Kish Island Research Articles

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman: baseline report on occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment.

In the present study, 18 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds were measured in marine sediments collected from 49 offshore stations in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in 2019. After the last oceanographic cruise in 2006, no study has been performed on the offshore sediments of this region, and this is the first study on the PCBs in this area. The total amount of PCB compounds in the sediment samples ranged from 74.38ngkg-1 (near Abu Musa Island) to 1212.98ngkg-1 (near Siri and Kish Island). The maximum and minimum values of the individual detected PCB compounds were 175.88ngkg-1 (PCB52) and 2.09ngkg-1 (PCB156), respectively. The levels of total PCBs detected in sediments were lower than the Canadian interim sediment quality guideline value of 21500ngkg-1 for marine sediments. The sedimentary mass inventories for Σ18PCBs were 0.6 and 0.2 mt for the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, respectively.

First observation of Acropora downingi spawning in Kish Island, northern Persian Gulf

First observation of Acropora downingi spawning in Kish Island, northern Persian Gulf

A robust bi‐level programming approach for optimal planning an off‐grid zero‐energy complex

AbstractElectric power provision for all the customers is not always possible for distribution companies. Some customers are interested in serving their load through renewable resources regarding the climate situation. Electrically off‐grid zero‐energy building is an applicable concept, in which the electrical energy provision of the buildings is isolated from the power supply infrastructures. This paper introduces a robust bi‐level programming model to create a cost‐effective off‐grid zero energy complex in Kish Island under risk management. The upper level of the planning is composed of two components, the passive design of buildings within the complex and the design of a stand‐alone energy system. The passive design as an energy‐saving tool includes the selection of insulation material for building external walls and finding the optimum thickness. Also, the stand‐alone energy system design denotes the sizing of diesel generator, photovoltaic, and battery energy storage as the distributed energy resources. The lower‐level problem optimally handles the annual scheduling of these resources to meet the complex demand under the impact of passive cooling. The Karush–Kuhn–Tucker condition method is used to solve this bi‐level planning problem. Furthermore, the battery degradation is concerned via the throughput model to consider the replacement cost of the problem.

Assessing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Methane Production During Post-Landfill Maintenance in Kish Island: A LandGEM Simulation Approach

Background: Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are significant contributors to the emission of greenhouse gases, particularly methane, during the breakdown of waste materials. Researchers have undertaken extensive investigations into quantifying methane emissions from landfills, utilizing various methodologies beyond reliance on the LandGEM model. Numerous studies have underscored the efficacy of this model in predicting methane generation and exploring its utility in activities such as energy generation and emission mitigation strategies. Objectives: Municipal solid waste landfills are vital contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, notably methane, during waste decomposition. Significant research has focused on estimating methane output from landfills, utilizing various approaches beyond the LandGEM model. Studies highlight the model's potential in assessing methane generation and its relevance to activities like energy generation and emission management. Methods: The LandGEM simulation model is employed to forecast future waste generation and provide valuable insights into the environmental consequences of landfill management on the island. By analyzing population data and waste generation statistics from 2023 to 2042, the study utilizes the LandGEM software to estimate methane emissions, incorporating site-specific data and waste composition analysis. Results: The findings reveal that 36% of the total waste on Kish Island consists of putrescible material, with food waste being a significant component. Over the study period, approximately 1,282,637 tons of waste are projected to be disposed of in the Kish landfill. The LandGEM model predicts the highest landfill gas emission in 2043, primarily methane, along with carbon dioxide and non-metallic organic compounds. The estimated quantities for these gases in 2043 are 5.415E+03, 1.486E+04, and 2.327E+02 metric tons, respectively. Conclusions: This research highlights the importance of tailored waste management strategies to mitigate environmental impacts and emphasizes the need for efficient gas collection systems. A proposed gas collection system combining vertical wells, horizontal trenches, and under-membrane pipes is discussed to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental risks. The study provides valuable insights into waste management and landfill gas emissions on Kish Island, underscoring the significance of accurate emission prediction and effective management to minimize environmental consequences and optimize the utilization of renewable energy resources.

