arXiv Machine Learning

Deep reinforcement learning for process design: Review and perspective

arXiv:2308. 07822v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: The transformation towards renewable energy and feedstock supply in the chemical industry requires new conceptual process design approaches.

arXiv AI
2d ago

Atoms to Processes: The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Chemical Engineering

The article discusses how the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is transforming chemical engineering by influencing problem formulation, analysis, and solution across a wide range of applications, from atomic-scale simulations to industrial operations. It highlights recent methodological advances and representative uses, noting a shift from purely black-box models to hybrid and physics-informed frameworks that incorporate conservation laws, thermodynamic consistency, and structural constraints. These integrated approaches enhance robustness, reliability, and human-AI collaboration, ultimately amplifying rather than replacing core chemical engineering principles.

By Michael Baldea, Linda J. Broadbelt, Marianthi G. Ierapetritou, Akhilesh Jain, Ankur Kumar, Thomas A. Kwan, F\`elix Llovell, Andrew J. Medford, Ilias Mitrai, Joel Paulson, Junyi Qiao, Matthew P. Rivera, Kirti C. Sahu, Lev Sarkisov, Zachary P. Smith, Calvin Tsay, Ching-Mei Wen, Victor M. Zavala, Huacheng Zhang, Dan Zhao
arXiv AI
Aug 17

Reinforcement Learning-Based Production Scheduling in an Industry-Based Coating Scenario Using the Digital Model Playground

arXiv:2608. 14122v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Production scheduling in complex manufacturing environments is challenging when sequence-dependent setup times, stochastic disturbances, and due-date constraints must be addressed simultaneously.

By Arne Kr\"oger, Ralf Buscherm\"ohle, Wilhelm Hasselbring, Henrik Wilbers
arXiv AI
Sep 17

Deep Learning for Sequential Decision Making under Uncertainty: Foundations, Frameworks, and Frontiers

The tutorial titled "Deep Learning for Sequential Decision Making under Uncertainty: Foundations, Frameworks, and Frontiers" explores how modern deep learning techniques—such as neural networks, transformers, large language models, and deep reinforcement learning—can be integrated with operations research and management science to address complex, uncertain, and dynamic decision problems. It argues that deep learning should complement, not replace, optimization, offering adaptability and scalable approximation while OR/MS provides rigorous constraint and uncertainty modeling. The tutorial organizes the field around predict‑then‑optimize, decision‑aware learning, constraint‑aware decision generation, and deep reinforcement learning, and highlights applications across supply chains, healthcare, energy, and autonomous systems.

By I. Esra Buyuktahtakin
arXiv AI
Jun 2

Explainable Data-driven Deep Reinforcement Learning Methods for Optimal Energy Management in Buildings

arXiv:2606. 02049v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The increasing integration of renewable energy sources into power systems, particularly in buildings equipped with photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy storage systems, introduces significant complexity in energy systems.

By Hallah Shahid Butt, Qiong Huang, G\"okhan Demirel, Kevin F\"orderer, Erfan Tajalli-Ardekani, Simnon Waczowicz, Luigi Spatafora, Veit Hagenmeyer, Benjamin Sch\"afer
arXiv Machine Learning
Sep 22

Augmenting PID Control with Deep Reinforcement Learning: A Hybrid Approach to the Industrial Benchmark

The paper proposes a hybrid PID–Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) controller for industrial processes, addressing the limitations of traditional PID controllers in complex, non‑linear, multi‑input environments. Using the Industrial Benchmark (IB) to test DRL, the authors develop a multi‑objective reward function and employ a TD3 agent to discover optimal settings for the IB’s ‘Gain’ and ‘Shift’ parameters. These parameters are then fed into a tuned PID controller, yielding a system that combines the optimal performance and efficiency of DRL with the reliability of classical control.

By Zhengyang (Cissy), Gu, Joseph E. Hernandez, John Burtenshaw, Sean Scott, Thomas Cook, Chris Couch
arXiv AI
Sep 16

little m: An AI Agent for Industrial Process Optimization

The paper introduces little m, an AI agent that helps formulate industrial process control models by combining a domain-specific knowledge repository with LLM-driven interaction. It tackles the challenge of converting messy real-world specifications, including natural language and spatial diagrams, into rigorous mathematical optimization models. The authors also present IPC-Bench, a multimodal dataset of 50 canonical scenarios, and show through automated and human evaluations that little m outperforms state‑of‑the‑art LLMs in generating semantically correct models.

By Yongchao Ye, Xinyu He, Dutliff Boshoff, Way Kuo, Lishuai Li
arXiv Machine Learning
Jun 25

Supervised Reinforcement Learning for the Coordination of Distributed Energy Resources

arXiv:2606. 24947v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The increasing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) is crucial for power system decarbonization, yet unlocking DERs' flexibility is challenged by their inherent uncertainties and modelling complexity.

By Haoyuan Deng, Yihong Zhou, Thomas Morstyn, Yi Wang
arXiv AI
Jun 15

Learning optimal policies from event logs through reinforcement learning: a comparison of deep and MDP-based approaches

arXiv:2303. 09209v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Prescriptive Process Monitoring is an emerging area within Process Mining that focuses on recommending actions to optimize business outcomes.

By Stefano Branchi, Andrei Buliga, Chiara Di Francescomarino, Chiara Ghidini, Riccardo Graziosi, Francesca Meneghello, Massimiliano Ronzani