Distributed resource allocation: an indirect dual ascent method with an exponential convergence rate

In this paper, an indirect dual ascent method with an exponential convergence rate is proposed for a general resource allocation problem with convex objectives and weighted constraints. By introducing the indirect dual variables, the dual dynamics can be executed in a decentralized manner by all nodes over the network. In contrast to the conventional methods, consensus on all the dual variables is not required. This further leads to the fast convergence, reduced communication burden and better privacy preserving. Moreover, the exponential convergence rate of the proposed algorithm is established through the Lyapunov method and the singular perturbation theory. Application of the dynamic power dispatch problem in smart grid verifies the effectiveness and performance of the proposed algorithm.