Search results for "NIMBUS"

Modeling of biomass smoke injection into the lower stratosphere by a large forest fire (Part II): Sensitivity studies

2006

Abstract. The Chisholm forest fire that burned in Alberta, Canada, in May 2001 resulted in injection of substantial amounts of smoke into the lower stratosphere. We used the cloud-resolving plume model ATHAM (Active Tracer High resolution Atmospheric Model) to investigate the importance of different contributing factors to the severe intensification of the convection induced by the Chisholm fire and the subsequent injection of biomass smoke into the lower stratosphere. The simulations show strong sensitivity of the pyro-convection to background meteorology. This explains the observed coincidence of the convective blow-up of the fire plume and the passage of a synoptic cold front. Furthermor…

Modeling of biomass smoke injection into the lower stratosphere by a large forest fire (Part I): reference simulation

2006

Abstract. Wildland fires in boreal regions have the potential to initiate deep convection, so-called pyro-convection, due to their release of sensible heat. Under favorable atmospheric conditions, large fires can result in pyro-convection that transports the emissions into the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere. Here, we present three-dimensional model simulations of the injection of fire emissions into the lower stratosphere by pyro-convection. These model simulations are constrained and evaluated with observations obtained from the Chisholm fire in Alberta, Canada, in 2001. The active tracer high resolution atmospheric model (ATHAM) is initialized with observations obtained by r…

Solving multiobjective optimization problems with decision uncertainty: an interactive approach

2018

We propose an interactive approach to support a decision maker to find a most preferred robust solution to multiobjective optimization problems with decision uncertainty. A new robustness measure that is understandable for the decision maker is incorporated as an additional objective in the problem formulation. The proposed interactive approach utilizes elements of the synchronous NIMBUS method and is aimed at supporting the decision maker to consider the objective function values and the robustness of a solution simultaneously. In the interactive approach, we offer different alternatives for the decision maker to express her/his preferences related to the robustness of a solution. To conso…

A Computationally Inexpensive Approach in Multiobjective Heat Exchanger Network Synthesis

2010

We consider a heat exchanger network synthesis problem formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem. The Pareto front of this problem is approximated with a new approximation approach and the preferred point on the approximation is found with the interactive multiobjective optimization method NIMBUS. Using the approximation makes the solution process computationally inexpensive. Finally, the preferred outcome on the Pareto front approximation is projected on the actual Pareto front. peerReviewed

Potential of interactive multiobjective optimization in supporting the design of a groundwater biodenitrification process

2019

The design of water treatment plants requires simultaneous analysis of technical, economic and environmental aspects, identified by multiple conflicting objectives. We demonstrated the advantages of an interactive multiobjective optimization (MOO) method over a posteriori methods in an unexplored field, namely the design of a biological treatment plant for drinking water production, that tackles the process drawbacks, contrarily to what happens in a traditional volumetric-load-driven design procedure. Specifically, we consider a groundwater denitrification biofilter, simulated by the Activated Sludge Model modified with two-stage denitrification kinetics. Three objectives were defined (nitr…

A solution process for simulation-based multiobjective design optimization with an application in the paper industry

2014

In this paper, we address some computational challenges arising in complex simulation-based design optimization problems. High computational cost, black-box formulation and stochasticity are some of the challenges related to optimization of design problems involving the simulation of complex mathematical models. Solving becomes even more challenging in case of multiple conflicting objectives that must be optimized simultaneously. In such cases, application of multiobjective optimization methods is necessary in order to gain an understanding of which design offers the best possible trade-off. We apply a three-stage solution process to meet the challenges mentioned above. As our case study, w…

On solving computationally expensive multiobjective optimization problems with interactive methods

2014

Implementation aspects of interactive multiobjective optimization for modeling environments: The case of GAMS-NIMBUS

2014

Abstract. Interactive multiobjective optimization methods have provided promising results in the literature but still their implementations are rare. Here we introduce a core structure of interactive methods to enable their convenient implementation. We also demonstrate how this core structure can be applied when implementing an interactive method using a modeling environment. Many modeling environments contain tools for single objective optimization but not for interactive multiobjective optimization. Furthermore, as a concrete example, we present GAMS-NIMBUS Tool which is an implementation of the classification-based NIMBUS method for the GAMS modeling environment. So far, interactive met…

Agent assisted interactive algorithm for computationally demanding multiobjective optimization problems

2015

Abstract We generalize the applicability of interactive methods for solving computationally demanding, that is, time-consuming, multiobjective optimization problems. For this purpose we propose a new agent assisted interactive algorithm. It employs a computationally inexpensive surrogate problem and four different agents that intelligently update the surrogate based on the preferences specified by a decision maker. In this way, we decrease the waiting times imposed on the decision maker during the interactive solution process and at the same time decrease the amount of preference information expected from the decision maker. The agent assisted algorithm is not specific to any interactive me…

Coupling dynamic simulation and interactive multiobjective optimization for complex problems: An APROS-NIMBUS case study

2014

Dynamic process simulators for plant-wide process simulation and multiobjective optimization tools can be used by industries as a means to cut costs and enhance profitability. Specifically, dynamic process simulators are useful in the process plant design phase, as they provide several benefits such as savings in time and costs. On the other hand, multiobjective optimization tools are useful in obtaining the best possible process designs when multiple conflicting objectives are to be optimized simultaneously. Here we concentrate on interactive multiobjective optimization. When multiobjective optimization methods are used in process design, they need an access to dynamic process simulators, …