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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
Many critical infrastructure systems depend on the electric grid to function. Threats to the power system also present threats to the water system, for instance. During Hurricane Beryl last summer, power outages and intense rainfall resulted in wastewater spillage of over 100,000 gallons. Hazard simulations of the water system often model the dependencies on the power system for this reason; however, the nature of this dependency isn’t always modeled accurately, leading researchers to underestimate potential impact of hazards, which is highlighted in two studies. Solid understanding of the interactions of the power and water distribution systems also presents opportunities in the field of optimization. Several formulations have been developed which take advantage of the inherent flexibility of the water distribution system to minimize pump operation cost (Optimal Water Flow) or even provide grid services. However, the resulting pump schedules rely on uncertain demand forecasts and only provide solutions every hour or half hour. Online optimization can address these problems by enabling real-time decision making without knowledge of the future. The second half of this talk will explore applications of online optimization to power and water distribution systems.
Host: Noah Rhodes (A-1)