Load Flow Analysis

✗ It is a steady state analysis of an interconnected power system

during normal operation. Single line diagram of power system
contains hundreds of buses and branches with impedances
specified in per-unit on a common MVA base.
✗ Power flow studies, commonly referred to as load flow, are
essential of power system analysis and design.
Assumptions
✗ Generator modeled as complex power injection

✗ Load will be modeled as constant P, Q loads.

✗ Transmission line represented as -modeled or series

impedance.

✗ Load flow analysis is done by taking a snapshot of a power

system network at a particular instant such that loads at buses
should not change.
✗ Harmonies in supply are neglected.
✗ Frequency of supply is maintained as constant.
✗ No HVDC links are considered
✗ Always the network is lumped parameter model.
Basic load flow equation
 Basic load flow equation

✗ At each bus, 4 parameters are there |V|, δ, P, Q

✗ Total quantities to be found are 4n (n= number of
buses) but the number of equation known are only
2n.
✗ So at each bus 2 quantities will be specified or
assumed as constant, So number of quantities to
be calculated are reduced to 2n which can be
calculated by solving 2n equations
Bus classification
(P, Q, |V|, δ)
Bus classification

✗ Four quantities are associated with each bus. There are voltage |V|, phase
angle δ, real power P and reactive power Q.
✗ In a load flow study, two out of four quantities are specified and the remaining
two quantities are to be obtained through the solutions of equations.

Types of
Buses

Generator Voltage
Slack Bus/ Load
Bus (or) PV controlled
Swing Bus Bus/PQ Bus
Bus buses
Slack Bus/ Swing Bus/ Reference bus
It is taken as reference bus where the magnitude and phase angle of
the voltage are specified. This bus provide the additional real and
reactive power to supply the transmission losses, since these are
unknown until the final solution is obtained.
✗ |V|, δ - known quantities
✗ P, Q - unknown quantities
Slack bus- generator having power capacity compared to all
generators in the system.

During load flow solution, the real power generated by all generators
will be kept as constant, such that if there is
any real power change in the system, it will be taken care by slack
bus. No practical existence for slack bus.
Generator Bus (or) PV Bus (voltage controlled
Bus)
✗ In these buses, the real power and voltage magnitude are
specified. The phase angles of the voltages and the reactive
power are unknown until the final solution is obtained.
✗ The limits on the value of reactive power are also specified.
✗ P,| V | - known quantities
✗ Q, δ - unknown quantities
Load Bus/PQ Bus
✗ In these buses, the real and reactive powers are specified. The
magnitude and phase angle of the bus voltage are unknown until
the final solution is obtained.
✗ P, Q - known quantities
✗ |V|, δ - unknown quantities
✗ Generally reactive power limits will be specified at PV bus such
that if reactive power generated is violating that limit, then PV bus
is converted to PQ bus.
✗ If Qg >= Qgmax
✗ Then Qg is set to Qg max and bus is converted to PQ bus.
✗ If Qg <= Qgmax
✗ Then Qg is set to Qg min and bus is converted to PQ bus.
Voltage controlled buses
✗ Equivalent to PV bus (but no generator)
✗ SVC bus or shunt capacitor bus
✗ Reactive power compensator will be placed
✗ P=0 , |V|= constant; Q, S are variables
✗ SVC rating will be designed by keeping |V| as constant to the
required level. The reactive power at end of load flow will be rating
of SVC.