DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China
A General Algorithm for Building Z-Matrix
based on Transitional Matrices
Liu Baozhu and Li Bolong
AbstractA general and procedural algorithm for Z-matrix
building is proposed in this paper. This algorithm can be
accomplished by an improved search technique to choose the tree
branch set (TS) and link branch set (LS) and is easily
implemented for a network containing the controlled sources.
The look-up table saved during the search process of TS is fully
utilized to reduce the computational amount when formulating
the transitional matrix MIB. During the construction of another
transitional matrix MBV, the applications of different kinds of
controlled sources are discussed thoroughly considering the
characteristics of the current-controlled sources and voltage-
controlled sources, respectively. With these two matrices, the
relationships between the bus current injections, branch currents
and bus voltages can easily be found. Numerical example shows
that the proposed method is very effective and suitable to be used
for the analysis of large-scale power systems.
Index TermsBranch current, bus current injection, bus
impedance matrix, bus voltage, controlled source, depth-first
search, Kron reduction, KVL law, loop equation, transitional
matrix.
I. INTRODUCTION
B us impedance matrix (Z-matrix) is one of the most
powerful matrices used in power system analysis.
Traditional methods have been presented in building Z-
matrix for large-scale power system [1, 2]. But those methods
have the same disadvantage of large computational amount; its
usefulness has been primarily constrained despite the
importance of the Z-matrix. The work required for
constructing a Z-matrix, even the step-by-step growing
technique, is much greater than that of the admittance matrix
(Y-matrix), but the information contents in the Z-matrix are
also much more than those of Y-matrix [1 - 3].
Traditional building Z-matrix algorithms only provide the
information between bus voltages and bus current injections.
In order to extract more information contents in the Z-matrix
and make full use of these information in the applications,
such as symmetrical short-circuit analysis [4], contingency
analysis [5] and economic dispatch [6], some papers provide a
new perspective to represent these information contents of the
network [7 - 10]. They develop two matrices, the voltage to
Liu Baozhu is with the School of Electrical and Electric Engineering,
North China Electric Power University, Changping District Beijing 102206,
China (e-mail: bzliu@ncepu.edu.cn).
Li Bolong is with the School of Electrical and Electric Engineering, North
China Electric Power University, Changping District Beijing 102206, China
(e-mail: libolong@ncepu.edu.cn).
978-7-900714-13-8/08/ 2008DRPT
branch current matrix and the bus current injection to branch
current matrix, to fully exhibit the network relationships
between the bus voltages, branch currents and bus current
injections.
But as yet, this new building algorithm [7 - 10] has not
taken account of the controlled sources and the computational
burden is not the best all the same. There is still a need to
reduce the computational burden of the building Z-Matrix, and
to develop the Z-matrix as efficiently as possible.
A general algorithm for Z-matrix building is proposed in
this paper based on two transitional matrices. For a network
with the controlled sources, an improved depth-first search
method is utilized to obtain the tree branches set (TS) and link
branches set (LS). One of the transitional matrices, the bus
current injections to branch currents matrix, is formulated
easily according to the look-up table generated from depth-
first search to describe the relationship of bus current
injections and branch currents. This disposal can reduce the
computational burden for without inversing the corresponding
matrix in [9, 10]. Another transitional matrix, the bus voltage
to branch current matrix, is built to describe the relationships
of bus voltages and branch currents by forming the loops for
the disposal of controlled sources. According to the electric
performance of the various controlled sources, corresponding
constraint equations are deduced. With these two transitional
matrices, Kron reduction is applied to form Z-matrix.
This proposed algorithm is programmable and helpful for
building the Z-matrix. Numerical example shows that the
proposed method can be applied for modern large-scale power
system more effectively and conveniently than traditional
methods.
This paper is organized as follows: Section II reviews the
general structure of the proposed algorithm, while the
formulation of two transitional matrices is analyzed in Section
III and Section IV, respectively. The calculation of a simple
network shows the building result of Z-matrix in Section V,
and Section VI presents the final conclusions of this paper.
II. GENERAL ALGORITHM STRUCTURE
The Z-matrix describes the relationship between the bus
voltages and bus current injections by
V B = Z matriax J (1)
where VB and J are the vectors of bus voltages and bus current
injections, respectively; Zmatrix is the bus impedance matrix.
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A. Strategies of Building Tree Set and Link Set C. Transitional Matrix MBV
The branches of a network can be divided into two sets: Transitional matrix MBV describes the relationships between
one is the tree branches set and the other one is the link the bus voltage and branch currents [7, 10].
branches set. A tree set is a set of branches, which is a
subsystem of the whole network containing all nodes but no VB IT
= M BV (3)
loops. Fig.1 shows a 6-bus network, with the tree branches 0 I L
shown by the solid lines.
Its important that the appropriate strategies of choosing the D. Z-matrix Calculation
tree set for a network containing the controlled sources. There From (2) and (3), we can make the matrix multiplication as
are several search methods for choosing the tree set of a
network. The general methods are the depth-first search and VB IT J Z11 Z12 J
the best-bound search [11]. In this paper, the depth-first search = M BV = M BV M IB = (4)
technique is used for choosing the tree set, which proved to be 0 L I L Z 21 Z 22 I L
more effective and suitable than other methods in the proposed Kron reduction can be used to obtain the Z-matrix easily as
algorithm. But some disposal must be implemented during the describes in (5). So the Z-matrix is expressed as (6).
process of choosing the tree set. For the branches containing
1
the current controlled current sources (CCCS) or voltage V B = [ Z11 Z12 Z 22 Z 21 ]J = Z matrix J (5)
controlled current sources (VCCS), its convenient to make
them into the link branches set. While these two kinds of 1
Z matrix = Z11 Z12 Z 22 Z 21 (6)
controlled current sources are inevitably included into the tree
set, an additive branch with huge impedance must be imported The thorough deduction of above-mentioned building Z-
to make another connection between the two buses related to matrix algorithm is illustrated with the help of a 6-bus network
the controlled current source. Thus this additive branch can be as Fig.1 in the following sections.
selected as a tree branch instead of the branch containing the
controlled current sources. Fig.1 shows the link branches in III. FORMULATION OF TRANSITIONAL MATRIX MIB
dashed, which contain the controlled sources. The construction of MIB is divided into two steps as the
In choosing the tree set, it might be necessary to renumber following circumstantiations.
the buses. It is expedient to form the matrix MBV one of the
transitional matrices for building Z-matrix. This can be A. Formulation of MIB with the TS
accomplished by consecutively renumbering the bus numbers During the depth-first search process of choosing the tree
from 1 to N. set, a look-up table is created to record the relationships
B0 between the buses. This look-up table can be used to formulate
the initial MIB corresponding to the TS. Its apparent that the
I1
MIB formulated under such conditions only express the
Z1 relationships between the tree branch currents and bus current
Z3 J3 Z4 J4 injections because of excluding the influence of branches in
I3 I4
LS.
B1 B4 The look-up table can be addressed from the end to the top
B3
J1 V37=35(V4-V6) I5 to build the matrix MIB. Thus the inverse matrix can be
I2
+ avoided to save the calculation burden during the process of
Z2 Z5 forming the MIB [4]. The MIB of the TS corresponding to Fig.1
I7=26I6 Z8 I8
is expressed as the coefficient matrix in (1):

