Network Reconfiguration for Service Restoration in Shipboard Power Distribution Systems

The electric power systems of U.S. Navy ships supply energy to sophisticated systems for weapons, communications, navigation, and operation. Circuit breakers (CBs) and fuses are provided at different locations for isolation of faulted loads, generators, or distribution system from unfaulted portions of the system. These faults could be due to widespread system fault resulting from battle damage or material casualties of individual loads or cables. After the faults and subsequent isolation of the faults, there will be unfaulted sections that are left without supply. Fast restoration of supply to these unfaulted sections of the shipboard power system (SPS) is necessary for system survivability. This article presents a new method to reconfigure the network to restore service to unfaulted sections of the system. The problem is formulated as a variation of the fixed charge network flow problem. The method is illustrated using various case studies on a small power systems with topology similar to a shipboard power system.