Ordinal Optimization for Dynamic Network Reconfiguration

Motivated by the challenge of efficiently reconfiguring distribution networks for power loss reduction, this study presents an approach for finding a minimum loss radial configuration for a power network using ordinal optimization. Ordinal optimization relies on order comparison and goal softening to make the problem solution easier and the computation more efficient. The successful application of ordinal optimization to such a complex optimization problem required the investigation of several algorithmic parameters. The solution algorithm was implemented in a software package, where an acceptable solution is considered good enough if it is in the top m% of the solutions with a probability P. Testing it on 33- and 136-bus systems, minimal power loss results were obtained on the 33-bus system that are in the top 0.03% of the search space. Comparing the experimental results with other recently published methods showed the effectiveness of ordinal optimization for minimum loss calculations and motivated further studies in smart-grid-like scenarios, where the results obtained for different load levels were in the top 0.13% of the search space.