Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
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- Networks (4)
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- Market Equilibria (2)
- Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Optimization (2)
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Potential-based flows are an extension of classical network flows in which the flow on an arc is determined by the difference of the potentials of its incident nodes. Such flows are unique and arise, for example, in energy networks. Two important algorithmic problems are to determine whether there exists a feasible flow and to maximize the flow between two designated nodes. We show that these problems can be solved for the single source and sink case by reducing the network to a single arc. However, if we additionally consider switches that allow to force the flow to 0 and decouple the potentials, these problems are NP-hard. Nevertheless, for particular series-parallel networks, one can use algorithms for the subset sum problem. Moreover, applying network presolving based on generalized series-parallel structures allows to significantly reduce the size of realistic energy networks.
We consider optimization problems with a joint probabilistic constraint under
normally distributed uncertain parameters. The parametric constraints
are replaced by one constraint stating that the probability of being feasible
shall exceed or be equal to a prescribed threshold. In order to apply the
concept to gas network optimization under uncertain boundary flows, which
corresponds to the demand of customers, we derive an analytic gradient formula.
The integral corresponding to the probability can be parameterized by
spherical radial decomposition. For this parameterization gradient formulas
are known under convexity assumptions of the parametric constraints in the
parameter. For the application in gas networks that we have in mind, the
convexity assumption of the parametric constraints is not satisfied. Therefore,
we weaken it to convexity of the region of feasible parameters for a fixed
optimization variable. We proceed to show that the assumptions needed for
the gradient formula are met in the gas network optimization problem on
a tree. For the numerical implementation we propose a multilevel sampling
algorithm that uses a coarse approximation of the chance constraint to generate
a warm start for the expensive approximation with fine sampling. The
numerical results illustrate that this approach significantly reduces the computation
time.
Many mixed-integer optimization problems are constrained by nonlinear functions that do not possess desirable analytical properties like convexity or factorability or cannot even be evaluated exactly. This is, e.g., the case for problems constrained by differential equations or for models that rely on black-box simulation runs. For these problem classes, we present, analyze, and test algorithms that solve mixed-integer problems with only Lipschitz continuous nonlinearities. Our theoretical results depend on the assumptions made on the (in)exactness of function evaluations and on the knowledge of Lipschitz constants. If Lipschitz constants are known, we prove finite termination at approximate globally optimal points both for the case of exact and inexact function evaluations. If only approximate Lipschitz constants are known, we prove finite termination and derive additional conditions under which infeasibility can be detected. A computational study for gas transport problems and an academic case study show the applicability of our algorithms to real-world problems and how different assumptions on the constraint functions up- or downgrade the practical performance of the methods.
We consider the discretization and subsequent model reduction of a system of partial differential-algebraic equations describing the propagation of pressure waves in a pipeline network. Important properties like conservation of mass, dissipation of energy, passivity, existence of steady states, and exponential stability can be preserved by an appropriate semi-
discretization in space via a mixed finite element method and also during the further dimension reduction by structure preserving Galerkin projection which is the main focus of this paper. Krylov subspace methods are employed for the construction of the reduced models and we discuss modifications needed to satisfy certain algebraic compatibility conditions; these are required to ensure the well-posedness of the reduced models and the preservation of the key properties. Our analysis is based on the underlying infinite dimensional problem and its Galerkin approximations. The proposed algorithms therefore have a direct interpretation in function spaces; in principle, they are even applicable directly to the original system of partial differential-algebraic
equations while the intermediate discretization by finite elements is only required for the actual
computations. The performance of the proposed methods is illustrated with numerical tests and the necessity for the compatibility conditions is demonstrated by examples.
Solving Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programs using Adaptively Refined Mixed-Integer Linear Programs
(2017)
We propose a method for solving mixed-integer nonlinear programs (MINLPs) to global optimality by discretization of occuring nonlinearities. The main idea is based on using piecewise linear functions to construct mixed-integer linear program (MIP) relaxations of the underlying MINLP. In order to find a global optimum of the given MINLP we develope an iterative algorithm which solves MIP relaxations that are adaptively refined. We are able to give convergence results for a wide range of MINLPs requiring only continuous nonlinearities with bounded domains and an oracle computing maxima of the nonlinearities on their domain. Moreover, the practicalness of our approach is shown numerically by an application from the field of gas network optimization.
