An Optimal Phase Balancing Technique for
Unbalanced Three-Phase Secondary Distribution
Systems
Swapna Mansani
Student Member, IEEE
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal
Mangalore, Karnataka, India
swapnamansani@gmail.com
Abstract— In this paper, a phase balancing algorithm is
developed for secondary distribution network by rephasing the
consumer service laterals. The algorithm is proposed for
rephasing of three and single phase consumer service laterals
(service wire connecting home and supply line) at each node from
tail end of the feeder. Formulation of algorithm includes average
load per phase and average load per service with an objective to
minimize loss and number of phase moves/ rephasings of service
laterals. To demonstrate the performance of proposed
algorithms, IEEE 13 node test feeder is selected. Their
corresponding results’ validating the proposed algorithm is
presented.
Keywords—each node; loss reduction; phase balancing;
rephasing; secondary distribution network
I. INTRODUCTION
The increase in load demand and sensitivity of loads
demands distribution utilities to serve reliable power with
improved power quality, minimum loss and lower cost.
Distribution networks are unbalanced due to unbalanced
loading at node and presence of single, two phase feeder
laterals.
Unbalance in system deteriorates power quality, peak load
supplying capability and elevates power loss, which results in
high electricity cost. The unbalanced feeder can be balanced by
implementing phase balancing at each node. Phase balancing is
a technique to rephrase service laterals such that the load on all
three phases is balanced. Rephasing is carried out at zero
crossing voltage using load selector switch [1].
According to the literature, there are different types of
phase balancing algorithms with different techniques as shown
in Table I. Most of the algorithms concentrated on feeder
lateral rephasing where as algorithms based on mixed integer
programming and simulated annealing carried out phase
balancing by rephasing only single phase laterals at monitored
nodes i.e. nodal balancing. Unbalancing emphasizing power
loss, voltage drop, neutral current and no of phase moves is not
addressed so far for nodal phase balancing.
978-1-4673-8962-4/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE
Udaykumay R Y
Senior Member, IEEE
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal
Mangalore, Karnataka, India
udaykumar.yaragatti.in@ieee.org
In this paper, backward sweep nodal phase balancing
algorithm for secondary distribution system is developed by
rephasing both three phase and single phase service laterals. It
does balancing by rephasing both feeder lateral and service
laterals at each node from tail end to feeder origination. Here
the rephased node’s load is considered as lumped/ immovable
load at next monitoring node. Proposed algorithm is developed
to improve system reliability, peak load supplying capability,
voltage profile and reduces the power loss incurred.
II. PROPOSED PHASE BALANCING ALGORITHM
An Algorithm is developed to obtain rephasing
arrangement of single phase and three phase consumer service
laterals at each node with incentive of power loss reduction,
neutral current diminution, and enhanced voltage profile. It
uses simple mathematical terms such as average load per
phase, average number of services per phase and all possible
combinations of required number of services. These simple
mathematical parameters are sufficient to obtain the rephasing
arrangement, as numbers of consumer service laterals at a node
are very few. Phase sequence is the significant characteristic to
be taken into account while rephasing service laterals. A three
phase lateral with ABC sequence can be rephased to either
BCA or CAB sequence. Single phase lateral can be rephased to
any of other two phases.
Balancing technique is applied at each node from tail end to
the feeder originating point. At any monitored node, first three
phase service wires undergo balancing, and then single phase
wires undergo balancing by considering three phase laterals
load as lumped load. Similarly, load of preceding node which
is balanced prior to the monitoring node is taken as lumped
load. The order of execution is single phase feeder lateral, two
phase feeder lateral and three phase feeder lateral (first three
phase service wires then single phase service wires) as shown
in flow diagram of Fig. 1. Single phase feeder laterals are
consider as a lumped load on preceding node and rephased
accordingly. In case of two phase feeder laterals, first balance
existing load among two phases and then it is considered as a
lumped load on preceding node.
 TABLE I. STATE OF THE ART: METHODOLOGY FOR PHASE BALANCING
Rephasing
Rephasing Load considered for
Reference Algorithm / method employed Technique used element’s
elements rephasing
phase
Minimizing unbalance in
[2] Mixed integer programming Feeder laterals Individual customer load 1
branch currents
Minimization of cost penalty
[3] Simulated annealing Feeder laterals Individual customer load 1
function
[4], [5] Genetic algorithm Minimization of power loss Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 1
[6], [7] Heuristic backtracking Phase unbalance index Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 3,2,1
[8] Immune algorithm Neutral current reduction Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 3,2,1
[9] Bacterial forging by particle swarm optimization Neutral current reduction Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 3
Customer Single load at each node
[10]-[12] Fuzzy logic Average unbalance/phase 1
service wire (Assumption)
Automated mapping, facilities management,
[13] Deviation in phase loading Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 1
geographic information system
[14] Hybrid greedy fuzzy Voltage deviations Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 2,1
[15] Self-adaptive hybrid differential evolution Current deviations Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 1
[16] Neural networks Current deviations Service laterals Single load at each node 1
[17] - Current deviations Feeder laterals Aggregate of load at Node 1
Average loads/phase/service Customer
Proposed Analytical Individual customer load 3,1
laterals service wire

