Comparison of Constraints Handling Methods for Economic Load Dispatch Problem using Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

The main goal of economic load dispatch (ELD) problem is to find an optimal operating condition for the committed generating units in order to minimize total operational cost while satisfying the constraints. The ELD problem becomes more complicated and non-convex when valve point effects of the generator are considered. The penalty function approach (PFA) is widely used to handle the constraints in ELD problem due to simple implementation. However, it requires a proper penalty factor tuning and provides inconsistent result. This paper investigates the performances of modification of infeasible particle (MIP) method based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) for solving ELD problem. The performances of MIP and PFA methods have been compared in terms of optimal result, convergence characteristic and robustness. The proposed MIP and PFA have been tested on three standard test systems (consists of 3, 6 and 40 generating units) to validate their effectiveness. The simulation result confirmed that MIP has better convergence characteristic and more robust compared to PFA. Therefore, the MIP approach can be applied in any optimization algorithm for solving constraint ELD problem effectively