1484
3, July 1992
A NEW ALGORITHM FOR THE FiECONFIGURATION OF DISTRIBUTlON FBXDERS
FOR IdSS MINIMIZATION
S - K .Goswami
Electrical Engineering Department
Jadavpur University, Calcutta-700032
Kepnords: Loss reduction, reconfiguration,
distribution network, power flow.
-
: This paper reports a power flow
based heuristic algorithm for determining the
minimum loss configuration of radial
distribution networks. The algorithm is based
on the concept of optimum flow pattern which
is determined by solving the KVL and KCL
(Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws)
equations of the network. The optimum flow
pattern of a single loop formed by closing a
normally open switch is found out and the
flow pattern is established in the radial
network by opening a closed switch. This
process is repeated till the minimum loss
configuration is obtained. A simple, fast and
approximate power flow method has also been
developed to assist the reconfiguration
algorithm. The proposed reconfiguration
algorithm has been found to give better
network configuration than those obtained by
some other recent methods reported in
literature.
INTRODUCTION
Distribution networks are configured
radially. In an automated distribution system
the configuration is changed from time to
time so that the loads are supplied at the
cost of minimum line losses. The change in
network Configuration is performed by
opening/closing of tie and sectionalizing
switches of the network. These switchings
are, however, performed in such a way that
the ’radiality’ of the network is maintained.
The function of a feeder reconfiguration
algorithm is to determine the status (ON/OFF)
of these switches.
In a practical distribution network the
number of such switching options is very
1arge.The problem of determining the status
of the network switches, therefore, when
formulated as a non-linear optimization
problem, requires exhaustive solution times
making the methods unsuitable for on-line
applications. Moreover, while making a pattern
switching decision it is sufficient to know
the relative changes in the losses and
knowing the exact values of the changes in
the line losses is not at all important.
Because of the above two reasons,heuristic
approaches, mostly based on approximate power
flow estimation methods, have been suggested
to solve the reconfiguration problem.
91 SM 404-4 PWRD A paper recommended and approved
by the IEEE Transmission and Distribution Committee
of the IEEE Power Engineering Society for presentat-
ion at the IEEE/PES 1991 Summer Meeting, San Diego,
California, July 28 - August 1, 1991. Manuscript
submitted January 29, 1991; made available for
printing July 1 , 1991.
0885-8977/92/$3.0001992 IEEE
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IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. Vol. 7, No.
S. K. Basu, Member
A branch exchange type heuristic algorithm
has been suggested by Civanlar et a1 (l),
where a simple formula has been developed for
determination of the change in the loss due
to a branch exchange. A filtering mechanism
has also been suggested to reduce the number
of candidate switching options. A different
criteria has been utilized by Baran and Wu
(3) to determine the branches to be
exchanged. These authors have also developed
a filtering mechanism in order to minimize
the searching required for a switching
decision. Merlin and Back ( 4 ) have used a
branch and bound type optimization technique
to determine the minimum loss configuration.
All network switches are first closed to form
a meshed network. The switches are then
opened successively to restore the radial
configuration. Based on the method of Merlin
and Back, a heuristic algorithm has been
suggested by Shirmohammadi and Hong (2). Here
also,the solution procedure starts by closing
all the network switches which are then
opened one after another so as to establish
the optimum flow pattern in the network.
Several approximations of the method of
Merlin and Back have been overcome in this
algorithm.
In the present paper,the authors report on
a heuristic feeder reconfiguration algorithm
based on a simple,flexible and very fast
power flow method. The authors, in the
forthcoming sections, present the development
of the feeder reconfiguration and the power
flow algorithm together with the test
results.
__
THE PROPOSED METHOD
The optimal flow pattern of a network is
the branch flow pattern that will cause
minimum resistive line losses. This flow
pattern can be determined by solving the KVL
and KCL equations of the network with the
line impedances replaced by their
corresponding resistive components only (2).
In order to establish the (near) optimum flow
in the network, the method of
reference 2 starts by closing all the network
switches, thus forming a meshed distribution
network. But the distribution networks are
operated radially. Thus, in the method of
reference 2 , loops are opened one after
another in such a way that the optimum flow
pattern is perturbed by the minimum amount.
One obvious limitation of the above method is
that the optimum flow pattern is determined
for a meshed network. Therefore, in the above
method,the switch to be opened (for opening a
loop) can be selected properly at the last
soliition step only where there was only one
loop in the network and the remaining portion
was radial. In all other steps, there were a
