South Of Algeria Research Articles

An ontology based energy management for smart home

In this work, the main objective is oriented towards the development of a completed system of saving energy at a home in south Algeria. The proposed previously solution (OSEIM) is an intelligent solution based on domain ontology for the electrical energy management in the home; these are designed, built, and operated with increasingly complex technologies. However, the ontology used in this work brings together a body of knowledge that represents all the objects that can positively or negatively influence the consumption of electrical energy, all of this information is linked to each other by meaningful and useful relationships. In addition, the NewOSEIM solution comprising a knowledge base of the OWL (Web Ontology Language) and SWRL rules (Semantic Web Rule Language) providing a reasoning mechanism is developed to offer an optimal solution in energy saving. This work mainly depends on the import of the OSEIM ontology and other ontologies in the field of energy management. Finally, it is noted that the NewOSEIM solution provides an additional energy saving of 2.11 %.

Evaluation of summer thermal comfort in arid desert areas. Case study: Old adobe building in Adrar (South of Algeria)

The ASHRAE-55 adaptive model is considered one of the best-known thermal comfort assessment methods in naturally ventilated buildings. This type of building reflects the climatic architecture and is not based on energy consumption as in modern conceptions, especially in hot and dry regions. To study the thermal comfort in old buildings naturally ventilated, built in adobe with a compacted urban tissue known as the Ksar, we carried out a field study to evaluate the thermal comfort and climatic adaptation on the population of a hot and arid region in southern Algeria. This study was based on the adaptive model of ASHRAE-55. The results showed that the old building constructed in adobe is characterized by a bioclimatic architecture built with local materials, allowing high thermal insulation from the severe outdoor environment. As a result, the building offers thermal and humidity comfort to the inhabitants during a period of extreme heat, compared to modern concrete buildings. We registered a neutral temperature of 31.52 °C with a neutral humidity of around 20%. We also proved significant climate adaptation according to the residence time in traditional dwellings built in adobe, representing the best urban planning solution in the desert environment.

Urban and Environmental Quality of Subdivisions: A Case of Bechar city, Algeria

Like any developing country, which is witnessing an exponential demographic expansion, Algeria has experienced an unsustainable housing crisis, for which subdivisions are a suitable response to the growing demand for building land. However, the intensive production effort of the housing estates has not often yielded the expected results, since this quantitative expansion, which is often unfinished, shows poor quality. However, a fairly large number of actors intervene to varying degrees, without improving the overall quality of the product. Whereas the subdivision is not just an inert urban form, conceived as a parcel division, it is rather a means of urban development that must meet the quality requirements of the living environment. In Bechar, south of Algeria, precisely, the successive production of housing estates gives today a depreciated image, reflecting an unfinished building site. This article looks for ways to improve the quality of life in these living spaces, defining the strategic principles that can promote the urban and environmental quality of subdivisions and the role of the different actors in terms of quality: from process to product. To evaluate the subdivision and promote its quality, we will adopt a site analysis grid, which will allow us to physically analyze the subdivisions, identify strengths and weaknesses with the ultimate goal of controlling impacts on the external environment, and then define strategies for a more satisfactory indoor environment than the existing one.

Assessing the performance of various meteorological drought indices in capturing historic droughts in the south of Algeria

Assessing the performance of various meteorological drought indices in capturing historic droughts in the south of Algeria

Determination of some phenolic acids in Algerian propolis

Abstract Propolis is a resinous material collected by bees from various plant exudates, rich in well-known phenolic compounds, such as phenolic acids, that are important to health. Extracts of propolis are very complex matrices that are hard to test. The purpose of this study was to characterize some of the propolis phenolics that were collected from five different districts in Algeria. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), a modern quantitative method, has been adopted to identify the phenolic acids. Moreover, total phenolic content of four different phenolic acids were identified, with the most abundant being chlorogenic acid, followed by caffeic acid, gallic acid, and p-coumaric acid, the obtained ratios from phenolic acids being in the range of 52.193 to 148.151 μg/g, 0.043 to 7.128 mg/g, 0.328 to 0.440 mg/g and 0.328 to 0.440 mg/g, respectively. Overall, our analysis indicates that all the samples of propolis tested are healthy sources of phenolic acids and the significant differences in the concentrations of the acids were observed for propolis samples from north and south of Algeria. It is probably the effect of different conditions of the collection of the resin and secrets by bees.

