On the Radial Topological Constraints for Distribution System Restoration and Reconfiguration Problems

A radial topology is to be determined in both distribution system restoration and reconfiguration problems. When using a mathematical programming method to solve the problems, the explicit expressions of radial topological constraints are needed. However, a set of existing widely used topological constraints, i.e., the spanning tree (ST) constraints, has its limitations which are ignored by some scholars. In this letter, the limitation of ST constraints is analyzed and the effective set of constraints is presented. Furthermore, a combined set of constraints is also proposed and case studies compare different sets of constraints with the recommendation.