Impact of Modes of Operation of Smart Inverters on Volt-VAR Optimization

Abstract

Volt-VAR Optimization (VVO) is an essential tool which ensures acceptable node voltages in a distribution system while ensuring minimum operational losses. Recent relaxations of IEEE standard 1547, on the usage of smart inverters in distribution system as source of reactive power, has increased the flexibility in VVO. Smart Inverters can operate in various modes such as real power priority (P-Priority), reactive power priority (Q-Priority) or in Constant Power Factor (CPF) mode, when participating in VVO. They can also be operate in Volt-Watt Optimization (VWO) mode. This work investigates how loss in VVO is affected due to various modes of operation of smart inverters. Particle Swarm Intelligence (PSO) has been used to solve VVO and associated results have been obtained for the IEEE 13 bus unbalanced distribution system which consists of two Capacitor Banks (CBs), one Voltage Regulator (VR) and a smart inverter. These results suggest the selection of mode of operation of smart inverter based on practical considerations rather than operating it in the same mode throughout the day.