Optimal short-term operation of pumped-storage power plants with differential evolution algorithm

Abstract

In this study, the optimal short-term operation of the lossy electric power system which included the pumped-storage power generation unit (Ps) was carried out. The problem is quite complex in terms of its constraints and being a mathematically difficult problem. Therefore, in order to obtain optimal solutions of the problem, differential evolution algorithm (DE) was used. In this study, one day operation of a system, which includes thermal and Ps units, solved with different optimization algorithms in the literature was addressed. The addressed system was solved in two different ways. First of all, the solution is made assuming that the system consists only of thermal generation units. Then, a Ps unit was added to a bus in the system and it was solved again and the benefit obtained was discussed. In the solution of the sample system, transmission line losses are taken into consideration and Newton-Raphson power flow method was used to calculate these losses. The sample system was solved 30 times with DE and the optimal solution values were determined. All possible constraints in problem solving were provided through the punishment method. The results obtained from the solutions of the sample systems were compared and discussed.