Determinação dos pontos ótimos para alocação de indicadores de faltas em redes de distribuição

Abstract

The faults in distribution system occur due to contact of trees at the feeders, equipment failure, weather conditions and other reasons causing temporary or permanent shutdowns, compromising the quality and reliability of the power supply. Fault indicators (FIs) are devices that contribute to the improvement of the searching process of the fault location in distribution lines. Currently, in most cases of distribution system, the identification of faults is made by visual inspection, it means that the maintenance staff runs to identify the section where is the damage. This paper proposes a computational approach by Genetic Algorithm methodology for the optimal allocation of FIs in distribution lines. This methodology is able to give an effective solution for allocation of devices in order to minimize the average time of maintenance team travel to the damaged section, and consequently to restore the electricity supply faster. The optimization technique is applied to an objective function, which is the mathematical model of allocation of FIs, in accordance with the imposed restrictions on the problem and simplifications. The results of the computational model are satisfactory showing the effectiveness of the method.