Kish Island through the Books of Geographers and Muslim Travellers

The research is interested in studying the history of the Iranian island of Kish through the books of geographers and Muslim travellers, as these books are an important source of history, politics, economy, and culture. Kish Island played a prominent role in the history of the sea, especially the distinctive economic role through its strategic location, as it dominated maritime trade for a large historical era of the history of the sea, in addition to its political history full of political events, as it controlled the coastal cities and neighbouring islands in the Gulf, and became the capital of the sea and the seat of kings, especially its cultural role, as many modernists and classifiers emerged from it who supported the scientific movement throughout Islamic history.

Sustainable hydrogen supply chain development for low-carbon transportation in a fossil-based port region: A case study in a tourism hub

This study combines an investigation of Kish Island's transition to sustainable energy and transportation with a focus on the integration of hydrogen port infrastructure, employing nonlinear optimization to chart the path forward. It emphasizes the pivotal role of such infrastructure in transitioning from traditional vehicles and gas-fired power, evaluating scenarios like a 30% reduction in fossil fuels and the implementation of carbon taxes to encourage a shift to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Forecasts suggest an increase in electric vehicle adoption to 46% by 2023, with a goal of complete electrification by 2042, thereby transforming the energy landscape and reducing emissions. Key to this transition is a 25% government subsidy on hydrogen vehicles to enhance market competitiveness, alongside the strategic embedding of hydrogen infrastructure within sustainable tourism zones. This approach creates a synergistic model of energy, transport, and environmental stewardship, aiming to elevate regional prosperity and sustainability. The study extends its innovative perspective to include the exploration of methanol production, the development of carbon markets, and the advancement of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, positioning the hydrogen port as a crucial element in Kish Island's sustainable development strategy.

PROSPECTS FOR RUSSIAN-IRANIAN ENERGY COOPERATION

Due to the withdrawal of the United States under Republican President D. Trump in 2018 from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis, non-Western vector of foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) (China, India, Russia, Turkey and other states) has strengthened. It became particularly apparent with the coming to power of a conservative president close to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ebrahim (Ibrahim) Raisi. Seeking to escape the foreign policy isolation and financial and economic sanctions pressure created by the United States and its allies, Tehran is increasingly participating in the activities of major international entities such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Iran became a full member of the Organization on July 4, 2023), the Eurasian Economic Union (Interim Free Trade Agreement is in force) and BRICS (a member of the organization since January 1, 2024).Thus, Iran declares itself as a successfully developing regional center of power. The article pays special attention to the development of energy (with Russia, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan), transport and logistics projects (with Azerbaijan, a railway through Iran to Nakhichevan) with neighboring countries. Under President Raisi new gas and oil fields were discovered. In the future they will ensure greater production and exports. With Russia, Iran in the medium term plans to realize swap gas supplies to Iran through the territory of Turkmenistan, as well as to create a gas hub on the coast of Makran to export its own and Russian energy carriers to the countries of South and Southeast Asia. The government of I. Raisi pays special attention to the development of the Macran Free Economic Zone (FEZ) and the FEZ of Kish Island. At the same time, this is a significant territory not only in geo-economic, transportation and logistics, but also in military terms: the seaports of Chahbehar and Jask are geostrategic at the crossroads of energy communications of the Middle East and South (and further Southeast) Asia.

