@misc{Hennings, author = {Hennings, Felix}, title = {Benefits and Limitations of Simplified Transient Gas Flow Formulations}, issn = {1438-0064}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-89920-6_32}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-64570}, abstract = {Although intensively studied in recent years, the optimization of the transient (time-dependent) control of large real-world gas networks is still out of reach for current state-of-the-art approaches. For this reason, we present further simplifications of the commonly used model, which lead to a linear description of the gas flow on pipelines. In an empirical analysis of real-world data, we investigate the properties of the involved quantities and evaluate the errors made by our simplification.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{Hennings, author = {Hennings, Felix}, title = {Benefits and Limitations of Simplified Transient Gas Flow Formulations}, series = {Operations Research Proceedings 2017}, volume = {Operations Research Proceedings}, booktitle = {Operations Research Proceedings 2017}, publisher = {Springer, Cham}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-89920-6_32}, pages = {231 -- 237}, abstract = {Although intensively studied in recent years, the optimization of the transient (time-dependent) control of large real-world gas networks is still out of reach for current state-of-the-art approaches. For this reason, we present further simplifications of the commonly used model, which lead to a linear description of the gas flow on pipelines. In an empirical analysis of real-world data, we investigate the properties of the involved quantities and evaluate the errors made by our simplification.}, language = {en} } @misc{HoppmannHenningsLenzetal., author = {Hoppmann, Kai and Hennings, Felix and Lenz, Ralf and Gotzes, Uwe and Heinecke, Nina and Spreckelsen, Klaus and Koch, Thorsten}, title = {Optimal Operation of Transient Gas Transport Networks}, issn = {1438-0064}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-73639}, language = {en} } @misc{YuekselErguenZittelWangetal., author = {Yueksel-Erguen, Inci and Zittel, Janina and Wang, Ying and Hennings, Felix and Koch, Thorsten}, title = {Lessons learned from gas network data preprocessing}, issn = {1438-0064}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-78262}, abstract = {The German high-pressure natural gas transport network consists of thousands of interconnected elements spread over more than 120,000 km of pipelines built during the last 100 years. During the last decade, we have spent many person-years to extract consistent data out of the available sources, both public and private. Based on two case studies, we present some of the challenges we encountered. Preparing consistent, high-quality data is surprisingly hard, and the effort necessary can hardly be overestimated. Thus, it is particularly important to decide which strategy regarding data curation to adopt. Which precision of the data is necessary? When is it more efficient to work with data that is just sufficiently correct on average? In the case studies we describe our experiences and the strategies we adopted to deal with the obstacles and to minimize future effort. Finally, we would like to emphasize that well-compiled data sets, publicly available for research purposes, provide the grounds for building innovative algorithmic solutions to the challenges of the future.}, language = {en} } @misc{Hennings, author = {Hennings, Felix}, title = {Large-scale empirical study on the momentum equation's inertia term}, issn = {1438-0064}, doi = {10.1016/j.jngse.2021.104153}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-81881}, abstract = {A common approach to reduce the Euler equations' complexity for the simulation and optimization of gas networks is to neglect small terms that contribute little to the overall equations. An example is the inertia term of the momentum equation since it is said to be of negligible size under real-world operating conditions. However, this justification has always only been based on experience or single sets of artificial data points. This study closes this gap by presenting a large-scale empirical evaluation of the absolute and relative size of the inertia term when operating a real-world gas network. Our data consists of three years of fine-granular state data of one of the largest gas networks in Europe, featuring over 6,000 pipes with a total length of over 10,000 km. We found that there are only 120 events in which a subnetwork consisting of multiple pipes has an inertia term of high significance for more than three minutes. On average, such an event occurs less often than once every ten days. Therefore, we conclude that the inertia term is indeed negligible for real-world transient gas network control problems.}, language = {en} } @article{HoppmannBaumHenningsZitteletal., author = {Hoppmann-Baum, Kai and Hennings, Felix and Zittel, Janina and Gotzes, Uwe and Spreckelsen, Eva-Maria and Spreckelsen, Klaus and Koch, Thorsten}, title = {An Optimization Approach for the Transient Control of Hydrogen Transport Networks}, series = {Mathematical Methods of Operations Research}, journal = {Mathematical Methods of Operations Research}, number = {Special Issue on Energy Networks}, language = {en} } @article{HoppmannBaumHenningsLenzetal.2020, author = {Hoppmann-Baum, Kai and Hennings, Felix and Lenz, Ralf and Gotzes, Uwe and Heinecke, Nina and Spreckelsen, Klaus and Koch, Thorsten}, title = {Optimal Operation of Transient Gas Transport Networks}, series = {Optimization and Engineering}, volume = {22}, journal = {Optimization and Engineering}, doi = {10.1007/s11081-020-09584-x}, pages = {735 -- 781}, year = {2020}, abstract = {In this paper, we describe an algorithmic framework for the optimal operation of transient gas transport networks consisting of a hierarchical MILP formulation together with a sequential linear programming inspired post-processing routine. Its implementation is part of the KOMPASS decision support system, which is currently used in an industrial setting. Real-world gas transport networks are controlled by operating complex pipeline intersection areas, which comprise multiple compressor