Sensitivity analysis based optimal location and tuning of static VAR compensator using firefly algorithm

Abstract

This paper presents a new Meta heuristic optimization algorithm called firefly algorithm (FA) used to solve the multi objective optimal power flow to identify the optimal setting of Static VAR Compensator (SVC) and optimal location is identified by using sensitivity analysis when the system is operating under normal and overloaded conditions. Sensitivity analysis based Voltage collapse proximity Index is proposed for placing the SVC at appropriate location under normal and over loaded conditions. Once the location to install SVC is identified, the optimal allocation of SVC is determined through firefly algorithm based A multi-criterion objective function comprising of four objectives minimize total power loss, minimize total voltage magnitude deviations, minimize the fuel cost of total generation and minimize the branch loading to obtain the optimal power flow. Simulations have been implemented in MATLAB and the IEEE 14-bus, IEEE 30-bus and IEEE 57-bus systems have been used as a case study. The results we have obtained indicate that installing SVC can significantly enhance the voltage stability of power system. Also for the purpose of comparison the proposed technique was compared with another optimization technique namely Genetic Algorithm (GA). The results we have obtained indicate that FA is an easy to use, robust, and powerful optimization technique compared with GA.