Collaborateurs·trices

Fariba Moghaddam est professeure de mécatronique et instrumentation à l’institut Systèmes industriels de la Haute Ecole d’Ingénierie de la HES-SO Valais-Wallis, depuis 1998. Ses domaines de recherche appliquée sont la modélisation et la régulation de systèmes mécatroniques, la régulation adaptative et prédictive ainsi que l’automatisation et l’optimisation de processus dynamiques. 

Expérience professionnelle

• Membre du Conseil suisse de la science (CSS)
  De 2013 à 2019
  Lien vers le site du CSS
• Responsable de la filière Master of Science HES-SO en Engineering
  De septembre 2011 à septembre 2017
  Lien vers le site de la HES-SO
  

Projet en cours

Solar Energy Optimization via a Remote Research Platform

Solar energy is one of the most abundant energy resources on earth, but its potential is far from being exploited, according to industry experts. Advanced solar energy technologies are broadly characterized by active solar techniques including photovoltaic panels for electrical energy production, solar collectors for thermal energy production and hybrid systems for electrical and thermal energy production.

As the solar energy is not a continuous energy source, the technologies to harvest as much solar energy as possible are surging rapidly. Apart from innovative solar materials, original methods for obtaining maximum solar energy are emerging to compensate for the modest efficiency of the existing solar systems.

To enhance the power conversion efficiency, this project proposes different optimization methods based on sun tracking technologies. For electrical energy production, we suggest Photovoltaic panels (PV) with one-axis or two-axis sun tracking system as well as Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) using moveable lenses or mirrors as optical boosters to concentrate light beams. For thermal energy production, Concentrator Photovoltaic modules connected to a thermal system (CPV-T) as well as Solar Thermal Collector (STC) equipped with sun tracking reflectors will be initiated.

The main goal of this project is to demonstrate that optimal well-designed solar trackers are extremely interesting, especially for countries like Iran, with high solar radiation in the cold season at more than 1000 meters above sea level, as in Tehran and Sanandaj. This objective can be attained if the following challenges are overcome:

• Reducing the investment and maintenance costs of sun trackers and thereby their payback period by proposing an optimal mechanical design. This is suitable for mass production at small size and will allow deployment as decentralized system by gaining cost reductions due to the economies of scale.
• Boosting energy performance of solar systems by improving their sun tracking strategy, through reliable solar radiation modeling, real-time optimization methods and advanced control algorithms.

Based on the current state of research and the existing know-how and competences of all the partners, we address the following objectives:

• Mechanical design optimization of solar tracking infrastructure by identifying the latest techniques in material and mechanical design of solar systems (PV, CPV, CPV-T, STC) to optimize their moving parts, minimize their costs and improve their efficiency by means of product optimization tools such as CAD-based engineering application as well as Digital Twin technology.
• Sun tracking algorithm optimization by outlining the key challenges of solar radiation modeling and real-time optimization of sun tracking devices concerned with complex calculation, objective function formulation, hybridization, cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Innovative control algorithms such as Model Predictive Control (MPC), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) based on Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and adaptive Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) will be evaluated.
• Development of a collaborative methodology through an online remote research platform for experimental activities by implementing innovative methodologies through an open, sustainable and remote infrastructure. The goal is to provide online access to the remote solar systems which will be placed in the 3 sites (Sion, Sanandaj and Tehran) for experimentation, side-by-side comparison and efficiency evaluation of the solar tracking systems, under different weather conditions.

The final objective is to deliver a proof of concept for robust optimal sun trackers (Hardware and Software) based on investment and maintenance costs, operation issues, size, efficiency and reliability, while keeping manufacturing and sales costs affordable for developing countries. The analysis, key findings and recommendations will contribute to the development of efficient and sustainable renewable energy production, to supply electrical or thermal off-grid energy at home or office with a commercial potential in the future.

• Founds: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
• Academic partners: Amirkabir University of Technology - Iran, University of Kurdistan - Iran

Plateforme digitale de laboratoires en ligne pour des travaux pratiques à distance (Remote Laboratories)
Ce projet inter-filière propose une infrastructure digitale composée de plusieurs laboratoires à distance
offrant un environnement pédagogique complémentaire aux formations classiques. Le but est le partage à distance des infrastructures et des ressources pédagogiques par la mise en ligne des laboratoires répartis sur les écoles de la HES-SO.

