Semi-Definite Programming Based Scalable and Accurate Optimal Power Flow Models for Radial Distribution Networks
Md Shamim Hasan, Md Mahmud-Ul-Tarik Chowdhury, Biswajit Dipan Biswas, Sukumar Kamalasadan
Abstract
With high integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), modern distribution networks are subject to optimal power flow (OPF) analysis. Conventional non-linear and linear OPF models suffer from either infeasibility or inaccuracy for large networks, and global optimality is not guaranteed. Addressing computational infeasibility and non-convexity for DERs integrated distribution networks, this article presents a novel approach for OPF analysis employing semi-definite programming (SDP). For the proposed SDP-OPF model, network power flow relations utilize a bus injection model (BIM) for single-phase networks and a branch flow model (BFM) for multi-phased unbalanced power distribution networks. The exactness and the global optimality of the proposed SDP-OPF model are illustrated in this article. The proposed models' performance is evaluated in multiple standard power distribution test cases with a wide range of DER integration. The simulation results are compared with a nonlinear programming (NLP) based and a second order cone programming (SOCP) based OPF models. The comparison and the result analysis demonstrate that the proposed approach yields a more robust solution with improved convergence and accuracy.