A numerical–stochastic technique for underground cable system design

Abstract

A numerical–stochastic technique for an optimisation of underground cable systems is based on a finite-element mesh generator carried out by means of the advancing front method, a nonlinear coupled electric-thermal model, a multiquadric ampacity approximations including successive zooming steps, and a stochastic optimisation method involving differential evolution. The proposed technique provides the optimisation of cable systems for which neither accurate analytical nor empirical ampacity formulas are available, thus resulting in more economical design.