Layout optimization of natural gas network planning: Synchronizing minimum risk loss with total cost

The synchronization of the minimum risk loss and total cost of natural gas pipeline networks at the planning stage is discussed in this article. Herein, new procedures for optimizing layout are proposed to minimize the investment cost, operation expense, and the risk loss of the pipeline network. The procedures include two crucial steps: the first step is fitting two risk cost functions (i.e., leakage risk cost function and corrosion risk cost function), and the second one is achieving the optimal layout by using the risk cost functions as the edge weight of the minimum spanning tree algorithm. The suggested method is applied in three different real cases, leading to three distinct optimal layouts, which are more suitable than that calculated using intelligent algorithms for practical engineering. Then, two optimal strategies for pipeline fretwork layouts are presented. Different applications that respectively focus on the leakage risk cost for urban areas and the corrosion risk cost or leakage risk cost for suburban areas are shown in the above two strategies. These strategies realize a 6.9-21% greater economic benefit than that of the shortest layout. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.