As part of the cultural season of the Environmental Research Center

  Assist. Prof. Dr. Sahar A. Amin-lecturer in the Department of Environmental Technology-ERC presented a lecture on Tuesday, 18/2/2020 at 12:00 entitled “Electromagnetic Spectrum and its Uses”. The lecturer stated that the electromagnetic spectrum is a general term that includes all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation starting from low frequencies such as radio, then medium frequencies such as visible light rays, to high frequencies such as X-rays, and ending with gamma rays. The electromagnetic spectrum consists of seven bands that include radio waves, microwave waves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X-rays and gamma rays. Each of these bands has different characteristics in terms of how they are formed, how they interact with matter and their practical applications. Gamma rays, X-rays and high-frequency ultraviolet rays are classified as “ionizing radiation” since their photons have enough energy to ionize the atoms, and thus affecting seriously the living organisms when exposed to more than the permissible limits according to the approved standards.

Despite the fact that the huge applications and uses of electromagnetic waves in various fields such as radar, satellites, radio, television, mobile phones, microwave ovens, thermo-detectors, treatment and diagnostics in the medical fields, optical fibers, sterilization of surgical instruments and operating theaters and etc. It has not been scientifically and practically proven in terms of the presence of the direct impact on human health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). However, there is still a public concern about the potential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields. 

As part of the cultural season of the Environmental Research Center

 Prof. Miqdam T. Chaichan (lecturer in the Energy and Renewable Energies Technology Center-University of Technology) presented a lecture on Tuesday, 25/2/2020 at 11:30 entitled “Impact of Nanofluid and Nano-PCM on the Electrical Performance of Hybrid (Electro/Thermal) Collector”. The lecturer stated that solar energy is one of the largest types of renewable energy at the current time where it has become a strategic choice in providing electric energy or using it as an alternative energy to oil resources or natural gas since it is environmentally friendly (clean energy-free from pollution).

The process of converting solar radiation energy into electrical energy is carried out by using photovoltaic cells by which the amount of electrical energy produced from these cells depends on many designing and operational factors. In this lecture, the effect of ambient temperature on the performance of photovoltaic cells was discussed where experimental results showed that the increase of temperature affected negatively on the efficiency of electrical energy production. Therefore, the lecturer discussed through his practical experience in this field using an effective method to reduce this effect. This method was represented by the use of a cooling fluid containing nanomaterials that were recycled according to a system designed for this purpose. The experimental results showed that the surface temperature of photovoltaic cell decreased obviously, and thus the amount of electrical energy produced increased significantly when compared to the conventional system (without using the cooling system).

The lecturer recommended at the end of his lecture that scientific research is being continued in this field by looking for the other materials as cooling fluids or making appropriate

improvements in the designing or operating standards of the cooling system in order to obtain the optimum performance.