Connecting flexible loads

Make sure you have followed the getting started guide first.

Let’s create a network with MV and LV elements connected via a transformer.

Creating a network

This network contains a voltage source with a constant balanced voltage of 20 kV (phase-to-phase), a Delta-Wye transformer and a small LV network.

>>> import numpy as np
... import roseau.load_flow as rlf

>>> # Create a MV bus with a 20kV voltage source
... bus0_mv = rlf.Bus(id="bus0_mv", phases="abc")
... vs = rlf.VoltageSource(id="vs", bus=bus0_mv, voltages=20e3)
... # Set the MV potential reference
... pref_mv = rlf.PotentialRef(id="pref_mv", element=bus0_mv)

>>> # Create a LV bus and connect its neutral to the ground
... bus0_lv = rlf.Bus(id="bus0_lv", phases="abcn")
... ground = rlf.Ground(id="gnd")
... # Set the ground potential to 0V
... pref_lv = rlf.PotentialRef(id="pref_lv", element=ground)
... # Connect the neutral of the LV bus to the ground
... gc = rlf.GroundConnection(ground=ground, element=bus0_lv)

>>> # Add a MV/LV transformer
... tp = rlf.TransformerParameters.from_open_and_short_circuit_tests(
...     "160_kVA",
...     vg="Dyn11",
...     sn=160e3,
...     uhv=20e3,
...     ulv=400.0,
...     i0=0.023,
...     p0=460.0,
...     psc=2350.0,
...     vsc=0.04,
... )
... transformer = rlf.Transformer(
...     id="transfo", bus_hv=bus0_mv, bus_lv=bus0_lv, parameters=tp, tap=1.025
... )

>>> # Add the LV network elements
... lp = rlf.LineParameters.from_geometry(
...     "U_AL_150",
...     line_type=rlf.LineType.UNDERGROUND,
...     material=rlf.Material.AL,
...     insulator=rlf.Insulator.PVC,
...     section=150,
...     section_neutral=150,
...     height=rlf.Q_(-1.5, "m"),
...     external_diameter=rlf.Q_(40, "mm"),
...     ampacity=rlf.Q_(325, "A"),
...     ampacity_neutral=rlf.Q_(325, "A"),
... )
... bus1 = rlf.Bus(id="bus1", phases="abcn")
... bus2 = rlf.Bus(id="bus2", phases="abcn")
... load_bus1 = rlf.Bus(id="load_bus1", phases="abcn")
... load_bus2 = rlf.Bus(id="load_bus2", phases="abcn")
... load_bus3 = rlf.Bus(id="load_bus3", phases="abcn")
... line1 = rlf.Line(
...     id="line1", bus1=bus0_lv, bus2=bus1, ground=ground, parameters=lp, length=0.5
... )  # km
... line2 = rlf.Line(
...     id="line2", bus1=bus1, bus2=bus2, ground=ground, parameters=lp, length=0.4
... )
... line3 = rlf.Line(
...     id="line3", bus1=bus1, bus2=load_bus1, ground=ground, parameters=lp, length=0.3
... )
... line4 = rlf.Line(
...     id="line4", bus1=bus2, bus2=load_bus2, ground=ground, parameters=lp, length=0.3
... )
... line5 = rlf.Line(
...     id="line5", bus1=load_bus2, bus2=load_bus3, ground=ground, parameters=lp, length=0.4
... )
... si = -3e3  # VA, negative as it is production
... load1 = rlf.PowerLoad(id="load1", bus=load_bus1, powers=[si, si, si])
... load2 = rlf.PowerLoad(id="load2", bus=load_bus2, powers=[si, si, si])
... load3 = rlf.PowerLoad(id="load3", bus=load_bus3, powers=[si, 0, 0])

>>> # Create the network
... en = rlf.ElectricalNetwork.from_element(bus0_mv)

Then, the load flow can be solved and the results can be retrieved.

>>> en.solve_load_flow()
(2, 1.8595619621919468e-07)
>>> abs(load_bus3.res_voltages)
<Quantity([249.19718644 237.95928148 239.26110455], 'volt')>

The flexible loads are loads that implement some basic controls such as \(P(U)\), \(Q(U)\) or \(PQ(U)\).

\(P(U)\) control

Let’s remove load3 from the network and add a flexible load as a replacement. A flexible load is a normal PowerLoad with a flexible_params argument that takes a list ofFlexibleParameter.

We first create a FlexibleParameter using its class method p_max_u_production. It returns a flexible parameter instance that reduces the active production when the voltage is higher than u_up volts and stops the production when the voltage reaches u_max. The s_max argument defines the maximum allowed apparent power of the production plant. In the example below, u_up=240 V, u_max=250 V and s_max=4 kVA.

