CHAPTER 3

LOAD FLOW STUDY

This load flow study analyses two (2) system conditions.
The first condition is a system at normal loading without capacitor
and with all transformers set at nominal tap. This will establish the
base condition where all the necessary power system parameters
are calculated. The second condition is a system at normal loading
condition with power factor correction capacitors on various steps
and with the necessary taps set at all transformers. The power
system parameters that will be evaluated using this load flow study
are (1) the voltage on each bus, (2) the % voltage drop and the
terminal voltage on each load, (3) the transformer loading, (4) the
bus bar loading, (5) the power factor of system.
3.1 Methodology
A load flow study is a steady-state analysis whose aim is to
determine the voltages, currents, and real and reactive power flows
in a system under a given load condition.
This load flow study utilizes the Gauss-Seidel Method to
calculate the bus voltages. It is selected over other methods due to
its accuracy and simple approach in calculation that individual bus
voltages can be calculated iteratively via manual calculation or with
the aid of simple Microsoft excel sheet.
The load flow analysis will consist of two (2) study cases
representing two (2) operating modes namely steady-state without
capacitor and steady-state with capacitor. On each study case, a
three-step procedure will be followed.

Chapter 3-Load Flow Analysis

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Step1. Bus Voltage Calculations

This step uses Kirchhoffs Current Law where bus voltage
equations are derived by balancing the currents flowing into the bus
from the currents leaving the bus. The vector sum of the currents
entering the bus is equal to the vector sum of the currents leaving
the bus.
IIN=IOUT

IIN
Bus i Vi

IOUT

Figure 3.1 Current flow to a bus

For each load element, the current will be represented in
terms of complex power S and bus voltage V.

S*
2

V2*
Bus i Vi

Si=Pi+jQi

Figure 3.2 Current flow through a load element

Where: S* and V* are conjugates of complex power S and bus
voltage V respectively.
The current flowing through an admittance element Yij is given as

Iij yij(Vi Vj )
Chapter 3-Load Flow Analysis

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For a transformer element with admittance Yij and a tap ratio of 1:a,
the current flowing into bus j (Iij) is given as:

V Vj
Iij" Yij( i
)
a a2
While the current flowing out of bus i (Iij) is given as:
Iij Yij(Vi

Vj
a

And the relation between these two current is:

Iij a*Iij"

Iij

yij

Iij

Vj

yij

Vx
Iij

Bus j

Vi

Bus i

Vi

Bus i

Bus j

tap
1:a
Vj

Figure 3.3 Current flow through an admittance element

(left), Current flow through admittance with tap changing
transformer (right)
The derived current equation yields a non-linear equation
which can only be solved using iterative method such as GaussSeidel, Newton-Raphson, etc. The author used Microsoft Excel
2010TM and developed iteration formula that calculates voltages at
each bus.

Chapter 3-Load Flow Analysis

Page 109

Admittances

Iteration

Iteration voltage
values

Power
output at
Figure 3.4 Voltage Calculation/Iteration via excel sheet
The author further utilized the Microsoft Excel 2010s
capability to calculate complex qualities by enabling the analysis
tool pack add-in as shown in Figure 3.5.

Figure 3.5 Microsoft Excel complex quantity calculation

add-ins
Voltage drop on each load is determined using the
calculated bus voltage.
Step 2. Calculation of Current Flow, Voltage drop, Power Flow and
Power Factor
After calculating the voltage on each bus, the current and
power flow can be derived from the following equation. From Figure
3.3 the current flow (Iij) into bus Vj is given as
Iij=yij(Vi-Vj)

Equation (3.1)

The power Sij from into bus Vj is given as

Sij=VijIij*
Chapter 3-Load Flow Analysis

Equation (3.2)
Page 110

Given complex power in polar format S/0, the power factor will be
calculated as
PF=cos
If is positive, PF is said to be lagging and leading if is negative.
yij is th complex admittance between bus i and bus j
Iij is the complex current flow from bus i into bus j
Sij is the complex power (apparent power) flow from bus i into bus j
Vi and Vj are complex bus voltages of bus i and bus j respectively
Step 3. Evaluation of Results
Based on the results of bus voltages, voltage drops on
each loads, current and power flows and power factor will be
evaluated.
The summary of Load Flow case study process is shown in
Figure 3.6.
CASE STUDY PROCESS
STEP 1:
CALCULATION OF BUS VOLTAGES AND PHASE
ANGLES

STEP 2:
CALCULATION OF POWER AND CURRENT
FLOWS

STEP 3:
EVALUATION OF RESULTS

Figure 3.6 Load flow case study process flow chart

Chapter 3-Load Flow Analysis

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