number of network loops, which does not
correspond to the actual operating condition
Therefore, the feeder configuration obtained
by the above method may not be the optimum or
1
near optimum one. An immediate alternative to
the above approach is, therefore, to consider
one loop at a time.
In this paper, the authors have developed
a new algorithm of feeder reconfiguration
utilising the concept of optimal flow
pattern.Unlike the algorithm of Shirmohammadi
and Hong(2), the authors'algorithm optimises
the flow pattern in a single loop of the
network. Hence instead of closing all the
network switches to form a meshed network and
opening the switches, one after another, to
restore the radial configuration,the authors'
algorithm closes only one switch at a
particular instant to introduce a mesh in the
system and comes back to the radial
configuration by opening the same or a
different switch of the loop depending upon
the result of the optimal flow pattern
through the switches of the same loop.
'The optimal flow pattern through the
branches of the loop formed is determined by
solving KVL and KCL equations of the loop
with the branch impedances replaced by
corresponding resistances only.
Power flow of the radial network is a
very important part of any feeder
reconfiguration algorithm. The authors have
developed a simple and flexible power flow
method for this purpose.
SLIECTION QE ryS Q" SWITCA To BE
The feeder reconfiguration algorithm
starts with a power flow solution of the
radial network. A normally open switch is
then closed to form a loop. Switch to be
closed to form the loop may be selected
depending upon the voltage across the open
switch or arbitrarily. The authors have
checked three options, viz : - (i)close the
normally open switch across which the voltage
is maximum ( expecting that because of the
largest voltage difference this switching
will cause maximum reduction in loss.)
(iilclose the switch across which the voltage
is minimum, (expecting that because of
minimum voltage difference modified solution
can be obtained very quickly) (iii) select
the switch arbitrarily one after another.
It has been found that the final
configuration obtained is the same in all the
three schemes.
WLOTION QE NETWORK AFTER CLOSING A
lKBULIZmSWITCB
The closing of a normally open switch
changes the flow pattern of the network which
has to be determined by a power flow
solution. Three methods of varying accuracies
have been tested for getting the modified
solution .
_ - Loads are assumed to be of constant
current values as obtained from the radial
network's power flow solution. Referring to
the Fig 1 and assuming that the open switch
at i or j to be closed now, a loop k , . . q ~ - i - flow algorithm can now be used for the
j-m. . . k will be formed. Current through i-j
is calculated as:
Ii-j = (Vi- Vj)/Zloop., where Zloo
= impedance of the loop k...qo-i-j-m.. . k. Alf
the branch flows from i to k are recalculated
as Igrr -i = Iw-i old +Ii-j etc. Similarly
modified branch flow from j to k are
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1485
recalculated as Im-j lm-j old -1i-j etc.
With the modified branch flows, node voltages
are calculated, assuming that the voltage at
the common node k remains unchanged at the
value before the closing of the switch.
Assume that at node i, V( is the
voltage calculated using the branch currents
of the path k...qyl-i and V T is the voltage at
t i
Fi9.1 LOOP formed by closing o mrmolly
oprn svltch.
node i calculated using the branch flows of
the path k...m-j-i. If the two values differ
by a negligible amount, the calculation
stops, otherwise the incremental flow through
i-j is calculated as:&
CLOSGD AIi-j = ( Vi -Vi )/Zloop , which added
with Ii-j Rives the actual flow through i-j.
The process of calculation of branch flows
and node voltages are continued.
After the convergence is achieved, the
branch currents through the laterals
originated from the nodes of the loops (42,
q1,q0,m2,ml,m etc) are calculated using the
newly calculated node voltages.
Considering node q0,total current output of
the node = current through (q0-q5) + current
through (90-1) + current to the load
connected at node e;l.
Current through (q0-1,
((Power through qO-i)/Vq ) *
Current to the load at q 0 =
((load power connected at q )/Vq j*
These currents are used to getermine the
optimal flow pattern through the branches of
the loop. (Superscript ' * ' means conjugate).
HeLhod-2:- Current through the branch i-j,when
switch at i is closed to form a loop, is
determined as discussed in Method-1. Load at
i is now supplied through two paths, k...qg-i
and k. n i - . i - i . The load *component supplied
through j-i is Sj-i = Vi1 j-i. Before closing
the switch the load at i was supplied through
q0-i. Since a part of the load is now being
shared by the other path, power through q0-i
is now, s w - i = sw-i old - s . i. The power
flow through (qD-1) and (j-ij-being known,
loop k...qg-i-j-m...k, can be represented by
an equivalent radial network obtained by
opening the loop at node i as shown in Fig 2,
where i l and i2 are the nodes obtained by
breaking the node i. The radial network power
solution of the network. The solution so
obtained is utilised to determine the optimum
flow pattern.
wod-3: After the power flow solution (a5
discussed in Method-8) the voltage across
 1486

