Mathematical Model to Design an Optimal Natural Gas Pipeline Network: A Case Study in Mazandaran Gas Company

Here, we present an optimal gas network containing two layers (TBSs and consumer zones). An integrated mathematical program is proposed for optimizing the natural gas pipeline network. A mixed integer programming model is formulated to minimize the location-allocation costs in the network. Due to extent application of Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) technique in the network, we consider MST concept for the connectivity between TBSs. A case study in Mazandaran gas company in Iran is conducted to illustrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed model.