A new approach to optimizing energy systems

• Published in: Computer methods in applied mechanics and engineering 2001-07, Vol.190 (40), p.5297-5310
• Main Authors: van der Lee, Patrick E.A, Terlaky, Tamás, Woudstra, Theo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Combined cycle; Combined power plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Flow-sheets; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Optimization; Power plants; Steam cycle
• ISSN: 0045-7825; 1879-2138
• DOI: 10.1016/S0045-7825(01)00162-1

Flow-sheet programs used for the design of power plants become more meaningful with use of optimization possibilities. As the power plant is considered to be a black-box for an optimization routine, many evaluations of the plant efficiency, as a function of the chosen parameter (or parameters), have to be considered. As optima are often in a flat part of the efficiency curve, as a function of the parameters, a disturbance in the calculation might lead to no found optimum at all for the optimization routine. Two calculation routines are compared to operate with the program Cycle-Tempo: a Quasi-Newton and a Derivative Free optimization routine. From these two the latter experienced to be the most stable, although the former can be improved compared to the way it is in use now.