Python：GEKKO 求解代数微分方程的快速替代方案

Question

To simulate power flows in grids, I use GEKKO to solve my algebraic differential equation system.

For smaller simulations, it works pretty well, but running it several times in a row, for example while training a reinforcement learning agent, takes quite a while.

Could anyone suggest a solver with a smaller overhead, which speeds up the simulation?

A small example of how the system looks like is in our GitHub repo linked here:

https://github.com/upb-lea/openmodelica-microgrid-gym/blob/feature_50_SinglePhaseModel/experiments/swing_equation/gekko_freq_volt.py

Answer 1

There are other alternatives such as assimulo and CasADi. But I have yet to find something that comes close to GEKKO. My suggestion would be, to define the model with parameters instead of variables. This will definitely decrease the time needed to keep reinitializing your model.

Answer 2

In some benchmark tests, Gekko is about 5x faster than pyomo. We've also worked with groups who are currently using CasADi to speed up optimization with Gekko. If it is an algebraic modeling language then Gekko is one of the fastest options. Here are some suggestions with Gekko. Switch to IMODE=4 with m.options.TIME_SHIFT=0 to solve from the prior solution as a warm-start. This can dramatically improve the solution speed. Another option is to parallelize the function calls for the reinforcement learning agent with multi-threading .

import numpy as np
import threading
import time, random
from gekko import GEKKO

class ThreadClass(threading.Thread):
    def __init__(self, id, server, ai, bi):
        s = self
        s.id = id
        s.server = server
        s.m = GEKKO(remote=False)
        s.a = ai
        s.b = bi
        s.objective = float('NaN')

        # initialize variables
        s.m.x1 = s.m.Var(1,lb=1,ub=5)
        s.m.x2 = s.m.Var(5,lb=1,ub=5)
        s.m.x3 = s.m.Var(5,lb=1,ub=5)
        s.m.x4 = s.m.Var(1,lb=1,ub=5)

        # Equations
        s.m.Equation(s.m.x1*s.m.x2*s.m.x3*s.m.x4>=s.a)
        s.m.Equation(s.m.x1**2+s.m.x2**2+s.m.x3**2+s.m.x4**2==s.b)

        # Objective
        s.m.Minimize(s.m.x1*s.m.x4*(s.m.x1+s.m.x2+s.m.x3)+s.m.x3)

        # Set global options
        s.m.options.IMODE = 3 # steady state optimization
        s.m.options.SOLVER = 1 # APOPT solver

        threading.Thread.__init__(s)

    def run(self):

        # Don't overload server by executing all scripts at once
        sleep_time = random.random()
        time.sleep(sleep_time)

        print('Running application ' + str(self.id) + '\n')

        # Solve
        self.m.solve(disp=False)

        # Retrieve objective if successful
        if (self.m.options.APPSTATUS==1):
            self.objective = self.m.options.objfcnval
        else:
            self.objective = float('NaN')
        self.m.cleanup()

# Select server
server = 'https://byu.apmonitor.com'

# Optimize at mesh points
x = np.arange(20.0, 30.0, 2.0)
y = np.arange(30.0, 50.0, 2.0)
a, b = np.meshgrid(x, y)

# Array of threads
threads = []

# Calculate objective at all meshgrid points

# Load applications
id = 0
for i in range(a.shape[0]):
    for j in range(b.shape[1]):
        # Create new thread
        threads.append(ThreadClass(id, server, a[i,j], b[i,j]))
        # Increment ID
        id += 1

# Run applications simultaneously as multiple threads
# Max number of threads to run at once
max_threads = 8
for t in threads:
    while (threading.activeCount()>max_threads):
        # check for additional threads every 0.01 sec
        time.sleep(0.01)
    # start the thread
    t.start()

# Check for completion
mt = 3.0 # max time
it = 0.0 # incrementing time
st = 1.0 # sleep time
while (threading.activeCount()>=1):
    time.sleep(st)
    it = it + st
    print('Active Threads: ' + str(threading.activeCount()))
    # Terminate after max time
    if (it>=mt):
        break

# Wait for all threads to complete
#for t in threads:
#    t.join()
#print('Threads complete')

# Initialize array for objective
obj = np.empty_like(a)

# Retrieve objective results
id = 0
for i in range(a.shape[0]):
    for j in range(b.shape[1]):
        obj[i,j] = threads[id].objective
        id += 1

# plot 3D figure of results
from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import cm
import numpy as np

fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.gca(projection='3d')
surf = ax.plot_surface(a, b, obj, \
                       rstride=1, cstride=1, cmap=cm.coolwarm, \
                       vmin = 12, vmax = 22, linewidth=0, antialiased=False)
ax.set_xlabel('a')
ax.set_ylabel('b')
ax.set_zlabel('obj')
ax.set_title('Multi-Threaded GEKKO')
plt.show()

If there is a DAE integrator such as IDA in Sundials , then this may also be an alternative for simulation. Gekko solves higher DAE index problems while most of the integrators such as DASSL, DASPK, and IDA are limited to index-1 DAEs and optionally index-2 Hessenberg form. This often creates a significant burden to rearrange the equations into that form, if possible.