A PSO-Based Approach for Optimal Allocation and Sizing of Resistive-Type SFCLs to Enhance the Transient Stability of Power Systems

Abstract

Transient stability improvement of power systems in the event of short-circuit faults has always been an important issue in power systems analysis and studies. Resistive-type superconducting fault current limiters (RSFCL), owing to their capability in restricting fault currents, have been often taken into account as an efficient method to improve the transient stability of a power system. Regarding technical constraints as well as economic concerns, optimal allocation and sizing of RSFCLs in a power system play a crucial role in their efficient utilization. This paper aims to continue the authors’ previous work and enhance the transient stability of power systems by proposing an optimization approach for optimal sizing and the allocation of various candidate numbers of RSFCLs, as the most employed type of SFCL and the most efficient one in transient stability improvement. To solve the optimization problem, a PSO-based algorithm is solved in MATLAB through an objective function and related constraints. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by numerical studies on the IEEE 39-Bus New England system in various scenarios through the assessment of critical fault clearing time (CCT) as well as the generators rotor angle deviations as two crucial criteria for the transient stability of power systems. Simulating the optimization results in DIgSILENT Power Factory indicates an evident enhancement of the power system transient stability via employing optimized RSFCLs resulted from the proposed optimization algorithm. Moreover, the level of transient stability enhancement highly depends on the number of optimized RSFCLs employed in the power system. The results of this paper present a helpful guideline for power system planners to select an appropriate stability scheme based on RSFCLs besides other related technical and economic issues.