Optimal sizing and siting of shunt capacitor banks by a new improved differential evolutionary algorithm

In this context, a novel structure is proposed for differential evolutionary algorithm (DEA) to compensate reactive power by optimal siting and sizing capacitor (OSSC) in radial distribution systems (RDSs). DEA is among the evolutionary algorithms (EAs) which uses crossover, mutation and selection operators to obtain optimal solution from initial population. In proposed improved DEA (iDEA), two scenarios for mutation operator is defined. Other improvement is self-adapting crossover rate. Main goal of shunt capacitor in RDS is minimizing annual cost, while in this work, in addition to annual cost, five other parameters are studied and analyzed, which are: total installed capacitor banks and its related cost, power loss and related cost as well as minimum voltage. To verify the ability of proposed technique, iDEA is tested on standard RDSs (i.e. IEEE 10-bus and 33-bus) and compared with other well-developed techniques. Also, to confirm robustness of iDEA to be utilized in practical cases, three load levels are defined and iDEA applied on practical RDS of Meshkin-shahr City in North West of Iran. Copyright (C) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.