Modified rainfall optimization based method for solving distributed generation placement and reconfiguration problems in distribution networks

This article formulates the distribution generation placement and the network reconfiguration problems of distribution networks (DNs) as a composite multi-objective optimization problem by normalizing and combining the objective functions, and suggests a new rainfall optimization (RFO) based method for solving the developed problem. The RFO, a metaheuristic optimization algorithm that models the behavior of raindrops falling down from a hill towards sea, has certain drawbacks such as removal of inactive raindrops that weakens the search process, and the possibility of choosing the same raindrop as inactive throughout the iterative process. This article also introduces modifications in the RFO for overcoming its drawbacks before adopting it in the proposed method. It considers two scenarios with seven test cases for simulation study, and compares the results of two standard DNs with existing methods for exhibiting the superior performances in respect of final solution, robustness, voltage profile, and average execution time of the proposed method.