Power loss reduction in radial distribution system by using plant growth simulation algorithm

Innovative Systems Design and Engineering www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1727 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2871 (Online)
Vol 3, No 1, 2012

Power Loss Reduction in Radial Distribution System by Using

Plant Growth Simulation Algorithm

Sambugari Anil Kumar1*, K.Jitendra Goud2
1. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, G.Pulla Reddy Engineering College,
Kurnool-518007, Andhra Pradesh. India
2. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, J.N.T.U.A,Anantapur -515002, Andhra
Pradesh, India
* E-mail: sanil.0202@gmail.com

Abstract
The availability of an adequate amount of electricity and its utilization is essential for the growth and
development of the country. The demand for electrical energy has outstripped the availability causing
widespread shortages in different areas. The distribution network is a crucial network, which delivers
electrical energy directly to the doorsteps of the consumer. In India the distribution networks are
contributing to a loss of 15% against total system loss of 21%. Hence, optimal capacitor placement in
electrical distribution networks has always been the concern of electric power utilities. As Distribution
Systems are growing large and being stretched too far, leading to higher system losses and poor voltage
regulation, the need for an efficient and effective distribution system has therefore become more urgent and
important. In this regard, Capacitor banks are added on Radial Distribution system for Power Factor
Correction, Loss Reduction and Voltage profile improvement. As Distribution Systems are growing large
and being stretched too far, leading to higher system losses and poor voltage regulation, the need for an
efficient and effective distribution system has therefore become more urgent and important. In this regard,
Capacitor banks are added on Radial Distribution system for Power Factor Correction, Loss Reduction and
Voltage profile improvement. Therefore it is important to find optimal location and sizes of capacitors
required to minimize feeder losses. Reactive power compensation plays an important role in the planning of
an electrical system. Reactive power compensation plays an important role in the planning of an electrical
system. Capacitor placement & sizing are done by Loss Sensitivity Factors and Plant Growth Simulation
Algorithm respectively. Loss Sensitivity Factors offer the important information about the sequence of
potential nodes for capacitor placement. These factors are determined using single base case load flow
study. Plant Growth Simulation Algorithm is well applied and found to be very effective in Radial
Distribution Systems. The proposed method is tested on 33 and 34 bus distribution systems. The objective
of reducing the losses and improvement in voltage profile has been successfully achieved. The main
advantage of the proposed approach in relation to previously published random algorithms is that it does
not require any external parameters such as barrier factors, crossover rate, mutation rate, etc. These
parameters are hard to be effectively determined in advance and affect the searching performance of the
algorithm new approach based on a plant growth simulation algorithm (PGSA) is presented for reactive
power optimization. PGSA is a random search algorithm inspired by the growth process of plant
phototropism. The objective function for optimization is to minimize the system active power loss.
Keywords: Distribution systems, Loss Sensitivity Factors, Capacitor placement, Plant growth simulation
algorithm.

1. Introduction
Distribution systems are the networks that transport the electric energy from bulk substation to many

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Vol 3, No 1, 2012

services or loads, thus causes more power and energy losses. Hence there is a need to reduce the system
losses. By minimizing the power losses, the system may acquire longer life span and has greater reliability.
Loss minimization in distribution systems has assumed greater significance recently since the trend towards
distribution automation will require the most efficient operating scenario for economic viability. Studies
have indicated that as much as 13% of total power generated is consumed I2R as losses at the distribution
level. Reactive currents account for a portion of these losses. However, the losses produced by reactive
currents can be reduced by the installation of shunt capacitors. Effective capacitor installation can also
release additional KVA capacity from distribution apparatus and improve the system voltage profile.
Reactive power compensation plays an important role in the planning of an electrical system. As
Distribution Systems are growing large and being stretched too far, leading to higher system losses and
poor voltage regulation, the need for an efficient and effective distribution system has therefore become
more urgent and important. In this regard, Capacitor banks are added on Radial Distribution system for
Power Factor Correction, Loss Reduction and Voltage profile improvement. Therefore it is important to
find optimal location and sizes of capacitors required to minimize feeder losses.