An introduction to pests of palms in Kish Island

An introduction to pests of palms in Kish Island

Challenges and Strategies for Knowledge Transfer in Multinational Corporations: The Case of Hotel “Maria the Great”

This case study examines the difficulties multinational corporations (MNCs) encounter when sharing knowledge among their various business units. The study pinpoints four main challenges to knowledge transfer: the hoarding-of-expertise challenge (HEC), the foreigner challenge (FC), the not-invented-here challenge (NIH), and the absorptive capacity challenge (ACC) and presents approaches to tackle these issues. The case study centers around the A&A hotel chain, specifically its subsidiary, “Maria the Great Hotel,” located on Kish Island in Iran. The study identified challenges within the context of this multinational hotel chain. It introduced strategies that can be used to address these challenges, emphasizing the significance of knowledge transfer in attaining organizational success and gaining a competitive edge.

The Role of the Second Pahlavi Government in the Establishment and Promotion of the Tourism Industry in the Persian Gulf

The tourism industry, in its modern form, emerged in Iran for the first time during the Pahlavi era. Initially, in 1935, an office titled "Office for Foreign Travelers and Publicity" was established, and its activities were limited to publishing tourism brochures and guidebooks. The growth and development of this industry were realized through the establishment of the "Tourism Attraction Organization" in 1966 and the formation of the "Ministry of Information and Tourism" in 1974. One of the destinations that has always been attractive and of interest to tourists is the southern ports and islands of Iran. These places, with their various historical, environmental, and cultural attractions, have always drawn tourists to them. Among these regions, Kish Island, with features such as favorable weather, beautiful nature, historical sites, and rare plant and animal species, became one of the islands receiving special attention for tourism development in southern Iran during the Second Pahlavi period. In the present research, based on sources such as memoirs of Pahlavi officials and available documents, and using a descriptive-analytical method, an attempt has been made to answer the question of how the tourism industry grew and developed in the Iranian ports and islands of the Persian Gulf during the Second Pahlavi era, particularly Kish Island, which became an international tourist island during this period.

Synergies and potential of hybrid solar photovoltaic for enhanced desalination: A review of selected countries

In an effort to construct a desalination pilot plant, a study of several kinds of literature is needed to ensure Indonesia develops advanced and environmentally friendly desalination technology. This research aims to explore several research papers referenced in developing the desalination pilot plant to gain information on environmentally friendly and sustainable desalination technologies in selected countries such as Spain (Burriana), Mexico, Chile, the Philippines, and Iran (Kish Island), including in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region on the development of desalination technology for environmentally friendly and sustainable-based communities. This research used a systematic literature review (SLR) approach emphasizing secondary information from several studies based on selected countries to develop desalination technology. Each technology developed is examined for suitability with environmental conditions and desalination technology to be further applied in Indonesia. The main reason for building desalination plants in selected countries is to support sustainable development based on green energy and technology. They are combining desalination technology with photovoltaic (PV) electrical energy, which is a critical factor in promoting green technology through electrodialysis (ED) or reverse osmosis (RO) techniques. The developed desalination pilot plant can achieve 7-14 L/(m2.h) productivity at approximately 0.36-0.78 USD/m3. If implemented in Indonesia, it is necessary to prepare financial support to construct, operate, and maintain. Desalination technology in Indonesia should prioritize environmentally friendly technology. Indonesia's topographic region is a golden advantage to supporting sustainable green energy by utilizing PV-RO or PV-ED-RO to create fresh water from seawater.

The effect of phase change material application in double skin Façade on energy saving of residential buildings considering different climates: a case study

ABSTRACT The amount of energy expenditure in buildings is 30–40% of the total energy consumption in the world and this share will increase to 50% by 2050. Therefore, reducing energy consumption is a necessity and one of the ways to reduce energy expenditure in buildings is to use passive methods. The use of DSF is expanding as a new approach for building facades due to its ability to prevent excessive heat by absorbing solar radiation. For this purpose, the energy performance of PCM and DSF was studied in three climates of Tehran, Tabriz, and Kish Island, to reveal their energy saving potential. Based on the results of this article, the use of PCM in different layers of DFS can result in a considerable energy saving in Iran residential sector. PCM is integrated both in the external wall and in the partition wall of the DoubleSkin Façade under three different climates. DesignBuilder is used for the thermal analysis of the building. The effects of melting temperature, location of PCM layer in the wall have been investigated. The results showed that we will witness the highest total energy savings percentage in the cold semi-arid climate because of using Infinite RPCM23 in October, amounting to 91.6%. In addition, by using Infinite RPCM25 in warm semi-arid climates in the highest percentage of heating load savings is 99.9% in December and January, and the highest percentage of cooling load savings in cold semi-arid climates is 67.5% by using InfiniteRPCM23 in September.

