Discontinue Economic Load Dispatch problem solving by Bacteria Foraging Optimization

Abstract

This paper presents an efficient approach for solving economic load dispatch (ELD) problems with discontinue cost functions using bacteria foraging algorithm. The bacterial foraging optimization (BFO) algorithm mimics how bacteria forage over a landscape of nutrients to perform parallel non-gradient optimization [1]. In this article, the author provides a tutorial on BFO, including an overview of the biology of bacterial foraging that models this process. The applications of BFO are also presented. The performance of the algorithms are investigated on ELD problem of various population size with the power demand constraint, generating limits and the prohibited operating zone also added with the fuel cost function. This leads the non-smooth and complexity having cost curves where conventional gradient-based methods are inapplicable.