Modified dynamic voltage and reactive power control of AC power distribution networks
An electrical power distribution system configured to automatically regulate one or more Voltage/VAR control devices for optimization of one or more user defined metrics in an alternating current (AC) electrical power distribution system that includes one or more power distribution lines configured to transmit AC electrical power between a substation and a plurality of loads, each power distribution line including one or more Voltage/VAR control devices configured to regulate voltage and reactive power of the AC electrical power on the power distribution line according to an operational setting for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices and one or more sensors configured to sense a sensed quality of the AC electrical power on the one or more power distribution lines with at least one communication network communicating with the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices and the one or more sensors.
1 . An electrical power distribution control system configured to automatically regulate one or more voltage/volt-ampere reactive (Voltage/VAR) control devices for optimization of one or more user defined metrics in an alternating current (AC) electrical power distribution system that includes one or more power distribution lines configured to transmit AC electrical power between a substation and a plurality of loads, each power distribution line including one or more Voltage/VAR control devices configured to regulate voltage and VAR of the AC electrical power on the power distribution line according to an operational setting for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices and one or more sensors configured to sense a sensed quality of the AC electrical power on the one or more power distribution lines with at least one communication network communicating with the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices and the one or more sensors, the electrical power distribution control system comprising:
a controller operably connected to the at least one communication network and configured to:
dynamically update a model of the one or more power distribution lines with the sensed quality of AC electrical power;
utilize the model to dynamically modify a set of optimal operational settings for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices for a next period of operation based on: (i) an estimated set of operational parameters for the next period of operation as determined by the model for the one or more power distribution lines as a function of one or more user defined metrics, the one or more user defined metrics comprising a minimization of switching operations of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices; and (ii) a historical set of the optimal operational settings for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices for one or more previous periods of operation; and
communicate control signals to the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices to implement the set of optimal operational settings, and wherein modification of the set of optimal operational settings is based an anticipated change in one or more user defined metrics both during and after a proposed change in the set of optimal operational settings.
2 . The electrical power distribution control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user defined metrics include at least one of minimization of transmitted volt-ampere reactive (VAR), decreases in power losses, maximization of conservation voltage reduction (CVR) gain, maximization of distributed energy resource (DER) penetration, and regulation of voltage of the AC electrical power within American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards.
3 . The electrical power distribution control system of claim 1 , wherein each period of operation is between five minutes and fifteen minutes.
4 . The electrical power distribution control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller utilizes one or more set of candidate optimal operational settings from a discrete pool of candidate optimal operational settings to reduce a number of calculations necessary for the determination of the set of optimal operational settings.
5 . The electrical power distribution control system of claim 4 , wherein the controller randomly selects the one or more set of candidate optimal operational settings from the discrete pool of candidate optimal operational settings as a starting point.
6 . The electrical power distribution control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller randomly selects a first voltage/volt-ampere reactive (Voltage/VAR) control device to consider from the one or more voltage/VAR control devices as a starting point.
7 . The electrical power distribution control system of claim 1 , wherein the control signals communicated to the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices include control signals for at least one of a load tap changer, a voltage regulator, and a capacitor bank.
8 . The electrical power distribution control system of claim 1 , wherein the sensed quality of AC electrical power used to update the model includes at least one of a bus voltage, a total real power, a total reactive power, a power loss, and a feeder head power factor.
9 . An electrical power distribution system controller comprising:
a model of one or more power distribution lines, each power distribution line including one or more voltage/volt-ampere reactive (Voltage/VAR) control devices configured to regulate voltage and reactive power of AC electrical power on the power distribution line according to an operational setting for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices;
a processor configured to dynamically update the model of the one or more power distribution lines with a sensed quality of the AC electrical power, utilize the model to dynamically modify a set of optimal operational settings for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices for a next period of operation based on both an estimated set of operational parameters for the next period of operation as determined by the model for the one or more power distribution lines as a function of one or more user defined metrics and a historical set of the optimal operational settings for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices for one or more previous periods of operation, wherein the one or more user defined metrics comprises a minimization of switching operations of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices, and wherein modification of the set of optimal operational settings is based an anticipated change in one or more user defined metrics both during and after a proposed change in the set of optimal operational settings; and
a communication module configured to communicate control signals to the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices to implement the set of optimal operational settings.
10 . A method comprising:
sensing a quality of AC electrical power on one or more power distribution lines;
updating a model of the one or more power distribution lines with the sensed quality of AC electrical power;
utilizing the model to dynamically modify a set of optimal operational settings for each of one or more voltage/volt-ampere reactive (voltage/VAR) control devices for a next period of operation based on both an estimated set of operational parameters for the next period of operation as determined by the model for the one or more power distribution lines as a function of one or more user defined metrics and a historical set of the optimal operational settings for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices for one or more previous periods of operation; and
communicating control signals to the one or more voltage/VAR control devices to implement the set of optimal operational settings,
wherein utilizing the model to dynamically modify the set of optimal operational settings for each of the one or more voltage/VAR control devices is based an anticipated change in one or more user defined metrics both during and after a proposed change in the set of optimal operational settings.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the user defined metrics include at least one of minimization of transmitted volt-ampere reactive (VAR), decreases in power losses, maximization of conservation voltage reduction (CVR) gain, maximization of distributed energy resource (DER) penetration, regulation of voltage of transmitted electrical power within American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards, and minimization of unnecessary switching of the one or more voltage/VAR control devices.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each period of operation is between five minutes and fifteen minutes.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising utilizing one or more set of candidate optimal operational settings pulled from a discrete pool of candidate optimal operational settings to reduce a number of calculations necessary for the determination of optimal operational settings.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising randomly selecting the one or more set of candidate optimal operational settings from the discrete pool of candidate optimal operational settings as a starting point.
15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising randomly selecting a first voltage/volt-ampere reactive (Voltage/VAR) control device to consider from the one or more voltage/VAR control devices as a starting point.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the control signals communicated to the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices include signals for at least one of a load tap changer, voltage regulator and capacitor bank.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensed quality of AC electrical power used to update the model includes at least one of a bus voltage, a total real power, a total reactive power, a power loss, and a feeder head power factor.
18 . An electrical power distribution system controller comprising:
a model of one or more power distribution lines, each power distribution line including one or more voltage/volt-ampere reactive (Voltage/VAR) control devices configured to regulate voltage and reactive power of AC electrical power on the power distribution line according to an operational setting for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices;
a processor configured to dynamically update the model of the one or more power distribution lines with a sensed quality of the AC electrical power, utilize the model to dynamically modify a set of optimal operational settings for each of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices for a next period of operation based on both an estimated set of operational parameters for the next period of operation as determined by the model for the one or more power distribution lines as a function of one or more user defined metrics and a historical set of operational settings for one or more previous periods of operation; and
a communication module configured to communicate control signals to the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices to implement the set of optimal operational settings, wherein modification of the set of optimal operational settings is based an anticipated change in one or more user defined metrics both during and after a proposed change in the set of optimal operational settings.
19 . The electrical power distribution system controller of claim 18 , wherein the one or more user defined metrics comprises at least one of minimization of transmitted volt-ampere reactive (VAR), decreases in power losses, maximization of conservation voltage reduction (CVR) gain, maximization of distributed energy resource (DER) penetration, regulation of voltage of the AC electrical power within American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards, and minimization of unnecessary switching of the one or more Voltage/VAR control devices.