• Financement : Programme Innovation Pédagogique de la HES-SO
• Partenaires : HES⁠-⁠SO Valais-Wallis, HEIA-FR

SUDAC 2 - DEAR MENA
The second phase of SUDAC (2021-24) consolidates the network of cooperation in Switzerland and accomplish its extension in the Global South. SUDAC-2 also enlarges the circle of potential beneficiaries of the infrastructure created by SUDAC both in Switzerland and in the Global South. The following objectives are targeted: 1) The consolidation of the CLOCs: CLOCs should develop into a "public good" open to other Swiss institutions interested in partnering up for research or education projects in the respective region. Local partners will be included in a proper way in these processes, particularly regarding the thematic agenda and to the exchanges between research, education and policy actors. 2) Secure structural funding for partners in the Global South: While the consolidation of the network in Switzerland will rely to a large extent on self-funding by the participating institutions, the contributions to the partners in the Global South and also the interactions between them and the Swiss partners will continue to need additional funding. CLOCs will work on attracting third-party co-funding to increase their sustainability. 3) Transfer the platform of SUDAC into a sustainable structure: At the end of SUDAC-2, the network in Switzerland and the CLOCs will work as "public goods" for further Swiss partners interested in developing education and/or research activities together with academic and non-academic partner institutions in the Global South. SUDAC will assure continued commitment of existing partners and a long-term involvement of Swiss institutions in the fields of research, education, and development.

Laboratoires durables - Plateforme collaborative de gestion de dons d’installations usagées de laboratoire et d’équipements informatiques vers les pays émergents
Dans de nombreux laboratoires des hautes écoles suisses, on se sépare des équipements usagés ou dépassés dans le cadre de l’enseignement et de la recherche. Certains équipements encore utilisables occupent un espace d’entreposage avant d’être recyclés, abandonnés ou supprimés.
On propose d’initier au moins une entreprise sociale autour d’une plateforme collaborative de gestion d’équipements usagés de laboratoire dont le but est de prolonger leur durée de vie en optimisant leur réutilisation par des institutions à faibles moyens dans les pays émergents.

• Financement : Programme Entrepreneuriat & Technologies appropriées de la HES-SO
• Partenaires : HES⁠-⁠SO Valais-Wallis, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Berytech-Beyrouth

Drhône
Développement et conception d’un prototype fonctionnel d’aéronef à "effet de sol" de petite taille capable de transporter une charge utile (de la taille d'un litre d'eau ou de sang) au-dessus d’une rivière, d'un fleuve, d'un lac ou d'un océan.

DEAR MENA - Digital Education And Research for MENA
Projet de collaboration dans le domaine de l'éducation digitale et de la recherche entre plusieurs partenaires suisses et MENA.

• Lien vers la page du projet sur le site swissuniversities SUDAC

Publications

2023

• A comparison of photovoltaic sun tracking methods
  Fariba Moghaddam
  SET 2023, 2023

• Remote Laboratories for Engineering Education
  Fariba Moghaddam
  The Learning Ideas Conference 2023, 2023

• Remote real-time research platform for control engineering - Link to the publication
  Fariba Moghaddam, Maël Forestal
  REV2023 20th International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation, 2023

2021

• Interactive lab experimentation and simulation tools for remote laboratories - Link to the publication

  Fariba Moghaddam, Denis Gillet, Aldo Vaccari, Christophe Salzmann, Yves Piguet
  Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation REV 2021: Online Engineering and Society 4.0, 24-26 February 2021, Hongkong, China  (pp. 66-77). 2021,  Cham : Springer Hongkong, China : 24-26 February 2021

2019

• Massive open online Labs (MOOLs) : an innovative solution to achieving SDGs in the global south - Link to the publication
  Fariba Moghaddam, Alco Vaccari, Thomas Moniquet, Christophe Salzmann, Yves Piguet, Samer Saab, Rayana Jaafar, Amir Abolfazl Suratgar, Qobad Shafiee, Nomaou Dan Lamso, Hasane Alzouma Mayaki, Hassan Ali Barkad, Hamadou Saliah Hassane, Denis Gillet
  Proceedings of 2019 5th Experiment International Conference , 12-14 June 2019, Funchal, Portugal