Study of differential search algorithm based automatic generation control of an interconnected thermal-thermal system with governor dead-band

An attempt has been made to the effective application of a recently introduced, powerful optimization technique called differential search algorithm (DSA), for the first time to solve load frequency control (LFC) problem in power system. In this paper, initially, DSA optimized classical PI/PIDF controller is implemented to an identical two-area thermal-thermal power system and then the study is extended to two more realistic power systems which are widely used in the literature. To assess the usefulness of DSA, three enhanced competitive algorithms namely comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization (CLPSO), ensemble of mutation and crossover strategies and parameters in differential evolution (EPSDE), and success history based DE (SHADE) are studied in this paper. Moreover, the superiority of proposed DSA optimized PI/PID/PIDF controller is validated by an extensive comparative analysis with some recently published meta-heuristic algorithms such as firefly algorithm (FA), bacteria foraging optimization algorithm (BFOA), genetic algorithm (GA), craziness based particle swarm optimization (CRPSO), differential evolution (DE), teaching-learning based optimization (TLBO), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and quasi-oppositional harmony search algorithm (QOHSA). A case of robustness and sensitivity analysis has been performed for the concerned test system under parametric uncertainty and random load perturbation. Furthermore, to demonstrate the efficacy of proposed DSA, the system nonlinearities like reheater of the steam turbine and governor dead band are included in the system modeling. The extensive results presented in this article demonstrate that proposed DSA can effectively improve system dynamics and may be applied to real-time LFC problem.     

A charging-scheme decision model for electric vehicle battery swapping station using varied population evolutionary algorithms

This paper proposes a new battery swapping station (BSS) model to determine the optimized charging scheme for each incoming Electric Vehicle (EV) battery. The objective is to maximize the BSS’s battery stock level and minimize the average charging damage with the use of different types of chargers. An integrated objective function is defined for the multi-objective optimization problem. The genetic algorithm (GA), differential evolution (DE) algorithm and three versions of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms have been implemented to solve the problem, and the results show that GA and DE perform better than the PSO algorithms, but the computational time of GA and DE are longer than using PSO. Hence, the varied population genetic algorithm (VPGA) and varied population differential evolution (VPDE) algorithm are proposed to determine the optimal solution and reduce the computational time of typical evolutionary algorithms. The simulation results show that the performances of the proposed algorithms are comparable with the typical GA and DE, but the computational times of the VPGA and VPDE are significantly shorter. A 24-h simulation study is carried out to examine the feasibility of the model.     

环链种群结构的多目标教与学优化算法*

针对教与学算法采用贪婪进化机制,易造成种群多样性较差的问题,将环链拓扑结构引入到多目标教与学算法中,并改进了自我学习机制,提出了一种环链种群结构的多目标教与学优化算法。根据多种群进化方式,通过一种环链结构将种群划分为多个邻域,每个邻域代表一个小种群,且相邻种群之间存在重叠。在教与学进化过程中,在每个小种群中设置一名教师,由每一位教师引导各自的种群独立进化,且彼此之间存在进化信息交流。同时,提出一种改进的学习机制来提升局部寻优能力,由此平衡算法的全局搜索和局部寻优。该算法通过与五种对等算法在ZDT和DTLZ系列组成的12个多目标测试问题进行测试,实验结果表明了新算法在收敛性、多样性和稳定性等方面均优于或部分优于其他的对比算法。     

An improved teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm for numerical and engineering optimization problems

The teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm, one of the recently proposed population-based algorithms, simulates the teaching-learning process in the classroom. This study proposes an improved TLBO (ITLBO), in which a feedback phase, mutation crossover operation of differential evolution (DE) algorithms, and chaotic perturbation mechanism are incorporated to significantly improve the performance of the algorithm. The feedback phase is used to enhance the learning style of the students and to promote the exploration capacity of the TLBO. The mutation crossover operation of DE is introduced to increase population diversity and to prevent premature convergence. The chaotic perturbation mechanism is used to ensure that the algorithm can escape the local optimal. Simulation results based on ten unconstrained benchmark problems and five constrained engineering design problems show that the ITLBO algorithm is better than, or at least comparable to, other state-of-the-art algorithms.     

