On the integration of a large-scale nonlinear optimization tool with open modeling and simulation environments for dynamic systems

Large-scale optimization is motivated as a useful tool in control systems engineering, in addition to modeling and simulation. Starting with typical questions that arise when numerical simulation is applied to a state-space model, a general optimal control problem is formulated. The optimization problem is solved numerically with a large-scale sequential quadratic programming (SQP) procedure. Existing and emerging interface formats between modeling, simulation, and optimization are discussed, as they are needed for the tool integration in an open environment. The methodology is applied to a central solar heating plant with seasonal storage. Simulation and optimization experiments are carried out, based on the same object-oriented system model.