Application of Soft Computing Techniques to Automatic Load Frequency Control Problem: A Literature Review

Abstract

This paper attempts to show the review on soft computing techniques to the problem of Automatic Load Frequency Control (ALFC) in conventional power systems. The review emphasises the basic meaning of Automatic Load Frequency Control, it's working mechanism and the type of research being done in this area. The review also focuses on the opportunities and gaps in Automatic Load Frequency Control problem. To understand the entire review it has been characterized into three parts. The survey in the first part has done based on the type of controllers used in the literature, in the second part it as done on the need of computational intelligence and the types of optimization techniques and in the last part it has made on nature of power system. The system models considered are single area, two area and multi area systems, and also explains application of external devices such as Flexible Alternating Current Transmission (FACT) devices and Energy Storage Devices consists of Redox Flow Battery (RFB) and Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES). Addition to this present paper also reviews the different physical constraints like Governor Dead Band (GDB), Time Delay (TD), Boiler Dynamics and Generation Rate Constraint (GRC) present in the power system.