Optimal scheduling of conveyor belt systems under Critical Peak Pricing

Abstract

We consider the optimal scheduling of conveyor belts (CB) under Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) tariff. The operation of the belts is optimized using Model Predictive Control (MPC). The paper assesses the effects of MPC prediction horizon and storage size on the load profile, as well as the resulting energy cost. The results show that MPC is suitable for CB scheduling under CPP. The significance of storage size and the length of MPC prediction horizon in achieving cost saving is demonstrated.