CAREER: Optimal Interdependent Operation of Electricity Distribution Grids and Water Distribution Systems in Smart Cities

配电网络和供水系统是对社会福祉至关重要的关键基础设施。虽然它们传统上是独立运作的，但它们是相互联系和相互依存的。这种相互依赖性通过抽水、处理和废水管理等水服务设施的电力消耗表现出来。各利益攸关方越来越认识到，在城市地区，通过耦合基础设施组成部分和服务的协调运作，可以获得社会经济效益。因此，该项目的目标是提出一个框架，以解决耦合配电网络和供水系统在资源管理方面的挑战。潜在的好处包括向最终用户提供更可靠和更经济的电力和水。此外，该项目通过加强德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校的电力工程课程，以及向高中学生和当地社区大学推广，支持教育。本课题提出了一种新的多周期优化方法，用于配电网和供水系统的资产优化利用和资源调度。具体地说，明确地建立了具有三角形和三角形连接变量的配电网的多相运行模型。采用步进电压调节器的配电网中最优潮流的紧多面体松弛被开发并扩展到考虑其他公用事业或最终用户资产。基于收缩映射和惩罚方法的优化方案克服了配水系统水力方程的非凸和不可微特性。建立了水电系统能量优化联合管理的综合模型。明确考虑了两个网络之间的物理耦合，而优化的多周期泵和水箱运行利用了固有的时间灵活性，并可以提供一种能量存储形式。所建立的模型也可用于配电业务恢复序列。该研究在圣安东尼奥德克萨斯大学的实时电网模拟器上得到了验证。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Electricity distribution networks and water distribution systems are critical infrastructures that are vital for the social well-being. Although they are traditionally operated independently, they are interconnected and interdependent. The interdependency is manifested through the electricity consumption of water services facilities, such as pumping, treatment, and wastewater management. It is becoming recognized by various stakeholders that socio-economic benefits can be reaped from the coordinated operation of coupled infrastructure components and services in an urban district. The objective of this project is thus to put forth a framework that addresses challenges in resource management for coupled electricity distribution networks and water distribution systems. The potential benefits include more reliable and economic delivery of electricity and water to the end-user. Furthermore, this project supports education through enhancement of the power engineering curriculum at the University of Texas at San Antonio as well as outreach to high school students and local community colleges.This project puts forth novel multi-period optimization methods for optimal asset utilization and resource scheduling in electricity distribution grids and water distribution systems. Specifically, the multi-phase operation of electricity distribution grids with wye and delta connection variants is explicitly modeled. Tight polyhedral relaxations for optimal power flow in distribution grids with step-voltage regulators are developed and are extended to account for other utility or end-user assets. Novel optimization schemes building on contraction mappings and penalty methods overcome the nonconvex and nondifferentiable nature of the hydraulic equations that govern water distribution systems. Comprehensive models for energy-optimal joint management of electricity and water distribution systems are developed. The physical coupling between the two networks is explicitly accounted for, while optimized multi-period pump and water tank operation takes advantage of the inherent time flexibility and can provide a form of energy storage. The developed models can also be incorporated in distribution service restoration sequences. The research is validated with a real-time power network simulator at the University of Texas at San Antonio.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.