2006 International Conference on Power System Technology

A Simplified Forward and Backward Sweep Approach

for Distribution System Load Flow Analysis
G. W. Chang, Senior Member, S. Y. Chu, and H. L. Wang, Student Members, IEEE
Abstract-This paper presents a simplified forward and
backward approach for load flow analysis in radial distribution
system. The proposed method includes two phases. At Phase I
(forward sweep), the KCL and KVL are used to find the
calculated voltage for each bus located at upstream of each line
segment or transformer. At Phase II (backward sweep), the linear
proportion concept for real and imaginary decomposition is
adopted to find the ratios of real and imaginary parts of specified
voltage to the calculated voltage at each upstream bus. Then, the
voltage at each downstream bus is updated by real and imaginary
parts of initial or calculated voltage multiplying with the
corresponding ratios, respectively. The solution procedure is
terminated after the mismatch of calculated voltage and specified
voltage of substation is less than the tolerance value. The proposed
method is tested with three IEEE distribution benchmark systems.
Results show that the proposed method is effective,
computationally robust, and faster than conventional
forward/backward sweep and the ladder iteration method.
Index Terms-Load flow analysis, forward sweep, backward
sweep, ladder iteration.

The proposed method is tested with three distribution systems.

Results show that the proposed method is effective,
computationally robust, and the performance of execution time
of the proposed method is better than the conventional
forward/backward sweep and the ladder iteration methods.
II. REAL-IMAGINARY DECOMPOSITION

The Kirchhoff s voltage law (KVL) applied to a

distribution line segment is composed of the line impedance,
the bus voltage, and the line current in complex-number
quantities. If each complex quantity is decomposed as the real
and imaginary parts, then the original KVL equation can be
transformed into two separate equations in terms of realnumber quantities. The following sections describe the
formulation of the two separate equations.
A. Voltage and Current Equations of a Distribution Line
Fig. 1 shows the model of a distribution line segment
containing both series impedance and parallel admittance.
Voltage and current equations describing Fig. 1 can be
I. INTRODUCTION
expressed as (1) and (2). Because the line charging is very
The fundamental load flow analysis is the most important small, the shunt admittance is negligible. Then the line model
work for power system operation and planning. The of the distribution system can be simplified as the one shown in
transmission system is always treated as balanced three phase Fig. 2. The current equations of (2) are then rewritten by (3).
system. However, the balanced analysis method is not suitable
(1)
for unbalanced distribution system. Therefore, the three-phase
[VLNABC ] = A. [VLNabc ] + Be [Iabc
approaches are required for distribution system load flow
(2)
[,ABC] = C's [VLNabc ] + D's ['abc ]
studies. In the past several decades, researchers have proposed
a number of approaches for distribution load flow analyses [1](3)
[,ABC ] = De ['abc ]
[11]. Each proposed method possesses its own advantages and
disadvantages. References [12] and [13] gave a comprehensive where [VLNABC ] is the vector of the three-phase voltage at the
comparison between the aforementioned approaches with sending end, [VLNabc ] is the vector of the three-phase voltage
simulation results. It is shown that the forward/backward sweep at the receiving end,
[IABC ] is the vector of the line current at
and the ladder iteration methods have the best performances in
the sending end, [Iabc] is the vector of the line current at the
several aspects.
In this paper, the authors propose a simplified forward and receiving end, and where
backward approach for distribution system load flow analysis.
F1 0 0
ZFIi Z12 Z13
The proposed method includes two components: forward and
A= 0 1 0
B = [Z]= Z21 Z22 Z23
(4)
backward sweeps. In the forward sweep, we use KCL and KVL
to find the calculated voltage for each bus located at the
L0 0 1j
LZ31 Z32 Z33]
upstream of each line segment or transformer. In the backward
sweep, the linear proportion concept for the real and imaginary
0 0]
1
C00 0
decomposition is employed to update voltage at each bus. After
D= 0 1 0
C= O O
(5)
finishing each forward sweep, the mismatch of calculated
0
O
LO 0 1j
voltage and specified voltage at substation is checked. The
iteration procedure terminates if the mismatch is less than the
In (3), it is observed that the current at the sending end is
specified tolerance value (e.g. 0.001 p.u.). Otherwise, the equal to the current at the receiving end. After substituting A
solution procedure proceeds until the convergence is reached. and B of (4) into (1), it can be shown that

O-

The authors are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, National

Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621 TAIWAN (e-mail:
wchang (gee.ccu.edu.tw).

