IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. Vol. 7, No.

3, July 1992

1484

A NEW ALGORITHM FOR THE FiECONFIGURATION OF DISTRIBUTlON FBXDERS

FOR IdSS MINIMIZATION
S - K .Goswami

S. K. Basu, Member

Electrical Engineering Department

Jadavpur University, Calcutta-700032

Loss reduction, reconfiguration,

distribution network, power flow.

Kepnords:

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
(Kirchhoffs 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
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 presentation 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.

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
pattern
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

0885-8977/92/$3.0001992 IEEE

1
1485

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
optimal
flow
utilising
the concept of
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

CLOSGD

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.

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

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:&
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
WLOTION QE
NETWORK AFTER CLOSING A
determined as discussed in Method-1. Load at
i is now supplied through two paths, k...qg-i
lKBULIZmSWITCB
and k. n i - . i - i . The load *component supplied
through j-i is Sj-i = Vi1 j-i. Before closing
The closing of a normally open switch
the switch the load at i was supplied through
changes the flow pattern of the network which
q0-i. Since a part of the load is now being
has
to be determined by a power
flow
shared by the other path, power through q0-i
solution. Three methods of varying accuracies
is now, s w - i = sw-i old - s . i. The power
have been tested for getting the modified
flow through (qD-1) and (j-ij-being known,
solution .
loop k...qg-i-j-m...k, can be represented by
_ - Loads are assumed to be of constant
an equivalent radial network obtained by
opening the loop at node i as shown in Fig 2,
current values as obtained from the radial
network's power flow solution. Referring to
where i l and i2 are the nodes obtained by
breaking the node i. The radial network power
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
solution of the network. The solution so
j-m. . . k will be formed. Current through i-j
is calculated as:
obtained is utilised to determine the optimum
flow pattern.
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
wod-3:
After the power flow solution (a5
discussed in Method-8) the voltage across
as Igrr -i = Iw-i old +Ii-j etc. Similarly
modified
branch flow
from j to k are

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

of optimol flow pottern.

i t
Sqo-i, Sj-i2
Fig. 2 The equlvolent rodiol network
of the loop of fig.1

The procedure described in Method-1

and
Method-2, can be applied to find the new
power flow through the lines q o - i l and j-i2.
Repeated solutions are then continued till
A V = Vi1 -Vi2 is within the tolerable limit.

losses. The complete algorithm,in the form of

a flowchart is shown in Fig 4 . The minimum
loss configuration is identified by seeing
the result of the optimal flow pattern. As
the final solution is arrived, it is found
that the tie line closed to form a loop is
the line to be opened in order to establish
the optimal flow pattern. Or in other words,
the optimal flow pattern shows that the tie
line closed last carries the minimum current.

-9Em-mAs the modified flow pattern is known

from the power flow solutions as discussed
above,the next step is to find the optimal
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
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:

O b t a i n rodlol network
Power f l o w eolutlon

of the loop.

::,

Open the rwltch t o ertobllrh the

optimal flow pottern.

::f

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

flow pattern. After the determination of
optimal flow pattern, radial configuration of
the network is restored by opening the branch
through which the flow is minimum.

l f . l s G c w L E l x ~
The complete procedure reported in the
foregoing sections, ie, starting from
the
solution of the radial network, formation of
a loop by switching on of a normally open
switch, determination of the optimal flow
pattern
and restoration of
the
radial
configuration is
repeated till network
switching results in reduced resistive line

Fig. 4

Flowenort for the proporrd feedrr

reeonf igurotlon olgorlthm.

THE
Any suitable power flow algorithm for
on-line
applications, such
as
feeder
reconfiguration, should have the flexibility
of accomodating any change in the network
configuration or inclusion/exclusion of some
components. Secondly, the algorithm
should
be fast enough for real time applications.
The power flow method used is characterised
by these properties. Solution speed of the

1487

algorithm is enhanced by using a

representation of network topology.

suitable

It has been assumed that an intermediate

node of the network has one incoming and at
most
two
outgoing branches.
Thus
any
distribution network having non
standard
configuration has to be converted into this
standard form before the solution (5). Once
the standard network is obtained, it is then
numbered with the only restriction that the
incoming line and the terminating node are
assigned the same number. Fig 5 will make the
scheme clear. The root node has been given
the
number
'0'. Line 1 is
the
line
terminating into node 1. Similarly other
nodes and lines are numbered. For
easy
implementation of the algorithm, the network
topology has to be described by four
Types
of information. These are 'Node behind', Line
ahead-l','Line ahead-2' and the
terminal
node.Termina1 nodes are those nodes from
which no branch originates.

