IJSRD - International Journal for Scientific Research & Development| Vol.

2, Issue 01, 2014 | ISSN (online): 2321-0613

Backward / Forward Sweep Load Flow Algorithm for Radial Distribution

System
A. D. Rana 1 J. B. Darji 2 Mosam Pandya3
1, 2, 3
P. G. Student
1, 2, 3
,Eletrical Engg. Department
1, 2, 3
L.D.C.E., A’bad

Abstract---This paper presents Backward / Forward II. BACKWARD/FORWARD SWEEP ALGORITHM

(BW/FW) Sweep algorithm for load flow analysis of radial This method includes two steps: the backward sweep and
distribution network. In backward sweep, Kirchhoff’s the forward sweep. In backward sweep, voltage and currents
Current Law and Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law are used to are computed using KVL and KCL from the farthest node
compute the bus voltage from farthest node. In forward from the source node. In forward sweep, the downstream
sweep, downstream bus voltage is updated starting from voltage is calculated starting from source node. The input
source node. The procedure stops after the mismatch of the data of this algorithm is given by node-branch oriented data.
calculated and the specified voltages at the substation is less Basic data required are, active and reactive powers,
than a convergence tolerance. Line losses are calculated nomenclature for sending and receiving nodes, and positive
afterwards using updated bus voltage. Using this method, sequence impedance model for all branches.
load flow solution for a distribution network can be obtained Listed below summarize major steps of the
without solving any set of simultaneous equations. The proposed solution algorithm with appropriate equations.
proposed algorithm is tested with 15 bus and IEEE 33 bus 1) Assume rated voltages at end nodes only for 1 st iteration
radial distribution system. Test results are obtained by and equals the value computed in the forward sweep in
programming using MATLAB. the subsequent iteration.
Keywords: radial distribution system, load flow analysis, 2) Start with end node and compute the node current using
backward/forward sweep equation (1). Apply the KCL to determine the current
flowing from node i towards node i+1 using equation
I. INTRODUCTION (2), start from end nodes.
Power flow or load flow studies are performed for the (1)
determination of the steady state operating condition of a
power system. This is the most frequently carried out study ∑ (2)
by power utilities and are required to be performed for th
power system planning, operation, optimization and control. 3) Compute with this current the voltage at i node using
At the design stage, load flow analysis is used to check equation (3). Continue this step till the junction node is
whether the voltage profiles are expected to be within limits reached. At junction node the voltage computed is
throughout network. At the operation stage, it is run to stored.
explore different arrangements to maintain the required (3)
voltage profile and to minimize system losses. 4) Start with another end node of the system and compute
In addition to the direct use of load flow, in many voltage and current as in step 2 and 3.
other problems it is used as a sub problem, for instance in 5) Compute with the most recent voltage at junction node,
the contingency analysis of a system. The main objective of
loaf flow studies is to determine the bus voltage magnitude the current using equation (1).
with its phase angle, real and reactive power flow in 6) Similarly compute till the reference node.
different lines and the transmission power losses. 7) Compare the calculated magnitude of the rated voltage
Some of the basic power flow algorithms were at reference node with specified source voltage.
developed and applied such as Newton Raphson (NR), Stop if the voltage difference is less than specified criteria,
Gauss Seidel (GS) to the transmission network. These otherwise forward sweep begins.
methods may become inefficient for the distribution network
Forward Sweep:
because of its special features like radial structure, high R/X
1) Start with reference node at rated voltage.
ratio, unbalanced load etc. These features make the
2) Compute the node voltage in forward direction from
distribution systems power flow computation different and
reference node to end nodes using equation (4).
somewhat difficult to analyze as compared to the
(4)
transmission systems.
3) Again start backward sweep with updated bus voltage
In the past, many approaches for distribution
calculated in forward sweep.
system load-flow analyses have been developed. Among
After calculating node voltages and line currents using
these approaches, the ladder network theory and the
standard BW/FW sweep algorithm, the line losses are
backward/forward sweep methods are commonly used due
calculated. The complex power, Sij from bus i to bus j and
to their computational efficiencies and solution accuracies.
Sji from bus j to bus i, as are calculated using equation (5)
In this paper, standard backward/forward sweep method is
and (6).
used for radial distribution system load flow analysis.
Sij = ViIij* (5)

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 Backward / Forward Sweep Load Flow Algorithm for Radial Distribution System
(IJSRD/Vol. 2/Issue 01/2014/102)