2. Problem Formulation
The capacitor placement problem is the determination of the location, number, type and sizes of capacitors
to be placed on a radial distribution system in an optimal manner. The objective is to reduce the energy
losses and peak power losses on the system while striving to minimize the cost of capacitors in the system.
The optimum location for the capacitors is determined such that it minimizes the power losses and reduces
the overall cost of the distribution system under study. The capacitor-allocation problem has been solved by
Plant Growth Simulation algorithm and tests are done on standard 33 bus and 34-bus system. The problem
is formulated as a constrained optimization problem. In this constrained problem the constraint is the
voltage limit i.e. if the voltage magnitude exceeds specified limit it increases the power loss function. Since
the addition of capacitor at any bus in the distribution system results in voltage magnitude increase,
therefore it becomes imperative to model voltage magnitude as a constraint in the mathematical equation
which is to be optimized. Here line flow limits are taken care by the dedicated distribution load flow
program that calculates the losses.
The cost function (Savings function), that is minimized as a consequence of power loss reduction, is
formulated as:

Where
Kp is cost per Kilowatt-hour (Rs/kWh).
∆P is the total power loss reduction in the system in KW.
Kc cost per Kvar (Rs/Kvar).
Ci is the value of shunt capacitor at the ith bus in Kvar.
T is the time in Hrs.
The first term in cost function indicates savings due to power loss reduction i.e. Rs/Hr saved and
second term stands for total capacitor cost. Optimum capacitor allocation reduces the losses but at the same
time capacitor cost increases drastically as the number of capacitors are increased. But since it is assumed
that capacitor cost is one time investment the payback period can be easily calculated.

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3. Sensitivity Analysis and Loss Sensitivity Factors

A Sensitivity Analysis is used to determine the candidate nodes for the placement of capacitors using Loss
Sensitivity Factors. The estimation of these candidate nodes basically helps in reduction of the search space
for the optimization procedure. The sensitivity analysis is a systematic procedure to select those locations
which have maximum impact on the system real power losses, with respect to the nodal reactive power.
Loss Sensitivity Factors can be obtained as

Where
Qeff [q] = Total effective reactive power supplied beyond the node ‘q’.
Plineloss=Active Power loss of the kth line.
R[k] =Resistance of the kth line.
V[q] =Voltage at node’q’.
∂Ploss/∂Q = Loss Sensitivity Factor.
Sensitivity factors decide the sequence in which buses are to be considered for compensation
placement. The node with the highest sensitivity factor is the first to be compensated with capacitor.

4. Solution Methodologies

1 I(1) 2 I(2) 3 4 I(nb) nb
R(1)+j*Q(1) R(2)+jQ(2 R(3)+jQ(3) R(nb-1)+jQ(nb-1)
P(2)+j*Q(2) P(3)+j*Q(3) P(4)+j*Q(4) P(nb)+j*Q(nb)
.

Fig 1. Radial main feeder

|V(1)| I(1) |V(2)|
1 2
R (1) +j*X (1)
P (2)+j*Q(2)

Fig 2.Electrical equivalent of fig 1
Consider a distribution system consisting of a radial main feeder only. The one line diagram of such a
feeder comprising n nodes and n-1 branches is shown in Fig. 2. From Fig.2 and 3, the following equations
can be written

_________________________ (1)

P(2)-j*Q(2) =V*(2)I(1) _______________________ (2)

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From eqns. 1 and 2 we have

|V(2)|=[{P(2)R(1)+Q(2)X(1)-0.5|V(1)|2)2-- (R2(1)+X2(1))(P2(2)+Q2(2))}1/2
-(P(2)R(1)+Q(2)X(1)-0.5|V(1)|2)]1/2 ________________ (3)
Eqn. 3 can be written in generalized form
|V(i+1)|=[{P(i+1)R(i)+Q(i+1)X(i)-0.5|V(i)|2)2 - (R2(i)+X2(i))(P2(i+1)+Q2(i+1))}1/2
-(P(i+1)R(i)+Q(i+1)X(i)-0.5|V(i)|2)]1/2 _____________________ (4)

Eqn. 4 is a recursive relation of voltage magnitude. Since the substation voltage magnitude |V(1)| is
known, it is possible to find out voltage magnitude of all other nodes. From Fig. 2.2 the total real and
reactive power load fed through node 2 are given by

P (2) = + __________________________________ (5)
Q (2) = +

It is clear that total load fed through node 2 itself plus the load of all other nodes plus the losses of all
branches except branch 1.

