Optimal reactive power dispatch based on Adaptive Invasive Weed Optimization algorithm

Optimal reactive power dispatch (ORPD) is one of the important non-linear problems in power system which includes both continuous and discrete control variables satisfying both equality and inequality constraints. In this paper, Adaptive Invasive Weed Optimization (AIWO) algorithm with parallel probabilistic search method is applied for better convergence of the optimization process and simultaneously, implicit fundamentals of conventional invasive weed optimization algorithm are preserved. The proposed algorithm is used to find the optimal setting for all control variables including generator voltages, transformer taps and shunt var compensation devices. To test the efficacy of the algorithm, it is applied to IEEE 30-bus standard test system with different single objectives like real power loss minimization, voltage profile improvement and voltage stability margin enhancement separately. The simulation results reveal that the AIWO performs better in finding optimal solutions than the other recent published techniques.