Optimizing operations of a hydrogen pipeline system
AssigneeAir Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP
InventorCharles N. Harper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a computerized optimization system configured to optimize the operations of a hydrogen generation, processing, and delivery network. Such a network typically includes a complex of physical equipment, plants, and pipelines, including both production and distribution facilities. A hydrogen optimization system provides a software system that optimizes the production and distribution of hydrogen over such a hydrogen network. The hydrogen optimization system may use both a genetic algorithm configured to “evolve” a population of solutions to improve the quality of solutions over time as well as directed heuristics to identify a superior operating state for the hydrogen pipeline network.
Claims34
A computer-implemented method of optimizing operations of a hydrogen pipeline network, comprising:
- reading a set of input data describing a hydrogen pipeline, a plurality of hydrogen production sources configured to introduce hydrogen into the hydrogen pipeline, a plurality of hydrogen consumers configured to remove hydrogen from the pipeline, a plurality of optimization parameters to use in an optimization run, and one or more optimization run termination conditions;
- generating a population of solutions, wherein each solution specifies a feasible operating state for the hydrogen pipeline, the plurality of hydrogen production sources, and the plurality of hydrogen consumers;
- evaluating each solution in the population of solutions to generate an evaluation score for each solution;
- repeatedly performing a genetic optimization process on the population of solution to evolve the population of solutions until one of the termination conditions are satisfied;
- selecting one of the solutions from the evolved population of solutions, wherein the selected solution has a highest evaluation score, relative to the solutions in the evolved population of solutions;
- and
- applying one or more heuristic rules to the selected solution, wherein each heuristic is applied to further optimize the operating state for the hydrogen pipeline specified in the selected solution.
A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for optimizing operations of a hydrogen pipeline network, comprising:
- reading a set of input data describing a hydrogen pipeline, a plurality of hydrogen production sources configured to introduce hydrogen into the hydrogen pipeline, a plurality of hydrogen consumers configured to remove hydrogen from the pipeline, a plurality of optimization parameters to use in an optimization run, and one or more optimization run termination conditions;
- generating a population of solutions, wherein each solution specifies a feasible operating state for the hydrogen pipeline, the plurality of hydrogen production sources, and the plurality of hydrogen consumers;
- evaluating each solution in the population of solutions to generate an evaluation score for each solution;
- repeatedly performing a genetic optimization process on the population of solution to evolve the population of solutions until one of the termination conditions are satisfied;
- selecting one of the solutions from the evolved population of solutions, wherein the selected solution has a highest evaluation score, relative to the solutions in the evolved population of solutions;
- and
- applying one or more heuristic rules to the selected solution, wherein each heuristic is applied to further optimize the operating state for the hydrogen pipeline specified in the selected solution.
A system for optimizing operations of a hydrogen pipeline network, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory containing an optimization program, which when executed by the processor, is configured to:
- read a set of input data describing a hydrogen pipeline, a plurality of hydrogen production sources configured to introduce hydrogen into the hydrogen pipeline, a plurality of hydrogen consumers configured to remove hydrogen from the pipeline, a plurality of optimization parameters to use in an optimization run, and one or more optimization run termination conditions,
- generate a population of solutions, wherein each solution specifies a feasible operating state for the hydrogen pipeline, the plurality of hydrogen production sources, and the plurality of hydrogen consumers,
- evaluate each solution in the population of solutions to generate an evaluation score for each solution,
- repeatedly perform a genetic optimization process on the population of solution to evolve the population of solutions until one of the termination conditions are satisfied,
- select one of the solutions from the evolved population of solutions, wherein the selected solution has a highest evaluation score, relative to the solutions in the evolved population of solutions, and
- apply one or more heuristic rules to the selected solution, wherein each heuristic is applied to further optimize the operating state for the hydrogen pipeline specified in the selected solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.