Application of scheduling models for utility management of process plants and its extension to DG networks

Scheduling models are one of the main parts of computer-aided process design research in recent years. One of the novel applications of scheduling models is their usage for in-site utility management of a process plant. It is very common for huge process plants to provide their utility by themselves; therefore, they shall make decision on utility supply and demand simultaneously. This approach can be extended to other similar systems such as distributed generation networks. In fact, it is possible to consider a DG unit as an autonomous system which is responsible for its energy (heat and power) supply and demand. Of course, for achieving its reliability and dispatchability goals, it would extend its connections to external parties; this fact can be a basis for evolution of a DG network. This paper describes the concept of application of scheduling models for utility management of process plants and aims at extending those ideas to demand management of a DG unit. In addition, the effects of such behavior on energy sharing between DG units and the consequent effects on the performance of DG network are discussed.