Conditions In Kuwait Research Articles

Efficiency of membrane bioreactor system in treating primary treated wastewater in Kuwait

A skid-mounted nonsubmerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) system was installed and operated at the Riqqa Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kuwait. This system was investigated as a substitute for secondary clarifier in the activated sludge process to treat primary treated wastewater. The MBR system was operated with aerobic and anoxic tanks and with the flux of 16–24 L/ M2.h and an HRT of 5 h. The mixed liquor wasting rate was set to give an SRT in the range of 22 d and an MLSS concentration of 6,000–8,500 g/l. MBR filtrate produced was found to be effluent from the plant’s conventional treatment systems. Good removal of particulate contaminants, including coliform bacteria, was achieved. The overall results of this project indicate that the MBR system is capable of treating wastewater under the prevalent conditions in Kuwait. The average removal efficiencies of the MBR system for biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 93.9% and 92.7% respectively.

Exploring Possible Seasonal Trends in Mortality Rate in Relation to Age, Gender and Environmental Conditions in Kuwait: A Preliminary Analysis

Inherently, Kuwait a high frequency of dusty events through out the year due to its arid climate. Particulate air pollution has been linked to increased mortality due to various illnesses. For the purpose of improving health services, it is important to develop/establish an empirical basis for the possible link between mortality and air quality. In this paper, we examined mortality rates in Kuwait in relation to age, sex and dust episodes during a five-year period. Each year was divided into four seasons to detect any potential episodes in the death rate for a particular season. The results showed that the mortality rates did not correlate significantly (p = 0.67) with the occurrence of total dust events. Contrary to the popular perception in Kuwait that illnesses and, consequently, deaths increased in recent years as a result of deteriorating air quality due to particulate matter, the collected data did not show a consistent temporal trend. While this work represents an initial effort on an important issue upon which further investigations can be elaborated upon, a more detailed data have to be collected and analyzed.

Normal weather conditions of Kuwait

Normal weather conditions of Kuwait

The cooling potential of earth–air heat exchangers for domestic buildings in a desert climate

A theoretical model of an earth–air heat exchanger (EAHE) is developed for predicting the outlet air temperature and cooling potential of these devices in a hot, arid climate. The model is validated against other published models and shows good agreement. A sub-soil temperature model adapted for the specific conditions in Kuwait is presented and its output compared with measurements in two locations. A building model representative of a typical Kuwaiti dwelling has been implemented and all the models have been encoded within the TRNSYS-IISIBAT environment. A typical meteorological year for Kuwait was prepared and used to predict the cooling loads of the air-conditioned dwelling with and without the assistance of the EAHE. Simulation results showed that the EAHE could provide a reduction of 1700 W in the peak cooling load, with an indoor temperature reduction of 2.8 °C during summer peak hours (middle of July). The EAHE is shown to have the potential for reducing cooling energy demand in a typical house by 30% over the peak summer season.

Classification of soils supporting mangrove plantation in Kuwait

The State of Kuwait has initiated an ambitious national program to establish greenery in 20000 ha of open spaces in inland and coastal areas. Afforestation of intertidal zones with mangrove plants is being considered as a viable option for greening coastal areas. In view of this fact, experimental plantations were established using two ecotypes of Avicennia marina (Bahrain and UAE) and one ecotype of Avicennia germinans (Florida). The study consisted of two 10-year old plantations and two 2-year old plantations. Seedlings established successfully and grew vigorously on some of the locations within the site. Therefore, studies were conducted during 2002-2003 to describe and classify soils that supported maximum mangrove establishment and growth under the harsh arid coastal conditions of Kuwait. For this purpose, eight soil profiles (four each representing areas where seedlings established successfully and grew vigorously and where all seedlings died in the initial stages of establishment) were investigated and classified according to the soil taxonomy. The main soil types observed in the study site were: Typic Aquisalids, Typic/sodic Aquicambids and Calcic Aquisalids. Mangrove growth performance in relation to the landform, soil type and properties of the soil at various depths is discussed in the paper. The plant growth appeared to be the better on the typic Aquisalid soil than that on the Typic/sodic Aquicambid soils. The relative proportions of the coarse sand fraction, occurrence of the anaerobic layer in the profile and the surface layer salinity influenced both the establishment and growth of mangrove plants.

