Network Reconfiguration in Distribution Systems Using L-E Method

Dr. P. Ravi Babu*1, M.P.R. Vanamali*2, M.P.V.V.R. Kumar#3, V. Sai Hemachandra$4

#

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, ACE College of Engineering, Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
2

ravi.dsm@gmail.com mprvanamali5@gmail.com

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, St. Martins Engineering College, Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
3

mpvvrkumar@gmail.com

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Guru Nanak Engineering College, Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
4

saihemachandra.v@gmail.com

Abstract This paper proposes a novel heuristic method known as Loop-Eliminating (L-E) method for Distribution System Network Reconfiguration. Network reconfiguration is the process of altering the topological structure of the electrical distribution system by changing the status of sectionalizing switches/tie switches. Network Reconfiguration can be used as a multi objective tool to solve various problems such as loss minimization, service restoration and load balancing in distribution systems. This paper presents an efficient algorithm based upon L-E method to solve the loss minimization problem for a given distribution system. The L-E method is a computationally attractive heuristic method, used to find out optimal configuration of a given radial distribution system. The proposed algorithm is coded in MATLAB 2009b version on a PC with 1GB RAM and Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz processor. To check the validity of the algorithm, the proposed algorithm has been tested on standard IEEE 33 and 69 bus distribution systems and the simulated results are used to confirm the capability of the proposed algorithm being applied to the systems. Keywords Network/feeder reconfiguration, Heuristic methods, Loop Eliminating method, Distribution systems, Power Losses.

I. INTRODUCTION With the introduction of remote control capability to the switches, on-line configuration management has become an important part of electrical distribution system automation. An important operational problem in configuration management is network reconfiguration. It is the process of altering the topological structures of distribution system by changing the open/closed status of the sectionalizing switches and tie switches. During normal operating conditions, networks are reconfigured for two purposes: to reduce the system real power losses and to relieve overloads in the distribution network. The former is referred to as network reconfiguration for loss reduction and the latter as load balancing. Another configuration management operation involves the restoration of service to as many customers as possible during a restorative state following a fault. This problem is called

service restoration. Network reconfiguration for loss reduction can also be used in planning studies to decide through which feeders the new customers are to be supplied. To approach this network reconfiguration problem, Shirmohammadi and Hong et.al [1] proposed a technique in which the switches were opened one by one beginning from a fully meshed system, based on an optimal flow pattern. S. Civanlar et al [2] and Baran and Wu [3] proposed branch exchange methods in which approximate formulae provide the change in loss due to feeder reconfiguration. Goswami and Basu [4] discussed an algorithm based on optimal flow pattern, of a single loop, formed by closing a normally open switch, and the switch with minimum current was opened. Taylor and Lubkeman [5] developed an expert system using heuristic rules to shrink the search space for reducing the computation time. Gomes et al. [6 and 7] presented an algorithm based on a heuristic strategy. The solution started with a meshed system obtained by closing all tie switches. Then the switches were opened successively based on minimum power loss increase, determined by a power flow. They presented an optimal power flow-based approach, in which the switch status was represented by continuous functions to reduce the number of power flows in. But the method cannot be optimal because the load flow calculations have to be done every time which is computationally tedious. P. Ravi Babu et al [8 and 9] had done the work for mainly load balancing and service restoration which also helped us in this paper for formulating the heuristic rules. In this paper a novel heuristic method known as loopeliminating method for loss reduction is proposed. The method proposed in this paper is supported with a highly efficient power injection based load flow solution [10]; hence the method is independent of the complex power flows which were present in the literature. The organization of the paper is as follows: Section 2 discusses the problem formulation; section 3 describes the L-E method in detail; section 4 furnishes the results and discussion whereas section 5 provides the conclusion.