1-4244-0111-9/06/$20.00c02006 IEEE.
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[Z]

[JABC I

[iabc

transformer can be expressed by (14) and (15), respectively.

The different types of connections lead to distinct transformer
parameters [9]. In summary, [A] and [D] are constant matrices,
[C] is a null matrix, and [B] is a function of transformer

impedance.

1[ICABC] [ICabc]l

[VLNABCN

[VLNb

LVAN

[z]

LXi

hVAN

[IabcI

[IABC ]

VBN
h

Fig. 2. Simplified distribution line model.

L

VAN
Lr+ ijVANh

0 0
1 0

VBN + iVBN

1!

Van + hV~l
jVan
r

jVn

r
VCVCNCNhV '0 0 11 Vcn+jV~n

r1l jx1I
+
jx21
-r3I + jx31

r12 + jx12

r22 + jX22
r32 + jx32

r2l

r+

(r22 + jX22)

bb

j,b )+

r13 + jX13
r23 +
r33 + jx33

j)+ (r23 + jX23 )Ic

+x i

r12
r22

I C

x121j,')

r13

xii

x21

x12
x22

X23

X3

X32

X33

X13

Ia1

r23* lb|
r33 j Ih

r32

Lr3

La'1

+ N

VBC

VGA

HI

XI

H2

X2

H3

X3

Source Side

HO

XO

la

Vab I b
+

Vca

Vb

Vbc IC

Vcn

V}n

VCN

(13)

Load Side

Fig. 3. The generalized distribution transformer model.

[VLNABC ] = [A].* [VLNabc ] + [B].* ['abc ]

(8c

2I+(rb2ij + X12b)

+ X13 IC)
The same manners are applied for (8) and (9) corresponding to
phases B and C, respectively. Then, (12) and (13) are the real
and imaginary voltage equations for a distribution line segment

of Fig. 2.

Voltage and Current Equations of a Transformer

Fig. 3 shows the general model of a distribution transformer.
The voltage and current equations of the distribution

(14)

(15)
[C]. [VLNabc ]+ [D]* ['abc
The decomposed transformer real and imaginary current
equations of (16) and (17) can be obtained by substituting the
corresponding parameters into (15).

[,ABC

Ih

dl1

dIlFJ]

d21 d22 d23 Jj

(16)

hh
d3l d
h'B "21
LICI

(17)

Ic
Fh
'A

(10)

+ (l3 IC

B.

I
Van
LV=Vnh + r2

UN

rr1+j2)(a+ j h)

xlI)+(rl2

X33

LB VAB

(ri3Ic -X13IC)

VAN Van +(r

Ib

X32

No +

IrIc +jhj
jJc

Thus the two voltage equations corresponding to the real and

imaginary parts of (7) become (10) and (11) for phase A,
respectively.

X23 |

X31

IA

VArN Van+(rI

X22

L cn

Iajh
+
Ir
Ib jh
Ib

(Vsn jj(r31 1x31).(1L 1'h)

(r32 + jX32)(Ib ji )(r33 + jX33)(Ic + (c9

VBN + jVBN

X21

(6)

VBNjVN
+
= (V

Fh

ViN =(vVa
+
)+ (rll + jXll ) (I+jl h )+
VAN 1+j
x)e(1 1V)~2
14)
+j )+n(r13 1x13)e(I[
(r+2
(2.I 17))
VAN

CN

and (7)-(9) are obtained for each phase voltage.

