Genetic algorithm for operation optimization of an industrial cogeneration system

Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have been developed in the last three decades in an attempt to imitate the mechanics of the selection process in natural genetics. They also contain many elements of expert systems. In the present work, a GA is applied for the optimization of the operation of a cogeneration system, which supplies a process plant with electricity and steam at various pressure levels. A mathematical simulation model of the system has been developed taking into consideration the real conditions of the main equipment, as determined by an appropriate set of measurements. The GA is combined with the simulation model in order to solve the optimization problem under specified constraints. The capability of GAs to handle objective functions of any complexity with both discrete (e.g., integer) and continuous variables, as well as their capability of optimizing only on the basis of the results of the simulation model, make GAs successful in this type of problems.