il - i2 i.e. the voltage across the switch i

(assumed to be open) may not be small enough.

b
I L ~ I L ~

Fig. 3 Pertoining to the determination

i t of optimol flow pottern.
Sqo-i, Sj-i2
Fig. 2 The equlvolent rodiol network losses. The complete algorithm,in the form of
. of the loop of fig.1 a flowchart is shown in Fig 4 . The minimum
loss configuration is identified by seeing
The procedure described in Method-1 and the result of the optimal flow pattern. As
Method-2, can be applied to find the new the final solution is arrived, it is found
power flow through the lines q o - i l and j-i2. that the tie line closed to form a loop is
Repeated solutions are then continued till the line to be opened in order to establish
A V = Vi1 -Vi2 is within the tolerable limit. the optimal flow pattern. Or in other words,
the optimal flow pattern shows that the tie
line closed last carries the minimum current.
-9Em-m-
As the modified flow pattern is known
from the power flow solutions as discussed O b t a i n rodlol network
above,the next step is to find the optimal Power f l o w eolutlon
flow pattern through the branches of the
loop. As already mentioned, equations to be
solved for this purpose are KCL of the nodes
of the loop and KVL of the loop with the line
impedances replaced by the corresponding
resistances. In Fig 3 IL1, IL2,. . . . . ILg are
the currents output from the nodes q 2 , 91,
w ,. . .m2 respectively. It may be mentioned of the loop.
here that il is the current through the line
::, - q1 plus the current IL1. Similarly i2,
. . . i8 etc are the currents through the
laterals from the nodes plus the currents
IL2,IL3 etc.For Fig 3 therefore, the equation
to be solved is:
Open the rwltch t o ertobllrh the
optimal flow pottern. I
I
::f
0

where i1, i2, . . . 17, is etc are the optimal

flow pattern. After the determination of Fig. 4 Flowenort for the proporrd feedrr
optimal flow pattern, radial configuration of reeonf igurotlon olgorlthm.
the network is restored by opening the branch
through which the flow is minimum.
-
THE
l f . € € l s G c w L E l x ~
Any suitable power flow algorithm for
The complete procedure reported in the on-line applications, such as feeder
foregoing sections, ie, starting from the reconfiguration, should have the flexibility
solution of the radial network, formation of of accomodating any change in the network
a loop by switching on of a normally open configuration or inclusion/exclusion of some
switch, determination of the optimal flow components. Secondly, the algorithm should
pattern and restoration of the radial be fast enough for real time applications.
configuration is repeated till network The power flow method used is characterised
switching results in reduced resistive line by these properties. Solution speed of the

