LOAD FLOW STUDIES OF RADIAL DISTRIBUTION

SYSTEMS

2.1 INTRODUCTION:

Load flow analysis is an important tool for power system planning and operation. Load flow
studies(LFS) are performed on power systems in order to understand the nature of the
installed network. It focuses on various aspects of AC power parameters, such as voltage,
voltage angle, real and reactive power. It analyses the power systems in normal steady state
operation. LFS are important for planning future expansion of the power system(PS) as well
as in determining the best operation of the existing system. Applications like distributed
generation or capacitor need repeated load flow solutions.

Conventional load flow methods such as Newton-Raphson or Fast Decoupled, which are
typically designed for electrical transmission systems, are not suitable for power distribution
system load flow analysis. Distribution networks are typically radial in nature and the feeders
have high R/X ratio, hence are ill conditioned for such load flow. For various applications in
distribution automation, several load flow methods have been developed, which are known as
distribution system load flow (DSLF) methods. These methods exploit the special topological
characteristics of the radial distribution networks (RDN). Among several DSLF methods,
forward backward sweep (FBS) based methods are proven to be the most simple and fast
method to carry out distribution system load flow. Due to its low memory requirements,
computational efficiency and robust convergence characteristic, FBS based algorithms have
gained the most popularity for distribution systems load flow analysis.

2.2 FORWARD BACKWARD SWEEP METHOD:

Let us consider a radial network, the backward/forward sweep method for the load-flow
computation is an iterative method in which, at each iteration two computational stages are
performed: The load flow of a single source network can be solved iteratively from two sets
of recursive equations. The first set of equations for calculation of the power flow through the
branches starting from the last branch and proceeding in the backward direction towards the
root node. The other set of equations are for calculating the voltage magnitude and angle of
each node starting from the root node and proceeding in the forward direction towards the
last node.

2.2.1 FORWARD SWEEP METHOD:

The forward sweep is basically a voltage drop calculation with possible current or power flow
updates. Nodal voltages are updated in a forward sweep starting from branches in the first
layer toward those in the last. The purpose of the forward propagation is to calculate the
voltages at each node starting from the feeder source node. The feeder substation voltage is
set at its actual value. During the forward propagation the effective power in each branch is
held constant to the value obtained in backward walk.

2.2.2 BACKWARD SWEEP METHOD:

The backward sweep is basically a current or power flow solution with possible voltage
updates. It starting from the branches in the last layer and moving towards the branches
connected to the root node .The updated effective power flows in each branch are obtained in
the backward propagation computation by considering the node voltages of previous
iteration. It means the voltage values obtained in the forward path are held constant during
the backward propagation and updated power flows in each branch are transmitted backward
along the feeder using backward path.

2.3 MATHEMATICAL MODELLING:

The load flow of a single source network can be solved iteratively from two sets of recursive
equations. The first set of equations for calculation of the power flow through the branches
starting from the last branch and proceeding in the backward direction towards the root node.
The other set of equations are for calculating the voltage magnitude and angle of each node
starting from the root node and proceeding in the forward direction towards the last node.
These recursive equations are derived as follows.

The fig.2.1 shows the representation of two nodes in a distribution line. Consider a branch ‘j’
is connected between the nodes ‘i’ and ‘i+1’.

Fig.2.1 Representation of two nodes in a distribution line

The effective active ( Pi) and reactive ( Qi) powers that of flowing through branch ‘j’ from
node ‘i' to node ‘i+1’ can be calculated backwards from the last node and is given as,

P’i+1 = Pi+1 + PLi+1 (2.1)

Pi = Power loss + Pi+1 + PLi+1

Pi = Power loss + P’i+1 [from eq. (2.1)]

= rj I’i+1 2 + P’i+1

= rj ( (S’i+1) / Vi+1 ) 2 + P’i+1

= rj ( (S’i+1) 2 / Vi+12 ) + P’i+1

Pi = rj ( (P’i+1 2 + Q’i+1 2 ) / Vi+1 2 ) + P’i+1

Similarly,

Qi = xj ( (P’i+1 2 + Q’i+1 2 ) / Vi+1 2 ) + Q’i+1

Q’i+1 = Qi+1 + QLi+1

Let ‘j’ be the branch i.e. present between i & i+1

Ij = ( Vi ∟δi ) - ( Vi+1∟δi+1 ) / rj + jxj (2.2)

(or)

Ij = δ*i / (Viδi)*

= ( Pi + jQi )* / (Vi  δi )*

Ij = ( Pi - jQi ) / ( Vi - δi ) (2.3)

On equating the R.H.S of eq. (2.2) & (2.3)

