A dynamic programming optimization procedure for a two-product biomass- to-methane conversion system (Q579117)

The conversion of biomass to methane involves the scheduling of perishable material into a production facility with a decreasing production rate. A complex optimal scheduling problem arises when two different types of biomass are used in a conversion facility of limited capacity. The decision variables for the scheduler are the replacement times of old material with inventoried material and the order in which the different types should be processes. Such a scheduling problem is formulated as a dynamic programming problem in which an unusual time transformation allows for a significant reduction of the state space.