Neumann boundary feedback stabilization for a nonlinear wave equation: A strict H2-Lyapunov function
(2017)
For a system that is governed by the isothermal Euler equations with friction for ideal gas, the corresponding field of characteristic curves is determined by the velocity of the flow. This velocity is determined by a second-order quasilinear hyperbolic equation. For the corresponding initial-boundary value problem with Neumann-boundary feedback, we consider non-stationary solutions locally around a stationary state on a finite time interval and discuss the well-posedness of this kind of problem. We introduce a strict H2-Lyapunov function and show that the boundary feedback constant can be chosen such that the H2-Lyapunov function and hence also the H2-norm of the difference between the non-stationary and the stationary state decays exponentially with time.
We discuss coupling conditions for the p-system in case of a transition from supersonic states to subsonic states. A single junction with adjacent pipes is considered where on each pipe the gas ow is governed by a general p-system. By extending the notion of demand and supply known from traffic fiow analysis we obtain a constructive existence result of solutions compatible with the introduced conditions.
The development of mathematical simulation and optimization models and algorithms for solving gas transport problems is an active field of research. In order to test and compare these models and algorithms, gas network instances together with demand data are needed. The goal of GasLib is to provide a set of publicly available gas network instances that can be used by researchers in the field of gas transport. The advantages are that researchers save time by using these instances and that different models and algorithms can be compared on the same specified test sets. The library instances are encoded in an XML format. In this paper, we explain this format and present the instances that are available in the library.
We consider nonlinear and nonsmooth mixing aspects in gas transport optimization problems. As mixed-integer reformulations of pooling-type mixing models already render small-size instances computationally intractable, we investigate the applicability of smooth nonlinear programming techniques for equivalent complementarity-based reformulations. Based on recent results for remodeling piecewise affine constraints using an inverse parametric quadratic programming approach, we show that classical stationarity concepts are meaningful for the resulting complementarity-based reformulation of the mixing equations. Further, we investigate in a numerical study the performance of this reformulation compared to a more compact complementarity-based one that does not feature such beneficial regularity properties. All computations are performed on publicly available data of real-world size problem instances from steady-state gas transport.
We consider optimal switching of hybrid abstract evolution equations. The framework includes switching semilinear partial differential equations of parabolic or hyperbolic type, discontinuous state resets, switching costs and allows switching of the principle parts of the equations. We present adjoint-based formulae for the gradient of the cost functional with respect to position and number of switching time points that lead to first order necessary conditions. Moreover, we discuss an alternate-direction approach for implementing descent methods. As an application we consider optimal open/close-switching of valves and on/off-switching control of compressors in a gas network modelled by a graph with simplified euler equations on edges and suitable coupling conditions at nodes.
The relaxation approximation for systems of conservation laws has been
studied intensively for example by [17, 5, 19, 24]. In this paper the corresponding
relaxation approximation for 2x2 systems of balance laws is studied. Our driving
example is gas flow in pipelines described by the isothermal Euler equations. We
are interested in the limiting behavior as the relaxation parameter tends to zero. We
give conditions where the relaxation converges to the states of the original system
and counterexamples for cases where the steady states depend on the space variable.
We consider optimal control problems for the flow of gas in a pipe network.
The equations of motions are taken to be represented by a semi-linear model
derived from the fully nonlinear isothermal Euler gas equations. We formulate
an optimal control problem on a given network and introduce a time discretization
thereof. We then study the well-posedness of the corresponding
time-discrete optimal control problem. In order to further reduce the complexity,
we consider an instantaneous control strategy. The main part of the
paper is concerned with a non-overlapping domain decomposition of the
semi-linear elliptic optimal control problem on the graph into local problems
on a small part of the network, ultimately on a single edge.
