Sharif Digital Repository

Today, coordinated expansion planning is one of the key challenges for electricity systems including active distribution networks (ADNs) and transmission networks (TNs) hosting distributed renewable generation as well as large-scale wind energy generation. Accordingly, this study presents a decentralised hybrid robust and stochastic (HR&S) expansion planning optimisation method to determine a robust generation and transmission planning for a TN and stochastic expansion planning for ADNs. The proposed HR&S planning model is formulated with the objective of achieving an effective expansion of both TN&ADN while minimises the investment and operation costs of TN&ADN planning considering wind... 

Automation can greatly enhance distribution-network reliability by speeding up service restoration and thus significantly reduce customer-outage time. The paper presents an approach to assess quantitatively the adequacy of a particular automated distribution scheme designated as the 'low interruption system' (LIS). Owing to the use of a high-speed communication system and line sensors, this automated scheme can reduce drastically the number of interruptions, the service interruption time and also the area affected by the fault. This scheme provides a simple and cost-effective way to automate distribution systems in which the remotely controlled switches speed up isolation of faulted sections... 

This paper presents a hierarchically distributed algorithm for the execution of distribution state estimation function in active networks equipped with some phasor measurement units. The proposed algorithm employs voltage-based state estimation in rectangular form and is well-designed for large-scale active distribution networks. For this purpose, as the first step, the distribution network is supposed to be divided into some overlapped zones and local state estimations are executed in parallel for extracting operating states of these zones. Then, using coordinators in the feeders and the substation, the estimated local voltage profiles of all zones are coordinated with the local state... 

A realistic and practicable modeling of unbalanced distribution networks (DNs) is the missing link in most studies undertaken in these networks, e.g., optimal power flow (OPF), energy markets, etc. To address the issue, this letter proposes an unbalanced linear three-phase four-wire power flow (PF) model based on current injection equations at nodes. Also, the ZIP representation is considered for loads. The model can be easily generalized for unbalanced three-wire networks with minor changes and assumptions. Hence, the scope of the proposed method can be extended to cover both low-voltage and medium-voltage DNs. The performance of the proposed model is verified through simulations on two... 

This paper presents a new approach for optimal operation of distribution networks with regard to Distributed Generators (DGs). The objective function in this problem includes cost of active and reactive electrical energy generated by DGs, electrical energy markets and capacitors. Also, this paper presents both application and comparison of the metaheuristic techniques such as the Genetic Algorithm (GA), differential evolution, Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), tabu search, to optimal operation of distribution networks. These methods are tested on two examples distribution network containing an IEEE 34 distribution test feeders and a practical distribution... 

Distribution automation (DA) application for fault management in the electricity distribution networks is one of the main potential remedial actions to reduce customers' outage times and hence improve service reliability. As a result, various automation schemes have been developed and introduced in different countries and by different venders. The impacts of implementing a specific automation scheme on reliability indices of a given distribution system can be different from other available automation schemes. For this reason, when comparing the available automation schemes with each other or with the other reliability improvement measures, it is necessary to perform a course of reliability... 

In deregulated power systems, the distribution network operator (DNO) is not responsible for investment in distributed generation (DG) units, and they are just concerned about the best architecture ensuring a good service quality to their customers. The investment and operating decisions related to DG units are then taken by entities other than DNO which are exposed to uncertainty. The DNO should be able to evaluate the technical effects of these uncertain decisions. This paper proposes a fuzzy evaluation tool for analyzing the effect of investment and operation of DG units on active losses and the ability of distribution network in load supply at presence of uncertainties. The considered... 

The desire to decrease electrical loading by using energy efficient lighting has resulted in a high level of attention to replacing conventional incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). In Iran from energy management point of view, people are encouraged by ministry of power to use CFLs. Also after elimination of subsidies, the substantial increase in electric energy price resulted in a high level of penetration of CFLs in electricity grid. CFL is a nonlinear load, therefore it injects harmonic to the network. In past, due to lower application of CFL, these harmonics were ignored, however today by the widespread application of CFLs; these small sources are combined and have... 

This paper proposes a hybrid heuristic optimization method based on genetic algorithm and immune systems to maximize the benefits of Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) accrued due to sizing and placement of Distributed Generation (DG) units in distribution networks. The effects of DG units in reducing the reinforcement costs and active power losses of distribution network have been investigated. In the presented method, the integration of DG units in distribution network is done considering both technical and economical aspects. The strength of the proposed method is evaluated by applying it on a small and a realistic large scale distribution network and the results are compared with... 

