Patent ID: 6321187
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: H02J,Y02E,Y04S

Abstract:
A method for assessing the operational reliability of an electrical power distribution system comprising the steps of:identifying each element of the electrical power distribution system;for each element, establishing characteristic data, the characteristic data identifying at least one operating characteristic of the element, and interconnection data, the interconnection data identifying interconnections of the element to at least one other element of the electrical power distribution system;using the identification data to determine all possible paths within the electrical power distribution system interconnecting the element to the at least one other element;determining from the all possible paths valid paths interconnecting the element and the at least one other element, wherein a valid path terminates at the at least one other element, is not a redundant path, does not violate permitted flow directions and does not include other active power sources or load elements;determining from the valid paths at least one minimum cut from a first element of the electrical power distribution system to a second element of the electrical power distribution system based upon the interconnection data;identifying at least a third element of the electrical power distribution system on the minimum cut;assessing reliability of the minimum cut based at least upon the characteristic data associated with the third element; andassessing the operational reliability of the electrical power distribution system based at least upon the reliability of the minimum cut.