978-1-4244-9074-5/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

2010 Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON)

II. PROBLEM STATEMENT This section presents the characteristics of the Network Reconfiguration and a basic statement of network reconfiguration problem. A. Characteristics of Network Reconfiguration Network reconfiguration is a non-linear problem in nature. It is a combinatorial optimization problem, hence the possibilities for the optimal configuration with minimum losses has to be checked for many cases. Exhaustive search techniques if applied to network reconfiguration will take very long computational time which is practically infeasible. So the consideration of the practical and domain knowledge along with an impressive computational technique is a must in order to obtain a result in less time. Lack of any of the two qualities in an algorithm may not give the desired results to the distribution system operator. B. Problem Statement The basic aim of network reconfiguration is to achieve optimal configuration for which there is a maximum loss reduction compared to that of the original given system. There are many operating constraints such as voltage drop, power losses and the operating structure of the distribution system. The same problem was formulated in many ways in the work done before. In this paper it is presented as follows. Pmin=min (Pt, loss) (1) Where Pt, loss is the total real power loss of the system. III. LOOP ELIMINATING METHOD The optimal switching strategies for network reconfiguration proposed by most of the researchers need to consider every candidate switch to evaluate the effectiveness of loss reduction. In the present work, a set of heuristic rules are formed to select the optimal switches that give the minimum power losses without searching all the candidate switches in the network. For the given radial network with all tie switches open, by running the load flow, the voltage difference ([Vtie(i)], for i=1, 2, . . . , Ntie) across all of the open tie switches are computed. Then, the open tie switch from the vector Vtie that has the maximum voltage difference is detected. Because of the largest voltage difference, this switching operation of the tie switch will cause maximum loss reduction, improve minimum system voltage and provide better load balancing. Then that tie switch is closed, which forms a local loop; and the adjacent sectionalizing switches are opened one after the other. The power losses are evaluated in each case and the option presenting least power loss is considered. As a loop is formed and switching options which do not satisfy required criteria are continuously eliminated, the method is named loop-eliminating method. In the next iteration, the same procedure is repeated for the remaining tieswitches and so forth. If, in any iteration, this maximum voltage difference across any tie switch is less than the specified value, then that tie-switch operation is discarded. In

this way the optimal switches (network) can be obtained after a few iterations. The figure given below shows the flowchart for the L-E method. After that the step-by-step algorithm has been specified. A. Flowchart of L-E Method

Start
Compute power losses and voltages Calculate voltage difference across tie switches from 1 to the max no. of tie switches

Take the one with the maximum difference V

V > 0.01 p.u.?

YES

Discard the tie switch being analyzed

NO Take the minimum voltage node on either side Close the tie switch and open the sectionalizing switch adjacent to the minimum voltage node, calculate power loss Pq

Close the opened switch and open the next adjacent sectionalizing switch, calculate power loss Pq+1

P q+1-Pq < 0?

NO NO

YES Discard Pq+1, Save current configuration and power loss Pq Max. No. Of Tie Switches Reached?

YES

STOP

Print results

Fig. 1 Flowchart for L-E Method

2010 Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON)

B. Algorithm for Loop Eliminating Method 1. Read the system input data. 2. Perform the load flow for the radial distribution network. 3. Compute the power losses and voltages at various buses. 4. Compute the voltage difference across the tie switches (i.e., Vtie (i), for i=1, 2. . . Ntie). Ntie represents the total number of tie switches. 5. Identify the tie switch, across which the voltage difference is maximum and its code p (i.e., Vtie, max= Vtie (p)). 6. If Vtie, max > 0.01 (a specified value), go to step 7; otherwise discard all switching operations and go to step13. 7. Pick the two buses of the tie switch p and check the bus which has the minimum voltage, let it be Vx. 8. Close the tie switch p to form the loop and open the sectionalizing switch q (to retain radiality) adjacent to Vx. Then, calculate the power loss and store it in PLq. 9. Now close existing sectionalize switch q and open the next adjacent sectionalize switch q+1 in that loop and calculate the power loss and store it in PLq+1. 10. If PLq PLq+1<0, the optimal branch opening in that loop is the sectionalizing switch q; Otherwise swap (PLq , PLq+1) go to step 9. 11. If the number of iterations (n) is less than or equal to number of tie switches (Ntie), set n as n+1 and go to step 2 to repeat the program for the rest of the tie switches. 12. Run the load flow and print the results. 13. Stop. IV. TEST RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The proposed solution methodology has been implemented in MATLAB version 2009b on a PC with Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz processor and 0.99 GB RAM and tested on standard IEEE 33 bus test system and IEEE 69 bus test system. The original configuration of the 33 bus system is shown below in Fig. 2. The optimal configuration of the 33 bus system is shown in Fig. 3 followed by the simulation results in table 1. The voltage profiles before and after the reconfiguration for both 33 and 69 bus standard IEEE test systems have been shown in appendix.

