A Knowledge-Based System for Network Radiality in a Power Distribution System

The radial distribution system is the most commonly used power distribution system, but lacks reliability because there is only one power source for a group of customers. A knowledge-based system is defined that ensures network radiality during reconfiguration of a power distribution system. Network radiality heuristics identify a pair of switching operations that will preserve radiality. A line section table specifies the line section identifier, start bus, end bus, and line section type for each line section in the network. A bus table identifies the line section that supplies the bus and those line sections that are fed by the bus for each bus in the network. A matrix-structured knowledge base with four distinct rule bases is used. Rule base A is used in considering whether to open a switch and rule base B is used during a breadth first search in finding a corresponding initially open switch to close to assume the load transfer that would be necessitated by the switch opening. Rule base C is used in considering whether to close a switch and rule base D is used during a breadth first search in finding a corresponding initially closed switch to open because of a load transfer that would be necessitated by the switch closing, In the interest of brevity, only rule bases A and B are described. The line section and bus tables must be updated after any switching operations are enacted. Extensive simulations of the knowledge-based system revealed that a solution was found in a time-efficient manner. This knowledge-based system can be used to preserve radiality during optimization of power distribution system operations for different objectives.