Biological resources conservation through ecotourism development

Wildlife conservation deals with resources that live and move. Fauna and flora have a certain capacity for adaptation to environmental changes and strong instinctive trends to fend for themselves. Indigenous species require very small favors to stay alive. Their elemental need for food, water, and living spaces should therefore be preserved. Biological resources conservation could be achieved by natural selection and adaptation processes. Ecotourism is one way to ensure the process of conservation (effective use of resources). There are numerous administrative and technical means for conserving the biological resources and biodiversity in the arid environments. Successful techniques include Ecosystems identification, wildlife resources identification, geological aspects of land use, and environmental feasibility of conservation and rehabilitation. This paper discusses the application of Ecotourism techniques that ensure biodiversity conservation and elaborates their effectiveness under the socio-climatic and socio-cultural conditions of Kuwait. A systematic plan is presented to identify the steps of Ecotourism development and the cost of biodiversity. Impacts on the society and other development activities due to the diminishing size of these resources are also outlined.

Carbonation of Concrete Exposed to Hot and Arid Climate

A long-term investigation into the carbonation of concrete exposed to natural weather conditions in Kuwait was undertaken. Forty-four concrete mixes were prepared, and prisms were made and exposed to natural weather after a 28-day period of laboratory air and/or moist curing. Parameters investigated included water/cement ratio, type of cement, type and dosage of admixture, water-curing period, type of curing aid, and special coatings. The admixtures included water-reducers, retarders, and superplasticizers (i.e., high range water-reducers). Carbonation measurements up to a maximum age of 600 days are reported. The results show that the most significant factors influencing concrete carbonation were the use of surface coating, water/cement ratio, water-curing period, and the season when the concrete was initially made and exposed. The use of specialized surface coatings completely prevented carbonation. A decrease in the water/cement ratio and an increase in the water-curing period resulted in a decrease in concrete carbonation. Concrete initially cast and exposed during the winter season exhibited lower carbonation than concrete cast during the summer season. Other parameters, such as the type of cement, admixture, or curing compound used, also influenced the carbonation, although to a lesser extent.

Age, growth, mortality, and yield-per-recruit for nagroor, Pomadasys kakaan, in Kuwait’s waters

The age, growth and mortality of nagroor, Pomadasys kakaan, were determined from sectioned otoliths of fish from Kuwait waters. Estimated parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function for pooled data were L ∞=62.16 cm, K=0.27 per year, and t 0=−0.47 year ( n=1183). Significant differences in length-at-age and estimated growth parameters were found between sexes, with females growing larger than males. Maximum age recorded was 36 years and the largest fish was 75 cm total length (TL). Natural mortality rate ( M) was 0.20 per year and total mortality rate ( Z) ranged from 0.24 to 0.36 per year. The effect of different fishing mortality ( F, 0.1–1.5), and M (0.20, 0.25, and 0.30), and age at first capture ( t c, 1.0–5.5) on yield-per-recruit of nagroor were evaluated. Higher yield-per-recruit occurred at lower M (0.20) and higher F (>0.80) at t c=3.5–4.0 years; however, at the current t c=5.1, marginal increase in yield beyond F=0.50 was small. The current F values were always below F 0.1 and maximum F max for all M values used in simulations. Because of uncertainties associated with the estimates of mortality, the option of increasing fishing effort to obtain higher yields could be considered, but reduction of mesh size to meet minimum marketable size ( t c=3.5 per year) would be preferable under the prevailing conditions in Kuwait’s fishery.

Shrinkage of Concrete Exposed to Hot and Arid Climate

A long-term investigation into the drying shrinkage of concrete exposed to natural weather conditions in Kuwait was undertaken. Fifty-two concrete mixes were prepared, and prisms were made and exposed to natural weather after a 28-day period of laboratory curing (water and/or air curing). Parameters investigated included water-to-cement ratio, type of cement, type of admixture and dosage, type of pozzolanic material, water curing period, and type of curing aid and special coating. The admixtures included normal and high range water reducers, and retarders. No adjustment was made on the initial concrete mix proportions when an admixture was added. Drying shrinkage measurements up to a maximum age of 726 days are reported. The results indicated that the drying shrinkage of concretes made with the various admixtures fell within a narrow band, indicating that no particular admixture had a severe negative effect on the concrete. However, the effect of admixture dosage needs further study. Also, the inclusion of either silica fume or pulverized fuel ash, or the use of white cement in the concrete, resulted in a lower drying shrinkage. However, there was no specific pattern for the drying shrinkage results when the water-to-cement was varied. Finally, some of the curing compounds/aids and special coatings used were more effective than others in reducing the drying shrinkage.

