Psychosocial Nurturing of Children in Islam

Psychosocial nurturing of children is linked with Parenting and personality development theories and child development theories too report evidences of influences of parenting on children nurturing. The purpose of this paper is to explore existing parenting styles in current literature and how these parenting styles influence upon and form the personality of the children in their early years. The paper aims to examine parenting with reference to authoritarian parenting, authoritative parenting, permissive parenting and uninvolved parenting. It discussed the expectations and responsiveness of the parents which determine their behavior and style. Through parenting, psychosocial nurturing of the children is determined and it was explained in existing literature and analyzed in Islamic teachings. The study followed a critical interpretivist method which examined the literature and conducted content analysis. The study examines the parenting concept and parenting style in Islamic teachings. Islam lays special emphasis on communication and attitude of the parents towards their children particularly in early childhood. Parenting style in Islamic teaching displays a loving and guiding mode. It is less demanding and more responsive in early years. Parenting in Islamic teaching encourages developing tolerance, harmony and peace. It shows flexibility to accept children’s dispositions and tries to discipline their inner faculties. Islamic teachings expect from parents to be responsive with love and passion. It gives children freedom to talk, walk, think and act in a carefree environment where they can become socially and emotionally strong. Parenting in Islam accepts children’s interests and attitudes with positive responses and respects their rights with warmth and love. It particularly develops moral awareness so that children can distinguish between right and wrong and also understand that they need to abide by rules and regulations. Lastly literature also reports that parenting in Islam does not allow any sort of harassment, coercion, frightening and unjust environment for the little angels.

Kinetic Study and Reactor Simulation of Methycyclohexane Dehydrogenation Reaction for a Mobile Power Plant

Fossil fuels are a major contributor to the today’s world energy demand as well as greenhouse gases causing global warming. The idea to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for a green future needs a stepwise transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources. Among the various renewable sources hydrogen is probably the most promising alternative due to its availability, high heating value per unit weight, and zero emissions. The only challenge associated with hydrogen is its safe and feasible storage. The methylcyclohexane-toluene-hydrogen (MTH) system is the one that is considered safe and economical option for hydrogen production, storage and transportation, and utilization. The dehydrogenation reaction of the MTH system is highly endothermic and requires considerable amount of heat energy at a fast rate to have high equilibrium conversions. The successful utilization of hydrogen economy based on the MTH system therefore requires a highly active, selective, and stable dehydrogenation catalyst with its associated reaction kinetics. An intensified dehydrogenation reactor design that supplies high rates of heat transfer to the catalyst bed is also desired. A comprehensive review of the literature regarding kinetics of the methylcyclohexane (MCH) dehydrogenation over Pt containing catalysts has revealed that there is no consensus among the researchers on describing the reaction mechanism, rate-determining step, and inhibition offered by a product. Different researchers have suggested different reaction chemistry and developed different kinetic rate equation. There is hardly a study on the design and simulation of an intensified dehydrogenation reactor that is capable of being used on commercial scale applications. In the present study, an attempt is made to address the discrepancies in the kinetics of the MCH dehydrogenation that exist in the literature. The experimental data of 5 different Pt containing catalysts over a wide range of operating conditions is used to conduct a detailed kinetic study of the dehydrogenation reaction. Various kinetic models are developed based on the power law, Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW), and Horiuti-Polanyi reaction mechanism. The developed kinetic model equations are analyzed both kinetically and statistically and the best fitted kinetic model for each of the catalysts is worked out. The kinetic model based on single-site LHHW kinetics where loss of first hydrogen is the rate limiting step is found appropriate in representing the data of all the catalysts. This leads to report a unified kinetic model for the methylcyclohexane dehydrogenation reaction over any Pt containing catalyst. In addition to that, a new reaction mechanism called associative adsorption of methylcyclohexane is proposed and a kinetic model equation developed based on this mechanism is found successful in representing the relevant experimental data. A 2.0 MW power plant, working on the methylcyclohexane dehydrogenation reaction to yield hydrogen gas as fuel for the power production, is proposed and simulated in Aspen Hysys. The operating conditions such as stream flowrates, temperatures, pressures, and thermal efficiency are worked out. It is found that 17.4148 kmol/h methylcyclohexane are required to produce 2.0 MW net power output. Also, it is found that there is enough energy in the exhaust gases of the turbine that can carry out the dehydrogenation reaction. Using the best-fit kinetic model and the simulation data obtained for 2.0 MW power plant, a novel reactor-heat exchanger design is mathematically modeled and simulated. The proposed reactor configuration is found highly appropriate in carrying out the dehydrogenation reaction.