Allocation of power losses and energy in the distribution network

The goal is to determine methods for calculating power losses in a three-phase four-wire low voltage distribution network using measurements of a balance smart meter and consumer smart meters, and to establish the factors influencing the power losses and their allocation among individual network wires, loads, and consumers. The study involved examining three methods for determining power losses for  current measurement snapshot. The first method suggests calculating losses as the difference between the power supplied to the network and the total power consumed. The second method calculates power losses using the contribution method. The third method, which in addition to measurement information requires knowledge of the topology and parameters of the network components, determines power losses based on the results of the state estimation method.  The research proposes an algorithm for transition from a four-wire distribution network modeling to a three-wire one. The algorithm allocates power losses of the neutral wire among the phase wires. The findings indicate that the negative losses in the network with unbalanced phase loads are caused by the presence at the nodes of the least loaded phase of higher voltage than the voltage at the power supply node. The reason for higher losses in phases with minimal load is the uneven allocation of loads in the phases. In addition, the study reveals that the power loss values obtained by the contribution method, i.e. directly from the measurements of smart meters, are closer to the losses determined from the readings of the balance meter and consumer meters, compared to the losses found from the state estimation results. The considered methods for calculation and allocation of power losses are illustrated by an example of a real-world distribution network equipped with smart meters.  The paper demonstrates the examples of allocating total power losses between phase wires and a neutral wire, among phase wires only, and between total loads at phase nodes and individual consumers in phases.