Analysis and Improvement of Voltage Profile Magnitude in Power Distribution Networks

Abstract

Electric power system is the main energy source for industrial,
commercial, and domestic activities hence its importance cannot
be neglected across the world. However, the reverse is the case
in the Nigerian power sector where there is inadequate power
generation, transmission and distribution networks thereby
creating huge economic loss by deploying alternative sources of
power. These inadequacies of power systems in Nigeria has been
linked to poor voltage profile magnitude in the distribution
systems thereby impeding the continuous control and operation
of the power distribution networks within the allowable limits
that will mitigate burden on the power installation equipment
and reduce the cost of running the networks. This research
therefore seeks to investigate the voltage profile magnitudes in
power distribution network of eleven selected distribution
networks in GRA 11/0.415 kV, Benin City, Nigeria using the
ETAP 19 analytical software. The load flow result using the
Newton-Raphson method in ETAP 19 shows that out of a total of
eleven (11) load buses being investigated, only two (2) load
buses met the voltage magnitude profile limit criteria of between
95% and 105% set for this study, the voltage profile magnitude
for police Comms bus and Folake Oke bus are 97.2% and 95.5%
respectively representing 18.2% of the investigated network
which shows that the two buses were in good operating mode
while a total of Nine (9) load buses representing 81.8% of the
network violated the voltage constraint limits which prompted
the network to behave abnormally. It is worthy of note that all
the 11kV buses were all within the voltage limit. The introduction
of compensating devices using the optimal capacitor placement
brought the network under control where all the load buses were
in good operating mode and within the voltage limit set for this
study