Metaheuristic Algorithm for Photovoltaic Parameters: Comparative Study and Prediction with a Firefly Algorithm

In this paper, a Firefly algorithm is proposed for identification and comparative study of five, seven and eight parameters of a single and double diode solar cell and photovoltaic module under different solar irradiation and temperature. Further, a metaheuristic algorithm is proposed in order to predict the electrical parameters of three different solar cell technologies. The first is a commercial RTC mono-crystalline silicon solar cell with single and double diodes at 33 °C and 1000 W/m2. The second, is a flexible hydrogenated amorphous silicon a-Si:H solar cell single diode. The third is a commercial photovoltaic module (Photowatt-PWP 201) in which 36 polycrystalline silicon cells are connected in series, single diode, at 25 °C and 1000 W/m2 from experimental current-voltage. The proposed constrained objective function is adapted to minimize the absolute errors between experimental and predicted values of voltage and current in two zones. Finally, for performance validation, the parameters obtained through the Firefly algorithm are compared with recent research papers reporting metaheuristic optimization algorithms and analytical methods. The presented results confirm the validity and reliability of the Firefly algorithm in extracting the optimal parameters of the photovoltaic solar cell

Optimization of tertiary building passive parameters by forecasting energy consumption based on artificial intelligence models and using ANOVA variance analysis method

Energy consumption in the tertial sector is largely attributed to cooling/heating energy consumption. Thus, forecasting the building's energy consumption has become a key factor in long-term decision-making, reducing the huge energy demand and future planning. This manuscript outlines to use of the variance analysis method (ANOVA) to study the building's passive parameters' effect, such as the orientation, insulation, and its thickness plus the glazing on energy savings through the forecasting of the heating/cooling energy consumption by applying the Seasonal Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) and the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models. The presented methodology compares the predicted consumed energy of a baseline building with another efficient building which includes all the passive parameters selected by the ANOVA approach. The results show that the improvement of passive parameters leads to a reduction of heating energy consumption by 1,739,640 kWh from 2021 to 2029, which is equivalent to a monthly energy consumption of 181.2 kWh for an administrative building with an area of 415 m2. While the cooling energy consumption is diminished by 893,246 kWh from 2021 to 2029, which leads to save a monthly value of 93.05 kWh. Consequently, the passive parameters optimization efficiently reduces the consumed energy and minimizes its costs. This positively impacts our environment due to the reduction of gas emissions, air and soil pollution

Open cell polyurethane foams as polyvalent supports for single- and multi-site heterogeneous catalysts

