Method to determine fact and place of commercial losses in distribution networks

Abstract

The improvement of methods to register the commercial losses in electrical distribution networks, and especially in low voltage networks, is one of the most important tasks for power supply providers. It is rather difficult to correctly register the fact of occurrence of such losses in the network. It is objectively impossible to analyze the state of the networks based on data obtained from various points of the specified network with the required accuracy. In this regard, at present no methods have been developed for remote detection of the fact and determination of the place of commercial losses in distribution networks, that could work in the mode of integration with automated information-measuring system of fiscal electricity metering. To solve this problem a method is to be developed that allows us to establish accurately for practical purposes the volume of commercial losses in the network and determine the place of their occurrence. During the research, methods of electric power networks modeling have been used. The assumption has been made about no flow of capacitive leakage currents to ground in the network, about full compliance of the line parameters with their calculated (nominal) values, as well as the basic laws of electrical engineering science. A unique method is proposed to determine the fact and the place of commercial losses in distribution networks. In contrast to the prototypes, it is based on the analysis of data obtained from metering devices, based on the key laws of electrical engineering and it allows us to get reliable arithmetically rigorous results without using fuzzy logic. The authors have proved theoretically and practically the effectiveness of the proposed solutions, and the possibility of their application. A calculation has been made to determine the place of commercial losses in the network using an example. The proposed method to determine the fact and place of commercial losses in distribution networks of low and medium voltage levels solves the problem of inability to effectively identify the points of occurrence of commercial losses in distribution networks. The reliability of the results obtained is confirmed by mathematical rigor of the method and algorithmic nature of the procedure for analyzing the distribution network.