Modeling and Optimization of the Medium-Term Units Commitment of Thermal Power

Shengli Liao, Zhifu Li, Gang Li, Jiayang Wang and Xinyu Wu
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Shengli Liao: Institute of Hydropower System & Hydroinformatics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Zhifu Li: Institute of Hydropower System & Hydroinformatics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Gang Li: Institute of Hydropower System & Hydroinformatics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Jiayang Wang: Institute of Hydropower System & Hydroinformatics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Xinyu Wu: Institute of Hydropower System & Hydroinformatics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Coal-fired thermal power plants, which represent the largest proportion of China’s electric power system, are very sluggish in responding to power system load demands. Thus, a reasonable and feasible scheme for the medium-term optimal commitment of thermal units (MOCTU) can ensure that the generation process runs smoothly and minimizes the start-up and shut-down times of thermal units. In this paper, based on the real-world and practical demands of power dispatch centers in China, a flexible mathematical model for MOCTU that uses equal utilization hours for the installed capacity of all thermal power plants as the optimization goal and that considers the award hours for MOCTU is developed. MOCTU is a unit commitment (UC) problem with characteristics of large-scale, high dimensions and nonlinearity. For optimization, an improved progressive optimality algorithm (IPOA) offering the advantages of POA is adopted to overcome the drawback of POA of easily falling into the local optima. In the optimization process, strategies of system operating capacity equalization and single station operating peak combination are introduced to move the target solution from the boundary constraints along the target isopleths into the feasible solution’s interior to guarantee the global optima. The results of a case study consisting of nine thermal power plants with 27 units show that the presented algorithm can obtain an optimal solution and is competent in solving the MOCTU with high efficiency and accuracy as well as that the developed simulation model can be applied to practical engineering needs.

Keywords: medium-term unit commitment (UC); progressive optimality algorithm (POA); target isopleths; utilization hours of installed capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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