Modeling the impact of fire spread on an electrical distribution network

This paper proposes a methodology for studying the effects of fire on the electrical distribution network of a city. The study leverages the Model of Urban Fire Spread (MUFS) software application to simulate an urban fire along with its subsequent suppression, and performs extensive simulations of different fire spread scenarios on a synthetic city named Micropolis. The damage caused to the electrical infrastructure for a given fire spread scenario is quantified using a parameter called the Load Loss Damage Index (LLDI). Since most distribution networks contain Normally Open switches for reliability purposes, this paper uses a simple graph theoretic approach for rerouting power across isolated sections of the network which are damaged by fire. Our approach attempts to minimize the voltage drops at the most downstream customer points by rerouting power along paths of minimum impedance. Important conclusions drawn from the analysis of the LLDI values generated from extensive simulation runs are presented. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.