Hydrothermal Economic Scheduling Part IV. A Continuous Procedure for Maximizing the Weighted Output of a Hydroelectric Generating Station

The derivative of the function relating maximum station output to station discharge is discontinuous at certain points. The attendant difficulties in maximizing weighted hydro output were avoided in Part I by using a maximizing procedure based on tabulated values of output and discharge. Here an alternative procedure is presented. Maximum station output is approximated by a concave differential function of discharge. In maximizing weighted hydro output, the derivative plays an essential role and any physically possible discharge is permitted.