Repellent and fumigant toxic potential of three essential oils against Ephestia kuehniella

Essential oils, when used as bio-insecticides in the control of insect pests of stored grains have shown specificity and variation in the potentiality of their mode of action. In the present study, three essential oils extracted from three aromatic plants of different families, white wormwood (Artemisia herba alba, Asteraceae), oregano (Origanum vulgare, Lamiaceae) and rue (Ruta montana, Rutaceae), were evaluated for their repellent and fumigant toxic potential against the flour moth larvae, Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae), under laboratory conditions. The essential oils extraction was done by the hydrodistillation method. The repellent activity was carried out in Petri dishes using a filter paper treated with different oil dilutions (25, 75, 100, 120, 130, 150 µL/mL). The fumigant toxicity was determined on three concentrations (50, 130, 150 µL/L air). Two plants were shown to be repellent against the E. kuehniella larvae. Origanum oil was the most repellent with 67% of repellency rate followed by Artemisia oil (46%) at 120µL/mL after 2 hours of exposure. The oil of R. montana had an attractant activity against the larvae and was the most toxic with 56.7% of larval mortality in the first 24 hours. The median lethal concentrations (LC50) recorded were 11.6, 175.4 and 1100.0 µL/L air for the plant oils R. montana, O. vulgare and A. herba alba, respectively. R. montana and O. vulgare essential oil are shown to be efficient with high toxic and repellent properties against E. kuehniella larvae. Their specific potential could be integrated in the selection of the best bioinsecticides for the optimum protection of stored grain

Optimal hybrid photovoltaic distributed generation and distribution static synchronous compensators planning to minimize active power losses using adaptive acceleration coefficients particle swarm optimization algorithms

The paper aims to identify the optimum size and location of photovoltaic distributed generation systems and distribution static synchronous compensators (DSTATCOMs) systems to minimize active power losses in the distribution network and enhance the voltage profile. The methodology employed in this article begins by thoroughly discussing various acceleration algorithms used in Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and their variations with each iteration. Subsequently, a range of PSO algorithms, each incorporating different variations of acceleration coefficients was verified to solve the problem of active power losses and voltage improvement. Simulation results attained on Standard IEEE-33 bus radial distribution network prove the efficiency of acceleration coefficients of PSO; it was evaluated and compared with other methods in the literature for improving the voltage profile and reducing active power. Originality. Consists in determining the most effective method among the various acceleration coefficients of PSO in terms of minimizing active power losses and enhancing the voltage profile, within the power system. Furthermore, demonstrates the superiority of the selected method over others for achieving significant improvements in power system efficiency. Practical value of this study lies on its ability to provide practical solutions for the optimal placement and sizing of distributed generation and DSTATCOMs. The proposed optimization method offers tangible benefits for power system operation and control. These findings have practical implications for power system planners, operators, and policymakers, enabling them to make informed decisions on the effective integration of distributed generation and DSTATCOM technologies.Метою статті є визначення оптимального розміру та розташування фотоелектричних систем розподіленої генерації та систем розподільних статичних синхронних компенсаторів (DSTATCOM) для мінімізації втрат активної потужності у розподільній мережі та покращення профілю напруги. Методологія, що використовується в цій статті, починається з детального обговорення різних алгоритмів прискорення, що використовуються в оптимізації рою частинок (PSO), та їх варіацій на кожній ітерації. Згодом було перевірено низку алгоритмів PSO, кожен з яких включає різні варіанти коефіцієнтів прискорення, для вирішення проблеми втрат активної потужності та покращення напруги. Результати моделювання, одержані на радіальній розподільній мережі шини стандарту IEEE-33, підтверджують ефективність коефіцієнтів прискорення PSO; він був оцінений та порівняний з іншими описаними в літературі методами покращення профілю напруги та зниження активної потужності. Оригінальність. Полягає у визначенні найбільш ефективного методу серед різних коефіцієнтів прискорення PSO з погляду мінімізації втрат активної потужності та покращення профілю напруги в енергосистемі. Крім того, демонструє перевагу обраного методу над іншими для досягнення значного підвищення ефективності енергосистеми. Практична цінність цього дослідження полягає у його здатності надати практичні рішення для оптимального розміщення та визначення розмірів розподіленої генерації та DSTATCOM. Запропонований метод оптимізації дає відчутні переваги для експлуатації та керування енергосистемою. Ці результати мають практичне значення для фахівців із планування енергосистем, операторів та розробників політики керування, дозволяючи їм приймати обґрунтовані рішення щодо ефективної інтеграції технологій розподіленої генерації та технологій DSTATCOM

Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO Thin Film for Modeling the Effect of Its Defects on ZnO/Cu2O Solar Cell EQE

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of the best transparent conducting oxide (TCO) materials with a wide bandgap and good electrical and optical properties. Its low cost, nontoxicity and transparency in the optical region of the electromagnetic spectrum make it very promising candidate for solar cell applications. In this work, zinc acetate precursor was used to grow a ZnO thin film by using sol-gel spin-coating technique. The surface morphological study using scanning electron microscope (SEM) was carried out to confirm the growth pattern and crystal distribution. The optical properties, transmission (T), reflection (R), optical bandgap (Eg), refractive index (n), and extinction coefficient (k) were extracted and investigated to be used in the simulation of ZnO/Cu2O heterostructure solar cell, where ZnO thin film plays a double role: as the TCO window, as well as the emitter of the n-p junction. However, the solar cell showed weak external quantum efficiency (EQE) compared to those prepared by using zinc nitrate and diethyl zinc precursors. TCAD numerical simulation was used to clarify the origin of this weak EQE by taking into account two parameters. The first studied parameter is the root-mean-square interface roughness, σRMS, in Haze modeling approach, H, which describes how much of incident light is scattered at the interface. The second studied parameter is the density of defects in the ZnO bulk with continuous distribution of states in its bandgap similar to an amorphous semiconductor made of tail bands and Gaussian distribution deep level bands. Consequently, and by adjusting and investigating the effect of the σRMS and the constituents of the bandgap states, we were able to obtain a good agreement between simulated and measured EQE characteristics of the solar cell

A Periodic Homogenization Model Including Porosity to Predict Elastic Properties of 3D-Printed Continuous Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites

Adding continuous carbon fiber into the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process is critical to get reinforced composite structures with improved mechanical properties. However, it remains difficult for the designer to create optimized complex composite structures. Indeed, performing numerical simulations on these materials require to know their elastic coefficients, which are difficult to determine. Using a model of periodic homogenization which considers both the fiber content and the porosity, would be a quick solution to predict the mechanical properties of the printed composite. Based on material studies and validated mechanical tests, this simulation model allows the use of a homogeneous material to replace the composite material for the finite element analysis. This will greatly reduce the number of elements required in the model, leading to a big decrease of the computation cost. Hence, the numerical model has potential to perform simulation-driven design processes, such as generative design.Mechanical Engineerin

REALISATION D’UNE INTERFACE DE SIMULATION DES PERFORMANCES DES INSOLATEURS PLANS

L’utilisation des énergies renouvelables comme sources d’énergie dans lesprocessus énergétiques industrielspermet de réduire la demande énergétique en matière d’hydrocarburesetla diminution des gaz à effet de serre ainsi qued’encourager l’utilisation des ressources durables en énergies propres. Dans ce travailnous nous intéressons à la valorisation du gisement solaire dans divers sites, de climats différents, par la réalisation de cet outil de simulation du rayonnement solaire, de la température ambiante et de la température de sortie de l’insolateur. Il permettra à tout utilisateur simple ou potentiel d’avoir des informations préalables avant d’entamer un projet solaire

Ageing of polyamide composite reverse osmosis membrane under gamma rays

International audienceno abstrac

AComDim as a multivariate tool to analyse experimental design application to γ-irradiated and leached ion exchange resins

International audienceLeaching MIR spectroscopy Ion exchange resin γ-Irradiations of ion exchange resins were carried out under various experimental conditions, selected using an experimental design, to simulate the ageing of such nuclear wastes. Those resins are a commercial mixed bed, constituted of 75 wt.% of a cationic resin and 25 wt.% of an anionic resin, and both are pure cationic and anionic resins. Then, irradiated samples were leached, at two different temperatures (20 °C and 50 °C). Solid matrices were characterized by a spectroscopic technique and spectral data were analysed by the ANOVA Common Dimensions (AComDim) method to detect and highlight influential factors and interactions. Four factors were studied (absorbed dose under irradiation, atmosphere during irradiation, dose rate, leaching temperature and resin type) with several levels for each. In a first study of the separate resins, the absorbed dose and the irradiation atmosphere appeared as the most influencing factors for the anionic resin. The leaching temperature was significant but only in interaction with other factors, while this parameter was significant for the cationic and mixed bed resins. In a global study of all the spectral data, the resin type appeared as the most influential factor for the radiolysis of resins

Application du procédé d’osmose inverse pour le traitement d’effluents radioactifs

National audienceno abstrac