The variation of parameter settings and their effects on performance for the simulated annealing algorithm

We present a simulated annealing algorithm formulated with six parameters t hat have physical significance. Therefore; appropriate choices of these par ameters can be made by the user of the algorithm. Using both Haverly's Pool ing Problems and a Benzene Alkylation Problem, we have studied the effect t hat varying the values of these parameters has on the performance of the an nealing algorithm. These problems have been transformed such that all varia bles have the same range (0-1), and there are no constraints except those t hat define this range. We call such problems "practically unconstrained", a nd they allow a generalizable study of parameter effects. We have compared the results obtained by using both single-variable system state changes and multiple-variable system state changes. We have also shown that the best v alues for most of these parameters are largely problem independent. (C) 199 8 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.