• Energy Research

In this paper, two evolutionary algorithms- Invasive Weed Optimization (IWO) based power system stabilizer (PSS) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) based power system stabilizer is designed for multi-machine power system to compare their tuning performances. IWO is a derivative-free real parameter optimization technique that mimics the ecological behavior of colonizing weeds. PSO is also a derivative-free and flexible optimizer which is powered by the behavior of organism, such as bird flocking. Eigen-value based objective function is considered for the tuning of PSSs to enhance system damping of electromechanical mode. The performance of proposed IWO-based PSS and PSO-based PSS is tested and demonstrated under different disturbances for a four machine example power system. The Eigen value analysis and non-linear time domain simulation results shows that both IWO-based PSS and PSO-based design can successfully damp out the oscillations and thus improve the stability of the system. However, the abilities like faster convergence and greater shifting of critical modes to the left of s-plane keeps the choice of IWO based design in front of PSO based design for the system under consideration.

This paper proposes the application of differential evolution (DE) algorithm for the optimal tuning of proportional-integral (PI) controller designed to improve the small signal dynamic response of a stand-alone solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. The small signal model of the study system is derived and considered for the controller design as the target here is to track small variations in SOFC load current. Two PI controllers are incorporated in the feedback loops of hydrogen and oxygen partial pressures with an aim to improve the small signal dynamic responses. The controller design problem is formulated as the minimization of an eigenvalue based objective function where the target is to find out the optimal gains of the PI controllers in such a way that the discrepancy of the obtained and desired eigenvalues are minimized. Eigenvalue and time domain simulations are presented for both open-loop and closed loop systems. To test the efficacy of DE over other optimization tools, the results obtained with DE are compared with those obtained by particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and invasive weed optimization (IWO) algorithm. Three different types of load disturbances are considered for the time domain based results to investigate the performances of different optimizers under different sorts of load variations. Moreover, non-parametric statistical analyses, namely, one sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test and paired sample t test are used to identify the statistical advantage of one optimizer over the other for the problem under study. The presented results suggest the supremacy of DE over PSO and IWO in finding the optimal solution.

The critical challenge for an efficient islanding operation of a distribution system having Distributed Generation (DG) is preserving the frequency and voltage stability. Contemporary load shedding schemes are inefficient and do not adequately assess the optimum amount of load to shed which results in either excessive or inadequate load shedding. Hence, this paper presents an optimal load shedding technique using Chaotic Slime Mould Algorithm (CSMA) with sinusoidal map in order to achieve greater efficiency. A constrained function with static voltage stability margin (VSM) index and total remaining load after load shedding was applied to accomplish the evaluation. A total of three islanding scenarios of IEEE 33 bus and IEEE 69 bus radial distribution systems were used as test systems to assess the efficacy of the proposed load shedding approach using MATLAB software. To identify performance enhancements, the developed method was compared to Backtrack Search Algorithm (BSA) and the original SMA. According to the results, CSMA outperforms both BSA and SMA in terms of remaining load and voltage stability margin index values in all the test systems.

This paper proposes the application of differential evolution (DE) algorithm for the optimal tuning of proportional–integral controller designed to improve the small signal dynamic response of a grid-connected solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. The small signal model of the study system is derived and considered for the controller design as the target here is to track small variations in SOFC load current. The proposed proportional–integral (PI) controllers are incorporated in the feedback loops of hydrogen and oxygen partial pressures, grid current d–q components and dc voltage with an aim to improve the small signal dynamic responses. The controller design problem is formulated as the minimization of an eigenvalue-based objective function where the target is to find out the optimal gains of the PI controllers in such a way that the discrepancy between the obtained and desired eigenvalues is minimized. Eigenvalue and time domain simulations are presented for both open-loop and closed-loop systems. To test the efficacy of DE over other optimization tools, the results obtained with DE are compared with those obtained by particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and invasive weed optimization (IWO) algorithm. Three different types of load disturbances are considered for the time domain-based results to investigate the performances of different optimizers under different sorts of load variations. Moreover, nonparametric statistical analyses, namely one-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) test and paired sample t test, are used to identify the statistical advantage of DE algorithm over the other two. The presented results suggest the supremacy of DE over PSO and IWO in finding the optimal solution.