Investigation of the principal vectors of abortive diseases in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)

One-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) are important source of meat, milk and leather production for humans in southern Algeria. Camel livestock farming is confronted with several obstacles, including abortive diseases which can be transmitted mainly by ticks. The study was carried out in Ouargla region, South Algeria, between January and December 2017. The objective of this study was to identify ticks in camels and to study the relationship between camel abortion rate and the presence of different species of ticks. A total of 350 camels (including 171 males and 179 females) was used in this study. Ticks were searched on the entire camel body (head, neck, hump, abdomen, forelegs, back legs, and tail area). Results showed that 215/350 (61.4%) camels were infested by ticks including 137/171 (80.1%) and 78/179 (43.6%) males and females, respectively. A total of 46/179 (25.7%) camel females had aborted and all these were revealed infested by ticks. A total of 298 ticks was collected including the following species Hyalomma dromedarii (90.9%), Hyalomma impeltatum (5.37%) and for the first time in Algeria, Amblyomma variegatum (2.35%) and Rhipicephalus turanicus (1.34%). H. dromedarii was the most frequent (p<0.001). The study showed that the dromedary was highly infested by ticks. The presence of ticks in all aborted female camels certainly indicates their important role in one-humped camel abortions in Algeria. The identification of tick-borne abortive agents in camels is important in order to establish an effective abortion control plan.

How PV systems can be cost-competitive for mobile BTS in remote areas of Algeria

Solar electricity for telecom infrastructure has became one of the main contributors of electrical energy to the energy system in the future, but solar technology needs support to find its way to the market. Since photovoltaic (PV) electricity always involves very high costs compared to electricity from other sources, a striking question is: how can PVs achieve competitiveness? There are different strategies for promoting applied PV electricity generation around the world. Here, we simulated and designed a 40 KWp injected PV power, to evaluate the energy of the incident photon flux, that produced by PV panels and the energy injected into the electricity grid, and judge whether the installation is profitable, and if the technology is economical. The results reveal that the site of Tamanrasset (in the extreme south of Algeria) could produce an annual energy production 73879 kWh, which justify the reason the German Academy has chosen such site for the famous desert project, lastly launched between the two countries.

A novel tree seed algorithm for optimal reactive power planning and reconfiguration based STATCOM devices and PV sources

Reactive power dispatch based on static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) and photovoltaic (PV) sources in coordination with reconfiguration strategy is vital task to ensure reliable operation of modern radial distribution (RD) systems. This paper introduces a novel tree seed algorithm (TSA) to improve the performance of modern RD power systems. A variant of TSA based on intelligent and flexible mechanism search is proposed to create an interactive equilibrium between exploration and exploitation during the search process to improve the global solution. Two objective functions, the total power loss and the margin reserve security are optimized under normal condition and critical load growth. To obtain reliable operation of the distribution system under critical situations, a reactive power dispatch based STATCOM devices is managed in coordination with the reconfiguration stage to find the best combination of sectionalizing switches and tie switches to be operated. The efficiency and particularity of the proposed distribution-planning strategy validated on two test systems, the radial 33 buses and the practical radial 250 buses (30 kV) of Sonelgaz Company located in Biskra in the south of Algeria. This radial electric network designed principally to deliver energy to several small and important agricultural consumers. Results obtained based on various test cases and scenarios using the proposed new planning strategy confirm the efficiency of the proposed planning strategy in terms of reduction of the total power loss, improvement voltage magnitude and enhancement of margin reserve.

Temperature effects on sorption behaviour of compressed and cement-stabilised earth blocks

This paper seeks, as a part of Algerian policy, to encourage the reconstruction of the ground in order to achieve economic reconstruction and the safety of inhabitants and the environment. The study focuses on the hygrothermal behaviour of compressed and stabilised earth blocks that can be used in different climate zones, like the south of Algeria, where the temperature is up to 50°C in summer, and the coastal towns, where humidity exceeds 80%. Accordingly, an experimental study has been conducted to determine the influence of temperature on the sorption isotherms for compressed and stabilised earth blocks stabilised with 6% of cement. The sorption isotherms were measured at temperatures of 10, 23, 30, 40 and 50°C. Twelve equations have been fit to the experimental isotherms to find the one that gives the best agreement. An experimental model was then developed based on the Oswin model describing the dependence of temperature on the sorption characteristics of compressed and stabilised earth blocks. The results show a significant influence of the increase in temperature on the hygrothermal behaviour, in particular a reduction of 11% in the equivalent water content between 10°C and 50°C.

