Simultaneous Phase Balancing at Substations and Switches with Time-Varying Load Patterns

This paper presents an algorithm for phase balancing of large-scale unbalanced radial distribution systems. The algorithm recommends rephasing of single-and double-phase laterals in order to improve circuit loss while also maintaining/improving imbalances at various balance point locations. Phase balancing calculations are based on circuit loss information and current magnitudes, which are calculated from a power flow solution. The algorithm is designed to handle time-varying loads when evaluating phase moves that will result in improved circuit losses over all load points. The proposed algorithm is heuristic in nature, and thus does not necessarily achieve the global minimum loss point. Example problems illustrating the algorithm are presented, including a circuit that has 3894 components with 170 laterals.