Lecture 4: Distribution Power Flow In Vn I2 V2 I1 V1

4.1 Per-phase formulation for balanced Systems n Z2 Z1

Zn 2 1
A balanced radial distribution primary feeder is given in Fig 4.1. The purpose of Vs
the power flow study is to compute the complex nodal voltages Vi, i = 1, 2, .., n.
Pn+jQn P2+jQ2 P1+jQ1
This study is solved with an iterative calculation with good convergence
properties. The substation (source) voltage is denoted by a specified constant Pi − jQi Si*
voltage Vs . The real and reactive power demands at bus i are modeled by Load Currents : I Li = = *
constant Pi and Qi. The line impedance between bus i and bus i+1 is modeled by Vi * Vi
a constant Zi. Note that in the per-phase analysis, the impedance in all three
phases is modeled by a single complex number. Node Voltages : Line Currents :
Vn = Vs − Z n I n P1 − jQ1
I1 =
In Vn I2 V2 I1 V1 Vn −1 = Vn − Z n −1 I n −1 V1*
P2 − jQ2
Zn n Z2 2 Z1 1 = Vs − Z n I n − Z n −1 I n −1 I 2 = I1 +
Vs V2*
n

Pn+jQn P2+jQ2 P1+jQ1

= Vs − ∑Z I
t = n −1
t t
=∑
2
Pm − jQm
m =1 Vm*
Fig. 4.1 A radial distribution line M M
In fig. 4.1, let Ii be the line current in the section between nodes i+1 and i. By n
Vi = Vs − ∑ Z t I t Pm − jQm
t
Kirchhoff’s current law, the line current Ii is the sum of the nodal current drawn It = ∑
by the load at bus i and the line current Ii-1. t =i m =1 Vm*

By induction, It can be computed as the sum of all the currents drawn at all loads This iteration has been called the Gauss method in the literature.
located at bus 1 to bus t:
* n
 t
Pm − jQ m 
∑ Z  ∑
(4.1-1)
t
 P m + jQ  V
(k )
= Vs − 
I t = ∑ 

m =1  V m
m 


i
t=i
t
 m =1 V m
( k −1 ) *

(4.1-4)

Since the impedance of the t-th section is Zt, Kirchhoff’s voltage law implies that the k : iteration no.
complex voltage at node I is given by k = 1, 2, …
n
Here k represents the number of iterations. As long as the initial guess falls into
V i = Vs − ∑
t=i
Z t I t (4.1-2)
the convergence region, the convergence will be guaranteed. The proposed
or formulation exploits the radial nature of distribution networks to achieve the
n
 t P − jQ 
V i = Vs − ∑ Z t  ∑ m
V m*
m
 (4.1-3) branch-by-branch decoupled computation.
t=i  m =1 

The above equation is nonlinear in terms of the variables Vi, i=1, …,n. A closed form Using general notation, the iteration of equation (4.1-4) can be cast
solution is impossible for the above power flow formulation and therefore an iterative into the general form of
scheme will be used. v(k) = f (v (k-1)) (4.1-5)

The idea of the proposed iterative method is simple. An initial guess: Here f =(f1, f2, …, fn) represents a function of multiple variables in Cn, and
v(0) = (V1(0),…,Vn(0)) will be used to compute the right hand side (RHS) of Eq. (4.1-3) v = (V1, V2,…,Vn) .
to obtain the next guess of v(1). The RHS will be computed again based on the new vector
v(1) to get v(2) and this process is repeated.
 Iia
4.2 Three-Phase Power Flow Formulation a
+
Via S ia
+ Vib -
I ib
Analyzing only one phase as in transmission networks is over- b S ib
-

simplified in two respects : -

Vic S ic
1. The mutual impedances between phases are ignored. Iic +
2. Distribution networks are often unbalanced. c

In this section, a three-phase formulation is proposed which takes Fig. 4.2.1-1 Three-phase load model
into account the above factors.
Based on the notation on Fig. 4.2.1-1, the current Iia, Iib and Iic can be computed by:

4.2.1 Three-Phase Load and Line Model a

I i = S i /V ( a
i
a
) * 4.1.1-1

= (S )
b b b * 4.1.1-2
Ii i /V i

= (S )
For the power flow study, it is appropriate to model the three Ii
c c
/V
c
* 4.1.1-3
i i
phase loads as Y-connected real and reactive power demands, as
shown in Fig. 4.2.1-1. The ∆ connected loads can be taken care of by
a well-known transformation. For brevity, the three-phase currents will be denoted by iiabc = [Iia Iib Iic]T.

Similarly, the load voltages are denoted by viabc = [Via Vib Vic]T = V i a  The voltage drop between bus i and bus j along such a line section is given by a
 b 
V i  four-dimensional matrix equation :
V c 
 i 
V a   Z aa Z ab Z ac M Z an I a
 b   ba bb bc bn
 b 
V   Z Z Z M Z I 
 c   ca cb cc  c  (4.2.1-4)
In view of the mutual impedances and the unbalanced configuration, the line between cn
V  =  Z Z Z M Z I 
bus i and bus j is modeled as shown in Fig, 4.2.1-2. L   L L L M L  L 
 n   na nb nc nn
 n
a V   Z Z Z M Z I 
a
V     
I + -
a ab ba Z
aa a
Z =Z Z
ac
=Z
ca
an na
The three-phase notation of currents and voltages will be used to partition Eq.
b V
b Z =Z
I + - (4.2.1-4). Recall that
b Z
bb
b
Z =Z
bc cb
c Z
bn
=Z
nb v abc
= V [ a
V
b
V
c
] T