Dans cette thèse, nous proposons un support catalytique structuré souple à base de mousses de polyuréthane à cellules ouvertes (OCPUF). Ces mousses, qui présentent des propriétés de transport avantageuses pour les processus continus, sont à la fois légères, flexibles et mécaniquement résistantes. Elles peuvent être recouvertes d'une couche adhésive de polydopamine (PDA), qui permet leur fonctionnalisation sans altérer leurs propriétés mécaniques et de transport, grâce notamment à la présence de groupements catéchols. Un organocatalyseur dérivé de la N,N­diméthylaminopyridine (DMAP) et une série de complexes organométalliques de nickel et de ruthénium, comportant tous un bras alcoxysilane, ont ainsi pu être greffés via un processus de silanisation jamais décrit avec la PDA. Les mousses résultantes se sont toutes révélées catalytiquement actives. En particulier, OCPUF@PDA@DMAP s'est avérée très efficace et réutilisable pour l'acétylation des alcools, y compris celle du rétinol (vitamine A). Les mousses résultant du greffage des complexes organométalliques, OCPUF@PDA@Ni et OCPUF@PDA@Ru, se sont montrées actives, respectivement, pour l'hydrosilylation et l'hydrogénation du benzaldéhyde, démontrant ainsi la polyvalence de notre approche pour le greffage covalent de catalyseurs moléculaires. Enfin, la semi-hydrogénation d'alcynes internes et terminaux a été étudiée à l'aide de catalyseurs hétérogènes de type Pd(1 %)/C préparés par une simple méthode de sonication en milieu hydroalcoolique sans étape de calcination-réduction à haute température. Ces catalyseurs fournissent très sélectivement les alcènes désirés, et des résultats préliminaires montrent la possibilité de les greffer sur les OCPUF sans utiliser la PDA.Ln this thesis, we propose a soit structured catalytic support based on open cell polyurethane foams (OCPUF). These foams, which present advantageous transport properties for continuous processes, are light, flexible and mechanically resistant. lnspired by a biomimetic approach based on the mussels' adhesion principle, OCPUF foams can be efficiently coated with an adhesive layer of polydopamine (PDA) that will allow their functionalization without altering their mechanical and transport properties, thanks to the presence of catechol groups. An organocatalyst derived from N,Ndimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and a series of ruthenium and nickel organometallic complexes, ail bearing an alkoxysilane arm, have thus been covalently grafted via a silanization process never reported with PDA. The resulting foams were all catalytically active. ln particular, OCPUF@PDA@DMAP proved highly efficient and reusable for the acetylation of alcohols, including that of retinol (vitamin A). The foams derived from the grafting of the organometallic complexes, OCPUF@PDA@Ni and OCPUF@PDA@Ru, proved to be active for the hydrosilylation and hydrogenation of aldehydes, respectively, thus demonstrating the versatility of our approach for the covalent grafting of molecular catalysts. Finally, the semi-hydrogenation of internai and terminal alkynes was studied with heterogeneous catalysts of the type Pd(1 %)/C that were prepared by a simple sonication method in hydroalcoholic medium without calcinationreduction steps al high temperatures. These catalysts provided the desired alkenes very selectively, and preliminary results show the possibility to graft !hem on OCPUF foams without using PDA

Mousses de polyuréthane à cellules ouvertes : supports structurés pour catalyseurs hétérogènes à sites uniques et multiples

Ln this thesis, we propose a soit structured catalytic support based on open cell polyurethane foams (OCPUF). These foams, which present advantageous transport properties for continuous processes, are light, flexible and mechanically resistant. lnspired by a biomimetic approach based on the mussels' adhesion principle, OCPUF foams can be efficiently coated with an adhesive layer of polydopamine (PDA) that will allow their functionalization without altering their mechanical and transport properties, thanks to the presence of catechol groups. An organocatalyst derived from N,Ndimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and a series of ruthenium and nickel organometallic complexes, ail bearing an alkoxysilane arm, have thus been covalently grafted via a silanization process never reported with PDA. The resulting foams were all catalytically active. ln particular, OCPUF@PDA@DMAP proved highly efficient and reusable for the acetylation of alcohols, including that of retinol (vitamin A). The foams derived from the grafting of the organometallic complexes, OCPUF@PDA@Ni and OCPUF@PDA@Ru, proved to be active for the hydrosilylation and hydrogenation of aldehydes, respectively, thus demonstrating the versatility of our approach for the covalent grafting of molecular catalysts. Finally, the semi-hydrogenation of internai and terminal alkynes was studied with heterogeneous catalysts of the type Pd(1 %)/C that were prepared by a simple sonication method in hydroalcoholic medium without calcinationreduction steps al high temperatures. These catalysts provided the desired alkenes very selectively, and preliminary results show the possibility to graft !hem on OCPUF foams without using PDA.Dans cette thèse, nous proposons un support catalytique structuré souple à base de mousses de polyuréthane à cellules ouvertes (OCPUF). Ces mousses, qui présentent des propriétés de transport avantageuses pour les processus continus, sont à la fois légères, flexibles et mécaniquement résistantes. Elles peuvent être recouvertes d'une couche adhésive de polydopamine (PDA), qui permet leur fonctionnalisation sans altérer leurs propriétés mécaniques et de transport, grâce notamment à la présence de groupements catéchols. Un organocatalyseur dérivé de la N,N­diméthylaminopyridine (DMAP) et une série de complexes organométalliques de nickel et de ruthénium, comportant tous un bras alcoxysilane, ont ainsi pu être greffés via un processus de silanisation jamais décrit avec la PDA. Les mousses résultantes se sont toutes révélées catalytiquement actives. En particulier, OCPUF@PDA@DMAP s'est avérée très efficace et réutilisable pour l'acétylation des alcools, y compris celle du rétinol (vitamine A). Les mousses résultant du greffage des complexes organométalliques, OCPUF@PDA@Ni et OCPUF@PDA@Ru, se sont montrées actives, respectivement, pour l'hydrosilylation et l'hydrogénation du benzaldéhyde, démontrant ainsi la polyvalence de notre approche pour le greffage covalent de catalyseurs moléculaires. Enfin, la semi-hydrogénation d'alcynes internes et terminaux a été étudiée à l'aide de catalyseurs hétérogènes de type Pd(1 %)/C préparés par une simple méthode de sonication en milieu hydroalcoolique sans étape de calcination-réduction à haute température. Ces catalyseurs fournissent très sélectivement les alcènes désirés, et des résultats préliminaires montrent la possibilité de les greffer sur les OCPUF sans utiliser la PDA

