Mathematical Problems in Engineering
Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 561592, 11 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/561592
Research Article

Optimization of a Pumped-Storage Fixed-Head Hydroplant: The Bang-Singular-Bang Solution

Department of Mathematics, University of Oviedo, E.P.I. Campus of Viesques, 33203 Gijón, Spain

Received 22 February 2011; Accepted 8 June 2011

Academic Editor: Horst Ecker

Copyright © 2011 L. Bayón et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

We consider the problem of the optimization of the functioning of a pumped-storage hydroplant. The problem can be mathematically formulated as an optimal control problem, and when the considered hydromodel is of the fixed-head type, an added complication arises: the solution is of the bangsingular-bang type. In this paper, we propose a simple and efficient optimization algorithm to find the solution.