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The optimal reactive power dispatch (ORPD) problem is an alternating current optimal power flow (ACOPF) problem where discrete control devices for regulating the reactive power, such as shunt elements and tap changers, are considered. The ORPD problem is modeled as a mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problem and its complexity is increased compared to the ACOPF problem, which is highly nonconvex and generally hard to solve. Recently, convex relaxations of the ACOPF problem have attracted a significant interest since they can lead to global optimality. We propose a tight conic relaxation of the ORPD problem and show that a round-off technique applied with this relaxation leads to near-global optimal solutions with very small guaranteed optimality gaps, unlike with the nonconvex continuous relaxation. We report computational results on selected MATPOWER test cases with up to 3375 buses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical alternating current optimal power flow problem is highly nonconvex and generally hard to solve. Convex relaxations, in particular semidefinite, second-order cone, convex quadratic, and linear relaxations, have recently attracted significant interest. The semidefinite relaxation is the strongest among them and is exact for many cases. However, the computational efficiency for solving large-scale semidefinite optimization is lower than for second-order cone optimization. We propose a conic relaxation obtained by combining semidefinite optimization with the reformulation-linearization technique, commonly known as RLT. The proposed relaxation is stronger than the second-order cone relaxation and nearly as tight as the standard semidefinite relaxation. Computational experiments using standard test cases with up to 6515 buses show that the time to solve the new conic relaxation is up to one order of magnitude lower than for the chordal relaxation, a semidefinite relaxation technique that exploits the sparsity of power networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the convergence proof and complexity analysis of an interior-point framework that solves linear programming problems by dynamically selecting and adding relevant inequalities. First, we formulate a new primal–dual interior-point algorithm for solving linear programmes in non-standard form with equality and inequality constraints. The algorithm uses a primal–dual path-following predictor–corrector short-step interior-point method that starts with a reduced problem without any inequalities and selectively adds a given inequality only if it becomes active on the way to optimality. Second, we prove convergence of this algorithm to an optimal solution at which all inequalities are satisfied regardless of whether they have been added by the algorithm or not. We thus provide a theoretical foundation for similar schemes already used in practice. We also establish conditions under which the complexity of such algorithm is polynomial in the problem dimension and address remaining limitations without these conditions for possible further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the many advantages of interior-point algorithms over active-set methods for linear optimization, one of the remaining practical challenges is their current limitation to efficiently solve series of related problems by an effective warmstarting strategy. As a remedy, in this paper we present a new infeasible-interior-point approach to quickly reoptimize an initial problem instance after data perturbations, or a new linear programming relaxation after adding cutting planes for discrete or combinatorial problems. Based on the detailed complexity analysis of the underlying algorithm, we perform a comparative analysis to coldstart initialization schemes and present encouraging computational results with iteration savings of around 50% on average for perturbations of the Netlib linear programs (LPs) and successive linear programming relaxations of max-cut and the traveling salesman problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In VLSI layout, floorplanning refers to the task of placing macrocells on a chip without overlap while minimizing design objectives such as timing, congestion, and wire length. Experienced VLSI designers have traditionally been able to produce more efficient floorplans than automated methods. However, with the increasing complexity of modern circuits, manual design flows have become infeasible. An efficient top-down strategy for overlap removal which repairs overlaps in floorplans produced by placement algorithms or rough floorplanning methodologies is presented in this article. The algorithmic framework proposed incorporates a novel geometric shifting technique coupled with topological constraint graphs and linear programming within a top-down flow. The effectiveness of this framework is quantified across a broad range of floorplans produced by multiple tools. The method succeeds in producing valid placements in almost all cases; moreover, compared with leading methods, it requires only one-fifth of the run-time and produces placements with 4-13% less wire length and up to 43% less cell movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel optimization model to maximize energy for short-term hydropower unit commitment is proposed. • A MILP formulation based on the efficiency curves is established. • The optimized solutions can be directly implemented in practice. • A real case study in Canada shows benefits of optimal solutions compared to historical decisions. This paper presents a linear mixed-integer formulation to solve the short-term hydropower unit commitment problem. It uses the pair of maximum efficiency points of water discharge and the power produced at the maximum storage for all possible combinations of turbines. The goal is to maximize total energy production for all periods. The objective function is calculated using the correction between the power produced at the current volume and the maximum storage and penalizes unit start-ups. Constraints on the maximum number of turbine changes are imposed to find a viable solution. Computational results are reported for 65 instances with two powerhouses of five turbines each located in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of the province of Quebec in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]