Slack bus
In power systems engineering, a slack bus, also known as a swing bus or reference bus, is a designated bus-bar in load flow studies where the voltage magnitude and phase angle are specified to serve as the reference for the network, enabling the calculation of power flows and voltages at other buses.[1] The phase angle is typically set to zero degrees, and the voltage magnitude is often fixed at a value like 1.05 per unit to maintain system stability.[2] This bus plays a critical role by absorbing or supplying the imbalance between total scheduled generation, load demand, and network losses, which cannot be precisely known until the load flow equations are solved.[3] Unlike load buses or generator buses, the slack bus does not carry a specified load; instead, its active (P) and reactive (Q) power injections are determined post-analysis to balance the system.[1] It is usually connected to a regulating generator that controls frequency or tie-line loading, ensuring the overall power equilibrium in the network.[3] The concept originated in early power flow formulations, such as the 1956 work by Ward and Hale, where it was modeled as a single generator handling frequency regulation across balancing areas.[3] In modern applications, including simulations for autonomous energy grids, the slack bus remains essential for steady-state analysis, though distributed slack models have been proposed to distribute the balancing responsibility.[3] Every power system requires at least one slack bus to provide a stable reference point, influencing the voltage profile and power distribution throughout the grid.[2]Power System Fundamentals
Load Flow Analysis
Load flow analysis is a steady-state study of power systems that determines voltage magnitudes, phase angles, and power flows under balanced operating conditions.[4] This numerical approach models the electrical network to predict currents, voltages, and real and reactive power distributions across branches and buses.[4] The primary objectives of load flow analysis include ensuring system stability by evaluating performance under normal and contingency scenarios, optimizing operations to minimize fuel costs and generator loading, and calculating real and reactive power losses to support efficient design.[4] It provides essential data for planning expansions, assessing voltage profiles, and verifying compliance with operational limits.[5] Load flow analysis originated in the mid-20th century, with the adoption of digital computers for calculations beginning in the mid-1950s to handle increasingly complex grids beyond manual methods.[6] Early computational efforts focused on improving convergence and efficiency for large-scale systems.[6] The key process involves iteratively solving nonlinear equations derived from power balance principles at each bus, using specified network data such as impedances and generation outputs to converge on unknown variables like voltages and angles.[5] Bus types serve as essential components in this framework to define constraints and unknowns.[5]Bus Types in Power Systems
In power system load flow analysis, buses are categorized into three primary types—PQ, PV, and slack—based on which electrical parameters are specified as known inputs versus those solved for as unknowns.[7] This classification ensures the system's nonlinear equations can be balanced while accounting for generation, loads, and losses.[8] PQ buses, commonly referred to as load buses, represent points where active power P and reactive power Q are specified, typically due to connected loads; the unknowns are voltage magnitude |V| and phase angle δ.[7] These buses form the majority in a power network and reflect demand-side conditions without voltage regulation.[8] In contrast, PV buses, or generator buses, have specified active power P and voltage magnitude |V|, as generators maintain voltage levels through excitation control; the unknowns are reactive power Q and phase angle δ.[7] This setup allows generators to adjust reactive output dynamically within limits.[8] The slack bus serves as the reference bus, providing a fixed voltage magnitude and angle to anchor the system's angle reference and balance unspecified power mismatches.[7] The following table compares the parameter specifications across bus types for clarity:| Bus Type | Specified Parameters | Unknown Parameters |
|---|---|---|
| PQ (Load Bus) | P, Q | |V|, δ |
| PV (Generator Bus) | P, |V| | Q, δ |
| Slack (Reference Bus) | |V|, δ | P, Q |