UPFC Device: Optimal Location and Parameter Setting to Reduce Losses in Electric-Power Systems Using a Genetic-algorithm Method

Abstract

Ensuring the secure operation of power systems has become an important and critical matter during the present time, along with the development of large, complex and load-increasing systems. Security constraints such as the thermal limits of transmission lines and bus-voltage limits must be satisfied under all of a system's operational conditions. An alternative solution to improve the security of a power system is the employment of Flexible Alternating-Current Transmission Systems (FACTS). FACTS devices can reduce the flows of heavily loaded lines, maintain the bus voltages at desired levels, and improve the stability of a power network. The Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) is a versatile FACTS device that can independently or simultaneously control the active power, the reactive power and the bus voltage; however, to achieve such functionality, it is very important to determine the optimal location of the UPFC device, with the appropriate parameter setting, in the power system. In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA) method is applied to determine the optimal location of the UPFC device in a network for the enhancement of the power-system loadability and the minimization of the active power loss in the transmission line. To verify our approach, simulations were performed on the IEEE 14 Bus, 30 Bus, and 57 Bus test systems. The proposed work was implemented in the MATLAB platform.

Optimal number and location of UPFC devices to enhence voltage profile and minimizing losses in electrical power systems

“…Firstly, the algorithm generates an initial population of a random size [7,24]. For more explanation, assume two individuals (chromosomes) as an initial population as shown in Figure 2(a).…”

“…is the number of buses. Furthermore, in the optimization strategy for the placement of UPFC devices using GA, the number of individuals is calculated for a population according to the following equation [7,31]: (17) where:…”

“…Unified Power Flow Controller UPFC is one of the most important and powerful [5] in view of the possibility of installing it in the electrical networks in order to simultaneously control bus voltage, line impedance and phase angle [6]. Furthermore, UPFC can increase the transmission capacity of the power system and reduce the total line losses through the power oscillation damping [7][8][9].…”

“…Authors in [5] has used genetic algorithm (GA) to determine the optimal location and values of UPFC device to achieve the following objectives: improve voltages profile, reduce power losses, treatment of power flow in overloaded transmission lines and reduce power generation, in the iraki local network (Diyala 132 kV). Authors in [7] have proposed the use of genetic algorithm to determine the optimal location and parameter setting of UPFC devices in order to minimizing active power losses in the transmission lines for three standards electrical networks as follows: 3 UPFCs for the IEEE 14 bus, 5 UPFCs for the IEEE 30 bus and 7 UPFCs for the IEEE 57 bus.…”

Probabilistic Placement of Wind Turbines in Distribution Networks

“…Ensuring the secure planning of power systems has become an important and critical matter in recent years, along with the development of smart and complex systems [1]. Distributed generations (DGs) are new technologies supporting the evolution of smart distribution grids.…”