Efficiency analysis of load flow methods for balanced radial distribution systems

Power flow algorithms for distribution system analysis have been developed from many years before, based on iterative Gauss method, and taking advantage of its radiality. Nevertheless, in the last two decades, most of backward and forward sweep algorithms appeared, and their convergence characteristics and computational efficiency are better in comparison with traditional power flow methods. In this paper, four methods to solve the power flow problem in radial balanced distribution systems are analyzed from a computational efficiency point of view. Efficiency is defined by basic arithmetic operations that each method makes to reach convergence. Each method is applied to a 33 bus distribution system and their efficiency is verified by using a general equation for each method that calculates the total of arithmetic operations that each one carries out during the solution process. These equations can be used for any balanced radial distribution system.