B2 B6 I6 Z6 B5 I1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J1
0
I2 1 0 0 0 0 J 2
J J6 J5
Fig.1 A2 network with two kinds of controlled sources I3 0 0 1 1 1 1 J 3
= (7)
B. Transitional Matrix MIB I4 0 0 0 1 1 1 J 4
Transitional matrix MIB describes the relationship between I 0 0 0 0 1 1 J 5
5
the branch currents and bus current injections [7, 10]. I 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 J 6
IT J
= M IB (2) B. Correction of MIB by the LS
IL I L
When considering the influence of link branch currents on
where IT is the vector of branch currents in tree set, IL is the the bus currents injection, the bus current injections in (7)
vector of link branch currents, J is vector of bus current must be corrected as
injections.

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I1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J1 Vi = V j Z i I i + V ji ( j < i) (13)
0 1
I2 0 0 0 0 J 2 + I 7
where Vji, Vkl is the controlled source voltage between branch
I3 0 0 1 1 1 1 J 3 + I 8
= i-j and branch k-l, respectively. ji , kl is the coefficient. Ik
(8)
I4 0 0 0 1 1 1 J 4 is the controlling branch current; Vkl is the voltage difference
I 0 0 0 0 1 1 J 5 I 8 of bus k and bus l.
5 The MBV of the TS corresponding to Fig.1 is expressed as
I 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 J 6 I 7
the coefficient matrix in (14):
Considering the relationship between I7 and I6: I 7 = 26 I 6 ,
V1 Z1 0 0 0 0 0 I1
V
Z 0 I 2
(8) may be rewritten as
2 1 Z2 0 0 0
I1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 J1 V3 Z1 0 Z3 0 0 0 I 3
= (14)
I
2
0
1 0 0 0 26 ( 26 1) 0 J 2 V4 Z1 0 Z3 Z4 0 0 I 4
I3 0 0 1 1 1 1 (1 26 ) 0 J 3 V Z1 0 Z3 Z4 Z5 0 I 5
5
I 4 = 0 0 0 1 1 1 (1 26 ) 1 J 4 (9) V6 Z1 0 Z3 Z4 Z5 Z 6 I 6
I 0 0 0 0 1 1 (1 26 ) 1 J 5
5
I6 0 0 0 0 0 1 (1 26 ) 0 J 6 B. Formulation of MBV Considering the LS

