Discrete Rate Simulation using linear programming

Discrete Rate Simulation (DRS) is a modeling methodology that uses event based logic to simulate linear continuous processes and hybrid systems. These systems are concerned with the movement and routing of flow. DRS has multiple advantages. Compared to continuous flow modeling, DRS minimizes the number of simulation calculations and posts events exactly when the model changes state. Compared to discrete event modeling, DRS makes the creation of hybrid models completely transparent. Finally, DRS provides advanced methods for routing flow. In DRS the challenging part is to accurately calculate the movement of flow. This paper describes how we identified DRS as a global optimization problem and how we used linear programming (LP) algorithms to perform the required calculations. The use of LP provides global oversight and is a major improvement for DRS. The result is an advanced, intuitive, robust and flexible method for simulating the movement of flow.