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 1487

algorithm is enhanced by using a suitable

representation of network topology. YEESOLDTIONALGMiITHM
The solution algorithm initially ignores
the effect of transmission l o s s and assumes
that the total load power crossing a node
(termed as 'summed power' of the node) is
It has been assumed that an intermediate
node of the network has one incoming and at
most two outgoing branches. Thus any L. Metwo& t o p o l w xeJ2X.e- ger
distribution network having non standard %.he d e v e l o w d PowerzJLmPethod
_____-----------__-----------------~---------
configuration has to be converted into this Line no. NBHIND LNAHEAD-1 LNAHEAD-2
standard form before the solution (5). Once _-___-___-------__---------------------------
the standard network is obtained, it is then 1 0 2 18
numbered with the only restriction that the 2 1 3 22
incoming line and the terminating node are 3 2 4 0
assigned the same number. Fig 5 will make the 4 3 5 0
scheme clear. The root node has been given 5 4 6 25
the number '0'. Line 1 is the line 6 5 7 0
terminating into node 1. Similarly other 7 6 8 33
nodes and lines are numbered. For easy 8 7 9 34
implementation of the algorithm, the network 9 8 10 0
topology has to be described by four Types 10 9 11 0
of information. These are 'Node behind', Line 11 10 12 35
ahead-l','Line ahead-2' and the terminal 12 11 13 0
node.Termina1 nodes are those nodes from 13 12 14 0
which no branch originates. 14 13 15 0
15 14 16 0
16 15 17 0
17 16 36 0
18 1 19 0
19 18 20 0
20 19 21 0
21 20 0 0
22 2 23 0
23 22 24 0
24 23 37 0
25 5 26 0
26 25 27 0
27 26 28 0
, 28 27 29 0
29 28 30 P
30 29 31 P
31 30 32 0
37 31 0 0
33 7 0 0
34 8 0 0
35 11 0 0
36 17 0 0
37 24 0 0
__________________--____________________-----
accumulated at the node itself. The voltage
of the node is then calculated iteratively
knowing the voltage of the 'node behind' and

@L
17 I;
/
/
0 power loss of all the nodes are known. Next
We. 5 Olrtrlbutlon natwork wlth o r r l g n d (IQdr
ond branch numbor.
'Line ahead-l(i)' and 'Line ahead-2 (i)' are
the two lines originated from a node i. 'Node
behind (i)' is the node behind the line 'i'.
In case of only one outgoing line from a node
i, 'Line ahead-2 (i)' = 0. The list of 'Line
ahead-l'(Lahead-1), 'Line ahead-2'(Lahead-2)
and 'Node behind ' (Nbhind), for the network
of Fig 5, are shown in Table 1.
the line loss is determined. Voltage
calculation and determination of line losses
are then continued for all the nodes and the
lines of the network. The total power loss in
the section of the network ahead of a node is
termed as 'summed power loss' of the node.
After one iteration is completed, the summed
iteration is to be performed by modifying the
summed power as :
summed power = summed power + summed
power loss.
At the start,the voltage of the 'node behind'
is taken as Voltage of the 'node ahead'. The
process starts with the known voltage at the
substation to calculate the voltage at node
1, which is then repeated for the whole
network. The steps for the solution are as
follows : -
1. Compute suinined power at different nodes.
2. Compute nods voltages and line power
losses.

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 1488

3 . Calculate the summed power 1siss at all t h e 3 . LJrcZnp = zi . Ii ; zi line impedance.

nodes. Go to step 1. 4. Vi,new vi old - Drop.
The process continues till the difference 5 . Convergence for constant power ? If not,
between the calculated power losses from two
iterations is within a tolerable limit.
go to step 2 ; repeat calculations. *
6 . Calculate line loss, Tloss=Re(Drop . Ii )

