Application of Firefly Algorithm for Load Frequency Control of Multi-area Interconnected Power System

Abstract

Abstract—In this article, a firefly algorithm is proposed for load frequency control of multi-area power systems. Initially a two equal area non-reheat thermal system is considered and the optimum gains of the proportional integral/proportional integral derivative controller are optimized employing the firefly algorithm technique. The superiority of the proposed approach is demonstrated by comparing the results with some recently published techniques such as genetic algorithm, bacteria foraging optimization algorithm, differential evolution, particle swarm optimization, hybrid bacteria foraging optimization algorithm-particle swarm optimization, and Ziegler–Nichols-based controllers for the same interconnected power system. Further, the proposed approach is extended to a three-unequal-area thermal system considering generation rate constraint and governor dead-band. Investigations reveal on comparison that proportional integral derivative controller provides much better response compared to integral and proportional integral controllers. Additionally, robustness analysis is carried out by varying the operating load condition and time constants of speed governor, turbine, and inertia constant in the range of +50 to –50% from their nominal values as well as the size and position of step load perturbation to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed firefly algorithm optimized proportional integral derivative controller.

Keywords:

• load frequency control
• generation rate constraint
• governor dead-band
• proportional integral controller
• proportional integral derivative controller
• optimization technique
• firefly algorithm
• sensitivity analysis
• automatic generation control
• multi-area power system

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Saroj Padhan

Saroj Padhan received his master's degree in electrical engineering in 2012 from Veer Surendrai Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, Odisha, India. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. in the Department of Electrical Engineering, VSSUT, Burla, Odisha, India. His research interests include AGC and optimization techniques.

Rabindra Kumar Sahu

Rabindra Kumar Sahu received his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, in 2007. He is currently working as reader in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Veer Surendrai Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha, India. He is life member of ISTE. His research interests include application of soft computing techniques to power system engineering and flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS).

Sidhartha Panda

Sidhartha Panda received his Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, India, and his M.E. from Veer Surendrai Sai University of Technology (VSSUT). Presently, he is working as a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Veer Surendrai Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha, India. He is a fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India). His areas of research include flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), power system stability, soft computing, model order reduction, and distributed generation and wind energy.