THERMAL COMFORT ANALYSIS INSIDE A CAR

Owing to the hot harsh weather conditions in Kuwait during the summer months, the ambient temperature inside a car parked in the sun may reach 50°C and the temperature may reach 75°C. As a result, people are seriously concerned about how to keep their cars cool. This paper addresses the behaviour of the air temperature inside a car parked in the sun. Different covering arrangements were tested, including covering the front windshield, covering the front windshield and four side windows, and covering both windshields and four side windows. In addition, the novel idea was also tested of installing a solar powered ventilating fan. Such a technique was found to be very effective in reducing the inside air temperature of a car parked in the sun. The effects of the covering arrangements of the car and the solar fan on the initial cooling rate of an air-conditioning system during normal driving conditions were also analysed. Different physical parameters, namely air velocity, mean radiant temperature and humidity, were combined with air temperature to determine the comfort level of a person inside a car. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Productive performance of laying hens housed in minimal shade floor pens and laying cages under ambient conditions in hot arid regions

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to investigate and compare the performance of laying hens in open-sided minimal shade floor pens and laying cages under cyclic environmental conditions in Kuwait. The first study, which was carried out during 6 months of moderate weather, resulted in significantly better productive performance by the caged hens; however, results were reversed during the second 6 months of hot weather. The hens in cages could not withstand the heat stress resulting from direct sunlight. Averaging both seasons, the hens in floor pens performed better. In the second study, which was carried out during 6 months of hot weather, both the floor pens and the laying cages were provided with curtains for adequate shade. Results showed a significantly better productive performance by the caged hens under moderate weather. Feeding a 15% protein diet gave the best results, whereas providing a 13% protein diet might be adequate during the final stages of production. Under hot weather conditions, hens housed in open-sided minimal shade laying cages will perform better than hens in open-sided minimal shade floor pens only when provided with adequate shade.

Improving Library Personnel Management

An investigation of personnel management in Kuwaiti libraries prior to the Gulf War showed that serious problems existed in most libraries. Describes a further study which was therefore carried out to try to define actions which might help to alleviate these problems. A soft‐systems methodology was used for the first time in this context: the approach seems generalizable to most situations involving library personnel management. Subsequent discussion of the study with senior library management in Kuwait was delayed by the advent of the Gulf War. However, the changed conditions in Kuwait brought about by the war are found to have imparted particular significance to the conclusions and to their implementation.

Evaluation of the Weather Resistance of Coloured Anodized and Painted Aluminium Profiles in Kuwait's Environment

SUMMARYThe increasing use of a variety of colour anodized and painted aluminium profiles in architectural applications in Kuwait has led to some concerns about the colour fastness and weatherability of some of these finishes. Light fastness tests and natural exposure tests of the various finishes have been undertaken in an effort to identify the colours, from coloured anodized and painted aluminium finishing systems, most suitable to the weather conditions in Kuwait. The accelerated and natural weathering tests indicate that for the anodized specimens, the most durable colours for outdoor use are dark and medium bronze, dark gold and natural finishes. For the painted specimens, beige, white, yellow and grey are more suitable than blue, red and brown.

Performance of gas turbine co-generation power desalting plants under varying operating conditions in Kuwait

Recent developments in gas turbines have led to their utilization to carry both base and emergency loads in single purpose power plants as well as in cogeneration (e.g. power and desalting) plants. Gas turbines are usually rated at certain environmental design conditions (e.g. low ambient temperatures) which differ from hot environments like that in Kuwait. Consequently, their actual power output and thermal efficiency are much lower than their rated design values during hot and humid weather that prevails most of the year in Kuwait. This study is concerned with the prediction of gas turbine cogeneration (power/desalting) plant performance under different environmental and loading conditions.

