Switchable Capacitor Bank Coordination and Dynamic Network Reconfiguration for Improving Operation of Distribution Network Integrated with Renewable Energy Resources

Abstract

Point of common coupling (PCC) arrays are the most prominent and widely-used intermittent distributed generations (DGs). Due to the right-of-way, environmental, economical and other restrictions, the connection of these types of DGs to the preferred point of the distribution network is very difficult or impossible in some cases. Therefore, because of non-optimal locations, they may cause a voltage rise at the PCC. In this paper, a coordinated design of switchable capacitor banks (SCBs) with dynamic reconfiguration of the distribution network is proposed to avoid low- and high-voltage violations. The distribution network reconfiguration is implemented to mitigate the voltage rise at PCCs and capacitor banks (CBs) to solve the low-voltage problem. A novel method is presented for determining the optimal size of CBs. The proposed capacitor sizing method (CSM) effectively determines the optimal values of reactive power for the given nodes. The optimal locations of SCB are determined using particle swarm optimization algorithm. The 24-hour reactive power curve optimized by the proposed method plays a pivotal role in designing SCBs. The simulation results show that the implementation of the dynamic network reconfiguration and the placement of SCB is required to maintain a standard voltage profile for better employment of DG embedded distribution networks.