An important application of 3-D integration technology is stacked processor-DRAM systems. One of the major design issues in 3-D processor-DRAM stacks is power delivery. Presence of hot spots, high density power regions, in processor die poses serious challenges to the design of power distribution network (PDN). In this paper, we investigate solutions to ensure power integrity in the hot spot regions  

Distribution automation (DA) application for fault management in the electricity distribution networks is one of the main potential remedial actions to reduce customers' outage times and hence improve service reliability. As a result, various automation schemes have been developed and introduced in different countries and by different venders. The impacts of implementing a specific automation scheme on reliability indices of a given distribution system can be different from other available automation schemes. For this reason, when comparing the available automation schemes with each other or with the other reliability improvement measures, it is necessary to perform a course of reliability... 

This paper develops a reliability-based model for distribution network expansion planning (DNEP) studies. It incorporates the effects of distribution line maintenance in the planning studies to be considered as an alternative for the installation of feeders. To that end, at first, some models are introduced to effectively estimate the effects of maintenance activities budget on distribution lines' failure and repair rates. Therefore, the reliability data of distribution lines are updated in the reliability evaluation studies of distribution networks. Then, these models are involved in the formulation of DNEP problem which is introduced as a multi-objective optimization model. The developed... 

The great share of interruptions in distribution networks motivates distribution decision makers to establish various reliability enhancement strategies. Amongst, deploying remote controlled switch (RCS) can make a crucial contribution to the reduction of interruption costs. Nevertheless, the stochastic nature of contingencies affects the RCS worth and imposes substantial financial risk to RCS deployment projects. This paper proposes a mathematical model to consider the risk in the optimal RCS deployment problem. The model determines the number and location of RCSs such that the expected profit is maximized while financial risk is minimized. The risk is modeled through conditional... 

Electric distribution system is one of the most important parts of power systems owing to delivering electricity to consumers. The major amount of losses in a power system is in distribution level. Optimal distributed generation (DG) placement and sizing have a significant effect on power loss reduction in distribution systems. In this paper, a mixed integer conic programming (MICP) approach is presented to solve the problem of DG placement, sizing, and hourly generation with the aim of reducing power loss and costs in radial distribution systems. The costs include both investment and operational costs of DGs. Hourly load variations are considered in the model. To verify the effectiveness of... 

Distribution network reconfiguration as a technique for reducing network losses and enhancing voltage profile has attracted attention of many researchers. In spite of impacts network reconfiguration can have on power quality indices, the potentials have not been studied enough. To fill the gap, this paper presents a method to determine optimum network configuration considering voltage profile, network losses, and total harmonic distortion (THD). The proposed method also vouches for radial structure of the network, supplying all loads, and maintaining voltages and currents within allowable bounds. Since network reconfiguration problem is a combinatorial optimization problem, a meta-heuristic... 

The great share of interruptions in distribution networks motivates distribution decision makers to establish various reliability enhancement strategies. Amongst these strategies, deploying remote controlled switch (RCS) can make a crucial contribution to the reduction of interruption costs. Nevertheless, the stochastic nature of contingencies affects RCS worth and imposes substantial financial risk to RCS deployment projects. This paper proposes a mathematical model to consider the risk in the optimal RCS deployment problem. The model determines the number and location of RCSs such that the expected profit is maximized while financial risk is minimized. The risk is modeled through... 

Numerous operational issues including voltage deviation and instability arise in distribution networks with insufficient reactive support. Static issues have been widely studied for years, and some dynamic ones are recently gaining attention due to the proliferation of distributed generation (DG). In this paper, a two-step reactive compensation planning procedure is proposed to address these challenges. In the first step, passive compensators are optimally sited and sized using a metaheuristic algorithm in order to improve steady-state indices including power efficiency, voltage profile, and static voltage stability. In the second step, a static synchronous compensator (Statcom) is located... 

Growing demand for flexible ramp products (FRPs) to maintain the power balance in active distribution networks (ADNs) has expanded the use of costly fast-start generators in the upstream real-time market. In order to limit the power system's reliance on these units, it is necessary to establish new sources for providing ADNs with FRPs. In this context, the present paper examines the abilities of distributed energy resources (DERs) and active loads for supplying the ramp capacity demands of ADNs. Accordingly, a local real-time market was established in the ADN, empowering several DERs and active loads to provide the network's FRPs demands. The proposed market was formed in the context of a... 

Continuity of supply plays a significant role in modern distribution system planning and operational studies. Accordingly, various techniques have been developed for reliability assessment of distribution networks. However, owing to the complexities and restrictions of these methods, many researchers have resorted to several heuristic optimization algorithms for solving reliability-constrained optimization problems. Therefore, solution quality and convergence to global optimality cannot be guaranteed. Aiming to address this issue, two salient mathematical models are introduced in this paper for topology-variable-based reliability evaluation of both radial and radially-operated meshed...