In this work, we propose a new algorithm for addressing the simultaneous design and control problem through the robust and efficient solution of a Mixed-Integer Dynamic Optimization (MIDO) problem. The algorithm is based on the transformation of the MIDO problem into a Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) program through the discretization of the MIDO problem. In this approach both the m...

In this study, we propose a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model for superstructure based optimization of biodiesel production from microalgal biomass. The proposed superstructure includes a number of major processing steps for the production of biodiesel from microalgal biomass, such as harvesting of microalgal biomass, pretreatments including drying and cell disruption of harvest...

The traveling salesman problem with neighborhoods extends the traveling salesman problem to the case where each vertex of the tour is allowed to move in a given region. This NP-hard optimization problem has recently received increasing attention in several technical fields such as robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles, or utility management. In this paper, the problem is formulated as a nonconvex ...

This paper describes an analytic approach that can be used to evaluate and propose rehabilitation schedules based on economic, performance, and environmental considerations for various types of pavements managed by the Illinois State Tollway Authority. A mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP) is formulated to model the agency’s life-cycle cost and environmental impacts where the decision set c...

We develop and discuss an operational planning model aiming at minimizing production and distribution costs in large drinking water networks containing buffers with free inflow. Modeling drinking water networks is very challenging due of the presence of complex hydraulic constraints, such as friction losses and pump curves. Non-linear, non-convex constraints result from the relationships betwee...

Strong branching is an effective branching technique that can significantly reduce the size of the branch-and-bound tree for solving Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) problems. The focus of this paper is to demonstrate how to effectively use “discarded” information from strong branching to strengthen relaxations of MINLP problems. Valid inequalities such as branching-based linearizati...

We develop a novel superstructure of algal biorefinery processes for biological carbon sequestration and utilization, encompassing off-gas purification, algae cultivation, harvesting and dewatering, lipid extraction, remnant treatment, biogas utilization, and algal oil upgrading stages. Based on the superstructure, we propose a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model to minimize the u...

An optimal design strategy for spiral-wound membrane networks based on an approximate permeator model and a mixedinteger nonlinear programming (MINLP) solution strategy is proposed. A general permeator system superstructure is used to embed a very large number of possible network con®gurations. The superstructure allows the development of a MINLP design strategy which simultaneously optimizes t...

Euclidean norm computations over continuous variables appear naturally in the constraints or in the objective of many problems in the optimization literature, possibly defining non-convex feasible regions or cost functions. When some other variables have discrete domains, it positions the problem in the challenging Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) class. For any MINLP where the nonli...

Since the limited power capacity, finite inertia, and dynamic loads make the shipboard power system (SPS) vulnerable, the automatic reconfiguration for failure recovery in SPS is an extremely significant but still challenging problem. It is not only required to operate accurately and optimally, but also to satisfy operating constraints. In this paper, we consider the reconfiguration optimizatio...