratio of the filler, while stored energy values and thermal resistance decreased. Scanning electron microscopy was used to interpret the results of thermal analysis and the distribution of nanoparticles within the polymer matrix.

This study focuses on the use of smart water flooding (low salinity water flooding) in a sandstone reservoir to improve oil recovery and support reservoir pressure. Two core plugs of sandstone with different permeability from southern Iraq were used to examine the effect of water injection with varying ion concentrations on oil recovery. The study utilized formation water, seawater, modified low salinity water, and deionized water. The results showed that deionized water and modified low salinity water improved oil recovery better than formation water and seawater. The increase in oil recovery was attributed to wettability alteration during low salinity water flooding, which decreased the interfacial tension between crude oil in porous media and the surface of reservoir rocks. Additionally, the dissolution of minerals such as calcite (Ca²⁺) increased the pH value, further enhancing oil recovery by making the rock more water-wet.

This study investigates the use of non-thermal plasma theory to remove toxic gases emitted from a vehicle. A non-thermal plasma reactor was constructed in the form of a cylindrical tube made of Pyrex glass. Two stainless steel rods were placed inside the tube to generate electric discharge and plasma condition, by connecting with a high voltage power supply (up to 40 kV). The reactor was used to remove the contaminants of a 1.25-liter 4-cylinder engine at ambient conditions. Several tests were carried out for a range of speeds from 750 to 4,500 rpm of the engine and varying voltages from 0 to 32 kV. The gases entering the reactor were examined by a gas analyzer, and the gas concentration ratios were recorded at the inlet and outlet of the reactor after the chemical processes associated with the electric discharge applied to the gases inside the reactor. The best removal rates of gases were: NOx 72.32% (at a rotational speed of 3500 rpm and an applied voltage of 25kV), HC 69.46% (at 1500 rpm and 30kV), CO 66.66% (at 3000 rpm and a range of voltage from 25 to 32kV), and CO2 72.44% (at 3500 rpm and 27 kV).

The main aim of this research paper is to investigate the effectiveness and validity of the Meso-Scale Approach (MSA) as a modern technique for modeling plain concrete beams. A simply supported plain concrete beam was subjected to two-point loading to detect the response in flexural. Experimentally, a concrete mix was designed and prepared to produce three similar standard concrete prisms for flexural testing. The coarse aggregate used in this mix was crushed aggregate. Numerical Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was conducted on the same concrete beam using the meso-scale modeling. The numerical model was constructed to be a bi-phasic material consisting of cement mortar and coarse aggregate. The interface between the two materials was assumed to be fully bonded. In the ABAQUS program, the Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) was employed to address the discontinuity problems associated with cracking during the fracture process of plain concrete. The behavior and response of the beam in both meso-scale numerical analysis and experimental tests were found to be in good agreement. Another check was added by comparing the results using thin-beam theory, assuming the concrete as a homogeneous linear-elastic material. The result of this comparison showed that the meso-scale model analysis lies between theoretical and experimental models.

This study assesses groundwater quality in the south-west part of Basrah province using GIS techniques. Groundwater samples were analyzed for various geochemical parameters, including pH, EC, TDS, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, HCO₃, SO₄, and NO₃. The spatial variations in groundwater quality were mapped using GIS spatial interpolation. The results revealed that most parameters exceeded permissible limits according to WHO and Iraqi standards. The study concludes that the spatial database created using GIS will be useful for monitoring and managing groundwater pollution in the area.

This paper investigates the effects of subsurface water retention technology (SWRT) on crop coefficient (Kc) and crop evapotranspiration (ETc) of eggplant in sandy loam soil. Two treatment plots (with and without SWRT) were used over 93 days of cultivation in an open field in Al-Fahamah Township, Baghdad, Iraq, during the summer growing season of 2017. The accumulated ETc of eggplant was 403.3 mm for the SWRT treatment and 515.2 mm for the control plot, resulting in a 21.7% reduction. The average ETc values during the growing season were 4.3 mm/day for the SWRT treatment and 5.5 mm/day for the control plot. The crop coefficient values during the initial, development, mid-season, and late-season stages were 0.15, 0.41, 0.81, and 0.78 for the SWRT treatment plot, and 0.2, 0.46, 1.13, and 0.9 for the control plot, respectively.

The experimental and numerical analysis was performed on pipes suffering large plastic deformation through expanding them using rigid conical shaped mandrels, with three different cone angles (15°, 25°, 35°) and diameters (15, 17, 20) mm. The experimental test for the strain results investigated the expanded areas. A numerical solution of the pipes expansion process was also investigated using the commercial finite element software ANSYS. The strains were measured for each case experimentally by stamping the mesh on the pipe after expanding, then compared with ANSYS results. No cracks were generated during the process with the selected angles. It can be concluded that the strain decreased with greater angles of conical shape and an increase in expansion ratio results in an increase of expansion force and a decrease in the pipe thickness and length resulting in pipe thinning and shortening. Good agreement is evident between experimental and ANSYS results within discrepancy (16.90017%) in the X direction and (27.68698%) in the Y direction. Also, the stress distribution is investigated and it can be concluded that the case of Diameter (Do cone) = 35mm and (A) = α = 15° is the optimum.