Using Genetic Algorithms and Fuzzy Programming to Monitor Voltage Sags and Swells

Among the transitory disturbances that can affect power quality in power networks, voltage sags and swells have increasingly gained attention from utility companies due to their impact on a growing number of customers. Due to the proliferation of electronic components, the amount of equipment sensitive to the voltage waveform has widely increased, making the impact of these overcurrent situations on the power system's operation in turn more significant. A specific approach to code the alternative configurations for the power-quality monitor system was developed to conveniently model the problem and avoid repetitive and complex calculations. Each GA individual is formed by a string of values carrying information that defines its own features. They modify the individuals in each generation by manipulating the values in their strings in a suitable way that leads to the convergence of such a process.