Genetic Algorithms For The Optimization Of Urban Gas Networks

That west-east gas transmission project has been invested in and constructed indicates that Chinese gas industry is being in a developing peak period and requests a higher level of gas engineering technology. Urban gas network is a very important part of urban gas distribution system, generally speaking, its early investment is enormous and considerable economic and social benefit will be obtained if the networks could be optimized.Through consulting internal and external research development and drawing on the experience of predecessors, this paper applies genetic algorithms to optimization of urban gas networks. Optimizing gas networks needs hydraulic calculations, based on analysis of comparing between various algorithms concluded by predecessors, this paper adopts a method of solving node-equations for hydraulic calculations, and a program for hydraulic calculations written by the author has been used in examples, the program is proved to be credible comparing the results with that given by the reference data.Drawing on the experience of predecessors, this paper adopts an improved genetic algorithms and concentrate on optimizing pipe diameters. Since there isn't theoretic proof for reasonably choosing genetic algorithms' operation parameters, this paper carries out a parameter analysis of genetic algorithms according to characteristics of the investigated task and brings forward the recommended range of parameters for this field. Based on above analyses, this paper applies genetic algorithms to an engineering example and the results show that plan which adopts genetic algorithms could save cost of urban gas networks compared to the conventional ones.