We consider uniqueness and multiplicity of market equilibria in a short-run setup where traded quantities of electricity are transported through a capacitated network in which power flows have to satisfy the classical lossless DC approximation. The firms face fluctuating demand and decide on their production, which is constrained by given capacities. Today, uniqueness of such market outcomes are especially important in more complicated multilevel models for measuring market (in)efficiency. Thus, our findings are important prerequisites for such studies. We show that market equilibria are unique on tree networks under mild assumptions and we also present a priori conditions under which equilibria are unique on cycle networks. On general networks, uniqueness fails to hold and we present simple examples for which multiple equilibria exist. However, we prove a posteriori criteria for the uniqueness of a given solution and characterize situations in which multiple solutions exist.
We investigate the long-time behavior of solutions of quasilinear hyperbolic systems with transparent boundary conditions when small source terms are incorporated in the system. Even if the finite-time stability of the system is not preserved, it is shown here that an exponential convergence towards the steady state still holds with a decay rate which is proportional to the logarithm of the amplitude of the source term. The result is stated for a system with dynamical boundary conditions in order to deal with initial data that are free of any compatibility condition.
We consider optimal control problems for gas flow in pipeline networks. The equations of motion are taken to be represented by a first-order system of hyperbolic semilinear equations derived from the fully nonlinear isothermal Euler gas equations. We formulate an optimal control problem on a network and introduce a tailored time discretization thereof. In order to further reduce the complexity, we consider an instantaneous control strategy. The main part of the paper is concerned with a nonoverlapping domain decomposition of the optimal control problem on the graph into local problems on smaller sub-graphs - ultimately on single edges. We prove convergence of the domain decomposition method on networks and study the wellposedness of the corresponding time-discrete optimal control problems. The point of the paper is that we establish virtual control problems on the decomposed subgraphs such that the corresponding optimality systems are in fact equal to the systems obtained via the domain decomposition of the entire optimality system.
We study dynamic network flows with uncertain input data under a robust optimization perspective. In the dynamic maximum flow problem, the goal is to maximize the flow reaching the sink within a given time horizon T, while flow requires a certain travel time to traverse an arc. In our setting, we account for uncertain travel times of flow. We investigate maximum flows over time under the assumption that at most Γ travel times may be prolonged simultaneously due to delay. We develop and study a mathematical model for this problem. As the dynamic robust flow problem generalizes the static version, it is NP-hard to compute an optimal flow. However, our dynamic version is considerably more complex than the static version. We show that it is NP-hard to verify feasibility of a given candidate solution. Furthermore, we investigate temporally repeated flows and show that in contrast to the non-robust case (i.e., without uncertainties) they no longer provide optimal solutions for the robust problem, but rather yield a worst case optimality gap of at least T. We finally show that for infinite delays, the optimality gap is at most O(k log T), where k is a newly introduced instance characteristic. The results obtained in this paper yield a first step towards understanding robust dynamic flow problems with uncertain travel times.
Feasibility pumps are highly effective primal heuristics for
mixed-integer linear and nonlinear optimization.
However, despite their success in practice there are only few works
considering their theoretical properties.
We show that feasibility pumps can be seen as alternating
direction methods applied to special reformulations of the original
problem, inheriting the convergence theory of these methods.
Moreover, we propose a novel penalty framework that encompasses
this alternating direction method, which allows us to refrain from random
perturbations that are applied in standard versions of feasibility
pumps in case of failure.
We present a convergence theory for the new penalty based alternating
direction method and compare the new variant of the feasibility
pump with existing versions in an extensive numerical study for
mixed-integer linear and nonlinear problems.
In this paper we analyze peak-load pricing in the presence of network constraints. In our setup, firms facing fluctuating demand decide on the size and location of production facilities. They make production decisions constrained by the invested capacities, taking into account that market prices reflect scarce transmission capacities. We state general conditions for existence and uniqueness of the market equilibrium and provide a characterization of equilibrium investment and production. The presented analysis covers the cases of perfect competition and monopoly - the case of strategic firms is approximated by a conjectural variations approach. Our result is a prerequisite for analyzing regulatory policy options with computational multilevel equilibrium models, since uniqueness of the equilibrium at lower levels is of key importance when solving these models. Thus, our paper contributes to an evolving strand of literature that analyzes regulatory policy based on computational multilevel equilibrium models and aims at taking into account individual objectives of various agents, among them not only generators and customers but also, e.g., the regulator deciding on network expansion.