Non-chromate corrosion inhibitor for cooling water systems

Abstract A blended, apparently new, non-chromate corrosion inhibitor for cooling water systems using tap or brackish water has been developed from sodium hexametaphosphate, phosphoric acid, and sodium nitrite (in the ratio 10: 4: 1). The performance of this inhibitor in protecting carbon steel was evaluated, in simulated environments typical of local conditions in Kuwait, using electrochemical polarisation and corrosion rate measurements. Tests were conducted in circulating rigs operated at a water velocity of 1·71 m s−1, a temperature of 40 ±1°C, and apH of 7·8–8·0. The nature of the corrosion product formed on the carbon steel was studied by optical microscopy, SEM, and EDS. Linear polarisation resistance corrosion rate measurements indicate that the efficiency of the blended mixture exceeds 95%. The inhibitive effect arises from formation of a coherent protective film which may contain calcium phosphate.

Screening tilapia for culture in sea water in Kuwait

Abstract. Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential for culturing tilapia in tanks and raceways with flowing sea water (39-41 ppt salinity) in Kuwait. In the first and third experiments, fingerling tilapia were grown for 7 to 8 months under ambient conditions. In the second experiment, larger (50-100g initial weight) male tilapia were grown for 6 months. Growth and mortality rates were determined. Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner) grew the slowest and survived poorly. O. spilurus (Günther) and O. aureus × O. spilurus hybrids had the best survival and moderate growth rates. A red tilapia from Taiwan grew the fastest but had high mortality rates during winter. O. spilurus and the hybrid were best suited for seawater culture under ambient conditions in Kuwait.

Water Production in Kuwait — Its Management and Economics

Kuwait depends mainly on multi-stage flash distillation plants for desalting of seawater to satisfy its water needs. With the emergence of the reverse os- mosis system as a competitor to multi-stage flash for desalting seawater, it has been necessary to make an economic analysis to determine the right choice. Comparing costs of water production by reverse osmosis and multi-stage flash systems for Kuwait conditions, the reverse osmosis system is shown to be more economically advantageous than the multi-stage flash one. The paper also recommends better ways to manage water production.

Energy balance of solar absorption and vapour compression cooling systems

Solar absorption cooling systems are viewed as potential alternatives to fossil-fuel-based conventional cooling systems. This view is investigated in this paper from the point of view of the energy balance of solar absorption and conventional systems. The paper investigates the primary energy needs of three cooling systems; dry and wet cooled vapour compression systems and wet cooled solar absorption. The sources of energy demand in the three systems are identified and their primary energy needs determined. The paper, then, investigates the conditions under which the energy inputs to the solar system breaks even with the other two systems. The investigation is conducted with particular reference to the operational and environmental conditions in Kuwait.

Ascospore Germination of Black Kamé (Terfezia Boudieri)

Terfezia boudieri is one of several species of truffles found in Kuwait and other Arabian countries and is known as black kame. Ascospores from both fresh and dried ascocarps germinated in the laboratory. Germination was faster for spores from dried specimens than for those from fresh specimens. Germinated spores in both cases underwent several morphological changes that are considered good indication of the germination process of this species. Terfezia boudieri Chatin (locally known as black kame or kholasi) is one of several genera and species of truffles in the family Terfeziaceae found in Kuwait, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Arabian Gulf States, other Middle East countries and North Africa. It is a hypogeous fungus thought to form mycorrhiza with the annuals Helianthemum salicifolium (L.) Mill. and H. ledifolium (L.) Mill. This edible fungus has considerable economic value for culinary use. Methods for its cultivation would yield high returns. The presence of this truffle in North Africa and Syria has been recorded (Chatin, 1892; Bataille, 1921). Our experience so far has shown that the timing and the quantity of its fruiting depend mainly on climatological and ecological factors. Rainfall (quantity and commencement time) and associated vascular plants (density and distribution) proved to be the two important factors limiting production of the fungus (Awameh and Alsheikh, 1979). Soil type was also important. Work on truffle culture in Kuwait has been initiated at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. A plan was established to study the different aspects of T. boudieri in order to produce it under Kuwait's conditions. Most past work has been with taxonomical and anatomical aspects and not on cultivation. A few authors describe ascospore germination of edible mycorrhizal fungi. Guiochon (1959) claimed to be the first to germinate ascospores of Tuber melanosporum Vitt. Grente et al. (1972) succeeded with the same species by a different technique.