Distribution network reconfiguration based on harmony search/genetic hybrid algorithm

Distribution network reconfiguration is a complex, large-scale and nonlinear combinatorial optimization problem. In order to solve this problem, a new method based on harmony search (HS) algorithm and genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed. The HS algorithm is a recently developed meta-heuristic algorithm, and has been very successful in a wide variety of optimization problems. Refresh strategy of solution vectors is so simple that HS algorithm is easy to fall into local optimum solution when complex problem is solved. However, selection, crossover and mutation operations in GA can generate diverse solutions, so premature stagnation behaviour can be avoided in some extent. The probability of update strategy based on HS algorithm for harmony memory is higher during the initial stage in order to accelerate the searching speed, and the probability of update strategy based on GA is higher during the final stage in order to escape from local optimum solution. Calculation results show that the proposed hybrid algorithm is effective and it converges well.