EFFECT OF DESIGN PARAMETERS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF DSG LINEAR FRESNEL SOLAR POWER PLANT

The linear Fresnel collector technology is currently being commercialized by several companies for the application in solar thermal power plants and it appears as a technology with very high potential to reduce costs. The present paper compares the annual behavior in terms of annual electricity output, levelized cost of energy (LCOE), and capacity factor (CF) of 50-MW direct steam generation (DSG) linear Fresnel power plants with different solar field sizes and different backup system capacities. A sensitivity analysis of site's parameters (direct normal irradiation (DNI), altitude, average temperature, etc.) has been added by the choice of different locations on the south of Algeria (Hassi R'mel, Tamanrasset, and InSalah) to provide a comprehensive analysis. For this purpose, System Advisor Model (SAM) software has been used. As follows from the results, a DSG linear Fresnel solar plant has the lowest LCOE among all concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, and it recovers the investment after the first year of operation and the payback period is less than 2 years. It was also found that the DSG linear Fresnel solar plant with 24% of the backup system is the best and optimum solution under Algerian climates.

Total phenolic contents and determination of Antioxidant activity by DPPH, FRAP, and cyclic voltammetry of the fruit of Solanum nigrum (Black nightshade) growing in the south of Algeria

In the present research, we studied the quantification of the total phenolics, total flavonoids, total flavonols, and the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the fruits of Solanum nigrum L. by chemical and electrochemical methods. The chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol crude extracts are prepared from the hydroethanolic extract of the fruits were tested. The results showed that ethyl acetate extract showed the highest phenolic content (87.68mg GAE/g), chloroform extract showed the highest flavonoid content (24.23mg QE/g) and highest flavonol content (71.60mg RE/g). The evaluation of antioxidant activity by chemical methods revealed that the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity was shown by ethyl acetate extract (0.123mg/mL) while the highest ferric reducing capacity was shown by butanol extract (610.46±0.0015mg FeSO4/g). The electrochemical study of the three extracts by cyclic voltammetry method indicates that the highest antioxidant activity was shown by ethyl acetate extract (17.75±0.238mg/g) equivalent ascorbic acid. The superoxide scavenging assay of chloroform extract showed the highest value (0.8 mg/mL).

Contribution to the Parametric Study of the Performance of A Parabolic Trough Collector

This paper presents an analysis of the performance of a parabolic trough collector (PTC) according to some key operating parameters. The effects of the secondary reflector, the length and thickness of the absorber tube (receiver tube) and the flow rate of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) are investigated. The main objective is to determine an optimal operation, which improves the performance of a traditional PTC. The target variables are the temperature at the outlet of the tube, the amount of energy collected by the HTF and the efficiency of the system. The solar flux data concern the city of LAGHOUAT located in the south of Algeria. Four days in different seasons are considered. The optical analysis of the system is performed by using the open source SolTrace code. The output of this analysis is used as a boundary condition for the CFD solver. The conjugate heat transfer and the fluid flow through the absorber tube are simulated by using ANSYS-CFX solver. Water is considered as heat transfer fluids. The obtained results show that the use of a curved secondary reflector significantly improves the performance of the traditional PTC. As the thickness of the tube increases, the heat storage in the material increases, which increases the temperature at the exit of the tube and therefore the efficiency of the system. However, the length of the tube depends on the mass flow of the HTF and vice versa. To keep the efficiency constant by choosing another length, it is necessary to choose a mass flow rate proportional to the flow rate corresponding to the initial length.

