Optimal Load Balancing and Capacitor Sizing and Siting of an Unbalanced Radial Distribution Network

Several studies on the improvement of distribution system technologies have surfaced over the past decades. Simple and inexpensive system-based methods to improve voltage profile and minimize losses include balancing, reconfiguration, and equipment penetration. However, improper re-phasing and placement may even worsen system operations. In this paper, optimal phase reconfiguration and capacitor placement is implemented. With the component object model (COM) interface, genetic algorithm (GA) through MATLAB toolbox was used simultaneously with an open-source load flow analyzer, OpenDSS, to gather optimal outcomes. Different treatments were applied to the highly unbalanced IEEE 13-bus test radial distribution system. Results showed that each treatment yielded a significantly lower system loss than the original network. Individually, the load re-phasing approach arrived at a more efficient system than the capacitor placement approach. Still, the combination of both methods yielded the best results out of all the cases. The optimal case was further applied to the IEEE 37-bus network.