M2PI Case Studies Virtual Seminar: Marco Caoduro

In an electric grid, 'phase imbalance' refers to the unequal distribution of electrical loads across the three phases of the grid. This imbalance can lead to inefficiencies, increased power losses, and equipment damage. A helpful analogy is a three-lane road where uneven distribution of cars causes traffic congestion; similarly, imbalanced phases cause strain on the grid, reducing its efficiency and reliability.

In this talk, we present a mathematical formulation of the phase balancing problem and discuss an approach based on Mixed Integer Linear Programming, a technique that belongs in every optimizer's toolkit. The proposed model identifies optimal reassignments to minimize grid phase imbalances while limiting the number of phase changes. Beyond this specific application, the talk will serve as an introduction to Mixed Integer Linear Programming, covering key theoretical insights and exploring other potential use cases.

This work was conducted as part of the M2PI 2024 workshop in collaboration with Awesense. It was a joint effort with Emily Au (University of Alberta), Atika Batool (University of Manitoba), Boaz Elazar (UBC), and Varun Neelamana (University of Regina), under the supervision of Aviv Fried as the industry mentor.