The Water-Salt Transport Optimizer introduces a novel, nature-inspired metaheuristic model that blends the complexity of natural phenomena with computational efficiency for optimization tasks. Drawing inspiration from the transport of water and salt in soil, Water-Salt Transport Optimizer employs a unique, three-pronged approach: mechanical dispersion for global search, molecular diffusion for local refinement, and a distinctive particle mutation mechanism to preserve diversity. This combination effectively prevents premature convergence, fostering a dynamic search process that balances exploration and exploitation. Extensive benchmarking against 116 Congress on Evolutionary Computation 2017 benchmark functions, 6 engineering problems, 7 vehicle routing problems, and a cold chain distribution logistics model demonstrates Water-Salt Transport Optimizer 's superior performance, surpassing 33 established algorithms. Statistical analyses validate these findings, highlighting Water-Salt Transport Optimizer 's adaptability and promising potential across a wide range of optimization applications. In the spirit of advancing collaborative research, all relevant materials related to Water-Salt Transport Optimizer will be made openly available upon acceptance to facilitate future investigations.

中文翻译：

---

用于求解连续和离散全局优化问题的水盐传输优化器


Water-Salt Transport Optimizer 引入了一种新颖的、受自然启发的元启发式模型，该模型将自然现象的复杂性与优化任务的计算效率相结合。从土壤中水和盐的传输中汲取灵感，水盐传输优化器采用了一种独特的三管齐下的方法：用于全局搜索的机械分散、用于局部细化的分子扩散以及用于保持多样性的独特粒子突变机制。这种组合有效地防止过早收敛，促进了平衡探索和利用的动态搜索过程。与 116 届进化计算大会 2017 年基准函数、6 个工程问题、7 个车辆路线问题和一个冷链配送物流模型进行了广泛的基准测试，证明了 Water-Salt Transport Optimizer 的卓越性能，超过了 33 种已建立的算法。统计分析验证了这些发现，突出了 Water-Salt Transport Optimizer 的适应性和在各种优化应用中的潜力。本着推进合作研究的精神，与水盐传输优化器相关的所有相关材料将在接受后公开提供，以方便未来的调查。