Building Energy Modeling and Studies of Electric Power Distribution Systems with Distributed Energy Resources

There is significant opportunity for savings in energy and investment from improved performance of electric Power Distribution Systems (PDSs) through optimal planning and operation of conventional voltage-controlling devices. Novel multi-step model conversion and optimal capacitor planning (OCP) procedures are proposed for large-scale utility PDSs and are exemplified with an existing utility circuit of approximately 4,000 buses. Simulated optimal control and operation is achieved with a cluster-based approach that utilizes load-forecasting to minimize equipment degradation by intelligently dispersing device setting adjustments over time such that they remain most applicable. Improved performance may also be achieved through smart building technologies and Virtual Power Plant (VPP) control of increasingly more prevalent Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). The established simulation test bed for PDSs incorporates DERs to evaluate VPP implementations and an optimization process for control timing is proposed that minimizes targeted peak power and possible resulting increase in total daily energy. The advanced VPP controls incorporate the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) 2045 standard and EnergyStar performance characterizations to leverage HVAC systems as Generalized Energy Storage (GES) for load manipulation and to support the integration of demand-side generating DERs, such as local solar Photo-Voltaic (PV) systems

Multi-criteria analysis applied to multi-objective optimal pump scheduling in water systems

[EN] This work presents a multi-criteria-based approach to automatically select specific non-dominated solutions from a Pareto front previously obtained using multi-objective optimization to find optimal solutions for pump control in a water supply system. Optimal operation of pumps in these utilities is paramount to enable water companies to achieve energy efficiency in their systems. The Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) is used to rank the Pareto solutions found by the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) employed to solve the multi-objective problem. Various scenarios are evaluated under leakage uncertainty conditions, resulting in fuzzy solutions for the Pareto front. This paper shows the suitability of the approach for quasi real-world problems. In our case-study, the obtained solutions for scenarios including leakage represent the best trade-off among the optimal solutions, under some considered criteria, namely, operational cost, operational lack of service, pressure uniformity and network resilience. Potential future developments could include the use of clustering alternatives to evaluate the goodness of each solution under the considered evaluation criteria.Carpitella, S.; Brentan, BM.; Montalvo Arango, I.; Izquierdo Sebastián, J.; Certa, A. (2019). Multi-criteria analysis applied to multi-objective optimal pump scheduling in water systems. Water Science & Technology: Water Supply. 19(8):2338-2346. https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2019.115S23382346198Ancău, M., & Caizar, C. (2010). The computation of Pareto-optimal set in multicriterial optimization of rapid prototyping processes. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 58(4), 696-708. doi:10.1016/j.cie.2010.01.015Aşchilean, I., Badea, G., Giurca, I., Naghiu, G. S., & Iloaie, F. G. (2017). Choosing the Optimal Technology to Rehabilitate the Pipes in Water Distribution Systems Using the AHP Method. Energy Procedia, 112, 19-26. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.1109Brentan, B., Meirelles, G., Luvizotto, E., & Izquierdo, J. (2018). Joint Operation of Pressure-Reducing Valves and Pumps for Improving the Efficiency of Water Distribution Systems. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 144(9), 04018055. doi:10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000974Certa, A., Enea, M., Galante, G. M., & La Fata, C. M. (2017). ELECTRE TRI-based approach to the failure modes classification on the basis of risk parameters: An alternative to the risk priority number. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 108, 100-110. doi:10.1016/j.cie.2017.04.018Chen, C.-T. (2000). Extensions of the TOPSIS for group decision-making under fuzzy environment. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 114(1), 1-9. doi:10.1016/s0165-0114(97)00377-1Cruz-Reyes, L., Fernandez, E., Sanchez, P., Coello Coello, C. A., & Gomez, C. (2017). Incorporation of implicit decision-maker preferences in multi-objective evolutionary optimization using a multi-criteria classification method. Applied Soft Computing, 50, 48-57. doi:10.1016/j.asoc.2016.10.037Farmani, R., Ingeduld, P., Savic, D., Walters, G., Svitak, Z., & Berka, J. (2007). Real-time modelling of a major water supply system. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Water Management, 160(2), 103-108. doi:10.1680/wama.2007.160.2.103Hadas, Y., & Nahum, O. E. (2016). Urban bus network of priority lanes: A combined multi-objective, multi-criteria and group decision-making approach. Transport Policy, 52, 186-196. doi:10.1016/j.tranpol.2016.08.006Hamdan, S., & Cheaitou, A. (2017). Supplier selection and order allocation with green criteria: An MCDM and multi-objective optimization approach. Computers & Operations Research, 81, 282-304. doi:10.1016/j.cor.2016.11.005Ho, W. (2008). Integrated analytic hierarchy process and its applications – A literature review. European Journal of Operational Research, 186(1), 211-228. doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2007.01.004Jowitt, P. W., & Germanopoulos, G. (1992). Optimal Pump Scheduling in Water‐Supply Networks. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 118(4), 406-422. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9496(1992)118:4(406)Jowitt, P. W., & Xu, C. (1990). Optimal Valve Control in Water‐Distribution Networks. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 116(4), 455-472. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9496(1990)116:4(455)Kurek, W., & Ostfeld, A. (2013). Multi-objective optimization of water quality, pumps operation, and storage sizing of water distribution systems. Journal of Environmental Management, 115, 189-197. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.11.030Lima, G. M., Luvizotto, E., & Brentan, B. M. (2017). Selection and location of Pumps as Turbines substituting pressure reducing valves. Renewable Energy, 109, 392-405. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2017.03.056Mala-Jetmarova, H., Sultanova, N., & Savic, D. (2017). Lost in optimisation of water distribution systems? A literature review of system operation. Environmental Modelling & Software, 93, 209-254. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.02.009Montalvo, I., Izquierdo, J., Pérez-García, R., & Herrera, M. (2014). Water Distribution System Computer-Aided Design by Agent Swarm Optimization. Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 29(6), 433-448. doi:10.1111/mice.12062Odan, F. K., Ribeiro Reis, L. F., & Kapelan, Z. (2015). Real-Time Multiobjective Optimization of Operation of Water Supply Systems. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 141(9), 04015011. doi:10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000515Ostfeld, A., Uber, J. G., Salomons, E., Berry, J. W., Hart, W. E., Phillips, C. A., … Walski, T. (2008). The Battle of the Water Sensor Networks (BWSN): A Design Challenge for Engineers and Algorithms. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 134(6), 556-568. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9496(2008)134:6(556)Todini, E. (2000). Looped water distribution networks design using a resilience index based heuristic approach. Urban Water, 2(2), 115-122. doi:10.1016/s1462-0758(00)00049-2Zaidan, A. A., Zaidan, B. B., Al-Haiqi, A., Kiah, M. L. M., Hussain, M., & Abdulnabi, M. (2015). Evaluation and selection of open-source EMR software packages based on integrated AHP and TOPSIS. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 53, 390-404. doi:10.1016/j.jbi.2014.11.012Żak, J., & Kruszyński, M. (2015). Application of AHP and ELECTRE III/IV Methods to Multiple Level, Multiple Criteria Evaluation of Urban Transportation Projects. Transportation Research Procedia, 10, 820-830. doi:10.1016/j.trpro.2015.09.03