Grounding system cost reduction using multi-objective optimisation method

Grounding grid is an important process in design substation and power plant that makes a safe and reliable power system. It is therefore necessary to optimise the design of the grounding network, and to seek to minimise costs. To this effect, this study deals with a new method based on multi-objective particle swarm optimisation (MOPSO) to find optimum grounding grid design for a new 220 kV power plant with substation based in Adrar (south of Algeria). First, the authors present a contribution of a generalisation of methods using one objective function or cost function of the grounding grid with constraints of the grounding resistance like the step voltage and touch voltage and ground potential rise, accordingly to IEEE Std.80.2013. The main advantage of the proposed method is the simultaneous location of all optimal solutions on only one analysis. The problem is while transformed to multi-objective problem, and the evolutionary algorithms proved to be particularly effective in solving this type of problem. In this study, the authors present also a new objective functions or cost functions that are developed to distinguish between the construction and the electrical cost functions. The four objective functions obtained are minimised by MOPSO to determine the optimal solutions.

Assessment performance parameters correlation of a grid-connected PV system

The primary objective of this examination is to show the impact of climate conditions on grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) framework execution introduced in the Saharan territory of south Algeria (Adrar). This area is described by high surrounding temperature in the late spring, solid sun-based insolation potential and low moistness rate. The information estimation was done in Zaouiet Kounta in different day by day climatic conditions (clear, shady and Dust storm day). The presentation assessment dependent on the checking of execution parameters, for example, last yield, reference yield, execution proportion and Framework proficiency. The got outcomes demonstrate that the framework execution predominantly influenced by the natural changes.

Palestine Comes to Paris: The Global Sixties and the Making of a Universal Cause

In the early 1960s, Israeli diplomats based in Paris noted that student life there had become political in new ways that threatened to undermine Israel’s image and standing in the public mind. In an effort to understand the growing international student body and its nine thousand well-integrated Arab students, the embassy asked Israeli students to spy on their colleagues and submit detailed reports about their political associations, thoughts, opinions, connections, whereabouts, and much else. Using the reports and other auxiliary material that the Israeli diplomats collected, this article examines the formation process of a unique, student-led intellectual and political ecosystem. Specifically, it shows how, in tandem with the rise of the New Arab Left and other transnational student collaborations, the Palestinian question grew from a marginal and marginalized issue to a major cause that was deeply entwined with other contemporaneous causes of universal resonance, such as those of South Africa, Rhodesia, and Algeria.

Optimal configuration of hybrid PV-generator (diesel/GPL) for a decentralized production of electricity in Algeria

The absence of electricity in rural areas is one of the major challenges faced by many developing countries like Algeria. This work has been devoted to the design of an off-grid renewable hybrid power system for a rural village in the region of Tindouf located in south Algeria. The main objective of this study is to determine the optimum size of the hybrid power system able to fulfill the requirements of 709 kWh/day primary load with 66 kW peak load for a remote area of 230 households. This study is based on simulation and optimization of a (PV-Diesel) and (PV-GPL) hybrid system with a technical-economic analysis. Simulation results showed that electrifying using a PV/GPL generator hybrid system is more advantageous when compared to the PV/diesel generator hybrid system as it has lower operating costs and emissions. The comparison is based on per unit cost of electrical energy production, operating cost of conventional fossil fuel-based energy sources and pollutants gases reduction.

A conceptual framework of groundwater flowpath and recharge in Ziban aquifer: south of Algeria

The Zyban aquifers (southern Algeria) are an important source of groundwater and are mainly found in limestone and dolomite from the Senono-Eocene. To be able to assess the effects of overuse of the Zeban groundwater, it is necessary to understand the origin of the recharge and determine its path out of the recharge zones. This study aims to better understand the flow path and replenishment areas using hydrology. For this purpose, 145 water samples were collected and analyzed for the determination of major ions and isotopes (18O, 2H and 3H). The isotope analysis of hydrogen, oxygen and tritium allowed a certain distinction between the origin and the mixture of water. The study area is located in the fault corridor of the South Atlas, a network of migration and folding defects that leads to a complex structure characterized by the subdivision of the formations and the variety of facies. The regional flow pattern is mainly influenced by the topography, and this is through the distribution of supply and flow, which is produced by transport at many depths and levels of distribution (local or regional). The rocky nature and the severe fractures are responsible for the division of the hydrogeological units and play an important role in the dynamics and transport of the groundwater. The hydrodynamic analysis shows the dominance of regional hydrogeology in terms of geological nature and structure. This is supported by a hydrochemical signal showing the distribution and evolution of the elements according to the structural and geological scheme (evolution from calcium bicarbonate facies to calcium sulphate medium facies).