LP(1)=(R(1)*[P2(2)+Q2(2)])/(|V(2)|2) _____________________________ (6)
LQ (1) =(X (1)*[P2 (2) +Q2 (2)])/ (|V (2) |2)
Eqn. 5 can be written in generalized form
P (i+1) = + for i=1, 2… nb-1 _________________ (7)
Q (i+1) = + for i=1, 2… nb-1
Eqn. 6 can also be written in generalized form

LP (i) =(R (i)*[P2 (i+1) +Q2 (i+1)])/ (|V (i+1) |2) ______________________________ (8)
LQ (1) =(X (i)*[P2 (i+1) +Q2 (i+1)])/ (|V (i+1) |2)

Initially, if LP (i+1) and LQ (i+1) are set to zero for all I, then the initial estimates of P (i+1) and
Q (i+1) will be
P (i+1) = for i=1, 2… NB-1 ______________________________ (9)
Q (i+1) = for i=1, 2… NB-1
Eqn. 9 is a very good initial estimate for obtaining the load flow solution of the proposed method.
The convergence criteria of this method is that if the difference of real and reactive power losses in
successive iterations in each branch is less than 1 watt and 1 var, respectively, the solution has converged
5. Plant Growth Simulation Algorithm
The plant growth simulation algorithm characterizes the growth mechanism of plant phototropism, is a
bionic random algorithm. It looks at the feasible region of integer programming as the growth environment
of a plant and determines the probabilities to grow a new branch on different nodes of a plant according to
the change of the objective function, and then makes the model, which simulates the growth process the
growth process of a plant, rapidly grow towards the light source i.e; global optimum solution.

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5.1Growth Laws of a Plant
a) In the growth process of a plant, the higher the morphactin concentration of a node, the greater the
probability to grow a new branch on the node.
b) The morphactin concentration of any node on a plant is not given beforehand and is not fixed. It is
determined by the environmental information of a node depends on its relative position on the plant. The
morphactin concentrations of all nodes of a plant are allowed again according to the new environment
information after it grows a new branch.
5.2Probability Model of Plant Growth
Probability model is established by simulating the growth process of a plant phototropism. In the model, a
function g(Y) is introduced for describing the environment of the node Y on a plant. The smaller the value
of g(Y), the better the environment of the node Y for growing a new branch. The main outline of the model
is as follows: A plant grows a trunk M, from its root Bo . Assuming there are k nodes BM1, BM2 ,BM3,….BMK
that have better environment than the root BO on the trunk M , which means the function g(Y) of the nodes
and satisfy g(BMi) < g(Bo) then morphactin concentrations CM1,CM2,….CMk of nodes BM1, BM2
,BM3,….BMK are calculated using
CMi= (g(Bo)- g(BMi))/∆1 (i=1,2,3,…k) --------------------- ----------------- (5.1)
Where ∆1=

Fig 3: morphactin concentration state space
The significance of (1) is that the morphactin concentration of a node is not dependent on its
environmental information but also depends on the environmental information of the other nodes in the
plant, which really describes the relationship between the morphactin concentration and the environment.
From (1), we can derivate ∑ CMi=1, of the nodes form a state space shown in Fig. 4.1. Selecting a random
number β in the interval [0, 1] and will drop into one of CM1, CM2, ….CMk in Fig. 2, then the corresponding
node that is called the preferential growth node will take priority of growing a new branch in the next step.
In other words, BMT will take priority of growing a new branch if the selected β satisfies 0 ≤ β≤ .
(T=1) or ≤ β≤ (T=2, 3,4,5…k) .For example, if random number β drops into CM2 ,
which means ≤ β≤ then the node BM2 will grow a new branch m . Assuming there are
q nodes, which have better environment than the root BO, on the branch m, and their corresponding
morphactin concentrations are Cm1, Cm2,.Cmq. Now, not only the morphactin concentrations of the nodes
on branch m, need to be calculated, but also the morphactin concentrations of the nodes except BM2 (the
morphactin concentration of the node becomes zero after it growing the branch ) on trunk need to be
recalculated after growing the branch . The calculation can be done using (4.2), which is gained from (4.1)
by adding the related terms of the nodes on branch m and abandoning the related terms of the node BM2
CMi= (g(Bo)- g(BMi))/(∆1+ ∆2) (i=1,2,3,…k)
CMj= (g(Bo)- g(BMj))/(∆1+ ∆2) (j=1,2,3….q) (4.2)
Where ∆1=
Where ∆2=
We can also derivate + =1 from(10). Now, the morphactin concentrations of
the nodes (except BM2) on trunk M and branch m will form a new state space.

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Vol 3, No 1, 2012

A new preferential growth node, on which a new branch will grow in the next step, can be gained in a
similar way as BM2.
Such process is repeated until there is no new branch to grow, and then a plant is formed.
From the viewpoint of optimal mathematics, the nodes on a plant can express the possible solutions; g(Y)
can express the objective function; the length of the trunk and the branch can express the search domain of
possible solutions; the root of a plant can express the initial solution. The preferential growth node
corresponds to the basic point of the next searching process. In this way, the growth process of plant
phototropism can be applied to solve the problem of integer programming.

