Application of loop equation for distribution network reconfiguration

This paper proposes a method for reconfiguration of power distribution network to reduce power losses of the network. The current of original radial network and the current of the circulating network which consists of all the branches and links with resistance only and no loads, are superposed in order to work out the economic current distribution of the multiple loops mesh network. It can be proved that the losses of the mesh network with an open-branch operation are equal to the summation of the losses of network with economic current and the losses of the circulating network modeling the branch opening, so the network reconfiguration problem is converted to the problem of searching the branches which should be opened to obtain the minimum losses of circulating network. The branches which should be opened are worked out step by step and a new radial network with the minimum losses will be obtained. Case studies are given to show that the method is efficient and practical.