Minimization of Power Loss and Improvement of Voltage Profile in a Distribution System Using Harmony Search Algorithm

As Distribution Systems are growing large and being stretched too far, electric utilities and end users of electric power are becoming increasingly concerned about meeting the growing electric demand. Hence efforts have been made by electric utilities to reduce the losses in the distribution system. In this dissertation work, Network Reconfiguration and Optimal Distributed Generation placement are investigated for power loss reduction and to improve voltage profile of radial distribution system. Here a Meta-heuristic Harmony Search Algorithm was proposed in the literature to solve the Network Reconfiguration and to place Distributed Generation at optimal locations in network which results in minimum loss of the system. The Harmony Search Algorithm (HSA) uses a stochastic random search instead of a gradient search which eliminates the need for derivative information. This dissertation undertakes a work, first to validate the said methodologies and then extend beyond it. In undertaking this validation, it is observed that the HSA method performed well compared to the other methods in terms of the quality of solution. The experimental studies have been carried out on IEEE 33 and IEEE 69 Bus Radial Distribution Systems. From the results obtained, analysis has been done and it is found that Optimal Distribution Generation placement gives better reduction in power loss and improves voltage profile compared to Network Reconfiguration. The combined method of Network Reconfiguration and optimal Distributed Generation placement gives still better result than individual method of Network Reconfiguration and optimal Distributed Generation placement. The following case studies are performed. a) The same systems, i.e, IEEE 33 Bus and IEEE-69 Bus systems are considered for optimal no. of DG-s so that the losses are minimal. The placement of DG-s is based on the Loss Sensitivity Analysis. b) The same systems (without DG-s) are investigated with reactive compensation for reduction of losses. The same locations are considered for placing the compensation. Simulations are carried out with the help of MATLAB 9.0 version programming