5.3 Algorithm for Capacitor Placement
1. Read System Data
2. Let assume some range of capacitor ratings i.e.,kvar, take it as initial solution xo, which
corresponds to the root of the plant
3. Run load flow for radial distribution system and calculate the initial objective function(power loss)
f(Xo)
4. Identify the candidate buses for placement of capacitors using Loss Sensitivity Factors.
5. Let Xb be initial preferential growth node of a plant, and the initial value of optimization Xbest
equal to Xo.
6. Let iteration count N=1;
7. Search for new feasible solutions: place kvar at sensitive nodes in a sequence starting from basic point
Xb=[X1b,X2b,….Xib,……..Xnb].
Xb corresponds to the initial kvar.
8.For the found every possible solution Xp, carry out the check of node voltage constraints and branch
power. Abandon the possible solution Xp if it does not satisfy the constraints, otherwise calculate powerloss
i.e; objetive function f(Xp) and compare with f(Xo). Save the feasible solutions if f(Xp) less than f(Xo);if no
single feasible solution does not satisfy f(Xp) < f(Xo) go to step11
9.Calculate the probabilities C1, C2,…. Ck of feasible solutions X1,X2,….Xk, by using
= (i=1, 2……, k)

(g ( )-g ( ))
which corresponds to determining the morphactin concentration of the nodes of a plant.
10.Calculate the accumulating probabilities ∑C1, ∑C2,…. ∑Ck of the solutions X1,X2,….Xk. select a
random number βfrom the interval [0 1], β must belong to one of the intervals [0 ∑C1], (∑C1, ∑ C2],
….,(∑Ck-1, ∑ Ck], the accumulating probability of which is equal to the upper limit of the corresponding
interval,will be the new basic point for the next iteration ,which corresponds to the new preferential growth
node of a plant for next step, and go to step6. N>Nmax is the stopping criteria, where Nmax is a given
allowable consecutive iteration number, the choice of Nmax depends on the size and difficulty of the
problem. If stopping criteria is satisfied go to next step, otherwise increase iteration count N and go to
step6.
11.Save the new feasible solution, which corresponds final solution;

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Vol 3, No 1, 2012

6. Simulation Results
The proposed method is tested on standard 33 bus system. Figure 3 shows the single line diagram of a 33
bus distribution system
6.1 Results of Standard 33 bus Distribution System:

23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

19 20 21 22

Fig.4.standard 33 bus system

Before Compensation After Compensation

Loss (kilowatts) 202.66 135.4

Minimum Voltage(P.U) 0.9131 0.9443

kvar 0 1870

Table.1 Power loss before and after compensation for 33 bus system

Table.2 Voltage profile of 33-node radial distribution system

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Node No. Voltage Before Compensation Voltage After Compensation using PGSA

1 1.0000 1.0000
2 0.9970 0.9976
3 0.9829 0.9868
4 0.9755 0.9817
5 0.9681 0.9768
6 0.9497 0.9673
7 0.9462 0.9673
8 0.9413 0.9636
9 0.9351 0.9608
10 0.9293 0.9576
11 0.9284 0.9569
12 0.9269 0.9556
13 0.9208 0.9510
14 0.9185 0.9496
15 0.9171 0.9482
16 0.9157 0.9469
17 0.9137 0.9449
18 0.9131 0.9444
19 0.9965 0.9971
20 0.9929 0.9935
21 0.9922 0.9928
22 0.9916 0.9922
23 0.9794 0.9832
24 0.9727 0.9765
25 0.9694 0.9732
26 0.9477 0.9661
27 0.9452 0.9646
28 0.9337 0.9587
29 0.9255 0.9539
30 0.9220 0.9513
31 0.9178 0.9494
32 0.9169 0.9489
33 0.9166 0.9487

6.2 Results of Standard 34 bus Distribution System;
The proposed method is tested on standard 34 bus system. Figure shows the single line diagram of a 34 bus
distribution system.