units, regulators, and valves. In the following, we introduce the concept of network stations to model them. Thereby, we represent the technical capabilities of a station by hand-tailored artificial arcs and add them to network. Furthermore, we choose from a predefined set of flow directions for each network station and time step, which determines where the gas enters and leaves the station. Additionally, we have to select a supported simple state, which consists of two subsets of artificial arcs: Arcs that must and arcs that cannot be used. The goal is to determine a stable control of the network satisfying all supplies and demands. The pipeline intersections, that are represented by the network stations, were initially built centuries ago. Subsequently, due to updates, changes, and extensions, they evolved into highly complex and involved topologies. To extract their basic properties and to model them using computer-readable and optimizable descriptions took several years of effort. To support the dispatchers in controlling the network, we need to compute a continuously updated list of recommended measures. Our motivation for the model presented here is to make fast decisions on important transient global control parameters, i.e., how to route the flow and where to compress the gas. Detailed continuous and discrete technical control measures realizing them, which take all hardware details into account, are determined in a subsequent step. In this paper, we present computational results from the KOMPASS project using detailed real-world data.}, language = {en} } @misc{HoppmannBaumHenningsZitteletal., author = {Hoppmann-Baum, Kai and Hennings, Felix and Zittel, Janina and Gotzes, Uwe and Spreckelsen, Eva-Maria and Spreckelsen, Klaus and Koch, Thorsten}, title = {From Natural Gas towards Hydrogen - A Feasibility Study on Current Transport Network Infrastructure and its Technical Control}, issn = {1438-0064}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-79901}, abstract = {This study examines the usability of a real-world, large-scale natural gas transport infrastructure for hydrogen transport. We investigate whether a converted network can transport the amounts of hydrogen necessary to satisfy current energy demands. After introducing an optimization model for the robust transient control of hydrogen networks, we conduct computational experiments based on real-world demand scenarios. Using a representative network, we demonstrate that replacing each turbo compressor unit by four parallel hydrogen compressors, each of them comprising multiple serial compression stages, and imposing stricter rules regarding the balancing of in- and outflow suffices to realize transport in a majority of scenarios. However, due to the reduced linepack there is an increased need for technical and non-technical measures leading to a more dynamic network control. Furthermore, the amount of energy needed for compression increases by 364\% on average.}, language = {en} } @article{Hennings, author = {Hennings, Felix}, title = {Large-scale empirical study on the momentum equation's inertia term}, series = {Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering}, volume = {95}, journal = {Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.jngse.2021.104153}, abstract = {A common approach to reduce the Euler equations' complexity for the simulation and optimization of gas networks is to neglect small terms that contribute little to the overall equations. An example is the inertia term of the momentum equation, which is said to be of negligible size under real-world operating conditions. However, this justification has always only been based on experience or single sets of artificial data points. This study closes this gap by presenting a large-scale empirical evaluation of the absolute and relative size of the inertia term when operating a real-world gas network. Our data consists of three years of fine-granular state data of one of the largest gas networks in Europe, featuring over 6,000 pipes with a total length of over 10,000 km. We found that there are only 120 events in which a subnetwork consisting of multiple pipes has an inertia term of high significance for more than three minutes. On average, such an event occurs less often than once every ten days. Therefore, we conclude that the inertia term is indeed negligible for real-world transient gas network control problems.}, language = {en} } @misc{HenningsHoppmannBaumZittel, author = {Hennings, Felix and Hoppmann-Baum, Kai and Zittel, Janina}, title = {Optimizing transient gas network control for challenging real-world instances using MIP-based heuristics}, issn = {1438-0064}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-86842}, abstract = {Optimizing the transient control of gas networks is a highly challenging task. The corresponding model incorporates the combinatorial complexity of determining the settings for the many active elements as well as the non-linear and non-convex nature of the physical and technical principles of gas transport. In this paper, we present the latest improvements of our ongoing work to solve this problem for real-world, large-scale problem instances: By adjusting our mixed-integer non-linear programming model regarding the gas compression capabilities in the network, we reflect the technical limits of the underlying units more accurately while maintaining a similar overall model size. In addition, we introduce a new algorithmic approach that is based on splitting the complexity of the problem by first finding assignments for discrete variables and then determining the continuous variables as locally optimal solution of the corresponding non-linear program. For the first task, we design multiple different heuristics based on concepts for general time-expanded optimization problems that find solutions by solving a sequence of sub-problems defined on reduced time horizons. To demonstrate the competitiveness of our approach, we test our algorithm on particularly challenging historic demand scenarios. The results show that high-quality solutions are obtained reliably within short solving times, making the algorithm well-suited to be applied at the core of time-critical industrial applications.}, language = {en} }