Intelligent decision support system using nested ensemble approach for customer churn in the hotel industry

ABSTRACT Since customer retention costs much less than attracting new customer, the problem of customer churn is a major challenge in various fields of work and particularly Hotel Industry. In this research, a solution based on an intelligent decision support system using text mining and nested ensemble techniques is presented, which combines the advantages of stacking and voting methods. In the proposed system, after the text mining of the data collected from the hotels of Kish Island, the effective feature selection is done using the gravity search algorithm. In the first level of nested ensemble technique method, stacking deep learning methods are used. Voting is used in the MetaClassifier section, which includes Random Forest, Xgboost and Naïve Bayes methods. The results of the implementation and comparison of the proposed system, show that the performance of the proposed system has increased the accuracy by 0.04 compared to the best existing method.

Multi-dimensional management framework on fresh groundwater lens of Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, Iran

Groundwater in arid and semi-arid coastal aquifers is vulnerable to seawater intrusion and quality deterioration despite being one of the most reliable sources of water supply due to the increasing number of development plans and competition between water consumers. A multi-dimensional groundwater management framework is developed to trade-off between groundwater abstraction, allocation equity, groundwater quality, and energy considerations in the reverse osmosis (RO) filtration process in the fresh groundwater lens of Kish Island, Iran. An arid island confined in the Persian Gulf is modeled using 3D simulation and three well-occupied multi-objective evolutionary optimization algorithms. Four objectives include: maximizing the groundwater abstraction, minimizing the Gini coefficient (allocation inequity), minimizing the total energy required to pass saline water through the RO membrane to reach the standard total dissolved solids (TDS), and minimizing the average TDS concentration of water abstraction positions from 11 management zones have been considered over a 50-year management horizon. Solutions obtained in the simulation-based constrained multi-objective optimization framework allow managers to choose from 587 Pareto optimal solutions. They provide an abstraction scheme with a range of 1.44 to 4.53 MCM/yr, a Gini coefficient of 0 to 0.98, filtration energy of 988,562 to 1,935,760 kWh/yr, and an average TDS of 19,663 to 21,351 mg/L. The Pareto optimal solutions can help decision-makers decide on the multi-dimensional problems of sustainable coastal groundwater management and show patterns among different objectives.

Analysis of the Customer Churn Prediction Project in the Hotel Industry Based on Text Mining and the Random Forest Algorithm

The ability of hotels to differentiate themselves from competitors and continue to operate profitably depends on their ability to retain their customers by building long-term and permanent customer relationships. Technological developments in recent years have made it possible for companies to predict their customers’ behavior by accessing their opinions faster and preventing them from churning. Managing customer churn prediction projects has become an important issue today, especially in the hotel industry. Therefore, this research seeks to analyze projects that predict the churn of hotel customers to provide a model to help hotel managers in this field. In this research, an approach based on text mining on customers’ comments in the Persian language is presented, which uses the random forest algorithm for classification that was considered the most effective method to solve this problem. In this model, to increase the efficiency of the proposed method in compare with existing works, the gravitational search algorithm was used to select the useful features, and the differential evolution algorithm was used to adjust the parameters of the classification method. The dataset of this research is the collected data from the customer database on social networks and hotels’ websites, especially the hotels on Kish Island in Iran. The results of this research showed that after the implementation of the preprocessing operations, the method of adjusting the parameters and removing the unimportant features, the model’s accuracy increased significantly. The precision, recall, F1, and accuracy criteria were 0.77, 0.76, 0.76, and 0.77, respectively.

