SMART RECONFIGURATION OF DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS HANDLING DG PENETRATION FOR POWER LOSS MINIMIZATION AND VOLTAGE PROFILE IMPROVEMENT
Date
2021-02
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Pulchowk Campus
Abstract
Power loss minimization and voltage stability improvement are important areas of power systems
due to existing transmission line contingency, financial loss of utility and power system blackouts.
Distribution network reconfiguration (DNR) can significantly reduce power losses, improve the
voltage profile, and increase the power quality. DNR studies require implementation of the power
flow analysis and complex optimization procedures capable of handling large combinatorial
problems. In addition, optimal allocation (i.e. siting, sizing, and operating power factor) of
Distributed Generation (DG) is one of the best ways to strengthen the efficiency of power system
along with network reconfiguration. Power system operators and researchers put forward their
efforts to solve the distribution system problem related to power loss, energy loss, voltage profile,
and voltage stability based on optimal DG allocation. Furthermore, optimal DG allocation secures
distribution system from unwanted events and allows the operator to run the system in islanding
mode.
The size of the distribution network influences the type of the optimization method to be applied.
In particular, straight forward approaches can be computationally expensive or even prohibitive
whereas heuristic or metaheuristic approaches can yield acceptable results with less computation
cost. In the problems like DNR, there is extensive search procedure involved in finding the optimum
solution. In addition, the solution improves in various stages of search procedure and in each
iteration. In the optimization problems like the one in this thesis work, large number of variables
have to be optimized. Distribution network reconfiguration and placement of DGs involves fourteen
variables when five disconnecting switches and three DGs are considered – five for the
disconnecting switches, three variables for the placement of DGs, three variables for the sizing of
DGs, and three variables for the optimum power factor of DGs. Only the most efficient algorithms
are able to find the optimum solution in minimum iteration and minimum time. Artificial Bee
Colony (ABC) algorithm has been used in this thesis work as it is very easy to implement and
efficient in finding optimum solution when compared to other popular metaheuristic algorithms like
Genetic Algorithm, and Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm.
Description
Power loss minimization and voltage stability improvement are important areas of power systems
due to existing transmission line contingency, financial loss of utility and power system blackouts.
Keywords
Citation
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN POWER SYSTEM ENGINEERING