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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Energy Res.
Sec. Smart Grids
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2024.1325477
This article is part of the Research Topic Advanced Operation and Control of Distributed and Grid-Scale Energy Storage in Modern Low-Voltage Power Systems View all 10 articles

Siting and Capacity Configurations of Static Transfer Switches for Three-Phase Unbalance Governance in Rural Distribution Networks: A Bi-level Optimization Programme

Provisionally accepted
Jiguo Zhang Jiguo Zhang 1Keyin Jia Keyin Jia 1Jun Feng Jun Feng 1Chenggang Hao Chenggang Hao 1Shiyang Zheng Shiyang Zheng 1Junyan Shao Junyan Shao 2*Houhe Chen Houhe Chen 2
  • 1 State grid siping Electric Power Co. ltd, Siping, China
  • 2 Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin, Jilin Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Distributed Static Transfer Switch (STS) unlocks the potential to mitigate three-phase unbalances via the regulation of the load phase sequence within the system. However, the conventional solution is an unwise operation with high investment and inefficiency, constraining the deployment at scale. To address these challenges, this paper develops an innovative solution for the siting and capacity optimization of STS in rural distribution networks incorporating photovoltaic and energy storage systems (PESS). This optimization process is abstracted as a bi-level model of the strategy. Firstly, we develop an optimization upper-layer highlight on minimizing investment and maintenance costs for STS, taking into account branch loss reduction and three-phase unbalance mitigation. Secondly, we formulate a lower-layer optimization model with the mission of minimizing the three-phase unbalance in daily operation within the rural distribution network, taking into account the participation of PESS. Thirdly, the hyperparameter alternating iteration (HAI) method is leveraged to calculate the bi-level optimal planning and operation model, iteratively refining the STS planning solution. Finally, we present an illustrative case study of a three-phase distribution system via the IEEE-13 benchmark. The results demonstrate that the proposed bi-level optimization model effectively mitigated three-phase unbalance in rural distribution networks and minimized the planning cost for STS, thus offering a more cost-effective and efficient solution.

    Keywords: Three-phase unbalance, static phase-change switches, siting and capacity optimization, Rural distribution networks, hyperparameter alternating iteration

    Received: 21 Oct 2023; Accepted: 04 Mar 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Jia, Feng, Hao, Zheng, Shao and Chen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Junyan Shao, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin, 132012, Jilin Province, China

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