Optimal Sizing of Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Generation in Urban Distribution Network (UDN)

Abstract:
The capacity of Combine Heat and Power (CHP) generation connected to Urban Distribution Network (UDN) will increase significantly as a result of EU government targets and initiatives. CHP generation can have significant impact on the power flow, voltage profile, fault current level and the power quality for customers and electricity suppliers. The connection of CHP plant at UDN creates a number of welldocumented impacts with voltage rise and fault current level being the dominant effects. A range of options have traditionally been used to mitigate adverse impacts but these generally revolve around network upgrades, the cost of which may be considerable. Connection of CHP generation can fundamentally alter the operation of UDN. Where CHP plant capacity is comparable to or larger than local demand there are likely to be observable impacts on network power flows, voltage regulation and fault current level. New connection of CHP schemes must be evaluated to identify and quantify any adverse impact on the security and quality of local electricity supplies. The impacts that arise from an individual CHP scheme are assessed in details when the developer makes an application for the connection of the CHP plant. The objective of this paper is to use static method to develop techniques that provide means of determining the optimum capacity of a CHP plant that may be accommodate within UDN. The main tool used in this paper is ERAC power analyzing software incorporating load flow and fault current level analysis. These analysis are demonstrated on 15 busbar network resembling part of typical UDN. In order to determine optimal placement and sizing of a CHP plant that could be connected at any particular busbar on UDN without causing a significant adverse impact on performance of the UDN, the multiple linear regression model is created and demonstrated using the data obtain by the analysis performed by ERAC power analyzing software.