Optimized Production Planning & Scheduling

Question

I want to create an optimized schedule and production to meet demand of four different buyers. I am starting with Pulp but not able to account for continuous production variable and discrete dispatch together. I have following details, objective is to avoid tank top situation:

• Expected production is constant at 6,000m3/h.
• Storage capacity is 400,000m3,
• LNG carrier parcel size is 300,000m3 (1 parcel every 50h),
• Ship loading rate is 20,000m3/h,
• Start of loading occurs such that stock level at end of loading (operational buffer) is 40,000m3.

Objective (Maximmize) = $150/m3*(Volume Shipped on time) - $100/m3*(Volume Produced)-$200/m3*(Volume wasted due to tank top) + $100/m3*(delayed volume shipping)

Constraints: Tank Capacity (Minimum & Maximum); Shipping Capacity (One loading every 50 h)

Decision Variable: Production Rate (+/-10%) Shipping Schedule (+/-24h)

..............Adding details................ With the details mentioned above, I have a base schedule. Now when my production rate changes, I want to move the schedule accordingly such that I am either moving the ships around (comes with a penalty) or using the extra volume (in case of increased production) to load an additional cargo of same capacity or cancel a cargo (in case of reduced production) to ensure that the rest of the schedule is closely met.

so, two decisions to be made:

1. Move the ships slightly (number of hours)
2. Add or remove a cargo (Where in schedule to put to move the rest the least)

Objective function: Cost minimization = Penalty to move ship + (benefit/loss) of change in number of cargoes

Looking for help. PS: I am looking forward to solve this in continuous time frame.

Answer 1

I'll address your main issue about discrete dispatch. You should model the problem utilizing inventory levels at discrete time intervals that are short enough to fit just one shipment, which sounds like hourly. Utilize tank volume at the end of time interval $t$: $v_t$ for all $t$ between 1 and the end of the planning horizon. This allows you to create a constraint that models the LNG production, inventory and shipped volumes: $v_t = v_{t-1} + r_t - s_t$ where $r_t$ is the rate of production during time interval $t$ and $s_t$ is the shipped volume during the same interval. The rest of the model can be built upon this relationship.

See this question for a shipping model in pulp that could get you started.

Once you have a simple model and get stuck while adding to it, post an additional question.