Storage flow variable limits

[Poncelet88]

Hi,

I have introduced a pumped storage plant (declared as a STGTSS on DAYNITE process tslvl) which consumes and produces electricity. To limit the flow in and out of the storage, I have made following scenario file:

~TFM_INS

TimeSlice

LimType

Attribute

Year

Attrib_Cond

Val_Cond

AllRegions

BE

Pset_Set

Pset_PN

Pset_PD

Pset_CI

Pset_CO

Cset_Set

Cset_CN

Cset_CD

*P

UP

STGOUT_BND

2010

1

EPLT_PUMPST

ELC

*D, *N

UP

STGOUT_BND

2010

1

EPLT_PUMPST

ELC

*P

UP

STGIN_BND

2010

1

EPLT_PUMPST

ELC

*D, *N

UP

STGIN_BND

2010

1

EPLT_PUMPST

ELC

In this test file, I use 12 TS (4 SEOSONAL TS SU, FA, WI, SP and 3 DAYNITE TS D, P, N). As the peak TS is shorter, I want to have a lower bound for the flow variables in the end (but in this example, identical flow bounds are created for all TS).

When integrating this Pumped storage plant in the (very simple) test case, the bounds on the input flow are systematically ignored (the bounds on the output flow work as expected). Does anybody have an idea why this could be?

Also, I would like to have the same bounds for all years, is there a way to select something like 'Allyears', or do I have to manually enter all milestoneyears?

[Antti-L]

Who/what ignores the bounds?  Is it VEDA-FE, or is it TIMES?

Check Basic Functions  → Browse  → TIMES View, and see if all the parameters are listed there with the correct dimensions (process, commodity, timeslice, limtype).  If not, your specification is incorrect and they are ignored by VEDA-FE. 

To define the same bounds for all years, you can use the interpolation options, as usual.

[Poncelet88]

Thank you Antti!

The STGIN bounds (and the STGOUT bounds) as well, were apparently only produced for the day and peak timeslices. I solved the issue by creating additional lines for the bounds for night timeslices.

Also, I noticed that a bound was created for the SP timeslice (which was not intended). I experimented with some different ways of avoiding this and it seems that masks and ","/"-" seperation can not be combined?

[Antti-L]

I'll leave the mask question to Amit.

However, note that usually one does not need to define such bounds on the storage input/output flows, because the capacity already limits it. In a DAYNITE storage the capacity normally represents the max. daily amount that can be stored. For example, in your test model you specified the capacity of EPLT_PUMPST to be 2 units. That much capacity would allow a maximum input flow of 2*91.25 = 182.5 units to fill the storage (with zero losses). If you would want to limit it to 1 unit, the capacity could be  thus defined to be as small as 1/91.25.

Note also that pumped hydro can also be modeled as a storage where the capacity is based on the max. output flow level, like in power plants. That would make limiting the output flows and investment costs somewhat more transparent.

[AKanudia]

Wild cards and comma-separated entries are allowed only in the following columns: PSET_PN/PD/CI/CO and CSET_CN/CD. They also support the exclusion clause: entries with "-" prefix.

PSET_SET, CSET_SET, TimeSlice, LimType and Year columns support only comma-separated entries, no wild cards. And the two _SET columns also support the exclusion clause.

some examples of valid specifications:

PSET_PN: ECOAL*,-ECOAL1*,-ECOAL2*

PSET_SET: ELE,-ELECOA,-ELEGAS

LimType: UP,LO

TimeSlice: W,WD,WN,WP

Year: 2005, 2010 (make that Excel does not interpret this as a single number. Use spaces after the commas or a leading <'> character to convert to text.)

But starting version 4.3.64, wild cards will be enabled in TimeSlice column too. Then you could make declarations like W*,-*P to get W, WD and WN.

[Poncelet88]

Thank you Antti and Amit!

It is true what you say Antti. However, for reasons of transparency, I prefer to keep a seperation between maximal flow rates, and stored capacity.

[Kannan]

But starting version 4.3.64, wild cards will be enabled in TimeSlice column too. Then you could make declarations like W*,-*P to get W, WD and WN.

Is the wild card already enabled in timeslice?