After that, a flexible load representing a PV plant is created. Its apparent power is fixed at [si, 0, 0] VA with si a negative value (negative because it is production). Theses apparent powers define the maximum power this load can produce. The flexible_params argument takes a list of FlexibleParameter instances, one per phase. For the first phase, the \(P(U)\) control is used. For the two other phases, there is no control at all thus the constant class method is used.

As a consequence, the provided apparent power for phase 'a' is the maximum that can be produced (potentially modified by the \(P(U)\) control) and the provided apparent power for phases 'b' and 'c' is the desired production as the flexible parameter is defined as constant.

>>> # Let's make the load 3 flexible with a p(u) control to reduce the voltages constraints
... en.loads["load3"].disconnect()
... # Define the voltage limits (V) and the maximum apparent power (VA)
... fp_pu = rlf.FlexibleParameter.p_max_u_production(u_up=240, u_max=250, s_max=4e3)
... fp_cst = rlf.FlexibleParameter.constant()  # No control
... flexible_load = rlf.PowerLoad(
...     id="load3", bus=load_bus3, powers=[si, 0, 0], flexible_params=[fp_pu, fp_cst, fp_cst]
... )

The load flow can now be run again. You can see that the voltage magnitude has changed. Note that the voltage magnitude for phase 'a' was 240 V above without the \(P(U)\) control, thus the control has been activated in this run.

>>> en.solve_load_flow()
(4, 1.453686784545e-07)
>>> abs(load_bus3.res_voltages)
<Quantity([245.92531525 239.3821116  239.71188911], 'volt')>

The actually produced power of the flexible load is a result of the computation and can be accessed using the res_flexible_powers property of the load.

>>> flexible_load.res_flexible_powers
<Quantity([-1629.87379775+0.j, 0.+0.j, 0.+0.j], 'volt_ampere')>

Note

The flexible powers are the powers that flow in the load elements and not in the lines. These are only different in case of delta loads. To access the powers that flow in the lines, use the res_powers property instead.

Here, one can note that:

• The active power for the phase 'a' is negative meaning production;

• The actual value of this active power is lower that the one requested as the control was activated;

• The power for phases 'b' and 'c' is 0 VA as expected.

\(PQ(U)\) control

Now, let’s remove the flexible load that we have added in the previous section and add a new flexible load implementing a \(PQ(U)\) control instead.

As before, we first create a FlexibleParameter but this time, we will use the pq_u_production class method. It requires several arguments:

• up_up and up_max: the voltages defining the interval of the \(P(U)\) control activation. Below up_up, no control is applied and above u_max, the production is totally shut down.

• uq_min, uq_down, uq_up and uq_max which are the voltages defining the \(Q(U)\) control activation.

  • Below uq_min, the power plant produces the maximum possible reactive power.

  • Between uq_down and uq_up, there is no \(Q(U)\) control.

  • Above uq_max, the power plant consumes the maximum possible reactive power.

In the example below, as the new load is a production load, only the up_up, up_max, uq_up and uq_max are of interests. The \(Q(U)\) control starts its action at 235 V and is fully exhausted at 240 V. After that, the \(P(U)\) is activated and is exhausted at 250 V where the production is totally shut down.

>>> # Let's try with PQ(u) control, by injecting reactive power before reducing active power
... en.loads["load3"].disconnect()
... fp_pqu = rlf.FlexibleParameter.pq_u_production(
...     up_up=240,
...     up_max=250,
...     uq_min=200,
...     uq_down=210,
...     uq_up=235,
...     uq_max=240,
...     s_max=4e3,
... )
... flexible_load = rlf.PowerLoad(
...     id="load3", bus=load_bus3, powers=[si, 0, 0], flexible_params=[fp_pqu, fp_cst, fp_cst]
... )

The load flow can be solved again.

>>> en.solve_load_flow()
(6, 1.8576776876e-07)
>>> abs(load_bus3.res_voltages)
<Quantity([243.73452874 236.22660853 243.7647954 ], 'volt')>
>>> flexible_load.res_flexible_powers
<Quantity([-2123.33087236+3389.90648934j, 0.+0.j, 0.+0.j], 'volt_ampere')>

One can note that this time, the phase 'a' consumes reactive power to limit the voltage rise in the network. Moreover, the magnitude of the power on phase 'a' is approximately \(4 kVA\) which is the maximum allowed apparent power for load3. In order to maintain this maximum, a Euclidean projection has been used.