Sizing of a 3,000,000t Bulk Cargo Port through Discrete and Stochastic Simulation Integrated with Response Surface Methodology Techniques

摘要

The purpose of the study is to size, by means of a discrete and stochastic simulator, a bulk cargo port for the unloading of coal to cover the annual requirements of a thermal power plant located next to the berth. The logistics system under consideration had to be designed so that it could ensure the supply of enough coal for the operation of the plant while reducing the overall operating costs of the system (freightage, demurrage for delays in unloading operations, investment costs, overheads) to a minimum. Thanks to Design of Experiments (DOE) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM), it was possible to determine the mathematical relationship, in the form of regression meta-model, existing between the design variables and the target function consisting in the overall annual operating cost. After the sizing it has been finally done an analysis of the strength of the identified solution as the needs for coal on the part of the power plant, with a specific reference to the capacity of the intermediate accumulation tank which constitutes a critical element in the design of this type of plants.