Fig. 1. Proposed phase balancing flow diagram.

 B. Results for phase balancing at each node by considering
III. NUMERICAL RESULTS all phase types of service laterals
A. Test feeder Proposed phase balancing algorithm is applied on IEEE 13
node test feeder to carry out rephasing of three and single
The IEEE 13 node test feeders [18] shown in Fig. 2 will phase consumer service laterals at each node.
provide a good test for the most common features of
distribution analysis. It is very small and relatively highly The load data considered for the study in Table II is
loaded for a 4.16 kV. Moreover it is a feeder with unbalanced generated randomly from the load data of IEEE 13 node test
spot and distributed loads. feeder, as the information of individual consumer service
lateral load is required to study the performance of proposed
algorithm at each node. Table III contains phase type and
sequence number for all combinations of three and single
phase service laterals in Table II to determine the type of
phase either three phase or single and phase sequence of
service laterals.
Phase balancing algorithm is applied at each and every
node from the tail end of feeder to feeder originating point at
substation / distribution transformer (DTR) by considering all
phases. The order of the nodes undergoing phase balancing is
13 to 1. While balancing loads at node 8, node 9 load is
considered as lumped. Similarly during phase balancing at
node 7, loads at nodes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are considered as
lumped load. Same process is continued till node 1 is reached.
The loss incurred and the numbers of phase moves are
tabulated in Table IV. The total load (active and reactive
power) on each phase of the feeder before and after application
of the phase balancing technique is tabulated in Table V. It is
derived from the above results that, 23 among 79 number of
service laterals rephrased, 5.25% loss reduction is achieved.

Fig. 2. Line diagram of IEEE 13 Node test feeder.

