Software for radial or weakly meshed distribution networks analysis

Abstract The paper presents an algorithm for distribution system analysis. The radial or the weakly meshed operation of the distribution networks is exploited to increase speed and accuracy of calculation of the current flows, of the voltage drops as well as of the power losses at the various segments of a feeder for a given set of typical loads. The algorithm developed is based on a robust power flow method using a multi-port Thevenin equivalent circuit technique and basic formulation of Kirchhoff's laws, and it is implemented with an efficient method to store the network topology using trees and linked lists data structures. The program for this power flow solution scheme was developed on an IBM-PC AT using TURBO-PASCAL Version 5.1 and successfully applied to several real distribution networks. An analytical practical example is presented to illustrate how the program is used as well as the effectiveness of the algorithm.