Open cell polyurethane foams as polyvalent supports for single- and multi-site heterogeneous catalysts

Dans cette thèse, nous proposons un support catalytique structuré souple à base de mousses de polyuréthane à cellules ouvertes (OCPUF). Ces mousses, qui présentent des propriétés de transport avantageuses pour les processus continus, sont à la fois légères, flexibles et mécaniquement résistantes. Elles peuvent être recouvertes d'une couche adhésive de polydopamine (PDA), qui permet leur fonctionnalisation sans altérer leurs propriétés mécaniques et de transport, grâce notamment à la présence de groupements catéchols. Un organocatalyseur dérivé de la N,N­diméthylaminopyridine (DMAP) et une série de complexes organométalliques de nickel et de ruthénium, comportant tous un bras alcoxysilane, ont ainsi pu être greffés via un processus de silanisation jamais décrit avec la PDA. Les mousses résultantes se sont toutes révélées catalytiquement actives. En particulier, OCPUF@PDA@DMAP s'est avérée très efficace et réutilisable pour l'acétylation des alcools, y compris celle du rétinol (vitamine A). Les mousses résultant du greffage des complexes organométalliques, OCPUF@PDA@Ni et OCPUF@PDA@Ru, se sont montrées actives, respectivement, pour l'hydrosilylation et l'hydrogénation du benzaldéhyde, démontrant ainsi la polyvalence de notre approche pour le greffage covalent de catalyseurs moléculaires. Enfin, la semi-hydrogénation d'alcynes internes et terminaux a été étudiée à l'aide de catalyseurs hétérogènes de type Pd(1 %)/C préparés par une simple méthode de sonication en milieu hydroalcoolique sans étape de calcination-réduction à haute température. Ces catalyseurs fournissent très sélectivement les alcènes désirés, et des résultats préliminaires montrent la possibilité de les greffer sur les OCPUF sans utiliser la PDA.Ln this thesis, we propose a soit structured catalytic support based on open cell polyurethane foams (OCPUF). These foams, which present advantageous transport properties for continuous processes, are light, flexible and mechanically resistant. lnspired by a biomimetic approach based on the mussels' adhesion principle, OCPUF foams can be efficiently coated with an adhesive layer of polydopamine (PDA) that will allow their functionalization without altering their mechanical and transport properties, thanks to the presence of catechol groups. An organocatalyst derived from N,Ndimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and a series of ruthenium and nickel organometallic complexes, ail bearing an alkoxysilane arm, have thus been covalently grafted via a silanization process never reported with PDA. The resulting foams were all catalytically active. ln particular, OCPUF@PDA@DMAP proved highly efficient and reusable for the acetylation of alcohols, including that of retinol (vitamin A). The foams derived from the grafting of the organometallic complexes, OCPUF@PDA@Ni and OCPUF@PDA@Ru, proved to be active for the hydrosilylation and hydrogenation of aldehydes, respectively, thus demonstrating the versatility of our approach for the covalent grafting of molecular catalysts. Finally, the semi-hydrogenation of internai and terminal alkynes was studied with heterogeneous catalysts of the type Pd(1 %)/C that were prepared by a simple sonication method in hydroalcoholic medium without calcinationreduction steps al high temperatures. These catalysts provided the desired alkenes very selectively, and preliminary results show the possibility to graft !hem on OCPUF foams without using PDA

