Modeling Operational Energy at the Tactical Level

Abstract

The thesis focuses on exploring operational energy at the tactical level. To make these ideas concrete, we study a notional ground unit informed by open-source data. Data is gathered from the NATO ENSECCOE report, the NPS thesis of the USMC, and Finland. In this thesis, we first develop a conceptual model representing the energy forms and conversions that occur within a ground unit. Next, we present these energy flows as a network, and from there, a linear programming (LP) model is developed. The model represents units’ energy usage in a 24-hour period, and all energy forms are converted to kilowatt-hours (kWh). The LP model is small and tractable, and therefore is able to be instantiated and evaluated in Microsoft Excel, with an objective function that minimizes fuel consumption for electricity production. A key feature of our work is visualization; here, we use the novel approach of Sankey Charts. The model is then applied to several specific use cases. Finally, we explore how the model can be further developed.