I8
0
0 0 0 0 0 1 I 8 Equation (14) only describes the tree branch constraints
between the bus voltage and the jointed tree branch current.
where the coefficient matrix is the MIB the first transitional For the link branch constraints, one loop may come into being
matrix for building Z-matrix. with one link branch considered, but not necessarily. For link
branch 7 (i.e. branch B6-B2) in Fig.1, its controlling current is
IV. FORMULATION OF TRANSITIONAL MATRIX MBV I6, the current of tree branch 6, so constraint of branch 7 will
Transitional matrix MBV describes the relationships between not appear in the equations because its constraint has been
the bus voltages and branch currents. The construction of MBV considered in (14). For link branch 8, a loop comes into being
is divided into two steps as the following circumstantiations. when the VCVS is considered. The voltage equation of this
loop according to KVL is
A. Formulation of MBV Excluding the LS
I 4 Z 4 + I 5 Z 5 + I 8 Z 8 35 (V4 V6 ) = 0 (15)
For a network without controlled sources in the tree
branches, the recursion method [10] can be applied to For the variables V4 and V6 in (15), they can be substituted
calculate Vi whose expression could be easily gained by (10) for the expressions of branch currents and branch impedances
to (10). The calculation of the non-reference bus voltage can according to (14). This constraint must be taken into account
be obtained by the voltage of reference bus, branch currents with (14) as
and branch impedances from the root to the end of the tree set.
So the expression of bus voltages in Fig.1 is written as V1 Z1 0 0 0 0 0 0 I1
V
Vi = V j Z i I i ( j < i) (10) 2
Z
1 Z2 0 0 0 0 0 I 2
V3 Z1 0 Z3 0 0 0 0 I 3
The mutual inductance between two branches can be
V4 = Z1 0 Z3 Z4 0 0 0 I 4
described as a current-controlled voltage source (CCVS). The V Z1 0 Z3 Z4 Z5 0 0 I 5
coefficient between the controlling current and the controlled 5
voltage is the mutual inductance. Ref. [10][12] has provided V6 Z1 0 Z3 Z4 Z5 Z6 0 I 6
thorough deduction of MBV in the case of the tree branch 0 0 0 Z4 (1 35 ) Z 5 35 Z 6 Z 8 I 8
0
contains CCVS. The emphasis of this paper is laid on the (16)
general forms of controlled sources including the mutual
inductance between two branches. For explicitness, other where the coefficient matrix is the MBV the second
forms of controlled sources, i.e. CCCS, VCCS, VCVS, are the transitional matrix for building Z-matrix.
objects to be studied in details.
For a network with a CCVS or VCVS in the tree branch, V. NUMERICAL EXAMPLE
assumed the general expression of CCVS and VCVS is On the basis of the formulations of transitional matrix MIB
expressed as (11) and (12), respectively, equation (10) is and MBV, we can make matrix multiplication, i.e. substitute (9)
rewritten as (14). for the current vector in (16). Subsequently Kron reduction
described in (5) (6) is used to obtain the Z-matrix.
V ji = ji I k (11)
An example is made to validate the proposed algorithm.
The parameters of the network shown in Fig.1 are as follows:
V ji = klVkl (12) Z1=j0.2, Z2=j0.3, Z3=j0.4, Z4=j0.5, Z5=j0.6, Z6=j0.7, Z8=j0.8,

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26 = 3.0, 35 = 2.0. Following the algorithm structures VI. CONCLUSIONS

described in Sections II, the formulation of Z-matrix may be A general algorithm of building Z-matrix has been
accomplished as step A, B and C. proposed in this paper, which is especially suitable for a
A. Formulation of MIB network with the controlled sources. The thorough deduction
is demonstrated with the help of a 6-bus network with two
Using (9) to calculate MIB:
kinds of controlled sources. This algorithm used the tree set
1 1 1 1 1 1 0 and two transitional matrices: MIB and MVB, to build the Z-