The Impact of the Average Temperature, Humidity, Wind Speed, Altitude, and Population Density on Daily COVID-19 Infection Evolution

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of climate conditions, altitude, and population density on daily COVID-19 infection evolution. For an average wind speed of greater than 25 km/h, the number of daily COVID-19 infections slightly decreased with a rate of 10%, while the temperature, humidity and altitude factors did not affect its evolution. Furthermore, population density strongly affects its progression with an approximate rate of 90%. Finally, we propose a mathematical model to estimate the evolution of COVID-19 infections over time by simultaneously taking into consideration the wind speed and the population density effects

Comparison and evaluation of statistical criteria in the solar cell and photovoltaic module parameters’ extraction

Recently, the extraction of photovoltaic parameters was the subject of intensive debate in the scientific literature. This paper presents an analysis and comparison of the use of the statistical errors in extraction of single and double diodes of the solar cell and photovoltaic module parameters. The compared errors are based on the utilisation of the firefly algorithm. The objective function used is adapted to minimise the absolute errors between the experimental and predicted current values. Two technologies of the solar cell are used to compare; a mono-crystalline silicon solar cell and the polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic module with 36 cells connected in series. The performance of the extracted parameters and current is compared with recent algorithms and techniques. The analysis and comparison of commonly used error measure help in evaluating the predictive ability of parameters extraction. The comparisons demonstrate that the firefly algorithm in statistical errors measure provides high performance and accuracy of the extracted parameters

Effect of seasonal temperature on the heat transfer through a building envelope

The main objective of this work is to study the heat transfer through the exterior walls of an administrative building in Errachidia City. A numerical simulation by COMSOL software was made to analyse the impact of introducing three thermal insulators (air, hemp wool and glass wool) on the heat transfer through the building’s exterior walls in a winter period from January 1st to 8th, 2020. The physical model analyses wall layers’ temperature. It depends on the indoor and the outdoor temperature, solar radiations, and the thermal properties of the building’s envelope. The results show that the air gap is a good thermal insulator, it acts as a damper of temperature and heat flow

Comparative prediction of single and double diode parameters for solar cell models with firefly algorithm

Due to the non-linearity of current-voltage of solar cell model, the conventional methods are incapable to extract the parameters of solar cell with high accuracy. The implicit nonlinear equation describing the single and double diodes solar cell in five and seven parameters is rewritten as optimization problems with constraint functions and it is solved by using a firefly algorithm optimization. The firefly algorithm is a nature-inspired stochastic optimization algorithm, and able to solve modern global optimization for nonlinear and complex system, based on the flashing patterns and behavior of firefly's swarm. Moreover, this paper develops a unique solar cell modelling approach that incorporates search and optimization techniques for the determination of equivalent circuit parameters of RTC France Company mono-crystalline silicon solar cell single and double diodes at 33°C and 1000W/m2 from experimental current-voltage. The statistical errors are used to verify the accuracy of the results. Finally, accuracy of the extracted parameters is verified by comparing the current-voltage curve generated from simulation with those provided by determined experimentally and with different recent algorithms