Quadratic Interpolation Based Simultaneous Heat Transfer Search Algorithm and Its Application to Chemical Dynamic System Optimization

Dynamic optimization problems (DOPs) are widely encountered in complex chemical engineering processes. However, due to the existence of highly constrained, nonlinear, and nonsmooth environment in chemical processes, which usually causes nonconvexity, multimodality and discontinuity, handling DOPs is not a straightforward task. Heat transfer search (HTS) algorithm is a relative novel metaheuristic approach inspired by the natural law of thermodynamics and heat transfer. In order to solve DOPs efficiently, a new variant of HTS algorithm named quadratic interpolation based simultaneous heat transfer search (QISHTS) algorithm is proposed in this paper. The QISHTS algorithm introduces three modifications into the original HTS algorithm, namely the effect of simultaneous heat transfer search, quadratic interpolation method, and population regeneration mechanism. These three modifications are employed to provide lower computational complexity, as well as to enhance the exploration and exploitation capabilities. Therefore, the ensemble of these modifications can provide a more efficient optimization algorithm with well-balanced exploration and exploitation capabilities. The proposed variant is firstly investigated by well-defined benchmark problems and then applied to solve four chemical DOPs. Moreover, it is compared with different well-established methods existing in the literature. The results demonstrate that QISHTS algorithm has the greatest robustness and precision than other competitors.