Multi-objective optimization and parametric study of a hybrid waste gasification system integrated with reverse osmosis desalination

The increasing population has created two fundamental issues on the islands (in this case, Kish Island): an expansion in waste production and handling and a rise in the need for freshwater for daily consumption. Waste gasification can be used to reduce waste and generate energy. Sea salt water can be converted into drinkable freshwater using energy. This article describes a computational code using a combination of EES (Engineering Equation Solver) and MATLAB software for a hybrid cycle that includes waste gasification and reverse osmosis to generate freshwater and power. Kish Island waste data was carefully collected onsite. An exergy evaluation has been conducted to verify the cycle's irreversibility. Lastly, optimization has been performed to identify the best operation mode. In terms of irreversibility, a gasifier is far more irreversible than any other type of plant equipment. Based on the parametric analysis, salt water and waste flow significantly impact freshwater production. Approximately 20,000 m3/day are consumed on Kish Island each day, so if the entire production power of the steam turbine is used in the reverse osmosis high-pressure pump, 2860 m3/day can be obtained each day (14% of the required amount).

Hatcheries efficiency for hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) conservation in the Persian Gulf: Over a decade monitoring of emergence success and incubation period

Conservation of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) is an important global concern that requires attention. There is currently a lot of debate surrounding the use of hatcheries as a technique for ex-situ conservation. Over the past decade, hatchery sites were established with the aim of reducing the embryonic mortality and increasing the number of hatchlings on Kish Island. Out of a total of 415 hawksbill turtle nests, 216 nests were monitored in their original location (in-situ) whereas the remaining nests were relocated to a hatchery site (ex-situ) due to several threats, including feral predators, coastal development, ecotourism pressure, and waves of monsoon storms. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a hatchery site in the emergence success and incubation period compared to natural nests by analyzing the data from thirteen nesting seasons (2010–2022). In most years, the emergence success rate in ex-situ conditions has been significantly higher than in-situ (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a notable variation in the incubation period was noticed among various ex-situ years (P < 0.05), whereas it was not observed in in-situ. The incubation period in the ex-situ condition (57.38 ± 7.39 days) was 3.68 days shorter than the in-situ nests (61.25 ± 8.46 days). Delays in transferring eggs to the hatchery site from distant shores were found to be linked with a decrease in emergence success, 47.02% vs. 58.18% (P < 0.05). As a result, nest relocation in a minimum time, could significantly enhance turtle hatchlings’ emergence success and survival. On the other hand, reducing the incubation period due to ex-situ method maybe an important challenge in the future. Further research should be done to investigate the influence of nest relocation on morphological, physiological, immunological, and biometric offspring features, as well as on sex ratio.

Bermed Structures’ Thermal Function on Kish Island

Bermed plans which are categorized as subterranean provide overall cooling and daylight accessibility of the building all-sided. The factuality of bermed structures are investigated closely for deriving particular data for discussion, from the influential role of outdoor temperature to the maintenance and sound proofing, proportionate perspective and natural damages regarding contemporary buildings. The angular space in bermed constructions leaned upward to cover the roof so that it can support the whole building. Such a feature lets the sun radiate from the south and heat inside. Besides, the structures are earth-sheltered, economical and environmentally friendly at the same time, as with the cooling systems and sunlight. The bermed structures can fulfill the predicted decrease of construction energy utilization and provision of thermal comfort excessively. This study evaluates the impact of bermed structures energy consumption and thermal comfort on Kish Island where ventilation systems and electrical charges are remarkably high. Kariz is a part of Kish Island with high concern. Kariz is the subterranean city of twelve-meter depth below the ground and eight meter high. It holds three aqueducts and two hundred and seventy four wells including recreational resorts and touristic locations available for visitors of archeological aqueduct of Kish Island. Some factors like geometry, building materials and climate are major issues to concern in case of energy and thermal function. Kish Island obviously is in need of productive measures taken for perfect ventilation in order to reduce the consecutive application of cooling systems which are crucial in saving energy and amending the thermal comfort.