0 1 0 0 0 1.5 0 matrix. The MIB represents the relationships between the
0 0 1 1 1 0.5 0 branch currents and the bus current injections, and MVB
represents the relationships between the bus voltages and the
M IB = 0 0 0 1 1 0.5 1
branch currents. After multiplying MIB and MVB, Kron
0 0 0 0 1 0.5 1
reduction was employed to obtain the Z-matrix. With these
0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 two transitional matrices, this proposed algorithm provides a
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 novel perspective to building the Z-matrix for improving the

power network analysis. Numerical example demonstrates the
B. Formulation of MBV performance of the proposed method; shows its effectiveness
Using (16) to formulate MBV: and good characteristic of being programmable for the
0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 network with the controlled sources.
0.2 0.3 0 0 0 0 0
VII. REFERENCES
0.2 0 0.4 0 0 0 0
[1] J. J. Grainger, and W. D. Stevenson, Power System Analysis, McGraw-
M BV = 0.2 0 0.4 0.5 0 0 0 Hill, 1994.
0.2 0 0.4 0.5 0.6 [2] R. Bergen, and V. Vittal, Power systems analysis, Prentice-Hall, 2000.
0 0 [3] W. L. Peterson, E. B. Makram, and T. L. Bakdwin, "A generalized PC

0.2 0 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0 based bus impedance matrix building algorithm," in Proc.1989 IEEE
0 Energy and Information Technologies Conf., pp. 432-436.
0 0 0.5 0.6 1.4 0.8 [4] H. E. Brown, "Short circuit studies of large systems by the impedance
matrix method," in Proc.2000 IEEE PICA Conf., pp. 335-342.
C. Calculation of Z-matrix [5] H. E. Brown, Solution of large networks by matrix methods, New York:
Wiley, 1985.
Using (4) (6) to calculate the Z-matrix: [6] E. B. Makram, K. P. Thorton, and H. E. Brown, "Selection of lines to be
0.200 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.200 switched to eliminate overloaded lines using a Z-matrix method," IEEE
Trans. Power System, vol. 4, pp. 653-661, Feb. 1989.
0.200 0.500 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.650 [7] J. H. Teng, Y. S. Su and W. M. Lin, "Decomposition approach and
0.200 0.200 0.600 0.600 0.600 0.000 analysis for a Z-matrix building process," IEE Proc. Gener. Transm.
Z matrix = Distrib., Vol. 151, pp 638-643, Sep. 2004.
0.200 0.200 0.600 0.743 1.171 0.786 [8] Whel-Min Lin, Yuh-Sheng Su, Jen-Hao Teng, and Shi-Jaw Chen, "A
0.200 0.200 0.600 0.314 1.857 1.729 new building algorithm for Z-matrix, " IEEE Proceedings Energy and
Information Technologies, pp. 1041-1046, 2000.
[9] Quanming Yue, Weiyong Yu, Feipeng Lu, "A novel algorithm for
0.200 0.200 0.600 0.314 1.857 2.079 building Z-matrix," in 2004 IEEE Power Systems Conference and
Exposition, pp, 124-129.
D. Discussions [10] Quanming Yue, Weiyong Yu, Junhong Du, "An improved novel
For this simple network shown in Fig.1, the Z-matrix can algorithm for building Z-matrix," Proceedings of CSEE, vol. 25, pp. 34-
39, Jan. 2005.
also be obtained by inversing the admittance matrix that is [11] K. A. Ross, and R. B. Wright, Discrete mathematics, 4th Edn. New
built manually. The proposed algorithm is validated because York: Prentice Hall, 1999.
these two results are same. [12] W. L. Peterson, E. B. Makram, "A Z-matrix building algorithm for
From the structure in Section II, the calculation amount unbalanced power systems with mutually coupled lines," in Proc. 21st
IEEE on System Theory Southeastern Symp., pp. 9-12.
mainly focuses on the Kron reduction method. The dimension
of matrix being inversed depends on the quantity of link VIII. BIOGRAPHIES
branches. If the link branches are less than the buses, the
inversing process is quicker than that of the Y-matrix. Liu Baozhu was born on October 15, 1974. He received the
From the result of Z-matrix, it is not symmetrical because B.S. degree from Southeast University in 1997, his M.S.
of the controlled sources. degree and Ph.D. degree from Harbin Institute of Technology
The transitional matrix MIB has the advantage of in 2001 and 2005, respectively, all in electrical engineering.
considering the effect of VCCS and CCCS; while MBV has the Currently, he is with North China Electric Power
good ability for the disposal of the effect of VCVS and CCVS. University, Beijing. His research interests include reactive
These two transitional matrices cooperate to solve the power optimization and control, power system analysis.
difficulty of building Z-matrix with the traditional methods for Li Bolong was born on May 4, 1971. He received the B.S.
a network containing the controlled sources. degree from Northeast Dianli University in 1995 and the
degree of M.S. from Harbin Institute of Technology in 2001,
respectively. He is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at
North China Electric Power University, Beijing.

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