Robust Switch Selection in Radial Distribution Systems Using Combinatorial Optimization

Selecting the best type of equipment among available switches with different prices and reliability levels is a significant challenge in distribution system planning. In this paper, the optimal type of switches in a radial distribution system is selected by considering the total cost and reliability criterion and using the weighted augmented epsilon constraint method and combinatorial optimization. A new index is calculated to assess the robustness of each Pareto solution. Moreover, for each failure, repair time is considered based on historical data. Monte Carlo simulations are used to consider the switch failure uncertainty and fault repair time uncertainty in the model. The proposed framework is applied to an RTBS Bus-2 test system. Furthermore, the model is also applied to an industrial system to verify the proposed method's excellent performance in larger practical engineering problems.