Water network operational optimization: Utilizing symmetries in combinatorial problems by dynamic programming

This paper introduces a dynamic programming (DP) approach for solving deterministic combinatorial operational optimization problem of water distribution networks. The implementation of dynamic programming over control domain using permutational symmetries is suggested to replace the state space based DP procedures. To enhance the understanding an application on a ub-network of the water supply and distribution network of the city of Sopron (Hungary) is presented which is sufficiently small to track the (pseudo) state space and approach related quantities

Price decomposition in large-scale stochastic optimal control

We are interested in optimally driving a dynamical system that can be influenced by exogenous noises. This is generally called a Stochastic Optimal Control (SOC) problem and the Dynamic Programming (DP) principle is the natural way of solving it. Unfortunately, DP faces the so-called curse of dimensionality: the complexity of solving DP equations grows exponentially with the dimension of the information variable that is sufficient to take optimal decisions (the state variable). For a large class of SOC problems, which includes important practical problems, we propose an original way of obtaining strategies to drive the system. The algorithm we introduce is based on Lagrangian relaxation, of which the application to decomposition is well-known in the deterministic framework. However, its application to such closed-loop problems is not straightforward and an additional statistical approximation concerning the dual process is needed. We give a convergence proof, that derives directly from classical results concerning duality in optimization, and enlghten the error made by our approximation. Numerical results are also provided, on a large-scale SOC problem. This idea extends the original DADP algorithm that was presented by Barty, Carpentier and Girardeau (2010)

Modeling water resources management at the basin level: review and future directions

Water quality / Water resources development / Agricultural production / River basin development / Mathematical models / Simulation models / Water allocation / Policy / Economic aspects / Hydrology / Reservoir operation / Groundwater management / Drainage / Conjunctive use / Surface water / GIS / Decision support systems / Optimization methods / Water supply

Representation Of Uncertainty And Corridor Dp For Hydropower Optimization

This thesis focuses on optimization techniques for multi-reservoir hydropower systems operation, with a particular concern with the representation and impact of uncertainty. The thesis reports on three research investigations: 1) examination of the impact of uncertainty representations, 2) efficient solution methods for multi-reservoir stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) models, and 3) diagnostic analyses for hydropower system operation. The first investigation explores the value of sophistication in the representation of forecast and inflow uncertainty in stochastic hydropower optimization models using a sampling SDP (SSDP) model framework. SSDP models with different uncertainty representation ranging in sophistication from simple deterministic to complex dynamic stochastic models are employed when optimize a single reservoir systems [similar to Faber and Stedinger, 2001]. The effect of uncertainty representation on simulated system performance is examined with varying storage and powerhouse capacity, and with random or mean energy prices. In many cases very simple uncertainty models perform as well as more complex ones, but not always. The second investigation develops a new and efficient algorithm for solving multi-reservoir SDP models: Corridor SDP. Rather than employing a uniform grid across the entire state space, Corridor SDP efficiently concentrates points in where the system is likely to visit, as determined by historical operations or simulation. Radial basis functions (RBFs) are used for interpolation. A greedy algorithm places points where they are needed to achieve a good approximation. In a four-reservoir test case, Corridor DP achieves the same accuracy as spline-DP and linear-DP with approximately 1/10 and 1/1100 the number of discrete points, respectively. When local curvature is more pronounced (due to minimum-flow constraints), Corridor DP achieves the same accuracy as spline-DP and linear-DP with approximately 1/30 and 1/215 the number of points, respectively. The third investigation explores three diagnostic approaches for analyzing hydropower system operation. First, several simple diagnostic statistics describe reservoir volume and powerhouse capacity in units of time, allowing scale-invariant comparisons and classification of different reservoir systems and their operation. Second, a regression analysis using optimal storage/release sequences identifies the most useful hydrologic state variables . Finally spectral density estimation identifies critical time scales for operation for several single-reservoir systems considering mean and random energy prices. Deregulation of energy markets has made optimization of hydropower operations an active concern. Another development is publication of Extended Streamflow Forecasts (ESP) by the National Weather Service (NWS) and others to describe flow forecasts and their precision; the multivariate Sampling SDP models employed here are appropriately structured to incorporate such information in operational hydropower decisions. This research contributes to our ability to structure and build effective hydropower optimization models

Research and Education in Computational Science and Engineering

Over the past two decades the field of computational science and engineering (CSE) has penetrated both basic and applied research in academia, industry, and laboratories to advance discovery, optimize systems, support decision-makers, and educate the scientific and engineering workforce. Informed by centuries of theory and experiment, CSE performs computational experiments to answer questions that neither theory nor experiment alone is equipped to answer. CSE provides scientists and engineers of all persuasions with algorithmic inventions and software systems that transcend disciplines and scales. Carried on a wave of digital technology, CSE brings the power of parallelism to bear on troves of data. Mathematics-based advanced computing has become a prevalent means of discovery and innovation in essentially all areas of science, engineering, technology, and society; and the CSE community is at the core of this transformation. However, a combination of disruptive developments---including the architectural complexity of extreme-scale computing, the data revolution that engulfs the planet, and the specialization required to follow the applications to new frontiers---is redefining the scope and reach of the CSE endeavor. This report describes the rapid expansion of CSE and the challenges to sustaining its bold advances. The report also presents strategies and directions for CSE research and education for the next decade.Comment: Major revision, to appear in SIAM Revie

Approximate stochastic dynamic programming for hydroelectric production planning

This paper presents a novel approach for approximate stochastic dynamic programming (ASDP) over a continuous state space when the optimization phase has a near-convex structure. The approach entails a simplicial partitioning of the state space. Bounds on the true value function are used to refine the partition. We also provide analytic formulae for the computation of the expectation of the value function in the “uni-basin” case where natural inflows are strongly correlated. The approach is experimented on several configurations of hydro-energy systems. It is also tested against actual industrial data