An Asynchronous Forward-Backward-Splitting Power Flow Algorithm of Coupled Transmission and Active Distribution Systems

Considering that the conventional synchronous splitting (MSS) method for power flow calculation of coupled transmission and active distribution (TDC) systems has limitations in efficiency and convergence due to the penetration of distributed generations (DGs) and loop operation, this paper proposes an asynchronous forward-backward-splitting power flow algorithm of TDC systems. In this algorithm, the transmission system operator (TSO) acts as a coordinator and processes forward steps while the distribution system operators (DSOs) act as agents and process backward steps. Two first-in-first-out queues are introduced to realize an asynchronous mechanism, and thus, the TSO does not have to wait for the slowest DSO to complete its power flow calculation and power injection update before the next iteration can proceed. This asynchronous mechanism has a higher efficiency compared with a synchronous one when communication delays exist. In addition, the conventional fixed-point iteration in the MSS method is replaced with the Krasnosel’skii-Mann iteration. The proposed algorithm with appropriate settings will achieve better convergence, especially when active distribution networks are considered, where volt-walt-control-typed and volt-var-control-typed DGs are penetrated. The linear convergence of the proposed algorithm is proved under several assumptions and the parameter tuning issue is discussed with numerical experiments.