( Vi  δi - Vi+1  δi+1 ) / ( rj + jxj ) = ( Pi - jQi ) / ( Vi - δi )

Vi - δi ( Vi  i - Vi+1  i+1 ) = ( Pi - jQi ) ( rj + jxj )

Vi 2  ( - i + i ) - Vi Vi+1  ( - i + i+1 ) = Pi rj + jPi xj - jQi rj + Qi xj

Vi 2 - Vi Vi+1  ( δi+1 - δi ) = ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) + j (Pi xj - Qi rj )

Vi 2 - { Vi Vi+1 [ Cos ( δi+1 - δi ) + j Sin ( δi+1 - δi ) ] }= ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) + j ( Pi xj - Qi rj ) (2.4)

Equating the real & imaginary parts on both sides of eq. (2.4)

Vi 2 - Vi Vi+1 Cos ( δi+1 - δi ) = Pi rj + Qi xj (2.5)

- Vi Vi+1 Sin ( δi+1 - δi) = Pi xj - Qi rj

Vi Vi+1 Sin ( δi+1 - δi ) = Qi rj - Pi xj (2.6)

We can write eq. (2.5) as

Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) = Vi Vi+1 Cos ( δi+1 - δi ) (2.7)

On squaring & adding eq.(2.6) & (2.7)

[ Vi Vi+1 Sin ( δi+1 - δi ) ] 2 + [ Vi Vi+1 Cos ( δi+1 - δi ) ] 2

[ Qi rj - Pi xj ] 2 + [ Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) ] 2

Vi Vi+1 Sin ( δi+1 - δi ) = Qi rj - Pi xj

Sin ( δi+1 - δi ) = Qi rj - Pi xj / Vi Vi+1 (2.8)

Vi Vi+1 Cos ( δi+1 - δi) = Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj )

Cos ( δi+1 - δi ) = Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) / Vi Vi+1 (2.9)

Equation (2.8) / (2.9)

Sin ( δi+1 - δi / Cos ( δi+1 - δi ) = ( Qi rj - Pi xj / Vi Vi+1 ) ( Vi Vi+1 / Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) )

Tan ( δi+1 - δi ) = ( Qi rj - Pi xj / Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) )

( δi+1 - δi ) = Tan-1 ( Qi rj - Pi xj / Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) )

( δi+1 ) = δi + tan-1 ( Qi rj - Pi xj / Vi 2 - ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) )

Active and reactive power loss of branch ‘j’ is,

Ploss ( j ) = I 2i rj = ( si / vi ) 2 rj

Similarly, Qloss = ( ( Pi 2 + Qi 2 ) / Vi 2) xj

Total real and reactive power loss of RDS is,

TPL = m∑j=1 ( ( Pi 2 + Qi 2 ) / Vi 2 ) rj

TQL = m∑j=1 ( ( Pi 2 + Qi 2 ) / Vi 2 ) xj

Where , m = no. of branches

j = 1, 2, 3……. m

Initially, a flat voltage profile is assumed at all nodes i.e., 1.0pu. The branch powers are
computed iteratively with the updated voltages at each node. In the proposed load flow
method, powers summation is done in the backward walk and voltages are calculated in the
forward walk. The maximum difference of voltage magnitudes in successive iterations is
taken as convergence criteria and 0.0001 is taken as tolerance value.

2.4 ALGORITHM:
Step 1: Read distribution system line and load data. Assume initial node voltages are 1 p.u
and set ε = 0.0001.

Step 2: Start iteration count, IT =1.

Step 3: Initialize real power loss and reactive power loss vectors to zero

Step 4: Calculate the effective real and reactive power flow in each branch using equations

Pi = P’i+1 + rj ( ( P’i+1 2 + Q’i+1 2 ) / Vi+1 2 )

Qi = Q’i+1 + xj ( ( P’i+1 2 + Q’i+1 2 ) / Vi+1 2 )

Step 5: Calculate node voltages, real and reactive power loss of each branch using equations

Vi+1 = ( Vi 2 – 2 ( Pi rj + Qi xj ) + ( rj 2 + xj 2 ) ( ( Pi 2 + Qi 2 ) / Vi 2 ) ) 1/2

Ploss (j) = rj ( ( Pi 2 + Qi 2 ) / Vi 2 )

Qloss (j) = xj ( ( Pi 2 + Qi 2 ) / Vi 2 )

Step 6: Check for convergence i.e., ΔVmax < ε in successive iterations. If it is converged go
to next step otherwise increment iteration number and go to step 4.

Step 7: Calculate the real and reactive power losses for all branches and also total real and
reactive power loss.

Step 8: Print voltage at each node, the real and reactive power losses of all branches and total
loss.

Step 9: Stop.

2.5 FLOWCHART: