Multiobjective Optimization of Capacitor Banks Placement in Distribution Networks Using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Differential Evolution (DE)

Jacquot RASAMIMANANA, Liva Graffin RAKOTOARIMANANA, Fabien Vonjitina RANDRIAMBOLOLONA, Zely Arivelo RANDRIAMANANTANY

Abstract


Reactive power flow compensation is widely employed in power grids to reduce active power losses and enhance the Voltage Stability Margin (VSM). Typically, the optimal placement of capacitor banks at each node can be determined using multi-objective optimization methods. This paper proposes a new optimization algorithm in which the objective function simultaneously considers the minimization of power losses and the maximization of voltage stability margin. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Differential Evolution (DE) are applied to find the optimal solution. The performance of these methods is evaluated on both radial and meshed network configurations. The results demonstrate that DE and PSO show higher robustness and better fitness for large-scale and meshed networks, compared to Genetic Algorithms (GA).

Keywords


Power grid, Multiobjective optimization, Particle Swarm Optimization and Differential Evolution (DE), Active power losses, Voltages Stability Margin

Full Text:

PDF

References


M. H. Haque, "Capacitor placement in radial distribution systems for loss reduction," International Journal of Science and Technology, vol. 146, no. 5, pp. 501-505, 1999.

A. Pourshafie et al., "Optimal reactive power compensation in a deregulated distribution network," in Proceedings of the 44th International Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC), Sept. 2009, pp. 1-6.

A. M. Sharaf and A. El-Gammal, "A multiobjective multi-stage particle swarm optimization MOPSO search scheme for power quality and loss reduction on radial distribution system," in International Conference on Renewable Energy and Power Quality (ICREPQ'09), Valencia, Apr. 2009.

M. Hadi et al., "Optimal Placement with Different Number of Capacitor Banks for Voltage Profile Improvement and Loss Reduction based on Simulated Annealing," IJCT, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 390-394, 2011.

S. Medeiro, "Simultaneous capacitor placement and reconfiguration for loss reduction in distribution networks by a hybrid genetic algorithm," in IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC), June 2011, pp. 2178-2185.

M. H. Haque, "A Linear Static Voltage Stability Margin for Radial Distribution Systems," in IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting, Montreal, Oct. 2006.

University of Washington, "Power Systems Test Case Archive," [Online]. Available: http://www.ee.washington.edu/research/pstca. [Accessed: 19-Dec-2025].

RANDRIAMBOLOLONA F. V., RAKOTOARIMANANA L. G., and RANDRIAMANANTANY Z. A., "Influencing factors on losses in electric power distribution," in Proceedings of the HEPMAD 2017 Conference, 2017.

RAKOTOARIMANANA L. G., G. Mihai, and O. Ovidiu, "Multiobjective Optimization of Capacitor Banks Placement in Distribution Networks," in Latest Advances in Information Science, Circuits and Systems, WSEAS, 2012.

L. Al-Bahrani, M. Al-Kaabi, and J. Al Hasheme, "Solving Optimal Power Flow Problem Using Improved Differential Evolution Algorithm," International Journal of Electronic Engineering & Telecommunications, vol. 11, no. 2, March 2022.

R. Muthukumar and K. Thanushkodi, "Opposition Based Differential Evolution Algorithm for Capacitor Placement on Radial Distribution System," Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 45-51, 2014.

L. Al-Bahrani, M. Al-Kaabi, M. Al-Sasdi, and V. Dumbrava, "Optimal power flow based on differential evolution optimization technique," U.P.B. Scientific Bulletin, Series C, vol. 82, no. 1, pp. 378-388, 2020.

M. Bhavani and K. A. Murugan, "Capacitor Placement On Radial Distribution System Using Particle Swarm Optimization," International Journal of Advanced Information Science and Technology (IJAIST), vol. 4, no. 1, January 2015.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v55.2.7792

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Jacquot RASAMIMANANA

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.