V

X13

h]

(12)

Ia1

X12

[VLNabcn]

CN

[VLNABCN] B

r13

r12

r.i L 3]2[1

Fig. 1 Detailed distribution line model.

Frl1

LVan

d31 d32 d33 ]Lh[

dli d12d3I h

Therefore, the real and imaginary voltage equations for

phase A can be expressed by

VAN = (al V1

+ a12 Vbr + ai3 Vcn )

+(rtiiI rti2 rti3IS) (xtii xti2Ij xt134)

V

a I Van

a2Vn + a13 Vn)

(rtil a+ rt2 rtl3I

) l a+ xtI2lb + xt3 Ic)

(xtC

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(18)

The real and imaginary electric quantities of each phase

can be rearranged to form (19) and (20), respectively.

LVAN
VBN

VrN

all

a 12

a 21

a22

a31

a32

rtll

rt12

rt21

rt 22

Lrt3l

rt32

rt33

a12

VBN

a 21

a22

a23

VCN-

a31

a32

a33

rtll

rtI2

+ rt 21

rt 22

rt13

rt 23

J!

(19)

xt32

xt33

rh

all

a13

Fr xt3i

L'

VAN

Vbn
V

(26)

V5

a 13
a23
a33

specified voltage, a constant ratio of the specified voltage to

the calculated voltage is given by (26).

Van

]!

Because Fig. 4 is a linear passive network, the final

solution for each bus voltage can be found by the calculated
voltage at each bus multiplying by the ratio of (26).

