The novel controller design tuned by puma optimizer for load frequency control in two-area PV-thermal power system

Abstract

System frequency oscillations and tie-line power fluctuations are the consequence of disruptions to the intricate equilibrium between power generation and demand in electrical networks. The use of advanced control techniques, particularly load frequency control (LFC), is of paramount importance in addressing these issues. This research presents an in-depth analysis of the intricate LFC design of a two-area power system that incorporates thermal reheat and photovoltaic (PV) components. We propose a sophisticated controller architecture, the proportional-integral-derivative plus proportional-integral (PID + PI), which is designed to mitigate tie-line power fluctuations and stabilize system frequency. The parameter optimization of our PID + PI controller employs the recently developed puma optimization (PO) algorithm, a state-of-the-art metaheuristic approach that has yet to be investigated in the LFC field. The study encompasses a comprehensive evaluation of the controller’s performance and robustness in a multitude of operational scenarios, including dynamic load disturbances in PV and thermal subsystems. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparative analysis is conducted, evaluating the performance of our PO-tuned PID + PI controller against established controllers from the literature, tuned by the firefly algorithm, whale optimization algorithm and black widow algorithm. The results of our extensive simulations and analysis demonstrate that the PO-tuned PID + PI controller exhibits superior performance in multiple parameters, such as settling time, overshoot and steady-state error, when compared to other controllers.