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Vol 3, No 1, 2012

Fig.5.standard 34 bus system

Table.3 Power loss before and after compensation for 34 bus system

Before Compensation After
Compensation
Loss (kilowatts) 221.67 168.7

Minimum Voltage(P.U) 0.9416 0.9497

kvar 0 1940

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Node No. Voltage Before Compensation Voltage After Compensation using PGSA

1 1.0000 1.0000
2 0.9941 0.9949
3 0.9890 0.9906
4 0.9821 0.9844
5 0.9761 0.9791
6 0.9704 0.9742
7 0.9666 0.9704
8 0.9645 0.9683
9 0.9620 0.9658
10 0.9608 0.9647
11 0.9604 0.9642
12 0.9602 0.9641
13 0.9887 0.9902
14 0.9884 0.9899
15 0.9883 0.9898
16 0.9883 0.9898
17 0.9660 0.9706
18 0.9622 0.9677
19 0.9582 0.9644
20 0.9549 0.9619
21 0.9520 0.9593
22 0.9487 0.9564
23 0.9460 0.9540
24 0.9435 0.9515
25 0.9423 0.9503
26 0.9418 0.9498
27 0.9417 0.9497
28 0.9663 0.9701
29 0.9660 0.9698
30 0.9659 0.96970
31 0.9605 0.9643
32 0.9602 0.9640
33 0.9600 0.9638
34 0.9599 0.9638
Table.4 Voltage profile of 34-node radial distribution system

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Vol 3, No 1, 2012

7. Conclusion
A Plant Growth Simulation Algorithm is a new and efficient method for the optimization of power
distribution systems, where the objective is to minimize the total real power loss. The simulation results
based on a 33-bus system and a 34-bus system have produced the best solutions that have been found using
a number of approaches available in the technical literature.
The advantages of PGSA over other approaches are:
1) The proposed approach handles the objective function and the constraints separately, avoiding the
trouble to determine the barrier factors.
2) It does not require any external parameters such as crossover rate and mutation rate in genetic algorithm;
Two algorithms are tested for 33 bus and 34 bus systems and observed that PGSA is much faster
and accurate compared to genetic algorithm. The PGSA method places capacitors at less number of
locations with optimum sizes and offers much saving in initial investment and regular maintenance.
References
Chun Wang and Hao Zhong Cheng (2008), “Reactive power optimization by plant growth simulation
algorithm,” IEEE Trans. on Power Systems, Vol.23, No.1, pp. 119-126, Feb.
Ji-Pyng Chiou, Chung-Fu Chang and Ching-Tzong Su (2006) “Capacitor placement in large scale
distribution system using variable scaling hybrid differential evolution,” Electric Power and Energy
Systems, vol.28, pp.739-745.
Chun Wang, H. Z. Chengand L. Z Yao (2008), “Optimization of network reconfiguration in large
distribution systems using plant growth simulation algorithm,” DRPT 2008 Conference, Nanjing, China,
pp.771-774, 6-9, April.
J.J .Grainger and S.H Lee (1982), “Capacitor release by shunt capacitor placement on Distribution Feeders:
A new Voltage –Dependent Model,” IEEE Trans .PAS, pp 1236-1243 May.
M. E Baran and F. F. Wu (1989), “Optimal Sizing of Capacitors Placed on a Radial Distribution System”,
IEEE Trans. Power Delivery, vol. no.1,, Jan.
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Trans. Power Delivery, vol. 4, no.1, pp. 725-734, Jan.
N. I. Santoso, O. T. Tan (1990), “Neural- Net Based Real- Time Control of Capacitors Installed on
Distribution Systems,” IEEE Trans. Power Delivery, vol. PAS-5, no.1,, Jan.
M. Kaplan (1984), "Optimization of Number, Location, Size, Control Type and Control Setting Shunt
Capacitors on Radial Distribution Feeder", IEEETrans. On Power Apparatus and System, Vol.103, No.9,
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S.Anil Kumar was born in India in 1986. He received his B.Tech in Electrical & Electronics Engineering
from J.N.T.U, Hyderabad in 2007. He is pursuing his Master of Technology in Electrical power systems
from J.N.T.U, Anantapur. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Electrical and Electronics
Engineering Department at G.Pulla Reddy Engineering College, Kurnool. His Research interests include
electric power distribution systems, HVDC, FACTS and Power system operation and control.
K.Jitendra Goud was born in India in 1980. He received his B.Tech in Electrical & Electronics
Engineering from J.N.T.U, Hyderabad in 2002. He received his Master of Technology in High Voltage
Engineering from J.N.T.U, Hyderabad in 2006. He is pursuing his Ph.D in J.N.T.U, Kakinada.He is
currently working as an Assistant Professor in Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department at
J.N.T.U, Anantapur. His Research interests include High Voltage Engineering, electric power distribution
systems, HVDC, FACTS and Power system operation and control.

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Power loss reduction in radial distribution system by using plant growth simulation algorithm

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