Optimal siting and sizing of stationary supercapacitors in a metro network using PSO

In this paper, we investigate the design of stationary ESSs based on supercapacitors (SCs) for metro network (MN). We implement a simulation tool in order to estimate the power flow among the metro vehicles and the ESSs through the MN. A new formulation of the ESSs siting and sizing optimisation problem is proposed and solved using particle swarm algorithm. The optimisation process minimises the energy supplied by the electrical substations and the whole ESSs capacity taking into the electrical line constraints in the metro network simulator. Several simulations are performed in order to design the number, the position along the track and the required capacity of the SCs. Using commercially available modules, a realistic design solution is compared with the theoretical one obtained by solving the optimisation algorithm. Finally, we estimate the energy delivered from the electric substations and the energy saved using the real ESSs configuration.