IEEE 342-Node Low Voltage Networked Test System
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IEEE 342-Node Low Voltage Networked Test System Kevin Schneider, Phillipe Phanivong Jean-Sebastian Lacroix Pacific Northwest National Laboratory CYME International T&D – Cooper Power Systems Seattle, WA, USA St-Bruno, Canada [email protected], [email protected] [email protected] Abstract— The IEEE Distribution Test Feeders provide a work well for the radial test cases that exist, it is often difficult benchmark for new algorithms to the distribution analysis to judge whether new methods will extend to heavily meshed community. The low voltage network test feeder represents a or networked systems. The purpose of the 342-node Low moderate size urban system that is unbalanced and highly Voltage Networked Test System (LVNTS) is to provide a networked. This is the first distribution test feeder developed by benchmark for researchers who want to evaluate if new the IEEE that contains unbalanced networked components. The algorithms generalize to non-radial distribution systems. The 342-node Low Voltage Networked Test System includes many LVNTS has been designed to present challenges to elements that may be found in a networked system: multiple distribution system analysis software in the following areas: 13.2kV primary feeders, network protectors, a 120/208V grid network, and multiple 277/480V spot networks. This paper 1. Heavily meshed and networked systems. presents a brief review of the history of low voltage networks 2. Systems with numerous parallel transformers and how they evolved into the modern systems. This paper will 3. Modeling of parallel low voltage cables then present a description of the 342-Node IEEE Low Voltage Network Test System and power flow results. The rest of this paper is organized as follows: Section II gives a brief history of LVNs and discusses how the early Index Terms-- distribution, test feeder, unbalanced simulation Direct Current (DC) Edison-type networks evolved into the model, power distribution system analysis modern Alternating Current (AC) networks. Section III presents the LVNTS in detail, including key pieces of I. INTRODUCTION equipment. Section IV gives the power flow solution for two operational cases and discusses simulation performance. The majority of end-use customers in North America are Section V contains the summary remarks and future plans for served by radially operated distribution feeders that provide a distribution-level networked test systems. high level of reliability for a moderate cost [1]. In areas where there is a high load density and a need for very high reliability, II. BRIEF HISTORY OF LOW VOLTAGE NETWORKS Low Voltage Networks (LVN) are sometimes built at a substantially higher cost. LVNs connect the end-use customers In the 1800s, the first applications for electricity were to an underground grid network that is supplied by multiple primarily in the areas of telegraphy and electroplating [4]. distribution feeders through step-down transformers. As a While both industries provided societal benefits, neither result of this design, the failure of one or more of the primary required a distribution system. It was not until the 1870’s distribution feeders, or multiple transformers, will not when arc lamps were used for street lighting that the first generally result in the loss of service to any end-use electrical distribution systems were developed. These early customers. Because of the high cost of construction, and distribution systems were completely isolated and used operation, of LVNs they have only been built in dense urban dynamos to supply a single customer class: lighting. The first cores. distribution system able to support multiple load types was The Test Feeders Working Group (WG), under the not energized until 1882 when Thomas Edison’s DC Pearl Distribution System Analysis (DSA) Subcommittee and its Street station went into operation [5]. parent Power Systems Analysis, Computing, and Economics A. Early DC Networks (PSACE) Committee, has published numerous test systems At 257 Pearl Street, the Edison Electric Illuminating and made these available [2]. Currently all of the published Company of New York had six 100kW dynamos driven by test systems are radial in operation and do not provide the coal-fired steam reciprocating engines that supplied up to distribution analysis community with a test system to evaluate 7200 electric lamps [6]. Initially Pearl Street station new algorithms on networked unbalanced systems [3]. distributed the 110V DC it generated through a two-wire With the proliferation of many new smart grid system, but was soon upgraded to a 220V DC system to technologies, new methods of distribution analysis are reduce costs associated with losses. The network area was continually being developed. While some of these appear to able to reach nearly 1300 buildings and provide lighting to over 500 end-use customers [5]. Each of the components of The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830. 978-1-4799-6415-4/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE the system had to be designed by Thomas Edison and his and transformers. Eventually the design proved not to be cost team because there was no existing commercial base. One effective when scaled up to a larger network. invention that made commercial distribution possible was the electrochemical meter. A zinc solution was deposited from Other attempts at building networks were using banked one plate to another in a precise electrolytic cell as current transformers to address voltage drop issues [11]. Banking passed through it. The difference in weights was measured transformers had the advantage of minimizing voltage and the user was charged 1.2 cents per lamp-hour consumed. flickering due to motor starting currents and also prevented With this DC distribution system, Pearl Street station transformer overload by adding additional capacity to the provided uninterrupted power to its end-use customers for all circuit. In the Bronx, New York, a successful system used a but three hours from September 4, 1882 up to January 2, 1890 primary mesh system with banked transformers [8]. However, when the station was damaged in a fire. This operating banked transformers were abandoned by many cities due to recorded showed the reliability of networked systems. fuse reliability. At the time, fuse construction was not Soon after Pearl Street was operational, Edison’s low- consistent and were often considered a reliability issue in voltage DC system design was implemented in other cities system designs. [6]. The reliability of these networks was further increased C. Development of the Network Protector and Early AC when storage batteries were introduced into distribution Networks systems to smooth out load and provide backup to the dynamos [7]. However, as DC networks grew they None of the first AC systems were able to provide cost encountered many problems with regulation and overloading effective service that was as reliable as a DC network, or with [8]. As more end-use electrical devices were invented, the equal voltage regulation. However, in 1921 the Puget Sound load on the system grew tremendously. By the 1920’s, many Power & Light Company designed a new AC system that was of the storage battery banks could only provide backup for 20 an underground network of transformers supplied from a minutes which no longer provided a suitable backup for the secondary network. The secondary network was supplied by dynamos. At the same time, alternating current systems were multiple primary feeders radially extending out from the being advanced by the Westinghouse Electric and substation. This design was possible because the Puget Sound Manufacturing Company and its subsidiaries [9]. Power & Electric had built the first three-phase combined light and power network that was protected with a new device B. The First AC Networks called a network protector, instead of fuses [8]. This system The first AC systems were radially constructed for the was built in Seattle, Washington. transmission of power over long distances. While these systems were ideal for long distance transmission, there were The Seattle network protector was a specially designed oil less suited for dense urban areas. The radial AC systems were circuit breaker placed downstream of the primary feeder only able to provide the voltage regulation of DC networks at transformer secondary windings. The network protector a considerable expense and separate mains were required to would automatically isolate the transformer from the supply both lighting and power loads [8]. Additionally, the secondary network by opening on reverse power. Reverse AC systems did not have the reliability provided by batteries, flows as small as the charging of a transformer primary and also had the added complication of reactive power would cause the network protectors to operate. As a result, considerations [9]. For these reasons, many believed that AC the network protectors would only operate if there was a fault distribution would never be able to supply the dense load on the primary feeders, not on the secondary systems. The areas that were supplied by the DC networks [10]. However, upstream side of the primary feeder would then be isolated by the advantages of transformers and the potential savings in a cutout fuse if a fault developed on a primary lateral or by eliminating DC storage batteries drove many different the substation circuit breaker if the fault was on the main part companies across the United States to attempt an AC of the feeder [8]. This allowed the system to have a secondary replacement. grid network that was supplied by multiple radial primary feeders. The secondary grid network was then protected by Similar to the DC networks they would replace, the AC fuses at each service box where customer loads were networks were placed in underground conduits beneath city connected. streets [8]. Initially, primary distribution networks were experimented with and they achieved increased reliability, By using multiple feeders, the Seattle network had but they were not cost effective in most areas [8].