The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 06, 2016
Filed:
Oct. 19, 2012
Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Kenji Tsuzaki, Osaka, JP;
Kaoru Kawamoto, Osaka, JP;
Tomohito Okamura, Osaka, JP;
Hiromasa Tani, Osaka, JP;
Tomokazu Ueda, Osaka, JP;
Nobuaki Hashimoto, Osaka, JP;
Keisuke Kawata, Osaka, JP;
Takahito Tanabe, Tokyo, JP;
Kouhei Harada, Tokyo, JP;
Atsushi Nitanda, Tokyo, JP;
Toshihiro Nitta, Tokyo, JP;
OSAKA GAS CO., LTD., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
To derive a feasible solution for an operation plan problem for storage tanks for storing liquefied natural gas, which is a complicated mixed-integer non-linear problem, given tank initial state information, reception plan information, and feed plan information, two solving processes are executed alternately two or more times, respectively: a first solving process that replaces a mixed-integer non-linear programming problem with a mixed-integer linear programming problem by linear approximation of a non-linear expression in non-linear constraints containing the non-linear expression, and solves the problem to derive provisional solutions or final solutions for a reception pattern that prescribes a storage tank that is to receive liquefied natural gas, and a discharge pattern that prescribes a storage tank that is to discharge liquefied natural gas, and a second solving process that replaces a mixed-integer non-linear programming problem with a continuous non-linear programming problem by provisionally fixing a discrete variable in discrete form constraints containing the discrete variable, and solves the problem to derive provisional solutions or final solutions for transitions of storage quantity and storage heat quantity of liquefied natural gas in each storage tank.