Heuristic method for detailed scheduling of branched multiproduct pipeline networks.

Highlights • A MINLP model is developed for scheduling of branched multiproduct pipeline networks. • The model rigorously accounts for nonlinear hydraulic calculation associated with flowrate. • A priority algorithm based on continuity, urgency and compatibility is presented. • Three cases are given to validate the high efficiency of the proposed method. Abstract This paper aims at the detailed scheduling of branched multiproduct pipeline networks with multiple sources and an output terminal. Nevertheless, the complexity of the pipeline structure, coupling of hydraulic and scheduling factors, impacts of physical properties of products, and simultaneous injections at different sources make it challenging to draw out the injection operations at each source. Based on a continuous-volume and discrete-time representation, this paper develops a MINLP model to find the optimal injection operations of all sources at minimum total operational cost, rigorously tracking batch migration and power consumption at each pipeline segment. A priority algorithm is presented to obtain a high-quality solution of this large-scale and nonlinear scheduling problem. Finally, experimental results on two virtual pipeline networks and a real-world pipeline network in China are given to validate the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]