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

L. Metwo& t o p o l w

ger

xeJ2X.e-

%.he
d e v e l o w d PowerzJLmPethod
_____-----------__-----------------~--------Line no. NBHIND

LNAHEAD-1

LNAHEAD-2

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
36
19
20
21
0
23
24
37
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
0
0
0
0
0
0

18
22
0
0
25
0
33
34
0
0
35
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

_-___-___-------__--------------------------1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
37

33
34
35
36
37

0
1
2
3
4

5
6

7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
1
18
19
20
2
22
23
5
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
7
8
11
17
24

P
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

__________________--____________________-----

@L
17

I;
/
/

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.

accumulated at the node itself. The voltage

of the node is then calculated iteratively
knowing the voltage of the 'node behind' and
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
power loss of all the nodes are known. Next
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.

1488

3 . Calculate the summed power 1siss at all t h e

nodes. Go to step 1.
The process continues till the difference
between the calculated power losses from two
iterations is within a tolerable limit.

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
and
one can then travel towards the root node. On
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
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)
calculation of 'summed power'starts from a
new terminal node. It is clear that, as all
the term'inal nodes are encountered, during
backward travel, the status of NFLAG for all
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

Loss

UPDATING

CALCULATION

3 . LJrcZnp = zi . Ii ; zi
line impedance.
4. Vi,new
vi old - Drop.
5 . Convergence for constant power ? If not,
go to step 2 ; repeat
calculations.
6 . Calculate line loss, Tloss=Re(Drop . Ii )

1
vv
AHEAD 2

NODE 2

I ?

II -.
N

NOOE = NODE 2
Fig. 6

1. Starting voltage of node i = voltage of

the 'node behind'.
2. Current through through line i ,
Ii =((summed power(i) +summed power
loss(i))/Vi)

Flowchort for the detrrmlnotkn of Summed Powor

4E powER

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
originating node. The process of updating and
'travel forward' continues till a terminal
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
'summed power loss' at each node has to be
calculated and the voltage updating starts
again from node 1 for the updated values of
'summed power' plus 'summed power loss'.The
flowchart of the process is given in Fig 7.
The voltage updating calculation for constant
power load is as follows : -

(NOMZ) SO?

\/

~.AHEAD2td

r""'

N
-

PERFORMANm OF PAE POWER FLOW ALGORITHM

The power flow algorithm is very fast and
the
result obtained is approximate. As
already mentioned,the change in the line loss
has been used to check the convergence,
Solution times required for different test
systems (5) on a 80386 PC/AT with 16 MHz
clock are given in Table 2 . Solution times
required by the Newton-Raphson, and fast
decoupled method are also given for the
purpose cif comparison. Since re1 ative, rather
than absolute accuracy is sufficient for n
feeder reconfiguratiun
algorithm ( 1 ) ,this

1489

fast power flow method, giving approximate

result, can be used for such on
line
applications.

switching. and absolute accuracy is r L u t that

important. The optimal configuration obtained
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
as reported by the authors of (31,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -performed,
- - - - - -given
are
in Table 5. The authors
of
System
Solution time(Secs.)on 80386 PC/AT
reference (3) have used three
different
descripwith 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
1.26
1.42
1.09
40 bus 1.04
switching options corresponding to the five
open switches. Total line loss in the final
1.70
1.20
1.53
44 bus 1.09
configuration (Ml) was. found to be
of
0.01488578 pu. In the iinal configuration,
1.86
2.19
2.30
90 bus 1.64
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
44 bus
90 bus

2.63
2.19
5.27

2.47
2.08
4.94

3
3
NC

NC
NC
NC

T&LG

9 . L a and kd

for

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 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.

-eEmALGORITHMmFEGDER
The computer program has been developed in
FORTRAN to examine the efficiency of the
proposed algorithm. The problem of feeder
reconfiguration has been studied with the
network of Fig 5, which has been taken from
reference (3). Dotted lines in Fig 5 are the
tie lines and switches connecting nodes (3320), (34-8), (35,21), (36-17) and (37-28) are
open for the initial configuration.It has
been assumed that ON\OFF switches exist at
every node of the network. The line and load
data for the network are given in Table 3. As
already mentioned, network switches had been
closed based upon three diffrent criteria.
(1). Switch having 'maximum voltage across'
is closed first.
(2). Switch having 'minimum voltage across'
is closed first.
(3). Arbitrary switching.
Also, it has been mentioned that
three
different methods of varying accuracies have
been tested for getting a modified network
solution after a switch is closed.
In all the cases the problem converged to
the same solution. The method used for the
modified network solution did not affect the
decision regarding which switch is to open,
to restore the radial configuration from the
meshed network. The criteria used to select
the switch to be closed resulted in different
paths towards the final solution, but the
final solution remains the same. Table 4
shows the results of the proposed algorithm.
Modified network solutions obtained in three
different
methods resulted in the
same
switching decision. This, perhaps, is due to
the
fact
that
relative
accuracy
is
sufficient to make a decision
regarding