Calculation of'summed power' starts at

a terminal node. The process is to start at a
terminal node and travel backward. The node
reached during this back travel is NOUE2. A
flag 'NFLAG' is used to indicate whether the
node was travelled before or not.'NFLAG'for
all the nodes are reset (i.e.'NFLAG'=0) at
start. On the first arrival NFLAG for the
node is set (NFLAG = l ) . If during the
backward travel NFLAG for NODE2 is found set,
it is indicated that the 'summed power' at
all nodes ahead of NODE2 are found out
one can then travel towards the root node. On
and A
the other hand, if NFLAG is found to be
reset, it is indicated that this node was not
travelled previously. If,however, Lahead-2
(line ahead 2) for the node is found to be
zero (indicating that there is no other line
from the node except the line just travelled
1
vvNODE 2 a I ?
AHEAD 2

(NOMZ) SO?
through),calculation of 'summed power'for the
node is over and one will then move towards
the root node again.If Lahead-2 for the node
exists ( i. e. it there is an untravelled path) I II -.
N
calculation of 'summed power'starts from a
new terminal node. It is clear that, as all NOOE = NODE 2 I
the term'inal nodes are encountered, during
backward travel, the status of NFLAG for all Fig. 6 Flowchort for the detrrmlnotkn of Summed Powor
the intermediate nodes will be found set and
one can move to the root node completing the
process of calculating the 'summed power'.
Fig 6 shows the flowchart of the process.
VOLTAGE UPDATING CALCULATION 4E powER 1
Loss
The voltage updating starts at node-1.
The next node for which voltage updating is
performed is known from Lahead-1 of the node.
If a second line exists, it is known from
Lahead-2 and is kept in a list 'LWAIT'. LWAIT
thus stores the nodes whose voltages are to
be updated.Both for 'Lahead-l'and 'Lahead-X',
the starting voltage is the voltage of the \/ ~.AHEAD2td r""'
originating node. The process of updating and
'travel forward' continues till a terminal N
-
node is reached. Once a terminal node is
reached, the next direction for travel is
known from the list 'LWAIT'.
As the voltage updating and calculation
of power loss for all the line sections are
completed, the change in line loss in the two
consecutive iterations are calculated for
each line section. If the maximum of these
changes lies within the tolerance limit the
solution process is over, otherwise the PERFORMANm OF PAE POWER FLOW ALGORITHM
'summed power loss' at each node has to be
calculated and the voltage updating starts The power flow algorithm is very fast and
again from node 1 for the updated values of the result obtained is approximate. As
'summed power' plus 'summed power loss'.The already mentioned,the change in the line loss
flowchart of the process is given in Fig 7. has been used to check the convergence,
The voltage updating calculation for constant Solution times required for different test
power load is as follows : - systems (5) on a 80386 PC/AT with 16 MHz
clock are given in Table 2 . Solution times
1. Starting voltage of node i = voltage of required by the Newton-Raphson, and fast
the 'node behind'. decoupled method are also given for the
2. Current through through line i , purpose cif comparison. Since re1 ative, rather
Ii =((summed power(i) +summed power than absolute accuracy is sufficient for n
loss(i))/Vi) feeder reconfiguratiun algorithm ( 1 ) ,this

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 1489

fast power flow method, giving approximate switching. and absolute accuracy is r L u t that
result, can be used for such on line important. The optimal configuration obtained
applications. by the authors, however, is different from
those of references (2) I% (3). Starting with
W 2Ai Solution times h r different a t the initial configuration of Fig 5, switching
srrsters
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -performed,
- - - - - -given
- as reported by the authors of (31,
are in Table 5. The authors of
System Solution time(Secs.)on 80386 PC/AT reference (3) have used three different
descrip- with 16 MHz clock methods (Ml,M2,M3)of varying accuracies to
tion To1 : To1 : Tol: Tol: estimate the change in loss due to a branch
@.GI01 0.0m1 0.m0a1 (a.rn001 exchange. Each switching decision in these
_-______--__________------------------_----- methods, has been made after checking five
40 bus 1.04 1.09 1.26 1.42 switching options corresponding to the five
open switches. Total line loss in the final
44 bus 1.09 1.20 1.53 1.70 configuration (Ml) was. found to be of
0.01488578 pu. In the iinal configuration,
90 bus 1.64 1.86 2.19 2.30 obtained by the algorithm of Shirmohammadi
and Hong ( 2 ) , openn lines are 10, 14, 32, 7 8s
37 and the line loss is 0.0141541 pu. It may
be noted that the configuration obtained by
the algorithm proposed by the authors appears
to be the best one having the minimum active
power loss. The reconfigured network has a
better voltage profile. The voltage at
System PC/AT with 16 MHz clock Convergence various buses for the initial and final
NR FD NR FD configuration are shown in Table 6.
40 bus 2.63 2.47 3 NC T&LG 9 . L a and kd for
44 bus 2.19 2.08 3 NC
90 bus 5.27 4.94 NC NC _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ svstem
___________-------------------------
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Line
- - - - - End
- - nodes Line Impedance Load at Node2

