11,188 research outputs found
The protein cost of metabolic fluxes: prediction from enzymatic rate laws and cost minimization
Bacterial growth depends crucially on metabolic fluxes, which are limited by
the cell's capacity to maintain metabolic enzymes. The necessary enzyme amount
per unit flux is a major determinant of metabolic strategies both in evolution
and bioengineering. It depends on enzyme parameters (such as kcat and KM
constants), but also on metabolite concentrations. Moreover, similar amounts of
different enzymes might incur different costs for the cell, depending on
enzyme-specific properties such as protein size and half-life. Here, we
developed enzyme cost minimization (ECM), a scalable method for computing
enzyme amounts that support a given metabolic flux at a minimal protein cost.
The complex interplay of enzyme and metabolite concentrations, e.g. through
thermodynamic driving forces and enzyme saturation, would make it hard to solve
this optimization problem directly. By treating enzyme cost as a function of
metabolite levels, we formulated ECM as a numerically tractable, convex
optimization problem. Its tiered approach allows for building models at
different levels of detail, depending on the amount of available data.
Validating our method with measured metabolite and protein levels in E. coli
central metabolism, we found typical prediction fold errors of 3.8 and 2.7,
respectively, for the two kinds of data. ECM can be used to predict enzyme
levels and protein cost in natural and engineered pathways, establishes a
direct connection between protein cost and thermodynamics, and provides a
physically plausible and computationally tractable way to include enzyme
kinetics into constraint-based metabolic models, where kinetics have usually
been ignored or oversimplified
Application of Robust Model Predictive Control to a Renewable Hydrogen-based Microgrid
In order to cope with uncertainties present in the renewable energy generation, as well as in the demand consumer, we propose in this paper the formulation and comparison of three robust model predictive control techniques, i. i. e., multi-scenario, tree-based, and chance-constrained model predictive control, which are applied to a nonlinear plant-replacement model that corresponds to a real laboratory-scale plant located in the facilities of the University of Seville. Results show the effectiveness of these three techniques considering the stochastic nature, proper of these systems
Modular Supply Network Optimization of Renewable Ammonia and Methanol Co-production
To reduce the use of fossil fuels and other carbonaceous fuels, renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal energy have been suggested to be promising alternative energy that guarantee sustainable and clean environment. However, the availability of renewable energy has been limited due to its dependence on weather and geographical location. This challenge is intended to be solved by the utilization of the renewable energy in the production of chemical energy carriers. Hydrogen has been proposed as a potential renewable energy carrier, however, its chemical instability and high liquefaction energy makes researchers seek for other alternative energy carriers. Ammonia and methanol can serve as promising alternative energy carriers due to their chemical stability at room temperature, low liquefaction energy, high energy value. The co-production of these high energy dense energy carriers offers economic and environmental advantages since their synthesis involve the direct utilization of CO2 and common unit operations. This problem report aims to review the optimization of the co-production of methanol and ammonia from renewable energy. Form this review, research challenges and opportunities are identified in the following areas: (i) optimization of methanol and ammonia co-production under renewable and demand uncertainty, (ii) impacts of the modular exponent on the feasibility of co-production of ammonia and methanol, and (iii) development of modern computational tools for systems-based analysis
On the Comparison of Stochastic Model Predictive Control Strategies Applied to a Hydrogen-based Microgrid
In this paper, a performance comparison among three well-known stochastic model
predictive control approaches, namely, multi-scenario, tree-based, and chance-constrained
model predictive control is presented. To this end, three predictive controllers have
been designed and implemented in a real renewable-hydrogen-based microgrid. The
experimental set-up includes a PEM electrolyzer, lead-acid batteries, and a PEM fuel
cell as main equipment. The real experimental results show significant differences from
the plant components, mainly in terms of use of energy, for each implemented technique.
Effectiveness, performance, advantages, and disadvantages of these techniques
are extensively discussed and analyzed to give some valid criteria when selecting an
appropriate stochastic predictive controller.Ministerio de EconomÃa y Competitividad DPI2013-46912-C2-1-RMinisterio de EconomÃa y Competitividad DPI2013-482443-C2-1-
Optimal management of bio-based energy supply chains under parametric uncertainty through a data-driven decision-support framework
This paper addresses the optimal management of a multi-objective bio-based energy supply chain network subjected to multiple sources of uncertainty. The complexity to obtain an optimal solution using traditional uncertainty management methods dramatically increases with the number of uncertain factors considered. Such a complexity produces that, if tractable, the problem is solved after a large computational effort. Therefore, in this work a data-driven decision-making framework is proposed to address this issue. Such a framework exploits machine learning techniques to efficiently approximate the optimal management decisions considering a set of uncertain parameters that continuously influence the process behavior as an input. A design of computer experiments technique is used in order to combine these parameters and produce a matrix of representative information. These data are used to optimize the deterministic multi-objective bio-based energy network problem through conventional optimization methods, leading to a detailed (but elementary) map of the optimal management decisions based on the uncertain parameters. Afterwards, the detailed data-driven relations are described/identified using an Ordinary Kriging meta-model. The result exhibits a very high accuracy of the parametric meta-models for predicting the optimal decision variables in comparison with the traditional stochastic approach. Besides, and more importantly, a dramatic reduction of the computational effort required to obtain these optimal values in response to the change of the uncertain parameters is achieved. Thus the use of the proposed data-driven decision tool promotes a time-effective optimal decision making, which represents a step forward to use data-driven strategy in large-scale/complex industrial problems.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version
A new method to energy saving in a micro grid
Optimization of energy production systems is a relevant issue that must be
considered in order to follow the fossil fuels consumption reduction policies and CO2 emission
regulation. Increasing electricity production from renewable resources (e.g., photovoltaic
systems and wind farms) is desirable but its unpredictability is a cause of problems for the
main grid stability. A system with multiple energy sources represents an efficient solution,
by realizing an interface among renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, and
conventional power generators. Direct consequences of multi-energy systems are a wider
energy flexibility and benefits for the electric grid, the purpose of this paper is to propose
the best technology combination for electricity generation from a mix of renewable energy
resources to satisfy the electrical needs. The paper identifies the optimal off-grid option
and compares this with conventional grid extension, through the use of HOMER software.
The solution obtained shows that a hybrid combination of renewable energy generators at
an off-grid location can be a cost-effective alternative to grid extension and it is sustainable,
techno-economically viable, and environmentally sound. The results show how this innovative
energetic approach can provide a cost reduction in power supply and energy fees of 40%
and 25%, respectively, and CO2 emission decrease attained around 18%. Furthermore, the
multi-energy system taken as the case study has been optimized through the utilization of
three different type of energy storage (Pb-Ac batteries, flywheels, and micro—Compressed Air
Energy Storage (C.A.E.S.)
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