In Vitro Effect of Crude Extract from Traganum Nudatum on Glucose-Uptake in Liver Slices Isolated from Westar Rats

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. There are many classes of drugs used for treatment, and these include insulin sensitizers, insulin secretagogues, and agents that delay the absorption of carbohydrates from the bowel. This study intends to investigate the effect of crude extract from a plant from South Algeria Traganum nudatum (Chenopodiaceae) on glucose uptake in liver slices isolated from Wistar rats. Methods: The liver slices were incubated for 90 min at 37° in normoglycaemic (1g/l of glucose) and hyperglycaemic (3g/l of glucose) KRBA Krebs Ringer Bicarbonate Albumin 4% media using 24 well-polyethylene plates. In each, well different concentrations of insulin (10, 50 and 100µU/ml) and hydromethanolic crude extract (100, 200 and 500µg/ml) were added. After every 30 minutes, aliquots of the culture media were assayed for the determination of glucose left. Results: Tests showed that the glucose left after 90 minutes in the media which contained insulin at 100µg/ml was the lowest (0.44 and 1.41 )g/l in the normo and hyperglycaemic media respectively, which reflect that insulin at this concentration was the most effective on the stimulation of glucose uptake. The extract had the highest effect at 500µg/ml, the concentrations of glucose left after 90 minutes of incubation were found to be (0.38 and 1.31)g/l in the normoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic media respectively. Conclusion: From the obtained results, it can be concluded that our extract seems to have an insulin-like effect on glucose uptake in liver slices isolated from Wistar rats.

Antibacterial activity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from milk and traditional fermented dairy products of south Algeria against multidrug resistance pathogenic bacteria

The alarming situation of the increasing problem of the antibiotics resistance in the whole world requires an immediate need of the exploration of better alternatives for combating resistance. The main aim of the present work was the isolation and the screening of large range of lactic acid bacteria with important potential of antibacterial activity against multidrug resistance pathogenic strains and the characterization of the molecules responsible for anti-bacterial activity. The primary screening indicated the isolation of total of 200 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from harvested milk (camel and goat) and tradi-tional fermented dairy products (Jben and kamaria) of south Algeria and in-vestigated for their antibacterial activity against clinical pathogens bacteria. Furthermore, Nineteen representative isolates (19) were selected and char-acterized with regard to their functional properties. The obtained results indicated that produced bacteriocin by both bacterial strains L. raffinolactis LAB9 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris LAB13 has manifested an excellent antagonistic activity against P.aeruginosa (PA) and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which was Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A Further investigation indicated that the produced bacteriocin by LAB9 and LAB 13 were heat stable, where their inactivation was observed when treated with pepsin and trypsin. Additionally, the purification of the produced bacteriocin by L.raffinolactis LAB9 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris LAB13 has been achieved by the using of the partial ammonium sulfate precipitation. The technological properties and the stability of bacteriocins of LAB may lead for bioprospection of antibacterial components in the current struggle against increasing pandrug resistance and slowing down the expansion of multi drug resistance.

Techno‐economic analysis of a stand‐alone photovoltaic system with three different storage systems for feeding isolated houses in south Algeria

AbstractThis paper presents a technical and economic simulation of a solar photovoltaic system with three different storage types. Battery lead‐acid, battery lithium‐ion, and hydrogen storage have been used to cover the consumption of houses in an isolated village in southwest Algeria. The main objective of this study is trying to use the roof of the houses to cover consumption by installing solar panels and build a room for electric equipment like inverter, battery, power system management, and so forth. The proposed hybrid system size is 50 photovoltaic panels with 7 kW electrolyzer and a tank of 6 kg for hydrogen storage. The hourly consumption of this houses was estimated during two seasons; season of low consumption (winter) and season of high consumption (summer). The results obtained from Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable PRO software have been validated using MATLAB/Simulink software. The results show that the best storage system is the hydrogen storage due to low excess energy with no unmet load, the results show also that the system that uses hydrogen storage is the most economic system compared to the other storage types (lead‐acid and lithium‐ion) due to low investment cost and long lifetime. This system costs 51 282€.