Biodeposit dispersion around a deep cage finfish farm in the Northern Persian Gulf

Due to increasing demand for food, intensive mariculture of finfish is a fast developing industry in the Iranian part of the Persian Gulf (PG). The environmental impacts of cage fish farming largely involve release of excessive organic matter (biodeposits). Careful monitoring of fish farms to avoid anoxia and bottom “dead zones” is an essential part of a sustainable mariculture industry.Monitoring data were collected for a fish farm north of Kish Island that had been in full operation for a period of one year. The data were then incorporated into a hydrodynamic model in order to estimate the quantity and dispersion pattern of biodeposits around the farm.Our results show that the farm had significant impacts on local environmental conditions, including water transparency, sulfide levels, and Eh values. Bottom water clarity near the cages was >15 NTU. Underneath the cages, sediment sulfide values are >800 μmole, Eh is usually -100 or less, and the sedimentation rate is 6.8 g/m2/day. The number of live benthic foraminifera near the cages was 4.5/10 g aliquot, as opposed to 20 at a control site.Numerical modeling, combined with data from sediment traps, shows that the farm “footprint” is much larger than the actual area of the farm, and is elongated by tidal currents. Considering the relatively short operation of the farm, it is already close to generating anoxic bottom conditions over a 2 km wide area. This can potentially impact the fragile habitats of the Persian Gulf. Continued expansion of net pen fish farms in sensitive areas such as the PG should be carefully monitored.

Techno-economic and environmental assessment of a novel polygeneration system based on integration of biomass air-steam gasification and solar parabolic trough collector

Renewable energy-based polygeneration energy systems, in addition to providing a variety of products, can effectively improve this planet's environmental conditions and reduce emissions. Therefore, in the present work, a novel polygeneration system has been proposed to produce power, heat, freshwater, and hydrogen-based on biomass and solar energy. In the present system, the Kalina cycle, Gas turbine cycle, double-pressure steam cycle, and organic Rankine cycle are used to produce power, Multi-effect desalination and reverse osmosis are used to produce freshwater, and the PEM electrolyzer is used to produce hydrogen. Also, the exhaust syngas from the gasification process has been used to supply steam to the gasifier reactor. Considering the determination of environmental laws and the need to transform Kish Island into a green island for residents and tourists, a proposed system has been defined for Kish Island in Iran. In the proposed system, the feasibility of three biomass fuels, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Mixed Paper Waste (MPW), and Date Palm Waste (DPW), was studied from a technical, economic, and environmental point of view. Air and steam agents have been used for the gasification of mentioned fuels. To evaluate the performance of the system in terms of thermodynamics, economics, and environment during the year, the analysis of the average monthly solar for the studied system has been used. MED has been analyzed using artificial intelligence techniques. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed for the main operational parameters. The results of the proposed system modeling show that MSW is the most economical fuel and the use of DPW has the least environmental impact on the system, but in terms of operating conditions, MPW with overall energy and exergy efficiency of 41.68% and 34.19% compared to other fuels perform better. The overall results of the 4E analysis for MSW fuel show that the overall energy and exergy efficiency of the polygeneration system is 39% and 32.01%, respectively. Power generation costs and environmental impacts for MSW biomass are 0.014 $/kWh and 0.002 Pts/kWh, respectively. The monthly analysis of the studied system for all three fuels shows that the net power generation decreases in the summer months. The results of the sensitivity analysis of the studied system show that the optimal design of gasification temperature, air compressor pressure ratio, condenser pressure, and the number of MED effects play a key role in the objective functions of the studied system.