Sustainable Approaches for Highway Runoff Management During Construction and Operation

Paper V and paper VI have not been published yet.Environmentally friendly approaches for highway runoff management during construction and operation are considered in this project. First, the state of the art in runoff management in terms of characterization, treatment, and modeling approaches were surveyed, and knowledge gaps were identified. Then, the characterization and treatment of tunneling wastewater (by natural and chemical coagulants) was investigated. In the next stage, the vulnerability of water quality to road construction activities was investigated by analyzing field monitoring data. In addition, two different approaches, involving information theory and gamma test theory, were suggested to optimize the water quality monitoring network during road construction. Lastly, the application of satellite data (i.e., Sentinel-2 Multi-Spectral Imager satellite imagery products) for water quality monitoring was examined. Based on the results, it can be shown that site-specific parameters (e.g., climate, traffic load) cause spatiotemporal variation in the characterization of highway runoff and performance of best management practices (BMP) to protect water quality. There is a knowledge gap regarding the characterization of highway runoff under different climatic scenarios, as well as the continuous monitoring and assessment of roadside water bodies. Analysis of the field monitoring data indicates that blasting, area cleaning, and construction of water management measures have the highest impact on surface water quality during road construction. Additionally, the application of information theory and gamma test theory indicate that the primary monitoring network assessed here is not optimally designed. The number and spatial distribution of monitoring stations could be modified and reduced, as the construction activities vary over time. Additionally, the suggested remote sensing techniques applied in this project are able to estimate water quality parameters (i.e., turbidity and chlorophyll-a) in roadside water bodies with a reliability consistent with field observations, reflecting the spatiotemporal effects of road construction and operations on water quality. Finally, an efficient two-step treatment strategy (15 min sedimentation followed by chemical coagulation and 45 min sedimentation) is suggested for the treatment of tunneling wastewater. The optimum coagulant dosages in the jar test exhibit high treatment efficiency (92-99%) for both turbidity and suspended solids (SS), especially for particle removal in the range of 10-100 μm, which is hard to remove by sedimentation ponds and may pose serious threats to the aquatic ecosystem. It is hoped the knowledge generated by this project will help decision-makers with management strategies and support UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The proposed approaches directly contribute to managing highway runoff and achieving SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and especially target 6.3 (water quality).publishedVersio

Sustainable Approaches for Highway Runoff Management During Construction and Operation

publishedVersio

A comprehensive survey on cultural algorithms

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Evolutionary Dynamic Multi-Objective Optimisation : A survey

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