Multi-objective optimization of two stage thermoelectric cooler using a modified teaching–learning-based optimization algorithm

Teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) is a recently developed heuristic algorithm based on the natural phenomenon of teaching–learning process. In the present work, a modified version of the TLBO algorithm is introduced and applied for the multi-objective optimization of a two stage thermoelectric cooler (TEC). Two different arrangements of the thermoelectric cooler are considered for the optimization. Maximization of cooling capacity and coefficient of performance of the thermoelectric cooler are considered as the objective functions. An example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed algorithm. The results of optimization obtained by using the modified TLBO are validated by comparing with those obtained by using the basic TLBO, genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithms.     

A hybridization of teaching–learning-based optimization and differential evolution for chaotic time series prediction

Chaotic time series prediction problems have some very interesting properties and their prediction has received increasing interest in the recent years. Prediction of chaotic time series based on the phase space reconstruction theory has been applied in many research fields. It is well known that prediction of a chaotic system is a nonlinear, multivariable and multimodal optimization problem for which global optimization techniques are required in order to avoid local optima. In this paper, a new hybrid algorithm named teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO)–differential evolution (DE), which integrates TLBO and DE, is proposed to solve chaotic time series prediction. DE is incorporated into update the previous best positions of individuals to force TLBO jump out of stagnation, because of its strong searching ability. The proposed hybrid algorithm speeds up the convergence and improves the algorithm’s performance. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our approaches, ten benchmark functions and three typical chaotic nonlinear time series prediction problems are used for simulating. Conducted experiments indicate that the TLBO–DE performs significantly better than, or at least comparable to, TLBO and some other algorithms.     

Fuzzy adaptive teaching–learning-based optimization for global numerical optimization

Teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) is one of the latest metaheuristic algorithms being used to solve global optimization problems over continuous search space. Researchers have proposed few variants of TLBO to improve the performance of the basic TLBO algorithm. This paper presents a new variant of TLBO called fuzzy adaptive teaching–learning-based optimization (FATLBO) for numerical global optimization. We propose three new modifications to the basic scheme of TLBO in order to improve its searching capability. These modifications consist, namely of a status monitor, fuzzy adaptive teaching–learning strategies, and a remedial operator. The performance of FATLBO is investigated on four experimental sets comprising complex benchmark functions in various dimensions and compared with well-known optimization methods. Based on the results, we conclude that FATLBO is able to deliver excellence and competitive performance for global optimization.

     

“教与学”优化算法研究综述

简要分析了群智能优化算法的研究现状, 重点对“教与学”优化算法作了详细的描述, 并分析了“教与学”算法的性能及其优缺点; 随后介绍了几种改进的“教与学”优化算法, 对“教与学”优化算法的应用研究情况进行了论述。最后, 说明了目前“教与学”优化算法中存在的问题, 并指出“教与学”优化算法未来的研究方向。     

Study of the Practical Convergence of Evolutionary Algorithms for the Optimal Program Control of a Wheeled Robot

Evolutionary algorithms for solving the problem of the optimal program control are considered. The most popular evolutionary algorithms, the genetic algorithm (GA), the differential evolution (DE) algorithm, the particle swarm optimization (PSO), the bat-inspired algorithm (BIA), the bees algorithm (BA), and the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) algorithm are described. An experimental analysis of these algorithms and their comparison with gradient methods are given. An experiment was carried out to solve the problem of the optimal control of a mobile robot with phase constraints. Indicators of the best objective functional value, the average value for several startups, and the standard deviation were used to compare the algorithms.     

Optimal power flow of HVDC system using teaching–learning-based optimization algorithm

In this paper, a solution to the optimal power flow (OPF) problem in electrical power networks is presented considering high voltage direct current (HVDC) link. Furthermore, the effect of HVDC link converters on the active and reactive power is evaluated. An objective function is developed for minimizing power loss and improving voltage profile. Gradient-based optimization techniques are not viable due to high number of OPF equations, their complexity and equality and inequality constraints. Hence, an efficient global optimization method is used based on teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm. The performance of the suggested method is evaluated on a 5-bus PJM network and compared with other algorithms such as particle swarm optimization, shuffled frog-leaping algorithm and nonlinear programming. The results are promising and show the effectiveness and robustness of TLBO method.