-
itn = iteration, NC = not converged No. Node1 Node2 r(ohm) x(ohm) P(kw) Q(kvar)
NR = Newton-Raphson, FD = Fast Decoupled ____________________-------------------------
tolerance=0.0001 pu. 1 0 1 0.0922 0.0470 100.0 60.0
2 1 2 0.4930 0.2511 90.0 40.0
-eEmALGORITHMmFEGDER 3 2 3 0.3660 0.1864 120.0 80.0
4 3 4 0.3811 0.1941 60.0 30.0
5 4 5 0.8190 0.7070 60.0 20.0
The computer program has been developed in 6 5 6 0.1872 0.6188 200.0 100.0
FORTRAN to examine the efficiency of the 7 6 7 0.7114 0.2351 200.0 100.0
proposed algorithm. The problem of feeder 8 7 8 1.0300 0.7400 60.0 20.0
reconfiguration has been studied with the 9 8 9 1.0440 0.7400 60.0 20.0
network of Fig 5, which has been taken from 10 9 10 0.1966 0.0650 45.0 30.0
reference (3). Dotted lines in Fig 5 are the 11 10 11 0.3744 0.1238 60.0 35.0
tie lines and switches connecting nodes (33- 12 11 12 1.4680 1.1550 60.0 35.0
20), (34-8), (35,21), (36-17) and (37-28) are 13 12 13 0.5416 0.7129 120.0 80.0
open for the initial configuration.It has 14 13 14 M. 5910 0.5260 60.0 10.0
been assumed that ON\OFF switches exist at 15 14 15 0.7463 0.5450 60.0 20.0
every node of the network. The line and load 16 15 16 1.2890 1.7210 60.0 20.0
data for the network are given in Table 3. As 17 16 17 0.7320 0.5740 90.0 40.0
already mentioned, network switches had been 18 1 18 0.1640 0.1565 90.0 40.0
closed based upon three diffrent criteria. 19 18 19 1.5042 1.3554 90.0 40.0
(1). Switch having 'maximum voltage across' 20 19 20 0.4095 0.4784 90.0 40.0
is closed first. 21 20 21 0.7089 0.9373 90.0 40.0
(2). Switch having 'minimum voltage across' 22 2 22 0.4512 0.3083 90.0 50.0
is closed first. 23 22 23 0.8980 0.7091 420.0 200.0
(3). Arbitrary switching. 24 23 24 0.8960 0.7011 420.0 200.0
Also, it has been mentioned that three 25 5 25 0.2030 0.1034 60.0 25.0
different methods of varying accuracies have 26 25 26 0.2842 0.1447 60.0 25.0
been tested for getting a modified network 27 26 27 1.0590 0.9337 60.0 20.0
solution after a switch is closed. 28 27 28 0.8042 0.7006 120.0 70.0
In all the cases the problem converged to 29 28 29 0.5075 0.2585 200.0 600.0
the same solution. The method used for the 30 29 30 0.9744 0.9630 150.0 70.0
modified network solution did not affect the 31 30 31 0.3105 0.3619 210.0 100.0
decision regarding which switch is to open, 32 31 32 0.3410 0.5302 60.0 40.0
to restore the radial configuration from the 33 7 33 2.0000 2.0000 - -
meshed network. The criteria used to select 34 8 34 2.0000 2.0000 - -
the switch to be closed resulted in different 35 11 35 2.0000 2.0000 - -
paths towards the final solution, but the 36 17 36 0.5000 0.5000 -
final solution remains the same. Table 4 37 24 37 0.5000 0.5000 - -
shows the results of the proposed algorithm.
Modified network solutions obtained in three
different methods resulted in the same ADVANTAGE OF THE PRaWSgP ALGORITHM
switching decision. This, perhaps, is due to
the fact that relative accuracy is The Proposed algorithm has the following
sufficient to make a decision regarding special characteristics:

