Technical Loss Calculation in Distribution Grids Using Equivalent Minimum Order Networks and an Iterative Power Factor Correction Procedure

Carlos Eduardo Moreira Rodrigues,Carlos Jeferson Da Silva Moura,Elaine Cristina Dos Santos Silva,Thiago Mota Soares,Ubiratan Holanda Bezerra,Edson Ortiz De Matos,Lázaro Serra Soares Filho,Michel Ferreira Rendeiro,Maria Emilia De Lima Tostes

doi:10.3390/en14030646

Carlos Eduardo Moreira Rodrigues, Carlos Jeferson Da Silva Moura + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030646

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Journal: Energies	Publication Date: Jan 27, 2021
Citations: 8	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pará

Abstract

Energy losses are a fundamental issue in the electricity distribution sector, being an inevitable consequence of transporting energy from supplying sources to consumers’ installations and are becoming one of the factors to be considered in planning and operation of electrical distribution networks. So, electrical distribution losses must be continuously monitored so that they are kept within acceptable levels to ensure the business profitability as well as the good power quality of supplied energy. In this context, this work introduces a modified methodology for technical losses calculation with the application of the concept of reduced equivalent networks, via definition of an Equivalent Operational Impedance, taking as a starting point the electrical network modeling in the Open Distribution System Simulator (OpenDSS). The losses calculation also considers customer’s energy billing measurement data, measurements of injected energy and power factor at the feeder’s coupling bus at the substation, also considering measurement campaigns to characterize the load consumption profiles for working days, Saturdays and Sundays. The proposed methodology disaggregates energy injections in billed energy, technical and non-technical losses parcels, and presents, as the results have demonstrated, a good precision in the proposed calculation procedures.

Highlights

Energy losses are an inherent aspect of the electric energy distribution service, resulting from several factors, mainly due to physical phenomena that originate from the electric current flow or other factors, such as the poor management of electric utilities or unlawful actions by consumers
Two innovative procedures were highlighted in relation to the systematic calculation of technical and non-technical losses in electrical distribution networks
The first refers to using an Equivalent Operational Impedance (EOI) for representing the electrical network in calculating technical losses

Summary

Introduction

Energy losses are an inherent aspect of the electric energy distribution service, resulting from several factors, mainly due to physical phenomena that originate from the electric current flow or other factors, such as the poor management of electric utilities or unlawful actions by consumers In this aspect, electrical losses can be classified according to their origin in technical losses and non-technical losses. Technical losses are associated with the power dissipation in the different elements of the energy distribution system, in the processes of transformation, transport and energy measurement, representing energy losses that occur in delivering energy from the transmission system and substations to final consumers These losses cannot be eliminated due to the associated physical phenomena, but their minimization is a constant study subject aiming at the optimization of the distribution system [1]. Non-technical losses, despite being a crucial problem for electric utilities in many countries, are not routinely addressed in power flow planning studies [3]

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