DOI:10.35833/MPCE.2022.000425 Reconfiguration of Active Distribution Networks Equipped with Soft Open Points Considering Protection Constraints Page view: 33        Net amount: 99 Author: Ali Azizi, Behrooz Vahidi, Amin Foroughi Nematollahi Author Affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering of the Amirkabir University of Tech‐nology, Tehran, Iran Foundation: Abstract: The purpose of active distribution networks (ADNs) is to provide effective control approaches for enhancing the operation of distribution networks (DNs) and greater accommodation of distributed generation (DG) sources. With the integration of DG sources into DNs, several operational problems have drawn attention such as overvoltage and power flow alteration issues. These problems can be dealt with by utilizing distribution network reconfiguration (DNR) and soft open points (SOPs). An SOP is a power electronic device capable of accurately controlling active and reactive power flows. Another significant aspect often overlooked is the coordination of protection devices needed to keep the network safe from damage. When implementing DNR and SOPs in real DNs, protection constraints must be considered. This paper presents an ADN reconfiguration approach that includes DG sources, SOPs, and protection devices. This approach selects the ideal configuration, DG output, and SOP placement and control by employing particle swarm optimization (PSO) to minimize power loss while ensuring the correct operation of protection devices under normal and fault conditions. The proposed approach explicitly formulates constraints on network operation, protection coordination, DG size, and SOP size. Finally, the proposed approach is evaluated using the standard IEEE 33-bus and IEEE 69-bus networks to demonstrate the validity. Keywords: Distributed generation ; network reconfiguration ; protection system ; soft open point Received:July 18, 2022               Online Time:2023/01/28 View Full Text       Download reader