Sji = VjIji* (6) Branch

Active Line Reactive Line
Sending Receiving
Losses (kW) Losses (kVAR)
III. SIMULATION RESULTS End End
The proposed algorithm has been tested on 15 bus and IEEE 1 2 37.0603 37.0600
33 bus radial distribution system, using MATLAB. 15 bus 2 3 11.6679 10.5011
system is shown in Figure 1. This system is consisting of 15 3 4 2.4601 2.4601
nodes and 14 branches, where node 1 is the reference node 4 5 0.0572 0.0352
or substation. 2 9 0.4826 0.3123
9 10 0.0594 0.0382
2 6 5.7275 3.8186
6 7 0.3936 0.2624
6 8 0.1091 0.0764
3 11 2.1985 1.4657
11 12 0.5943 0.4160
12 13 0.0756 0.0489
4 14 0.1999 0.1333
4 15 0.4445 0.3112
Table. 2: Active and Reactive line losses of 15 bus system
Fig. 1: 15 bus Radial Distribution System
IEEE 33 bus system consists of 33 nodes and 32
The base voltage is 11 kV and base KVA branches is shown in Figure 3. The base voltage for this
is 100. The tolerance is 0.00001 p.u. and number system is 12.66 kV and base MVA is 10.
of iteration required is 5. Results are shown in The tolerance is 0.00001 p.u. and number of
Table 1 and Table 2. Bus voltage magnitude in iteration required is 2. Bus voltage magnitude in p.u. and
p.u. and phase angle in degree at each bus are phase angle in degree at each bus are shown in Table 3 and
real and reactive line losses in each branch in kW and kVAR
shown in Table 1 and real and reactive line losses
respectively, are shown in Table 4. Voltage profile of the
in each branch in kW and kVAR respectively, are system is shown in Figure 4.
shown in Table 2. Voltage profile of the system is
shown in Figure 2.
Bus Voltage Magnitude Phase Angle
Number (pu) (degree)
1 1.0000 0
2 0.9714 0.0131
3 0.9569 0.0659
4 0.9511 0.0693
5 0.9501 0.0840
6 0.9585 0.1729 Fig. 3: IEEE 33 bus distribution system
7 0.9563 0.2007 Bus Voltage Magnitude Phase Angle
8 0.9573 0.1869 Number (pu) (degree)
9 0.9681 0.0571 1 1.0000 0
10 0.9671 0.0714 2 0.9972 0.0147
11 0.9502 0.1508 3 0.9839 0.0904
12 0.9461 0.1974 4 0.9770 0.1516
13 0.9447 0.2153 5 0.9701 0.2138
14 0.9488 0.0976 6 0.9531 0.1275
15 0.9485 0.0978 7 0.9498 -0.0864
Table. 1: Voltage magnitude and Phase angle 8 0.9373 -0.2323
9 0.9316 -0.3029
10 0.9262 -0.3637
11 0.9254 -0.3575
12 0.9241 -0.3476
13 0.9185 -0.4349
14 0.9164 -0.5085
15 0.9151 -0.5439
16 0.9139 -0.5660
17 0.9120 -0.6380
18 0.9115 -0.6472
Fig. 2: Voltage profile of 15 bus system 19 0.9967 0.0039
20 0.9931 -0.0629

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 Backward / Forward Sweep Load Flow Algorithm for Radial Distribution System
(IJSRD/Vol. 2/Issue 01/2014/102)

21 0.9924 -0.0821
22 0.9918 -0.1024
23 0.9804 0.0606
24 0.9739 -0.0257
25 0.9707 -0.0681
26 0.9513 0.1644
27 0.9489 0.2169
28 0.9384 0.2978
29 0.9308 0.3731
30 0.9276 0.4713
31 0.9238 0.3959
32 0.9229 0.3752 Fig. 4: Voltage profile of IEEE 33 bus system
33 0.9227 0.3683
Table. 3: Voltage magnitude and Phase angle of IEEE 33 IV. CONCLUSION
bus system
A new method for solving the load flow problem for radial
Branch distribution feeders without using conventional load flow
Active Line Reactive Line
Sending Receiving methods like Gauss Seidel, Newton Raphson, Fast
Losses (kW) Losses (kVAR)
End End Decoupled methods is presented in this paper. This method
1 2 11.0729 5.5365 uses simple algebraic equations to calculate iteratively the
2 3 45.9580 23.4266 outgoing powers and voltage magnitudes of different nodes
3 4 17.1532 8.7271 and mismatches at the last nodes of main feeder and laterals
4 5 16.0729 8.1715 and depending upon mismatches the substation injection is
5 6 32.7726 28.2832 corrected judiciously and this process is repeated until
6 7 1.6564 5.4647 convergence. This makes the algorithm very robust and
7 8 9.9722 7.1990 numerically efficient for convergence for wide variation of
8 9 3.5476 2.5490 distribution network. Two different radial distribution
9 10 3.0097 2.1359 systems are used to validate the algorithm.
10 11 0.4685 0.1562
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Table. 4: Active and Reactive line losses of IEEE 33 bus
system

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