Efficient Representations of Radiality Constraints in Optimization of Islanding and De-Energization in Distribution Grids

TL;DR

This paper introduces two novel formulations for efficiently enforcing radiality constraints in power distribution network optimization, enabling better handling of islanded and partially energized topologies with reduced computational complexity.

Contribution

The paper presents two new formulations that improve the efficiency of enforcing radiality constraints in distribution grid optimization, especially for islanded and partially energized networks.

Findings

Reduced number of variables and constraints in the first formulation.

Iterative approach limits the number of loop-disallowing constraints.

Enhanced capability to optimize network topologies with partial energization.

Abstract

Optimization of power distribution system topology is complicated by the requirement that the system be operated in a radial configuration. In this paper, we discuss existing methods for enforcing radiality constraints and introduce two new formulations that enable optimization over partially energized or islanded network topologies. The first builds on methods that use so-called parent-child constraints, but enforces those constraints on an abstracted network which enables an equivalent formulation with significantly less variables and constraints. The second formulation builds on existing approaches which directly generate constraints disallowing loops, and through an iterative approach seeks to limit the number of these constraints which must be enforced.