Power and Energy Research Laboratories (PERL)

The Power and Energy Research Laboratories (PERL) research group focuses on research and development in energy and materials science. The members' research includes sustainable energy conversion from wind, hydro, and solar resources and critical technologies utilizing sustainable materials for energy conversion and storage.

The group's renewable energy research aims to advance wind turbine design and airfoils, conduct energy management and techno-economic analysis of electrical, mechanical, and thermal energy technologies, advance solar PV technology, and apply energy storage technologies.

Additionally, the group researches sustainable materials, focusing on practical recycling processes for photovoltaic panels and advancing supercapacitors using biomass-based materials, metal oxide composites, and innovative electrolytes.

In the field of combustion science, the group explores combustion instabilities of binary gaseous fuels caused by thermoacoustic oscillations. We are also investigating biomass pretreatment for long-term storage through torrefaction.

Leader: Dr. Wan Khairul Muzammil bin Abdul Rahim 
Expertise: Wind Energy (Design and Development of Wind Turbines), Renewable Energy Technologies, Technoeconomic Assessment of Energy Technologies.

Focus: His research focuses on advanced wind turbine design and airfoils. His research interests include energy management and techno-economic analysis of electrical, mechanical and thermal energy technologies.

Selected Publications:
- Go W.K., Batrisyia N., Fazlizan A., Wong  K.H., Muzammil W.K. (2024) Numerical analysis of the aerodynamic and geometric relationship of a vertical axis wind turbine. Transactions on Science and Technology, 11 (2-2), 97-102. 
- Abdalkarem A.A.M., Fazlizan A., Muzammil W.K., Lim C.H., Ibrahim A., Wong K.H., Kazem H.A. (2024) The effect of various wedge flap configurations on the performance of wind turbine airfoil. Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Mechanical Engineering. 
- Alfeuz A., Tamiri F., Farm Y.Y., Muzammil W.K. Hong, Melvin G.J.H., Mahmod D.Y.S., Bohari N., Ismail M.A. (2024) Performance analysis of a crossflow vortex turbine for a gravitational water vortex power plant, Journal of Advanced Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, 116 (2), 13-26.
- Abdalkarem A.A.M., Ansaf R., Muzammil W.K., Ibrahim A., Harun Z., Fazlizan A. (2023) Preliminary assessment of the NACA0021 trailing edge wedge for wind turbine application, Heliyon, 9 (11), e21193. 
- Ramlee M.F., Zishan S., Muzammil W.K. Fazlizan A. (2022) Numerical investigation of solidity effect based on variable diameter on power performance of H-type Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 11 (3), 647-660. 
- Matius M.E., Ismail M.A., Farm Y.Y., Amaludin A.E., Radzali M.A., Fazlizan A., Muzammil W.K. (2022) A preliminary assessment of load consumption and solar power potential at Kota Belud, Sabah. Energy Engineering, 119 (4), 1361-1377. 
- Wong K.H., Chong W.T., Lee K.Y., Muzammil W.K., Mat S. (2022) Impact of solidity on the aerodynamic performance of vertical axis wind turbine via 2D CFD Simulation. International Journal of Green Technology, 8, 1-7.
- Matius M.E., Ismail M.A., Farm Y.Y., Amaludin A.E., Radzali M.A., Fazlizan  A., Muzammil, W.K. (2021) On the optimal tilt angle and orientation of an on-site solar photovoltaic energy generation system for Sabah's rural electrification. Sustainability, 13 (10), 5730. 

Member:  Dr. Nazrein Adrian bin Amaludin
Expertise: Hydrogen, Biomass, Combustion, Renewable Energy.

Focus: Main interest in combustion instabilities of binary gaseous fuels caused by thermoacoustic oscillations. Currently working on biomass pretreatment for long-term storage via torrefaction.


Selected Publications:
- Amaludin A.E., Asrah H, Mohamad H.M., Amaludin H.Z., Amaludin N.A. (2023) Physicochemical and Microstructural Characterication of Klias Peat, Lumadan POFA and GGBFS for Geopolymer Based Soil Stabilisation, HighTech and Innovation Journal,   4(2), 327-348.
- Amaludin N.A., Woolley R., Ebieto C., Amaludin A.E., Amaludin H.Z. (2022) Thermoacoustics Analysis of Premixed Methane-Hydrogen Flames in Open-Ended Tubes, Fuel, 325, Article 124892.

Member: Ir. Dr. Mohd. Azlan bin Ismail
Expertise: Hydrogen, On-Grid & Off-Grid Solar PV Systems, Microhydro Power Systems, Hybrid Energy Systems for Off-Grid Facilities.

Focus:  Main interest is in Renewable Energy, particularly in Solar PV Technology and Energy Storage Systems.

