OPTEC - K.U.Leuven Center of Excellence: Optimization in Engineering

First Simon Stevin Lecture on Optimization in Engineering

"Simultaneous Nonlinear Programming Strategies for Dynamic Optimization"
Lorenz T. Biegler (Chemical Engineering Department Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA)



pictures of Larry in Leuven

Abstract:                                 
With the need to develop better designs and operating policies for dynamic nonlinear systems, it is important to consider efficient systematic strategies for the optimization of these systems. In particular, simultaneous approaches to dynamic optimization are favourable because of their efficiency and ability to handle complex dynamic features. This approach discretizes both the state and control profiles and solves a large-scale nonlinear program that results from the discretized system. Simultaneous optimization can be applied to optimize systems that are unstable, path constrained and high dimensional. Moreover, they are supported by two important elements:
- theoretical aspects of this approach have an equivalence to classical approaches such as Pontryagin's maximum principle
- efficient solution of large-scale nonlinear programs can be applied to these problems.
In addition to discussing these issues, a number of examples drawn from real-time optimization and data assimilation of water networks and chemical processes will be presented that demonstrate the benefits of this approach.

Bibliographical Information:
Lorenz T. (Larry) Biegler is currently the Bayer Professor of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, which he joined after receiving his PhD from the University of Wisconsin in 1981. His research interests are in the areas of computer aided process analysis and design and include flowsheet optimization, optimization of systems of differential and algebraic equations, reactor network synthesis and algorithms for constrained, nonlinear process control. Prof. Biegler has been a visiting scholar at Northwestern University, a scientist-in-residence at Argonne National Lab, a Distinguished Faculty Visitor at the University of Alberta, a Gambrinus Fellow at the University of Dortmund and a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Heidelberg. He has authored or co-authored over 200 archival publications, authored or edited seven books and presented numerous papers at national and international conferences.
He is the recipient of numerous awards including the AIChE McAfee Award (Pittsburgh Section), the AIChE Computers in Chemical Engineering Award, the ASEE Curtis McGraw Research Award and the Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and a member of SIAM, ACS and Sigma Xi. In addition, Professor Biegler has been an active consultant on process design and optimization strategies for the chemical and process industry.

About the Lecture Series:
The "Simon Stevin Lecture Series on Optimization in Engineering" is set up in order to promote optimization in engineering. For this aim, every quarter of the year an outstanding international scholar is invited to report on latest progress in the development of optimization algorithms and their applications in engineering.
Simon Stevin (1548-1620) was a Flemish mathematician and engineer. Among other, he helped to advance the use of decimal fractions, was the first to explain the tides by the attraction of the moon, and discovered the hydrostatic paradox. He made numerous inventions, among them a wind propelled carriage with sails, the "land yacht", which once impressed Prince Maurice of Orange as it moved faster than horses, in around 1600 on the beach between Scheveningen and Petten. Simon Stevin was fond of promoting the use of science in daily life and in craftmanship, and translated various mathematical terms into dutch. Among other, he introduced the dutch word for mathematics, "wiskunde".

Directly after the this winter's Simon Stevin Lecture, a little reception will be given at 6:30 pm in nearby Arenberg Castle, to which all attendants of the lecture are most warmly welcome!

***** REGISTRATION ENCOURAGED *****
Please send an e-mail with the subject "STEVIN" to Ida.Tassens@esat.kuleuven.be if you intend to participate in the event. No obligation, just to help us getting an idea how many people plan to come.