Distribution system reconfiguration for loss minimization using modified bacterial foraging optimization algorithm

• Feeder reconfiguration effectively ensures the loss minimization in distribution systems.
• Proposed modified BFO algorithm has been tested on 16 bus, 33 bus and 69 bus sample networks.
• Based on test results, this approach is better than results obtained by other methods.
• Effective convergence of this approach proves that it is highly suitable in DAS.

In this paper the network reconfiguration problem is formulated as non-linear objective optimization problem. The proposed solution to this problem is framed as a non-linear combinatorial optimization problem and status of switches is non-differentiable which is solved using modified bacterial foraging algorithm, the algorithm is modified for better convergence. The modified bacterial foraging algorithm is described in a general context and then applied specifically to the network reconfiguration problem. This program was tested on 16 bus, 33 bus & 69 bus test systems. The test results proved that the efficiency of modified bacterial foraging algorithm is better than other existing methodology.