Graphics Aided Interactive Analysis of Radial Distribution Networks

This paper presents an interactive graphics package for distribution system analysis. The radial operation of the distribution networks is exploited in order to effect a fast and accurate calculation of the power flows, the voltage drops and the power losses at the various segments of a feeder for a given set of typical load curves. The algorithms developed are based on an efficient method to store the network topology and can easily accommodate changes in the infeeding nodes and variations in the network structure due to switching operations. The interactive environment allows the user to obtain the results of his studies against the one-line diagram of the network and effect changes in it in basically diagrammatic terms. The package requires very modest computer resources and provides planning and operating engineers with a powerful tool to conduct analytical distribution system studies with ease and flexibility.