1
2
3

4
5
6
7
8
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17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
1
18
19
20
2
22
23
5
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
7
8
11
17
24

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

10
11
12
13
14
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16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37

0.0922
0.4930
0.3660
0.3811
0.8190
0.1872
0.7114
1.0300
1.0440
0.1966
0.3744
1.4680
0.5416
M. 5910
0.7463
1.2890
0.7320
0.1640
1.5042
0.4095
0.7089
0.4512
0.8980
0.8960
0.2030
0.2842
1.0590
0.8042
0.5075
0.9744
0.3105
0.3410
2.0000
2.0000
2.0000
0.5000
0.5000

0.0470 100.0 60.0

0.2511 90.0 40.0
0.1864 120.0 80.0
0.1941 60.0 30.0
0.7070 60.0 20.0
0.6188 200.0 100.0
0.2351 200.0 100.0
0.7400 60.0 20.0
0.7400 60.0 20.0
0.0650 45.0 30.0
0.1238 60.0 35.0
1.1550 60.0 35.0
0.7129 120.0 80.0
0.5260 60.0 10.0
0.5450 60.0 20.0
1.7210 60.0 20.0
0.5740 90.0 40.0
0.1565 90.0 40.0
1.3554 90.0 40.0
0.4784 90.0 40.0
0.9373 90.0 40.0
0.3083 90.0 50.0
0.7091 420.0 200.0
0.7011 420.0 200.0
0.1034 60.0 25.0
0.1447 60.0 25.0
0.9337 60.0 20.0
0.7006 120.0 70.0
0.2585 200.0 600.0
0.9630 150.0 70.0
0.3619 210.0 100.0
0.5302 60.0 40.0
2.0000 2.0000
2.0000 0.5000 0.5000 -

ADVANTAGE OF THE PRaWSgP

ALGORITHM

The Proposed algorithm has the

special characteristics:

following

1490
[ 1 ) The final configuration is not
dependent
upon the initial configuration of the feeders
(2) Since only one switch is closed at a
time, the problem is dimensionally small and
the solution is tast.
(3) The power flow method is very fast.
(4) The approximate solution methods used to
get modified solution after closing a switch
enhance the speed of the algorithm.

A
new heuristic algorithm
has
been
presented
in
this
paper
for
the
reconfiguration of distribution feeders. The
proposed algorithm
utilizes the
concept
of optimal flow pattern and is based on
a simple and flexible power flow method
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.)
relative change in the line loss and
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - -the
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,
33
7
0.01603187
Arbitrary
'Distribution feeder reconfiguration for loss
34
9
0.01598001
switching
reduction'. IEEE Trans. PWRD, Vol-3, July
35
14
0.01436786
lower numbered
1988, pp 1217-1223.
32
0.01408154
tie closed first 36
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -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.
PWRD, Yo1 4, No 2, April 1989, pp 1492-1498.
2
&kQm the method o f ref.I31

____________________---__-_____--_-----_-__-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 14011407.

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
'c',

Brn kLi Voltaae 3a.k diffexen hms

distribution systems', Proc. IEE, part
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - -January
- - - - - - - 1991.
-

Node

Voltage(pu)
Final
Initial

Node

Voltage(pu)
Final
Initial

____________________------------------------17 0.94720 0.91253

1 0.99707 0.99703
S.K.Gosnami obtained MEE degree in Electrical
2 0.98690
3 0.98238
4 0.97807
5 0.96713
6 0.96648
7 0.96232
8 0.95896
9 0.96240
10 0.96249
11 0.96278
12 0.96020
13 0.95941
14 0.95290

0.98278
0.97526
0.96783
0.94910
0.94561
0.94077
0.93450
0.92869
0.92783
0.92633
0.92021
0.91794
0.91653

18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

0.99507
0.97795
0.97332
0.96986
0.98332
0.97668
0.97337
0.96535
26 0.96299
27 0.95248
28 0.94494
29 0.94173
30 0.93831

0.99650
0.99292
0.99222
0.99158
0.97920
0.97252
0.96920
0.94717
0.94461
0.93303
0.92481
0.92125
0.91708

Engineering in 1982. At present he is working

as a lecturer in the Electrical Engineering
department of Jadavpur University Calcutta.
His field of interest includes steady state
and transient analysis of power systems,
planning
and automation of
distribution
systems.
S.K.Basu Obtained MEE and Phd degree from
Jadavpur University. At present he holds the
post of Professor of computer applications
in power system in Jadavpur University
and
has published more than 50 research papers in
different indian and International Journals.
He has written a book on Power
systeiri
protection.

1491

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 impedance loads in the optimality of their solution.

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 reconfiguration algorithms.

Manuscript received December 3, 1991.