OPTIMAL CAPACITOR PLACEMENT FOR POWER LOSS REDUCTION ON DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Abstract
Electrical and Electronic equipments are designed to operate on specified voltage and frequency. This objective may not be realized when there is supply-demand power imbalance, with heavy power loss on the distribution system being one of the identified major causes. Power distribution system in Nigeria is characterized high power loss which consequently leads to poor quality of electric power reaching consumers. One of the identified problems has been the abnormal excessive loadings on the distribution feeders. The paper considered a novel approach to minimize power loss on the radial distribution systems. The work considered maximum loadings on each node of the distribution feeders when estimating power loss.. Further reduction in power loss was expected when optimal size and location of the shunt capacitor were determined on the considered feeder nodes. carried out on feeder nodes. From the derived basic power equations, an algorithms coded with Visual Basic Net was developed to provide simple and flexible task in determining optimal capacitor sizing and its placement on the distribution feeder that would achieve minimum power loss. The power loss before and after placing shunt capacitor optimally were determined for each feeder. Using the electric power distribution system of Ilorin, three of the distribution feeders were used as a case study, to estimate the power losses, by considering 50mm2, 80mm2, 100mm2 and 150mm2 ASCR cables. Using the developed algorithm, the appropriate node location for shunt capacitors to further reduce power loss was done. The results from the analysis showed that the considerable amount of energy can be saved by electricity utilities when the adoption of the shunt capacitor is considered on the primary distribution.