     

融合差分变异的教-学优化算法

教-学优化算法（TLBO）是模拟班级中的教学过程和学习过程而提出的一种新型智能优化算法。为了改善教-学优化算法的性能,结合差分进化算法,提出一种融合差分变异的教-学优化算法（DMTLBO）。该算法提出自适应的教学因子,根据差分进化算法中变异策略,对学习阶段迭代方程进行改进,使得学习者的学习能力不仅受到学习者之间的相互影响,而且还受到当前最好学习者的影响,提高了算法的收敛速度。仿真实验表明,该算法的收敛速度和寻优精度均优于TLBO算法、PSO算法以及DE算法。     

Structural optimization with fatigue and ultimate limit constraints of jacket structures for large offshore wind turbines

The purpose of the research presented in this paper is to develop and implement an efficient method for analytical gradient-based sizing optimization of a support structure for offshore wind turbines. In the jacket structure optimization of frame member diameter and thickness, both fatigue limit state, ultimate limit state, and frequency constraints are included. The established framework is demonstrated on the OC4 reference jacket with the NREL 5 MW reference wind turbine installed at a deep water site. The jacket is modeled using 3D Timoshenko beam elements. The aero-servo-elastic loads are determined using the multibody software HAWC2, and the wave loads are determined using the Morison equation. Analytical sensitivities are found using both the direct differentiation method and the adjoint method. An effective formulation of the fatigue gradients makes the amount of adjoint problems that needs to be solved independent of the amount of load cycles included in the analysis. Thus, a large amount of time-history loads can be applied in the fatigue analysis, resulting in a good representation of the accumulated fatigue damage. A reduction of 40 % mass is achieved in 23 iterations using the CPLEX optimizer by IBM ILOG, where both fatigue and ultimate limit state constraints are active at the optimum.     

On the equivalences and differences of evolutionary algorithms

Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are fast and robust computation methods for global optimization, and have been widely used in many real-world applications. We first conceptually discuss the equivalences of various popular EAs including genetic algorithm (GA), biogeography-based optimization (BBO), differential evolution (DE), evolution strategy (ES) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). We find that the basic versions of BBO, DE, ES and PSO are equal to the GA with global uniform recombination (GA/GUR) under certain conditions. Then we discuss their differences based on biological motivations and implementation details, and point out that their distinctions enhance the diversity of EA research and applications. To further study the characteristics of various EAs, we compare the basic versions and advanced versions of GA, BBO, DE, ES and PSO to explore their optimization ability on a set of real-world continuous optimization problems. Empirical results show that among the basic versions of the algorithms, BBO performs best on the benchmarks that we studied. Among the advanced versions of the algorithms, DE and ES perform best on the benchmarks that we studied. However, our main conclusion is that the conceptual equivalence of the algorithms is supported by the fact that algorithmic modifications result in very different performance levels.     

Teaching–learning based optimization algorithm based fuzzy-PID controller for automatic generation control of multi-area power system

This paper deals with the design of a novel fuzzy proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller for automatic generation control (AGC) of a two unequal area interconnected thermal system. For the first time teaching–learning based optimization (TLBO) algorithm is applied in this area to obtain the parameters of the proposed fuzzy-PID controller. The design problem is formulated as an optimization problem and TLBO is employed to optimize the parameters of the fuzzy-PID controller. The superiority of proposed approach is demonstrated by comparing the results with some of the recently published approaches such as Lozi map based chaotic optimization algorithm (LCOA), genetic algorithm (GA), pattern search (PS) and simulated algorithm (SA) based PID controller for the same system under study employing the same objective function. It is observed that TLBO optimized fuzzy-PID controller gives better dynamic performance in terms of settling time, overshoot and undershoot in frequency and tie-line power deviation as compared to LCOA, GA, PS and SA based PID controllers. Further, robustness of the system is studied by varying all the system parameters from −50% to +50% in step of 25%. Analysis also reveals that TLBO optimized fuzzy-PID controller gains are quite robust and need not be reset for wide variation in system parameters.     

Disassembly sequence planning using a Simplified Teaching–Learning-Based Optimization algorithm

Disassembly Sequence Planning (DSP) is a challenging NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem. As a new and promising population-based evolutional algorithm, the Teaching–Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) algorithm has been successfully applied to various research problems. However, TLBO is not capable or effective in DSP optimization problems with discrete solution spaces and complex disassembly precedence constraints. This paper presents a Simplified Teaching–Learning-Based Optimization (STLBO) algorithm for solving DSP problems effectively. The STLBO algorithm inherits the main idea of the teaching–learning-based evolutionary mechanism from the TLBO algorithm, while the realization method for the evolutionary mechanism and the adaptation methods for the algorithm parameters are different. Three new operators are developed and incorporated in the STLBO algorithm to ensure its applicability to DSP problems with complex disassembly precedence constraints: i.e., a Feasible Solution Generator (FSG) used to generate a feasible disassembly sequence, a Teaching Phase Operator (TPO) and a Learning Phase Operator (LPO) used to learn and evolve the solutions towards better ones by applying the method of precedence preservation crossover operation. Numerical experiments with case studies on waste product disassembly planning have been carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed operators and the results exhibited that the developed algorithm performs better than other relevant algorithms under a set of public benchmarks.     

