Using Column Generation to Solve a Coal Blending Problem
RAIRO - Operations Research - Recherche Opérationnelle, Special ROADEF 2013, Tome 49 (2015) no. 1, pp. 15-37.

In this paper, we formulate and solve a real life coal blending problem using a Column Generation Approach. The objective of the model is to prescribe optimal mixes of coal to produce coke. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer program. It involves various types of constraints arising from technical considerations of the blending process. The model also incorporates nonlinear constraints. It results in a large-scale problem that cannot be solved by classical operations research methods. Defining three heuristic methods based on column generation techniques, this paper proposes reasonable solutions for the industry.

Reçu le :
Accepté le :
DOI : 10.1051/ro/2014033
Classification : 90B30, 49M27
Mots-clés : Column generation, coal blending
Auray, Stéphane 1 ; de Wolf, Daniel 2 ; Smeers, Yves 3

1 CREST-Ensai, Rue Blaise Pascal, 35172 Bruz, FranceEquippe, Université du Côte d’Opale and CIRPEE
2 TVES, Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale 189B avenue Maurice Schumann, BP 5526, 59379 Dunkerque Cedex 1, France.
3 Center for Operations Research and Econometrics, UCL, 34 voie du Roman Pays, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
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     title = {Using {Column} {Generation} to {Solve} a {Coal} {Blending} {Problem}},
     journal = {RAIRO - Operations Research - Recherche Op\'erationnelle},
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Auray, Stéphane; de Wolf, Daniel; Smeers, Yves. Using Column Generation to Solve a Coal Blending Problem. RAIRO - Operations Research - Recherche Opérationnelle, Special ROADEF 2013, Tome 49 (2015) no. 1, pp. 15-37. doi : 10.1051/ro/2014033. http://www.numdam.org/articles/10.1051/ro/2014033/

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