TABLE II. LOAD DATA

Serv No Type Seq Pa (kW) Pb (kW) Pc (kW) Qa (kVAr) Qb (kVAr) Qc (kVAr) Bus No
1 3 0 1.29 5.08 8.93 0.76 2.91 5.23 2
2 3 0 3.88 15.14 26.79 2.27 8.67 15.70 2
3 3 0 2.37 9.29 16.35 1.39 5.32 9.58 2
4 1 0 0.91 0.00 0.00 0.53 0.00 0.00 2
5 1 1 0.00 3.56 0.00 0.00 2.04 0.00 2
6 1 2 0.00 0.00 6.30 0.00 0.00 3.69 2
Bus 2 Total load 8.46 33.06 58.37 4.95 18.93 34.20
7 3 0 24.64 18.49 18.49 16.85 13.77 13.77 4
8 3 0 16.96 12.75 12.75 11.60 9.50 9.50 4
9 3 0 2.31 1.72 1.72 1.58 1.28 1.28 4
10 1 0 41.84 0.00 0.00 28.63 0.00 0.00 4
11 3 0 26.70 20.05 20.05 18.27 14.93 14.93 4
12 1 0 47.79 0.00 0.00 32.69 0.00 0.00 4
13 1 1 0.00 35.89 0.00 0.00 26.72 0.00 4
14 1 1 0.00 31.44 0.00 0.00 23.41 0.00 4
15 1 2 0.00 0.00 35.89 0.00 0.00 26.72 4
16 1 2 0.00 0.00 31.44 0.00 0.00 23.41 4
Bus 4 Total load 160.24 120.35 120.35 109.63 89.61 89.61
17 1 1 0.00 24.36 0.00 0.00 17.76 0.00 5
18 1 1 0.00 32.89 0.00 0.00 23.98 0.00 5
19 1 1 0.00 3.19 0.00 0.00 2.33 0.00 5
20 1 1 0.00 17.05 0.00 0.00 12.43 0.00 5
21 1 1 0.00 41.65 0.00 0.00 30.37 0.00 5
22 1 1 0.00 37.57 0.00 0.00 27.40 0.00 5
23 1 1 0.00 6.75 0.00 0.00 4.92 0.00 5
 Serv No Type Seq Pa (kW) Pb (kW) Pc (kW) Qa (kVAr) Qb (kVAr) Qc (kVAr) Bus No
24 1 1 0.00 7.03 0.00 0.00 5.13 0.00 5
Bus 5 Total load 0.00 170.49 0.00 0.00 124.31 0.00
25 1 1 0.00 6.20 0.00 0.00 3.55 0.00 6
26 1 1 0.00 0.52 0.00 0.00 0.30 0.00 6
27 1 1 0.00 28.33 0.00 0.00 16.22 0.00 6
28 1 1 0.00 43.91 0.00 0.00 25.14 0.00 6
29 1 1 0.00 48.42 0.00 0.00 27.73 0.00 6
30 1 1 0.00 35.58 0.00 0.00 20.37 0.00 6
31 1 1 0.00 7.29 0.00 0.00 4.17 0.00 6
32 1 1 0.00 42.35 0.00 0.00 24.25 0.00 6
33 1 1 0.00 8.46 0.00 0.00 4.84 0.00 6
34 1 1 0.00 8.98 0.00 0.00 5.14 0.00 6
Bus 6 Total load 0.00 230.06 0.00 0.00 131.72 0.00
35 3 0 11.76 12.45 13.23 6.73 7.13 7.58 7
36 3 0 20.05 21.26 22.61 11.48 12.17 12.94 7
37 3 0 23.39 24.82 26.34 13.39 14.21 15.08 7
38 3 0 37.79 40.14 42.61 21.64 22.98 24.40 7
39 3 0 25.90 27.51 29.20 14.83 15.75 16.72 7
40 1 1 0.00 112.95 0.00 0.00 64.67 0.00 7
41 1 0 83.74 0.00 0.00 47.95 0.00 0.00 7
42 1 2 0.00 0.00 119.89 0.00 0.00 68.64 7
43 1 1 0.00 88.95 0.00 0.00 50.93 0.00 7
44 1 2 0.00 0.00 94.42 0.00 0.00 54.06 7
45 1 0 106.31 0.00 0.00 60.87 0.00 0.00 7
46 1 0 16.92 0.00 0.00 9.69 0.00 0.00 7
47 1 0 37.66 0.00 0.00 21.56 0.00 0.00 7
48 1 0 29.90 0.00 0.00 17.12 0.00 0.00 7
49 1 1 0.00 17.96 0.00 0.00 10.29 0.00 7
50 1 1 0.00 40.01 0.00 0.00 22.91 0.00 7
51 1 1 0.00 31.76 0.00 0.00 18.19 0.00 7
52 1 2 0.00 0.00 19.05 0.00 0.00 10.91 7
53 1 2 0.00 0.00 42.48 0.00 0.00 24.32 7
54 1 2 0.00 0.00 33.71 0.00 0.00 19.30 7
Bus 7 Total load 393.43 417.81 443.54 225.26 239.22 253.96
55 1 2 0.00 0.00 48.44 0.00 0.00 43.35 8
56 1 2 0.00 0.00 16.10 0.00 0.00 14.40 8
57 1 2 0.00 0.00 18.48 0.00 0.00 16.54 8
58 1 2 0.00 0.00 6.74 0.00 0.00 6.04 8
59 1 2 0.00 0.00 79.66 0.00 0.00 71.29 8
Bus 8 Total load 0.00 0.00 169.42 0.00 0.00 151.61
60 3 0 126.84 17.82 75.79 49.20 15.63 55.26 9
61 3 0 21.86 3.08 13.09 8.48 2.70 9.54 9
62 3 0 33.10 4.66 19.80 12.84 4.09 14.43 9
63 1 0 40.23 0.00 0.00 15.60 0.00 0.00 9
64 1 1 0.00 5.64 0.00 0.00 4.95 0.00 9
65 1 0 90.72 0.00 0.00 35.19 0.00 0.00 9
66 1 2 0.00 0.00 54.22 0.00 0.00 39.53 9
67 1 0 71.60 0.00 0.00 27.77 0.00 0.00 9
68 1 1 0.00 12.74 0.00 0.00 11.18 0.00 9
69 1 1 0.00 10.04 0.00 0.00 8.80 0.00 9
70 1 2 0.00 0.00 42.79 0.00 0.00 31.20 9
71 1 0 21.35 0.00 0.00 8.28 0.00 0.00 9
72 1 2 0.00 0.00 24.04 0.00 0.00 17.53 9
73 1 1 0.00 3.01 0.00 0.00 2.64 0.00 9
74 1 2 0.00 0.00 12.77 0.00 0.00 9.31 9
75 1 0 79.90 0.00 0.00 30.99 0.00 0.00 9
76 1 1 0.00 11.20 0.00 0.00 9.82 0.00 9
77 1 2 0.00 0.00 47.75 0.00 0.00 34.82 9
Bus 9 Total load 485.60 68.19 290.24 188.35 59.81 211.62
78 1 0 128.13 0.00 0.00 85.79 0.00 0.00 11
79 1 2 0.00 0.00 170.00 0.00 0.00 80.03 12
Total load 1175.9 1040.0 1251.9 614.0 663.6 821.0