Ih1

~~~~~~~~h

Vbn
vh

hJxtll
h

+ xt 21
xt31

(20)
xt12

Xt 13

xt 22

aL' J

Fig. 4 An M-bus example network.

B. Solution Procedure

I3 Ic

The detailed solution procedure includes two phases. Phase

I (forward sweep) is for finding each branch current and for
It is summarized that (16) and (17) are the real and calculating each bus voltage based on KCL and KVL. For each
imaginary current equations of a transformer. Equations (19) branch, the voltage of upstream bus obtained by KVL is
and (20) represent the real and imaginary voltage equations of defined as calculated voltage. In the beginning, an initial flat
voltage is given at each junction bus and each terminal bus in
a transformer.
the system. Then at the junction bus will have at least two
calculated voltages. This is different from the ladder method
III. SOLUTION ALGORITHM
where the old calculated voltage is successively updated by the
A. Linear Property of the Decomposition Approach
new one at a junction bus. The calculated voltage for each
upstream bus at Phase I will be used at Phase II, which is
Consider an M-bus resistive network shown in Fig. 4 with a referred as the backward sweep. The forward sweep will be
specified voltage, Vs, at bus 1. Before employing the forward continued until the calculated voltage of substation bus is
sweep to find each bus voltage, the initial voltage at bus M is
obtained. After the forward sweep is finished, each bus
assigned to be VM,ini. Then, the two current equations at bus possesses one calculated voltage at least, except terminal buses
in the system.
M and the branch between busses M and M-1 are
When applying the Kirchhoff s laws to a distribution line
VM,ini
it is composed of the line impedance, the bus voltage,
segment,
Im
(21)
RM
and the line current in complex-number quantities. Not like the
commonly used iterative load flow method for distribution
and
systems, the proposed approach is based on the real and
imaginary decomposition of bus voltages, branch currents and
(22)
IM-1,M = IM
system impedances in terms of real-number quantities.
The voltage at each bus can be expressed by
Therefore, the linear proportion concept can be employed in
the backward sweep to obtain the new voltage at each bus.
VM-N IM-N,M-N+1 x RM-N,M-N+1 + VM-N+1 (23)
Because it already has a specified voltage at substation,
then
we can obtain two ratios of the specified voltage to the
where N 1, 2, 3,
M -1
Therefore, the current and
calculated voltage at substation. These two ratios, one is for
voltage equations of (24) and (25) must hold.
real part and another is for imaginary part. After the two ratios
are obtained, the new voltage for the downstream bus located
M-P = vm-P
(24) in the same branch with substation can be found by the real and
RM-P
imaginary values of calculated or initial voltage at this bus
multiplying
by these two ratios correspondingly. The new
where P= 1,2,3, ,M -2,and
voltage at the other buses in the system can be obtained by the
same procedure. After each bus new voltage is found in the
(25)
IM-Q,M-Q+1 =IM-Q+1 + IM-Q+1,M-Q+2
backward sweep, the new forward sweep is started again. And
the whole iteration procedure terminates until the mismatch of
whereQ =2,3,4, ,M-1.
calculated voltage and specified voltage at substation is less
With using the procedure shown in (21)-(25), the calculated than the
specified tolerance.
voltage V1 at bus 1 can be obtained. Since bus 1 is with a

rt31

rt32

rt33

xt 32

xt

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The following summaries the major steps of the proposed

load flow solution procedure:
1. Input the system data, including configuration of
overhead line, configuration of underground cable, line
segment data, transformer data and load data, including
spot loads and distributed loads.
2. Sort the distances from each bus to substation and
prioritize the busses according to the sorted distances.
3. Set the initial voltage to be balanced three-phase voltage
at the bus where is located at line terminal or a branch
intersection. Start the proposed procedure from the
farthest bus obtained by step 2.
4. Forward sweep: employing KCL and KVL to find the
following calculated voltage of each upstream bus and
line current.

the maximum absolute errors of voltage magnitude and phase

angle for each phase are shown in Table II. Table I illustrates
that the performance of proposed load flow method in a larger
system is much better than forward/backward sweep method.
The maximum absolute errors of voltage magnitude and phase
angle are 7.596 volts and 0.142 degree, respectively.
The proposed method is also compared with ladder iteration
method by 123-bus feeder system. Execution time of ladder
iteration method for the benchmark is 1.268 sec. The maximum
absolute errors between these two methods are 4.75 volts and
0.112 degree, respectively.
Table I. Execution time and iteration number for distribution test cases.
Test Case

Forward/Backward Sweep
Iteration Execution Time
Number
(sec)
4
0.0802
3
0.204
4
1.6164

Proposed Method
Iteration
Execution Time
Number
(sec)
4
0.064

[VLNABC] ca= A *[VLNabc] cal(or ini)+B *[Iabc]m,n (17)

IEEE-13

where m is upstream bus and n is downstream bus located

on the branch m to n.

IEEE-123

[Iabc]m,n =[Iabc]load,n + I [Iabc]p

Table II. Maximum absolute errors of voltage magnitude and phase angle for
distribution test cases.

peC

(18)

where C is the set of line section connected to the child

node of bus n.
5. Backward sweep: using linear proportion concept to find
the new real and imaginary voltages at each network bus
