Optimal location and dimensioning of capacitors in microgrids using a multicriteria decision algorithm

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Power Systems Engineering
• Optimization Techniques

Background:

• Reactive power compensation is crucial for efficient microgrid operation.
• Optimal placement and sizing of capacitor banks are complex challenges.
• Existing methods may not adequately address multicriteria objectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a methodology for optimal reactive power compensation in electric microgrids.
• To utilize a multicriteria decision algorithm based on heuristic methods for this optimization.
• To analyze the impact of compensation on cost, efficiency, and power quality under varying demand conditions.

Main Methods:

• A multicriteria decision algorithm employing heuristic methods was developed.
• Optimal location and dimensioning of fixed capacitor banks were determined for a 14-bus microgrid.
• Dominance elimination and weighted sum techniques were used for multicriteria optimization.
• Simulations were performed in Matlab/Simulink on a validated microgrid model.

Main Results:

• The methodology achieved optimal location and sizing of discrete capacitor banks.
• Significant improvements were observed in cost, voltage profile deviations, power factor, line losses, and total harmonic distortion (THD).
• Performance was validated under both maximum and minimum demand scenarios.

Conclusions:

• Multicriteria decision-making is essential for effective reactive power compensation.
• The proposed heuristic-based algorithm offers a novel and effective tool for optimizing reactive compensation devices in microgrids and distribution systems.
• The validated case study demonstrates the practical applicability and benefits of the developed technique.