An Optimization Model for Distribution Networks Lightning Protection System Design: a Reliability Indexes and Cost-based Solution

Lightning is the main cause of faults in distribution networks' overhead feeders, which imposes a serious impact on system reliability. The existing lightning protection optimization research is mostly aimed at a specific lightning protection measure, and there are few kinds of research on comprehensive systemic optimization methods among various lightning protection solutions. This paper proposes an optimization model of different lightning protection solutions based on the reliability index of distribution networks while leveraging costs. The model is mixed-integer linear programming (MILP), which can set different lightning protection measures in different feeders. The model can optimize the reliability index of a distribution network with given cost constraints. The model incorporates the effects of arc over rate, which allows the simulation model to more accurately represent the real fault process of the overhead distribution feeders. This paper takes an actual distribution network as an example and applies the proposed algorithm. The simulation results render the efficiency of the presented method in improving reliability while leveraging associated costs.