Optimal operation of reservoir systems using simulated annealing

A stochastic search technique, simulated annealing (SA), is used to optimize the operation of multiple reservoirs. Seminal application of annealing technique in general to multi-period, multiple-reservoir systems, along with problem representation and selection of different parameter values used in the annealing algorithm for specific cases is discussed. The search technique is improved with the help of heuristic rules, problem-specific information and concepts from the field of evolutionary algorithms. The technique is tested for application to a benchmark problem of four-reservoir system previously solved using a linear programming formulation and its ability to replicate the global optimum solution is examined. The technique is also applied to a system of four hydropower generating reservoirs in Manitoba, Canada, to derive optimal operating rules. A limited version of this problem is solved using a mixed integer non-linear programming and results are compared with those obtained using SA. A better objective function value is obtained using simulated annealing than the value from a mixed integer non-linear programming model developed for the same problem. Results obtained from these applications suggest that simulated annealing can be used for obtaining near-optimal solutions for multi-period reservoir operation problems that are computationally intractable.