Optimized Intelligent Coordinator for Load Frequency Control in a Two-Area System with PV Plant and Thermal Generator

ABSTRACT

This paper proposes an optimal fuzzy-based coordination approach for thermal generator and solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in a two-area power system. The proposed intelligent coordinator is designed for valid adjustment of integral gain of secondary control loop in thermal generator and the proportional gain in PV plant. The classic controllers are generally applied with a constant gain for nominal operation state of the system. However, the proposed fuzzy method illustrates a favorable performance in load perturbations by fine tuning of classic conventional controllers’ gains. In this study, particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to optimize the fuzzy controller’s scaling factors. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed optimal fuzzy controller, it is applied on a two-area power system with different generation unit in each area. Three scenarios of variations in load and solar radiation are implemented to illustrate the adequate performance of the controller in disturbances. A comparison with two optimization methods, known as firefly algorithm and genetic algorithm, is presented to approve the superiority of the controller.

KEYWORDS:

• Fuzzy-based coordinator
• Hybrid two-area power system
• Load frequency control
• Optimization methods
• Solar photovoltaic plant

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sajad Davtalab

Sajad Davtalab was born in Naghadeh, Iran. He received his BSc and MSc degrees in electrical engineering from Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran, in 2010, and 2015, respectively. His research interests include renewable energies, power system optimal operation and load frequency control.

Behrouz Tousi

Behrouz Tousi received BSc degree from University of Tabriz (Tabriz, Iran) electronics engineering in 1988 and MSc degree in electric power engineering from Amir Kabir University (Tehran, Iran) in 1995 and also received PhD from Amir Kabir University in 2001. He is now assistant professor in Urmia University (Urmia, Iran). His research interest is primarily in advanced power systems. E-mail: [email protected]

Dariush Nazarpour

Daryoush Nazarpour received the BSc degree from the Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran, in 1982, and received the BSc degree from the Iran University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran, in 1988 and 2005, respectively, all in electrical engineering. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. His research interests are primarily centered in advanced power electronics and FACTS applications in power systems as well as smart grid technologies. E-mail: [email protected]