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 1490

[ 1 ) The final configuration is not dependent

upon the initial configuration of the feeders
(2) Since only one switch is closed at a A new heuristic algorithm has been
time, the problem is dimensionally small and presented in this paper for the
the solution is tast. reconfiguration of distribution feeders. The
(3) The power flow method is very fast. proposed algorithm utilizes the concept
(4) The approximate solution methods used to of optimal flow pattern and is based on
get modified solution after closing a switch a simple and flexible power flow method
enhance the speed of the algorithm. developed by the authors. Test results
show that the power flow algorithm is very
Table & Jtesults f r o m the prowsed algorithm fast and gives approximate solution. A
____________________-----_--------_ _ _ _ -reconfiguration
feeder ------- algorithm involves the
Loss with starting configuration= 0.020581 PU. determination of the change in the line loss
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -due - - - - -to
- - - -a switching action. For taking any
Switching Switching Active power switching decision it is sufficient to know
criteria line in Line out loss (pu.)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - -the relative change in the line loss and
absolute accuracy is not essential. The power
35 8 0.01551401 flow method proposed in this paper
Close the 37 28 0.01497406 is,therefore, suitable for such applications.
switch across 36 32 0.01483851 The proposed feeder reconfiguration algorithm
which voltage 34 14 0.01481167 has been used to determine the optimal
is maximum 8 9 0.01467271 configuration for a test system taken from
33 7 0.01422891 reference (3). When compared with the results
28 37 0.01408154 reported in reference (3) and that obtained
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -by - - - -the
- - - algorithm of Shirmohammadi and Hong
37 28 0.01779624 (2), it has been found that for the test
Close the 33 7 0.01609693 system the proposed algorithm gave the best
switch across 35 11 0.01466897 configuration involving minimum active power
which voltage 34 14 0.01455662 loss.
is minimum 36 32 0.01439314
28 37 0.01424577 REFGRENCGS
11 9 0.01408154
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -l.S.Civanlar, ------- J.J.Grainger, H.Yin, S.S.H.Lee,
Arbitrary 33 7 0.01603187 'Distribution feeder reconfiguration for loss
switching 34 9 0.01598001 reduction'. IEEE Trans. PWRD, Vol-3, July
lower numbered 35 14 0.01436786 1988, pp 1217-1223.
tie closed first 36 32 0.01408154
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2.D.Shirmohammadi, --------- H.W.Hong, 'Reconfiguration
Base values : 12.66 kv; 10000 kva of electric distribution networks for
resistive line losses reduction.' IEEE Trans.
2 &kQm the method o f ref.I31
____________________---__-_____--_-----_-__-- PWRD, Yo1 4, No 2, April 1989, pp 1492-1498.
Switching Switching Switching 3.Mesut E.Baran, Felix.Wu, 'Network
____________________-_-__-----_-_----_-------
reconfiguration in distribution systems for
H1 M2 M3 loss reduction and load balancing'. IEEE
Trans PWRD, Vol 4, No 2, April 1989,pp 1401-
1407.
4.A.Merlin, H.Back, 'Search for a minimum
loss optimal spanning tree configuration for
an urban power distribution system'.
Proceedings of 5th power system computation
conferance, Cambridge U . K , 1975, paper 1.2/6.
S.S.K.Goswami, S.K.Basu, 'Direct solution of
Brn kLi Voltaae 3a.k diffexen hms distribution systems', Proc. IEE, part
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - -January
- - - - - - - 1991.
- 'c',
Node Voltage(pu) Node Voltage(pu)
Final Initial Final Initial
____________________-------------------------
1 0.99707 0.99703 17 0.94720 0.91253 S.K.Gosnami obtained MEE degree in Electrical
2 0.98690 0.98278 18 0.99507 0.99650 Engineering in 1982. At present he is working
3 0.98238 0.97526 19 0.97795 0.99292 as a lecturer in the Electrical Engineering
4 0.97807 0.96783 20 0.97332 0.99222 department of Jadavpur University Calcutta.
5 0.96713 0.94910 21 0.96986 0.99158 His field of interest includes steady state
6 0.96648 0.94561 22 0.98332 0.97920 and transient analysis of power systems,
7 0.96232 0.94077 23 0.97668 0.97252 planning and automation of distribution
8 0.95896 0.93450 24 0.97337 0.96920 systems.
9 0.96240 0.92869 25 0.96535 0.94717 S.K.Basu Obtained MEE and Phd degree from
10 0.96249 0.92783 26 0.96299 0.94461 Jadavpur University. At present he holds the
11 0.96278 0.92633 27 0.95248 0.93303 post of Professor of computer applications
12 0.96020 0.92021 28 0.94494 0.92481 in power system in Jadavpur University and
13 0.95941 0.91794 29 0.94173 0.92125 has published more than 50 research papers in
14 0.95290 0.91653 30 0.93831 0.91708 different indian and International Journals.
He has written a book on Power systeiri
protection.

