arXiv subjects

Steven H. Low

Publications and source records attributed to Steven H. Low.

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Optimal Branch Exchange for Distribution System Reconfiguration

The feeder reconfiguration problem chooses the on/off status of the switches in a distribution network in order to minimize a certain cost such as power loss. It is a mixed integer nonlinear program and hence hard to solve. A popular heuristic search consists of repeated application of branch exchange, where some loads are transferred from one feeder to another feeder while maintaining the radial structure of the network, until no load transfer can further reduce the cost. Optimizing each branch exchange step is itself a mixed integer nonlinear program. In this paper we propose an efficient algorithm for optimizing a branch exchange step. It uses an AC power flow model and is based on the recently developed convex relaxation of optimal power flow. We provide a bound on the gap between the optimal cost and that of our solution. We prove that our algorithm is optimal when the voltage magnitudes are the same at all buses. We illustrate the effectiveness of our algorithm through the simulation of real- world distribution feeders.

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arXiv2013

Exact Convex Relaxation of Optimal Power Flow in Radial Networks

The optimal power flow (OPF) problem determines power generation/demand that minimize a certain objective such as generation cost or power loss. It is nonconvex. We prove that, for radial networks, after shrinking its feasible set slightly, the global optimum of OPF can be recovered via a second-order cone programming (SOCP) relaxation under a condition that can be checked a priori. The condition holds for the IEEE 13-, 34-, 37-, 123-bus networks and two real-world networks, and has a physical interpretation.

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arXiv2013

Exact Convex Relaxation of Optimal Power Flow in Tree Networks

The optimal power flow (OPF) problem seeks to control power generation/demand to optimize certain objectives such as minimizing the generation cost or power loss in the network. It is becoming increasingly important for distribution networks, which are tree networks, due to the emergence of distributed generation and controllable loads. In this paper, we study the OPF problem in tree networks. The OPF problem is nonconvex. We prove that after a "small" modification to the OPF problem, its global optimum can be recovered via a second-order cone programming (SOCP) relaxation, under a "mild" condition that can be checked apriori. Empirical studies justify that the modification to OPF is "small" and that the "mild" condition holds for the IEEE 13-bus distribution network and two real-world networks with high penetration of distributed generation.

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arXiv2013

Branch Flow Model: Relaxations and Convexification (Parts I, II)

We propose a branch flow model for the anal- ysis and optimization of mesh as well as radial networks. The model leads to a new approach to solving optimal power flow (OPF) that consists of two relaxation steps. The first step eliminates the voltage and current angles and the second step approximates the resulting problem by a conic program that can be solved efficiently. For radial networks, we prove that both relaxation steps are always exact, provided there are no upper bounds on loads. For mesh networks, the conic relaxation is always exact but the angle relaxation may not be exact, and we provide a simple way to determine if a relaxed solution is globally optimal. We propose convexification of mesh networks using phase shifters so that OPF for the convexified network can always be solved efficiently for an optimal solution. We prove that convexification requires phase shifters only outside a spanning tree of the network and their placement depends only on network topology, not on power flows, generation, loads, or operating constraints. Part I introduces our branch flow model, explains the two relaxation steps, and proves the conditions for exact relaxation. Part II describes convexification of mesh networks, and presents simulation results.

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arXiv2012

Quadratically constrained quadratic programs on acyclic graphs with application to power flow

This paper proves that non-convex quadratically constrained quadratic programs can be solved in polynomial time when their underlying graph is acyclic, provided the constraints satisfy a certain technical condition. When this condition is not satisfied, we propose a heuristic to obtain a feasible point. We demonstrate this approach on optimal power flow problems over radial networks.

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