A new hybrid technique for power systems multi-facts optimization design

Abstract

SUMMARY The purpose of this paper is to develop a new tool to the dispatching and optimization of reactive power resources using two kinds of the flexible alternating current transmission system devices, namely the static volt ampere reactive compensator and the Thyristor controlled series compensator. The fast voltage stability index and line stability index (Lmn) are used to identify the critical buses and lines, which will receive the flexible alternating current transmission system devices. The methodology carried out in this work is deployed in two phases. In the first one, we consider that the power system network is secure and operates within its stability limits and the balance between consumption and generation is satisfied. Thus, the solution of optimization program of the fuel cost minimization problem using the interior point method gives a feasible solution where the reactive power compensation is not considered. In the second phase, the power system network is unsecure and operates close to its secure limits. Although the optimization program of the fuel cost minimization problem gives a non-feasible solution, the reactive power compensation is, in this case, introduced to solve the problem. The power transmission line factor minimization problem is applied after each phase to improve the solution of the problem by minimizing the power flow in the transmissions lines. The reactive power planning and the power transmission line factor minimization problems are solved with a new hybrid technique combining particle swarm optimization with a nonlinear interior point method. Furthermore, the fuel cost minimization problem is solved with the interior point method. The methodology has been tested with the IEEE 57-bus system, and the simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach for improving the reactive power planning problem. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.