Computer System and Method for Solving Pooling Problem as an Unconstrained Binary Optimization

A system comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, the computer program instructions being executable by at least one processor to perform a method for optimizing transport of a set of ingredients between a plurality of sources, at least one terminal, and a plurality of pools, described by an objective function, a set of variables, and a set of constraints, the method comprising:

• (A) transforming the objective function, the set of variables, and the set of constraints into a binary cost function, the transforming comprising:
• (A)(1) discretizing the set of variables into a set of a binary variables;
• (A)(2) transforming the objective function into a binary cost function of the set of binary variables;
• and
• (A)(3) adding, for each constraint in the set of constraints, one or more terms to the binary cost function, to create a completed cost function;
• and
• (B) providing the completed cost function to a solver to obtain a solution or approximate solution wherein the solution or approximate solution represents a flow of the set of ingredients between the plurality of sources, the plurality of pools, and the at least one terminal.