by the corresponding ratio given in (19) or (20). The new
voltages are given in (21) and (22).

[R] r

[R] h

r,new(or specified)

m,n

[VLNABC] m

[VNAC ] r,cal

(19)

(9

specified)
[VNB]
BC hi,new(or

BCA]
[VLN\N

(20)

r,cal(or ini)

(21)

h
ini)
[VLNabc],]hn new [R]
[]m,nX
[VLNaci~] h,cal(or
n

(22)

[VLN

abc r,new_
n

[R]

m,n
r

[VLN

abc

6. After finishing each forward sweep, check the mismatch

of specified voltage and calculated voltage at the
substation. If the mismatch is less than the specified
tolerance, the iteration procedure stops. Otherwise,
proceed to step 4.

IEEE-3 7

0.154

1.0398

Test Case

Max. Absolute Error of

Voltage Magnitude (volt)
Ph.A
Ph. B
Ph. C

Max. Absolute Error of

Phase Angle (degree)
Ph. C
Ph.A
Ph. B

IEEE-13
IEEE-37

7.333
1.924

3.414
2.657

7.596
1.963

0.1240
0.0170

0.0303
0.0190

0.1420
0.0151

IEEE-123

4.250

3.150

5.272

0.1142

0.0615

0.0248

V. CONCLUSIONS

This paper contributes a simplified and efficient

forward//backward sweep approach for distribution system
load flow analysis. The proposed method use KVL and KCL to
obtain calculated voltage at each upstream bus and each branch
current in the forward sweep. Then, the linear proportion
concept for the real and imaginary decomposition is employed
to update the voltage at each network bus in the backward
sweep. The solution procedure terminates when the mismatch
is less than the specified tolerance at the substation bus. The
proposed solution algorithm is described in details and is tested
by three benchmark distribution systems. By observing the
results, it is summarized that the proposed method is superior
to the conventional forward/backward sweep and the ladder
iteration methods in computational efficiency while the
solution accuracy is maintained.

IV. CASE STUDY

VI. REFERENCES

The proposed radial load flow method developed by

Matlab 5.3 is tested by IEEE 13-, 37-, and 123-bus distribution
benchmark systems [15]. The convergence mismatch is set to
be 0.001 p.u.. The test environment is based on Pentium IV PC
with 1.6GHz CPU and 256 MB RAM.
These three test feeders possess different line model,
different transformer connection, and unbalanced spot and
distributed loads. The performance of proposed method is
compared with forward/backward sweep method [16].
Execution time and iteration numbers are given in Table I, and

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[3] F. Zhang and C. S. Cheng, "A modified Newton method for radial
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[4] A. V. Garcia and M. G. Zago, "Three-phase fast decoupled power flow
for distribution networks," IEE Proc.-Generator Transmission
Distribution, vol. 143, no. 2, pp. 188-192, March 1996.

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[5] X. P. Zhang, "Fast three phase load flow methods," IEEE Trans. on
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[6] M. A. Laughton and A. 0. M. Saleh, "Unified phase-coordinate load
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[8] T. H. Chen, M. S. Chen, K. J. Hwang, P. Kotas, and E. A. Chebli,
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[9] X. P. Zhang and H. Chen, "Asymmetrical three-phase load flow study
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[10] D. Shirmohammadi, H. W. Hong, A. Semlyen, and G. X. Luo, "A
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pp. 753-762, May 1988.
[ 11] W. H. Kersting and D. L. Mendive, "An Application of Ladder Network
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Proc. IEEE PES Winter Meeting, January 1976.
[12] J. Nanda, M. S. Srinivas, M. Sharma, S. S. Dey, and L. L. Lai, " New
findings on radial distribution system load flow algorithms," Power
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[13] A. G. Bhutad, S. V. Kulkami, and S. A. Khaparde, "Three phase load
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[14] W. H. Kersting, Distribution System Modeling and Analysis, CRC Press,
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[15] W. M. Kersting, "Radial distribution test feeder - distribution system
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[16] D. Thukaram, H. M. W. Banda, and J. Jerome, "A robust three phase
power flow algorithm for radial distribution systems," Electric Power
Systems Research, pp. 227-236, June 1999.

VII.

BIOGRAPHIES

Gary W. Chang, (M'94-SM'01), received his Ph.D. degree from the

University of Texas at Austin in 1994. He was with Siemens Power T&D of
USA from 1995 to 1998. Currently, he is a professor at the Department of
Electrical Engineering at National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan. His
areas of research interest include power systems optimization, harmonics, and
power quality. Dr. Chang is a member of Tau Beta Pi and a registered
professional engineer in the state of Minnesota. He chairs the IEEE Task
Force on Harmonics Modeling & Simulation.
Shou-Yung Chu (S'04), received his MSEE from National Chung Cheng
University at Chia-Yi, Taiwan, in 2002. He is currently working toward his
Ph.D. degree at National Chung Cheng University. His areas of research
interests include power systems optimization and power system harmonics.
Hung-Lu Wang (S'04), received his MSEE from National Chung Cheng
University at Chia-Yi, Taiwan, in 2002. He is currently working toward his
Ph.D. degree at National Chung Cheng University. His areas of research
interests include power system harmonics and power quality.

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