Coordinated Volt/VAr control for real-time operation of smart distribution grids

This paper proposes a new approach to the development of coordinated Volt/VAr control for real-time operation of smart distribution grids. The methodology intended for the coordinated Volt/VAr control conveys the minimization of the voltage violations and also a better distribution of the number of commutations among the control equipments. The control algorithm developed centrally coordinates the equipment actions in the conditions where the local control does not act properly. The adjustments are performed in the voltage regulator, in the capacitors banks and in the reactive power injected by the inverters of the distributed generation. The coordinated control strategy uses the fuzzy logic combined with a heuristic algorithm, which has implementation simplicity and suitable performance for real-time applications. A numerical example is presented aiming to clarify the procedure of the proposed control algorithm. Furthermore, the algorithm performance is verified through a modified IEEE 34 node test feeder under distinct operating conditions.