基于自主学习行为的教与学优化算法

针对教与学优化（TLBO）算法收敛精度较低、易于早熟收敛等问题,提出一种基于自主学习行为的教与学优化算法（SLTLBO）。SLTLBO算法为学生构建了更加完善的学习框架,学生在完成常规"教"阶段与"学"阶段的学习行为之外,将进一步对比自己与教师、最差学生的差异,自主完成多样化的学习操作,以提高自己的知识水平,提高算法的收敛精度;同时学生通过高斯搜索的自主学习反思行为跳出局部区域,实现更好的全局搜索。利用10个基准测试函数对SLTLBO算法进行了性能测试,并将SLTLBO算法与粒子群优化（PSO）算法、智能蜂群（ABC）算法以及TLBO算法进行结果比对,实验结果验证了SLTLBO算法的有效性。     

基于编码转换的离散演化算法设计与应用

为了利用演化算法求解离散域上的组合优化问题,借鉴遗传算法（GA）、二进制粒子群优化（BPSO）和二进制差分演化（HBDE）中的映射方法,提出了一种基于映射变换思想设计离散演化算法的实用方法——编码转换法（ETM）,并利用一个简单有效的编码转化函数给出了求解组合优化问题的离散演化算法一般算法框架A-DisEA.为了说明ETM的实用性与有效性,首先基于A-DisEA给出了一个离散粒子群优化算法（DisPSO）,然后分别利用BPSO、HBDE和DisPSO等求解集合联盟背包问题和折扣{0-1}背包问题,通过对计算结果的比较表明：BPSO、HBDE和DisPSO的求解性能均优于GA,这不仅说明基于ETM的离散演化算法在求解KP问题方面具有良好的性能,同时也说明利用ETM方法设计离散演化算法是一种简单且有效的实用方法.     

一种优化神经网络的教与学优化算法

为了提高BP神经网络的输出精度,提出一种改进的教与学优化算法进行神经网络中的权值和阈值的优化调整.算法对基本的教与学优化算法的“教”阶段和“学”阶段分别进行改进,并提出一种“自学”机制来增强算法的学习能力.通过函数拟合实验和拖拉机齿轮箱故障诊断实验进行算法性能测试,结果表明,与遗传算法和基本的教与学优化算法相比,该算法具有收敛速度快、求解精度高等优势.     

An integer encoding grey wolf optimizer for virtual network function placement

This paper studies the virtual network function placement (VNF-P) problem in the context of network function virtualization (NFV), where the end-to-end delay of a requested service function chain (SFC) is minimized and the compute, storage, I/O and bandwidth resources are considered. To address this problem, an integer encoding grey wolf optimizer (IEGWO) is proposed. IEGWO has two significant features, namely an integer encoding scheme and a new wolf position update mechanism. The integer encoding scheme is problem-specific and offers a natural way to represent VNF-P solutions. The proposed wolf position update mechanism divides the wolf pack into two groups in each iteration, where one group performs exploitation while the other focuses on global exploration. It provides the search with a balanced local exploitation and global exploration during evolution. Performance evaluation has been conducted based on 20 test instances and IEGWO is compared with five state-of-the-art meta-heuristics, including the black hole algorithm (BH), the genetic algorithm (GA), the group counseling optimization (GCO), the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and the teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO). Simulation results demonstrate that compared with BH, GA, GCO, PSO and TLBO, IEGWO achieves significantly better solution quality regarding the mean (standard deviation), boxplot and t-test results of the best fitness values obtained.     

某大兆瓦风电机组主机架多阶段多目标优化

为解决大兆瓦风电机组主机架研发难度大、周期长的问题,采用贯穿主机架全生命周期的多阶段多目标优化方法进行研发设计.在概念设计阶段侧重于获得主机架初始构型,以机架材料分布为设计变量,以材料体积为约束条件,以各工况极限强度为目标进行拓扑优化;在详细设计阶段侧重于机架的轻量化,以主机架结构尺寸为设计变量,以疲劳性能为约束条件,...