*Pa, Pb,and Pc are active power in phase A,B and C respectively. Qa, Qb,and Qc are reactive power in phase A,B and C respectively.
 TABLE III. INDEXING FOR PHASE SERVICE LATERALS
(a)
Phase Type Sequence Phase Pattern
3 0 ABC
3 1 BCA
3 2 CAB
1 0 A
1 1 B
1 2 C

TABLE IV. LOSS AND NUMBER OF REPHASINGS

Before phase After phase
balancing balancing
Loss (pu) 0.0875 0.0829
Number of (b)
- 23
moves

TABLE V. LOADS ON EACH PHASE BEFORE AND AFTER PHASE

BALANCING

Pa (kW) Pb (kW) Pc (kW)

Before
phase 1175.85 1039.97 1251.93
balancing
After
phase 1090.12 1179.09 1198.55
balancing
Qa(kVAr) Qb(kVAr) Qc(kVAr)
Before
(c)
phase 613.98 663.60 821.03
balancing
After
phase 620.85 717.74 760.02
balancing

The variation in neutral current, branch current and node

voltages of Phase-B are illustrated in Fig. 3. With the
application of phase balancing algorithm at each candidate
node by considering all types of service laterals (3 phase and
single phase), lowers the neutral current and the same is
demonstrated in Fig. 3(a). This also results in reduced branch
currents as shown in Fig. 3(b). However an increase in
magnitude of branch current is observed at branches 6 and 8
due to shifting of the service laterals from phase C to phase B
at nodes 7 and 9. Voltage at various nodes of phase B, shown Fig. 3. (a) Plot of neutral current (b) Branch currents of Phase-B (c)
Voltages at various nodes of Phase-B.
in Fig. 3(c) depicts an improvement in the voltage profile at all
the nodes except at nodes 10,11,12 due to absence of phase B
feeder lateral at those particular nodes. Thus the application of IV. CONCLUSION
phase balancing at each node by taking into account all types
of phase laterals (3-phase, 1-phase) enables the system to have In conclusion, phase balancing algorithm is developed and
balanced operation, increased peak load supplying capability tested for IEEE 13 node test feeder. In this algorithm, phase
along with improved efficiency. balancing is implemented at each node by considering both
three phase and single phase service laterals as movable and
by accounting load of the pre-balanced node as lumped load.
The proposed algorithms drive the phase lateral’s rephasing
arrangement, minimum power loss, enhanced voltage profile
and smaller neutral current.
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