Fig. 3 33 Bus system after reconfiguration TABLE I SIMULATION RESULTS OF RECONFIGURATION OF 33 BUS SYSTEM 201.142 kW 131.020 kW S33,S14,S18, S32,S28 70.122 kW 34.86%

LOSS IN THE INITIAL CONFIGURATION LOSS IN THE FINAL CONFIGURATION OPEN SWITCHES FOR OPTIMAL CONFIGURATION LOSS REDUCTION LOSS REDUCTION[%]

The structure of the original 69 bus system has been shown in Fig.4. The optimal configuration can be seen in Fig.5 followed by the simulation results in table 2.

Fig. 2 33 Bus system before reconfiguration

Fig. 4 69 Bus system before reconfiguration

2010 Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON)

Fig. 6 Voltage profile of 33 Bus system before and after reconfiguration

Fig. 5 69 Bus system after reconfiguration TABLE II SIMULATION RESULTS OF RECONFIGURATION OF 69 BUS SYSTEM

LOSS IN THE INITIAL CONFIGURATION LOSS IN THE FINAL CONFIGURATION OPEN SWITCHES FOR OPTIMAL CONFIGURATION LOSS REDUCTION LOSS REDUCTION[%]

220.846 kW 49.836 kW S58,S13,S64,S39,S74 171.01 kW 77.437% [1] [2] Fig. 7 Voltage profile of 69 Bus system before and after reconfiguration

REFERENCES
Shirmohammadi, D., and Hong, H.W.: Reconfiguration of electric distribution networks for resistive line loss reduction, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 4, no. 2 , pp. 14921498, 1989. S. Civanlar, J. J. Grainger, H. Yin, and S. S. H. Lee, Distribution feeder Reconfiguration for loss reduction, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 12171223, 1988. M. E. Baran and F. F. Wu, Network reconfiguration in distribution systems for loss reduction and load balancing, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 14011407, 1989. Goswami, S.K., and Basu, S.K.: A new algorithm for the reconfiguration of distribution feeders for loss minimization, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 14841491, 1992. T. Taylor, D. Lubkeman, Implementation of heuristic search strategies for Distribution feeder reconfiguration, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol.5, no. 1, pp 239 246, 1990. Vander son Gomes et al, A new heuristic reconfiguration algorithm for large distribution systems, IEEE Transactions on Power systems, vol. 20, no. 3, pp.1373--1378, 2005. Gomes, F.V., Carneiro, S., Pereira, J.L.R., Vinagre, M.P., and Garcia, P.A.N.: A new distribution system reconfiguration approach using optimum power flow and sensitivity analysis for loss reduction, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 16161623, 2006. P. Ravi Babu, K.prapoorna, N.V.Prashanth A.shruti, D.prabhudhan, V.P. Sree Divya: Multi objective approach for feeder overloading and service restoration through reconfiguration, IETECH Journal of Electrical Analysis, Vol. 1, No. 1 pp. 029-034, 2007. P. Ravi Babu, K. Prapoorna et al; Heuristic search approach for multiobjective in electrical distribution system through Feeder Reconfiguration, Proceedings of XXXI National System conference,

V. CONCLUSION In this paper, a novel heuristic approach is proposed to minimize the power loss and improve the voltage profile in the system by an efficient load flow method. This algorithm reduces the combinatorial explosive switching problem into a realizable one and reduces the switching combinations to a fewer number. The tie switches and its neighboring switches are considered to generate the switching combination and the best combination among them is found with less computational effort. It is observed that the switching combinations in each loop of the network are very much nearer the lower potential of the tie switch. The algorithm gives the optimum solution with a few number of load flow iterations with less CPU time. Therefore, the proposed method can be effectively used in real time applications when large distribution systems under widely loaded conditions are concerned. APPENDIX The voltage profiles of the two tested systems before and after reconfiguration can be seen in Fig.6 and Fig.7. It can be noticed that a significant improvement in the node voltages has appeared after reconfiguration with the L-E Method.

[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

[8]

[9]

MIT, 2007. [10] P. Ravi Babu, M.P.R. Vanamali, M.P.V.V.R. Kumar, V. Sai Hemachandra; A Novel Power Flow Methodology for Radial Distribution Systems, Proceedings of 2nd IEEE International Conference on Computational Technologies SIBIRCON-2010, Irkutsk Listvyanka, Russia, pp.507-512, 2010.

2010 Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON)