SOFTWARE>> -6-

PSCAD and transmission lines.

Fabrice Foucher - CEDRAT, Paul Wilson - MANITOBA HVDC.

P
SCAD: The profes- The user also en-
sional power system ters the param-
simulator. eters of the con-
ductors (resistivity,
The PSCAD/EMTDC software, radius, and bundle
developed by the Manitoba HVDC information) and
Research Centre, recently joined the geometrical
the family of products distributed layout of conduc-
by CEDRAT. tors on the tower
This software is specifically (distances be-
dedicated to transient simulations tween conductors,
of power systems. The user-friendly sag). It is possible
graphical user interface (GUI), the to define precisely
numerous control tools, its fast any tower and
execution speed and interactivity «Right-of-Way»
make PSCAD a convenient tool (ROW) geometry. Figure 2: Transmission line definition.
for the analysis and design of your Finally, three types
power system. of models are available according to Once the transmission line
The study of electrical power the application need: geometry (or impedances) are
networks is the major focus of the - The PI section model: a lumped entered, and the solution model
PSCAD application. The software parameter model derived by series is chosen, PSCAD calls a routine
includes accurate transmission RL elements and parallel CG to compute parameters before
line models which allow to take elements. This model is adapted running the simulation. This
into account the characteristic for short lines to study the 50/60Hz routine determines the impedance
phenomena occurring in the load flow, and transient behaviour. and admittance matrix giving the
transmission lines. These This model is also used when tower Vout/Vin transfer function, including
phenomena include line losses, time geometry is unknown. the surge impedance. User can read
travel, reflections, inductive and - The bergeron model: models the computed values in a subsheet
capacitive mutual coupling between transmission lines with distributed of the line model.
conductors, skin effect, etc. parameters and travelling wave
delays. The line is represented with Example 1
impedance and admittance matrix We will see several characteristics
composed of line elements. It is a of the lines with the following basic
convenient model when accurate example (figure 3).
harmonics are not too important.
This model is more precise than the • Reflections:
PI section model, particularly when On a transmission line, the
the transmission line travelling wave travelling wave times are not
Figure 1: Line model. time is longer than the simulation neglected and the wave reflection
The transmission lines time-step, i.e. greater than 15km phenomena that can lead to
models for 50microseconds. voltage sags or overvoltages on
Similar to all components in the - Frequency dependend model: the receiving end. The case above
PSCAD Master Library, the PSCAD The distributed parameters, shows clearly the travel time when
interface allows users to quickly travelling wave model is very comparing both input and output
identify and use any T-line model. precise over a larger frequency of the two transmission line phases
The T-line model is linked with the domain (DC to roughly 50kHz). to phase voltages. Tline2 is twice
rest of the power system by means All of the frequency dependent as long as Tline1 with the same
of the following icons (figure1). parameters of the cable, conductor, configuration and separate ROWs.
We notice that the soon to be and ROW are computed. Thus, a travelling wave takes twice
released version 4 of PSCAD allows as long to reach
users to draw networks in a familiar the end of the
single line diagram format. transmission
To apply a transmission line, the user line Tline2.
defines the global characteristics of See the figure 4
the transmission line (For example: below.
number of conductors, fundamental
frequency, and length), and then
the other parameters are defined in
a subpage as follow (figure2). Figure 3: Capacitor switching case. (continued on
page 7)

N° 41 - January 2003 - CEDRAT - CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES - MAGSOFT Corp.

SOFTWARE>> -7-

PSCAD and transmission lines. (continued from page 6)

Fabrice Foucher - CEDRAT, Paul Wilson - MANITOBA HVDC.

Example 2 : Network
PSCAD simulates an entire electrical
network, from the source to the
load. With the following example,
we represent a transmission line
from the source to a first node
where the network is separated
into two branches, one simulated
by a three phase RC single line
load, and the other is simulated
with a second transmission line
at a different voltage level. From
there the network is again split into
two branches, both connected by a
short distribution line and a three
phases balanced load.
Figure 6: Distribution circuit – part 2 connected at T-Line2.

give instantaneous voltage and This fault is controlled by the

power levels according to the component “ Timed Fault Logic ”.
breaker operations and the load You can notice the parasite
variations. You can modify the oscillations upstream the fault
values of the load with slider (figure 8).
controls during the simulation and
see the effects on the measured It is possible to simulate a fault at
values. The following plots (figures any place in the circuit. A phase-
7 and 8) represent the sharing out to-phase fault was recorded and
of the active and reactive power.
All values have been converted to
per unit quantities, actual units and
Figure 4 : Travelling wavess relections. even the instantaneous values are
also available. The P0 and Q0 values
We can notice that the two correspond to the source and P10
distribution lines in Figure 6 are and Q10 values correspond to the
simulated by PI section models, RC load, identifiable by the sign of
whereas the transmission lines the reactive power. Secondly, we
(figure 5) use more accurate simulate various faults on any of
frequency dependent models. the branches of the network.
The breakers are fully represented; Figure 7: Power (pu) plots versus time.
their red or green color allows us In this example, an A phase to
to visualize their operating state ground fault at time t=0.9s for
directly during the simulation. a duration of 0.2s is initiated. All
Meters are placed at several breakers are closed for the entire
places on the network that will simulation.

Figure 8: RMS response to an A phase

to ground fault.

Figure 5: Transmission line circuit - Part1.

(continued on page 11)

N° 41 - January 2003 - CEDRAT - CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES - MAGSOFT Corp.

SOFTWARE>> - 11 -

Switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive modelling

using Flux to Simulink technology. (continued from page 10)
Frederik D’hulster – Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen dept. PIH, Kortrijk, Belgium.

The output parameters of the FE-

analysis are the phase currents, the
coil voltages and the instantaneous
electromagnetic torque in the
airgap.
At every time-step (ts = 2.10-5 s),
data is exchanged between the
drive model and the FE-analysis.
This method has the great
advantage that a complex drive
model in Matlab/Simulink® can be
used in combination with accurate
flux-linkage calculation, taking
into account the mutual coupling
between adjacent phases. The
disadvantage of this method is the
rather high calculation time, caused
by the high amount of elements in Figure 4 : SRM drive model with Flux to Simulink technology.
the thin airgap. Figure 5 shows the
simulation results occurs, due to the excitation of adjacent
of coil voltage, phases D and B. Conform the flux distribution
phase current and of figure 3, this voltage is induced in phase A
electromagnetic when phase B or D is activated together with
torque production phase C (see figure 5).
for a reference
current of 7.5 A 6 - Conclusion
and a rotor speed The Flux to Simulink technology has proven
of 50 rad/s. The to be an efficient tool to model complex
results clearly motor drives in combination with accurate
show that, besides flux-linkage calculation. Effects, such as
the normal ON, mutual couplings and induced voltages, can
OFF and chopping be analysed. Attention must be paid to the
voltage of phase sample-time in Matlab/Simulink® and the
A, an extra number of elements in the FE-model in order
Figure 5 : Simulation results of Flux to Simulink technology.
induced voltage to keep the computation time acceptable…

PSCAD and transmission lines. (continued from page 7)

Fabrice Foucher - CEDRAT, Paul Wilson - MANITOBA HVDC.

placed on the line at 30% of its

length from the load (figure 9). Figure 9:
As you can see below, breaker Fault on the
currents from BRK22 were captured line.
in figure 10.
With the accurate models in
PSCAD, you can perform detailed
transient simulations of electrical
networks. The different types
of PSCAD models allow the user
Figure 10:
a large degree of freedom in
Instantaneous traces
designing simulations. Whatever
for a Line to Line fault
the goal of the study, users can
on A and B phase,
easily and quickly realize any kind
30% of the line.
of simulation, and have discretion
on the degree of accuracy.

N° 41 - January 2003 - CEDRAT - CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES - MAGSOFT Corp.