A Novel Partial Search Based Technique for Optimal Shunt Capacitors Placement and Sizing in Radial Distribution Systems

Abstract

This paper presents a new partial search based approach for solving the radial distribution systems’ optimal shunt capacitors placement and sizing problem. The approach is based on a recent metaheuristic technique, the Multi-Verse Optimizer and the Modified Loss Sensitivity Factors. Just as in other existing approaches, the MLSFs are firstly used to generate the search space for optimal buses for shunt capacitors placement. Thereafter, the Multi-Verse Optimizer is used to determine most optimal buses from the generated search space as well as the corresponding optimal shunt capacitor sizes. To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed approach, simulations have been carried out on the 33 and 69 bus radial distribution systems. However, this paper only reports on simulation results for the 69 bus radial distribution system. These results show that the developed approach gives better results in terms of real and reactive power losses reduction as well as the overall cost of real power losses and shunt capacitors purchase. Additionally, the developed approach also helps in reducing the search space but then still gives accurate solutions just like the exhaustive search. Keywords—Capacitor Placement, Modified Loss Sensitivity Factors, Multi-Verse Optimizer, Radial Distribution Systems, Search Space Reduction.