Authorized licensed use limited to: Lokmanya Tilak College of Engineering. Downloaded on July 26,2010 at 08:35:31 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

Discussion
A. K. Deb (Innova Corporation, Fremont, California):
The authors have proposed a new method for loss minimization
by distribution feeder reconfiguration. As stated in the paper this
method overcomes the limitations of the method mentioned in the
references [2], [4] of the ab6ve paper. In the method proposed in
these two references an optimal power flow solution is obtained
first by closing all the switches making the distribution network a
meshed network. The radial feeder requirement of a distribution
system is then satisfied by opening the switches with the least
flow.
The authors of the present paper contest the optimality of such a
scheme because the optimal power flow is based on a meshed
network when in reality the feeders are all radial.
In this paper the authors propose an intermediate solution to
remedy the above problem. Instead of closing all the switches
they propose closing one switch at a time. While this is a novel
approach the value of this approach would be further appreciated
if a comparison of the losses and computation time from both
methods are presented.
Would the authors please like to discuss the impact of load
modeling - constant power, constant current and constant imped-
ance loads in the optimality of their solution.
Authorized licensed use limited to: Lokmanya Tilak College of Engineering. Downloaded on July 26,2010 at 08:35:31 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
1491
The authors are congratulated for a well written paper.
Manuscript received August 21, 1991.
S. K. Goswami and S. K. Basu: We thank the discusser for taking keen
interest in our paper. Our reply to the points raised by the discusser are as
follows:
A comparison of the losses in the optimum configurations obtained by
different methods has already been presented in the paper (wide section
dealing with ‘Implementation of the algorithm of feeder reconfiguration’
& Table 4). Referring to Table 4 it can be observed that the proposed
method requires either 7 or 4 (arbitrary switching) switching operations
whereas the methods proposed in (2) and (4) require 5 operations for the
example network. However, the proposed method is faster because of
simpler solution of the optimum flow pattern and also the simple method
of solving the meshed network (only one mesh at a time). All the
programs were run on a 80386 based PC/AT with 16 MHz clock and it
was found that the time required for the determination of the optimum
configuration by (2) was 6.31 secs and 5.60 secs in our method (7
switching).
The load model used was of constant power type. But it was found that
both the constant current and constant impedance load model gave the
same optimum configuration for the example network. Use of constant
current/Impedance load model will certainly enhance the solution speed.
Perhaps more cases are to be investigated to decide whether constant
current/impedance/power model of the load has to be used in the recon-
figuration algorithms.
Manuscript received December 3, 1991.