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PROGRAMMING PROBLEM
Suppose that a gas-processing plant receives a fixed
amount of raw gas each week. The raw gas is
processed into two grades of heating gas regular
and premium quality. These grades of gas are in high
demand (they are guaranteed to sell) and yield
different profits to the company. However, their
production involves both time and on-site storage
constraints. For example, only one of the grades can
be produced at a time, and the facility is open for
only 80 hr/week. Further, there is limited on-site
storage for each of the products.
Regular
7 m/tonne
Premium
11 m/tonne
Resource
Availability
77 m/week
Production
10 hr/tonne 8 hr/tonne
80 hr/week
Question: How to develop a linear programming
time
formulation to maximize the profit for this operation.
Storage
9 tonnes
6 tonnes
Profit
$150/tonne
$175/tonne
x2 6
Feasible
solution
space
0
7 x1 + 11 x2 77
x1
10 x1 + 8 x2 80
Because
the
line
still
the solution
our
Now,
since
we
are
interested
in maximizing
Z,space,
we can
As
shown
inA
the
figure,
thewithin
maximum
value
Z
To do
this,
value
of falls
Z must
be
chosen,
for of
example,
for
result
is still
feasible.
There
isthe
stillobjective
room
forfunction
increase
it
toto
say
Z=600,
and
isx2 x2
corresponds
approximately
1400.
At
point,
x1 and
Z=0, the
objective
function
becomes
0=this
150
x1 + 175
improvement.
Hence,
Z
can4.9
keep
until
a Thus
600=
150 to
x1 for
+
175
x2 ,derive
solving
for
xincreasing
the line
are
approximately
and
3.9,derive
respectively.
2 we
and equal
solving
x2 we
the
line
600
150the objective beyond the
further
increase
will
take
150
the graphical
solution
x
tells
x2 2 175
x1 175 x1us that if we produce these
feasible
region.
175 and premium, we will reap a
quantities
of regular
maximum profit of about $1400.
x2
x1 9
Z=14
00
Z=60
0
x2 6
x2 3.9
Z=
0
7 x1 + 11 x2 77
0
x1 4.9
x1
10 x1 + 8 x2 80
CONCLUDING REMARKS
It is clear from the plot that producing at the optimal amount
of each product brings us right to the point where we just
meet the resource and time constraints. Such constraint are
said to be binding. As can be seen in the graphic, neither of
the storage constraints (x1 9 and x2 6 ) acts as a
limitation. Such constraints are called nonbinding.
x2
x1 9
x2 6
Feasible
solution
space
0
7 x1 + 11 x2 77
x1
10 x1 + 8 x2 80
CONCLUDING REMARKS
This leads us to the conclusion that we can increase
profits by either increasing our resource supply (raw
gas) or increasing our production time. Further, it
indicates that increasing the storage would have no
impact on profit.