Low-Capacity Exploitation of Distribution Networks and Its Effect on the Planning of Distribution Networks

Jorge A Alarcon,Ameena S Al-Sumaiti,Sergio Rivera,Francisco Santamaria

doi:10.3390/en13081920

Jorge A Alarcon, Ameena S Al-Sumaiti + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en13081920

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Abstract

The continuous variation and dispersion of the load demand during a 24-h day are uncontrolled aspects that affect the efficiency, operational conditions, and total cost of the power distribution network. The cost of the network is strongly related to the peak of demand, but the available capacity of the network is not used efficiently during the day because feeders and branches usually work under 70% of their full capacity. In this way, it is necessary to measure how efficiently the distribution network capacity is used and to identify the aspects that can be modified to improve it. This article proposes a new exploitation capacity index to measure the efficiency of a/the whole distribution network throughout the day in relation to the total available capacity of the branches that compose the network. The paper presents the mathematical formulation and the validation process of the index, and then it provides a planning case study in which the index and the total cost of the planning problem are calculated and compared in four different scenarios in which the peak of the load demand changes. The results show a direct relation between the exploitation capacity and the peak of demand, so lower exploitation capacities are strongly related to higher peaks of demand. As for the capital investments for the network planning, it is found that higher peaks of demand involve more upgrade necessities and higher capital investments compared to the other cases.

Highlights

Efficiency is one of the aspects that must be improved when designing a project or a network because it is directly related to the technical feasibility and the financial viability of the project
This paper presents new indices to calculate the efficiency and the exploitation capacity of the distribution network (DN), which can be used to know how efficiently the available capacity of the feeders is used within a day, taking into account the available capacity of the DN and the hourly demand of power
The main reasons behind that are the difficulty of managing the demand and and the remote location of some branches from the power substation, so these branches deliver the remote location of some branches from the power substation, so these branches deliver very low very low power flows in their first operational years and have low efficiency and low power flows in their first operational years and have low efficiency and low exploitation capacities

Summary

Introduction

Efficiency is one of the aspects that must be improved when designing a project or a network because it is directly related to the technical feasibility and the financial viability of the project. It is not easy to achieve good efficiency levels when working the distribution network (DN) because of the low utilization levels of the feeder’s capacity This occurs because the continuous variation in the power demand makes the network use a high capacity of the feeders during periods of peak demand or low capacity of feeders during periods of low demand [1]. Such behavior is due to the variable demand and outcome of consumers’ habits in power consumption, which is difficult to control due to its random nature [2]. Estimating the peak demand is mandatory, Energies 2020, 13, 1920; doi:10.3390/en13081920 www.mdpi.com/journal/energies

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