[I ]
c V
I a b c T
c
+ cc
-
c i abc = I I
Z
cn nc
Z =Z
n V
n
The impedance matrix in (4.2.1-4) can be partitioned as
I + -
n Z
nn
n Z a b

Z
g g  c d 
Z Z 
Fig. 4.2.1-2 A Three phase line model
 If we assume that the neutral wire is grounded at each bus, Vng=0 at all buses.
Z aa
Z
ab
Z
ac
 Then the voltage drop between buses i and i+1 can be written as
 ba bb bc  (4.2.1-5)
Z a
= Z Z Z   v abc   Z a M Z b  i abc 
     Then : 0 = Z c i abc + Z d I n
Z ca
Z
cb
Z
cc 
   L  = L L L  L 
I n = −( Z d ) −1 Z c i abc
[ Z ]
 0  Z c M Z d   I 
n
an bn cn T   
Z b
= Z Z (4.2.1-6)

= [Z ]
c na nb nc (4.2.1-7) Or vabc = (Za – Zb (Zd)-1 Zc) iabc (4.2.1-10)
Z Z Z
= [Z ] nn
Let Zabc = Za – Zb (Zd)-1 Zc, then
d
Z (4.2.1-8)
vabc = Zabc iabc
(4.2.1-11)

As a result of Eq. (4.2.1-11), a simple model for the distribution line between bus i and bus
i+1 is shown in fig. 4.2.1-3. The voltage drop on this line is given by eq. (4.2.1-11).
Note that the mutual impedances between any two phases are
identical for a balanced three-phase system. But an unbalanced i+1
iabc i
system may contain different self-and mutual-impedances in Zabc
+ -
different phases. vabc
Fig. 4.2.1-3 A distribution line model

4.2.2 Three-Phase Distribution Power Flow

A Three-phase radial distribution primary feeder is given in Fig. 4.2.2. The The three-phase power flow formulation is similar to the per phase
substation voltage is modeled by vsabc = [Vsa Vsb Vsc]T. and the Y-connected real
formulation at the beginning of this chapter. The voltage drop
across the branch between bus i and i+1 is Ziabc iiabc.
and reactive power demands at bus i are modeled by Piabc = [Pia Pib Pic]T, Qiabc =
[Qia Qib Qic]T, respectively. The line impedance between bus i and bus i+1 is
By Kirchhoff’s voltage law, the complex voltage vector at location i
is given by:
modeled by Ziabc, defined in the previous section.
vsabc n 2 i abc 1
i2abc 1 n
viabc = vsabc − ∑ Z tabci tabc
Znabc Z2abc Z1abc
inabc
n 1 (4.2.2 -1)
t =i

Pnabc+Qnabc P2abc+jQ2abc P1abc+jQ1abc

Expanding Eq. (4.2.2 -1) and following the same procedure as in
Fig. 4.2.2 A radial three-phase distribution line
section 4.1, one would get the nonlinear equations for computation
a b c
of Vi , Vi and Vi for every bus i. To examine that calculation in more
The substation voltages vsabc, power demands Piabc, Qiabc and the line impedances
Ziabc are assumed to be given. The power flow problem is to compute the nodal detail we first identify the elements of Z tabc .
voltages viabc = [Via Vib Vic]T for i = 1, 2, …, n.
From the calculation of eq. 4.2.1-10 we can define the matrix elements
as:
Then the iteration scheme for the three phase power flow
{Z − (Z ) / Z }
aa
t
an
t
2 nn
t ≡Z
1
t
is given in detail as follows:

{Z ab
t ( an
− Z t ⋅Z t
nb
)/ Z }≡ Znn
t
2
t
Then the matrix is :
Vi
a(k ) a
n 
 1 t  P a − jQ a  2
t 
P b − jQ b  t 
P c − jQ c  
= V s − ∑  Z t ∑  m a (k −1)* m  + Z t ∑  m b (k −1)* m  + Z t ∑  m c (k −1)*m  
3

t =i 
     V 
 m =1  V m  m =1  V m  m =1
 m 
{Z ac
t ( an
− Z t ⋅Z t
nc
)/ Z }≡ Znn
t
3
t
 Z 1t Z t2 Z t3  n 
 2 t  P a − jQ a  t 
P b − jQ b  t 
P c − jQ c  
 2 4 5 Vi
b( k )
= V s − ∑  Z t ∑  m a (k −1)* m  + Z t ∑  m b (k −1)*m  + Z t ∑  m c (k −1)*m  
b
 
4
 V 
5
 V 
Z tabc =  Z t Z t Z t 
{Z − (Z ) / Z }
t =i 
bb bn 2 nn 4  m=1  V m  m =1
 m  m =1
 m 
≡ Zt
t t t
 3 5 6 n 
 3 t  P a − jQ a  t 
P b − jQ b  t 
P c − jQ c  
= V s − ∑  Z t ∑  m a (k −1)* m  + Z t ∑  m b (k −1)* m  + Z t ∑  m c (k −1)* m  
 Z t Z t Z t 
c(k ) c 5 6
Vi
     
{Z bc
t ( bn
− Z t ⋅Z t
nc
)/ Z }≡ Znn
t
5
t
t =i 
 m =1  V m  m =1  V m  m =1  V m 
where i = 1,2,..., n (4.2.2 - 2)

{Z − (Z ) / Z }
cc
t
nc 2
t
nn
t ≡ Zt
6

In vector notation, the above algorithm can be written as :

v (k ) = f (v (k-1) )
( a a a
where v = v1 , v 2 ,K, v n , v1 ,K, v n , v1 ,K, v n or
b b c c
)
( a b c
)
v = v , v , v , and f = (f1 , f 2 ,K, f 3n )