Selected Publications:
- Ismail M.A.,  Adil N.L.J.,  Farm Y.Y.,  Amaludin N. A.,   Bohari N, Sar-ee' S. (2023) Analysis of the Effects of Hard Shading Pattern on I-V Performance Curve' Applied Solar Energy,  59 (4),  369–377.
- Alfeuz A., Tamiri F., Farm Y.Y., Muzammil W.K., Melvin G.J.H, Mahmod D.S.A., Bohari N.,   Ismail M.A. (2024) Performance Analysis of a Crossflow Turbine for Gravitational water  Vortex Power Plant,  Journal of Advanced  Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, 116 (2) 13-26.
-  Matius M.E., Ismail M.A., Amaludin A.E., Farm Y.Y. , Radzali M.A., Fazlizan A., Muzammil W.A. (2022) A preliminary assessment of load consumption and solar power potential at Kota Belud, Sabah. Tech Science Press. Energy Engineering: Journal of the Association of Energy Engineers, 119 (4),  1361-1377.

Member: Ts. Dr. Farm Yan Yan
Expertise: Carbon Materials, Energy Storage Systems, Energy Technology.

Focus:  My research interest is advancing supercapacitors through biomass-based materials, metal oxide composites, and innovative electrolytes.

My research focuses on enhancing supercapacitors using:
- Biomass-based materials (binders and carbon materials)
- Metal oxide electrode composites
- Innovative electrolytes (specifically water-in-salt electrolytes)

My research aims to optimize stability, performance, and efficiency in supercapacitors through these avenues of investigation.

Selected Publications:
- Jublee J.I., Farm Y.Y.,  Rajin M.,   Parimon N.,  Mamat M.H., Ismail M.A., Kiring A.,  Mustafa Z. Joseph C. G., Makmud M. Z. H., The Performance of Tapioca Starch as Green Binder for Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs) in Water-In-Salt Electrolyte, In Press. 
- Zeng X., Sipaut C.S., Ismail N.M., Liu Y.,  Farm Y.Y., Peng B.,  He J. (2024) Preparation of 3D Silicon Nitride Biocosmetics by Microwave Sintering, Scientific Reports 14 (1), 15825.
- Zeng, X.,  Sipaut C.S.,  Ismail N.M.,  Liu Y.,  Farm Y.Y.,  Peng B., He J. (2024) Fabrication of 3D Printed Si3N4 Bioceramics with Superior Comprehensive Performance Through ZnO Nanowires Dopin, Ceramic International, 50 (18),  34457–34466.
- Zeng X.,  Sipaut C.S., Ismail N.M., Liu Y.,  Farm Y.Y., He J. (2024) Mechanical properties and biological activity of 3D printed silicon nitride materials. Ceramics International, 50 (9), 16704-16713.
- Krishnan V.,  Joseph C.G.,  Taufiq-Yap Y.H., Teo S.H., Soloi S.,  Wid N.,  Majid M. H. A., Farm Y.Y., Rodrigues K.F. (2024) Sonophotocatalytic Degradation of Reactive Black 5 in Simulated Dye Wastewater Using ZnO and Activated Red Mud Sonophotocatalyst, Topics in Catalysis, 67 (17-18),1194–1210.
- Pang C.K., Joseph C.G.,  Farm Y.Y.,  Gansau J.A.,  Teo  S.H., Taufiq-Yap Y.H., Liew R.K. (2023)  Metal ferrites nanoparticles for catalytic and photocatalytic ozonation in wastewater treatment: A review, Environmental Chemistry Letters 21 (5), 2953-2993.

Member: Dr. Siti Nurfadilah binti Jaini
Expertise: Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Recycling of Solar PV Panels.

Focus:  Research interest is mainly in applying machine learning and computer vision to develop predictive control and measurement systems in machining processes, cutting tools, renewable energy systems, and welding. Recent work is related to identifying practical processes for retrieving valuable materials from EoL solar panels and assessing the feasibility of circular economy in the secondary material retrieved from EoL panels.

Selected Publications:
- Jaini S.N.B, Lee D.W., Kim K.S., Lee S.J.  (2022) Measurement of cemented carbide-PCD microdrill geometry error based on computer vision algorithm. Measurement: Journal of the International Measurement Confederation, 187, 110186. 
- Jaini S.N.B., Lee D., Lee S, Kim M., Kwon Y.  (2021) Tool monitoring of end milling based on gap sensor and machine learning. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 12 (12), 10615-10627. 
- Jaini S.N.B., Lee D.W.,  Lee S.J., Kim, M.R., Son G.H.  (2021) Indirect tool monitoring in drilling based on gap sensor signal and multilayer perceptron feed forward neural network. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 32 (6), 1605-1619. 

Collaborators:

1. PETRONAS Research Sdn. Bhd.
2. Pusan National University
3. Solar Energy Research Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
4. Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology
5. University of Malaya
6. Universiti Malaysia Pahang
7. University of Southampton Malaysia
8. Universiti Teknologi MARA

Particle Image Velocimetry Study of an Airfoil