USER’S GUIDE on the use of PSCAD PSCAD Power Systems Computer Aided Design RESEARCH & CENTRE 211 Commerce Drive, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3P 1A3Copyright © 2010 Manitoba HVDC Research Centre, a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd. All rights reserved Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, for any purpose without the express written permission of Manitoba HVDC Research Centre. PSCAD® is a registered trademark of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd. EMTDC is a trademark of Manitoba Hydro, and Manitoba HVDC Research Centre is a registered user. Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 7, Vista, Developer Studio are the registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Intel and Intel Visual Fortran are trademarks of Intel Corporation. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries licensed exclusively through X/Open Company, MATLAB and Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. Compaq and the names of Compaq products referenced herein, are either trademarks and/or service marks or registered trademarks and/or service marks of the Compaq Computer Corporation. WinZip is a registered trademark of WinZip Computing, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Print history: + February 3, 2003 - Version 4.0.0, first printing. + March 21, 2003 - Version 4.0.1 + July 18, 2003 - Version 4.0.2, second printing + December 23, 2003 - Version 4.0.3 + April 30, 2004 - Version 4.1.0, third printing. + April, 2005 - Version 4.2.0, fourth printing + February, 2010 - Version 4.2.1, fifth printingForeword Technology lives, breathes and fades away, giving way to fresh, innovative ideas. Strength comes from the sharing of thoughts and efforts of those people who work with and create these ideas - a synergy that is greater than the sum of its parts. Sometimes moving forward means letting go of past practices. To create some- thing new involves a willingness to take risk on those ideas that form a belief for the future. With that risk comes long days of change and self examination that is necessary along the way. Why it was done...matters to team; what was done...matters to everyone else. Many times during the planning, that path was changed as a result of new knowledge and understanding. Openness to that change made it possible to adapt and mold the vision. Ideas that seemed at first to be the right ones, grew increasingly obtuse, forcing them to be abandoned or re-factored into a new form. | would not be truthful if | said | expected it to evolve as it had. The time and energy needed for this fundamental change far exceeds anyone’s expectations. One of the traits that keeps the faith is the belief the solution is just around the comer. The road winds and bumps, the wind pushes back, but every wayside along the way bears fruit and reinforces the promise of the “road less traveled.” Of the many goals of the original vision for “neXus,” most have been delivered on the promise and have been brought to the table here. The techniques and ideas have been realized into a whole. Every part has been revisited and refined to share and interact with an all new smooth backbone of information. This intimacy of form and function is a new place; a new sunny beachfront with which a re- freshing start is made, The best part is that this is only the beginning of a whole new exciting series of changes to come that could never be done in the past. Tools and methods that were not possible before are now possible and in fact, very close at hand. It will be an exciting time ahead, and we are happy to share in the experience Craig Muller, P.Eng Software Development Manager February, 2010This masterpiece is dedicated to al the hardworking, programmers, engineers, students, professors and support Staff who made this program possiblePSCAD Table of Contents About This Guide. Organization Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of PSCAD.. What is PSCAD? A Quiet Revolution in Simulation ...:..cssnnstststnsiniannstseese Migration to the PC Windows Environment. ...s:snneesnet arin ‘A Paradigm Shift Who Uses PSCAD, and for What? What's New in PSCAD X4? important Points to Note New and Enhanced Features New Master Library Models Master Library Component Updates Line Constants Program (LCP). Getting in Contact with Us... PSCAD Support Services Support Petition Request PSCAD Community Forum ...... Membership .... Forum Details.. PSCAD Sales Chapter 2: _ License Management .. Multi-User Licensing. Single-User Licensin Trial Licensing Hardware Locks (Dongles) License Key..... License Manager Software. Standalone License Manager Maintenance and Support Local License Manager Trial License Manager PSCAD Usage Log ... Trial Licenses Requesting a Trial License Installing a Trial License......Table of Contents Adding/upgrading Standalone License Manager Licenses Adding/upgrading A Single-user License. Changing Active Licensing Settings Changing License Manager Hos Changing Active License Type Viewing Active License Information Getting Licensing Information..... . Standalone License Manager Information .. Active Licensing Information Manually Starting The License Manager. Manually Stopping The License Manager Chapter 3: Workspace and System Settings .. Workspace Options Runtime. System Settings FORTRAN MATLAB Interface Settings Associations Customize File Associations Creating a New Association. Removing an Association Invoking an Associated External Application. 38 License...... 39 License Host. 39 Trial License . . 39 Multi-User or Single User License 39 Available License(s) 40 Active LICENSE ses sestnnoessentnestnsentanstntsestnssanse 40 Chapter 4: The Application Environment. Terminology. Components and Modules Definitions .. Instances.. Projects Case Library Tutorial: My First Simulation Starting PSCAD .. Title, Menu and Main Tool Bar Title Bar and Active Project Menu Bar and Menu Items.....sssesestnssnisnnetstesinsePSCAD Toolbar Buttons 45 Workspace and Output Windows. 45 Loading a Case Project. Running a Simulation... Printing the Circuit. The Workspace Moving and Resizing the Workspace Window... The Primary Window. The Files Branch. Module Folders Transmission Lines and Cable Files RTP/COMTRADE Recorder Files. Active Project ss... The Master Library The Secondary Window Module/TLine/Cable Hierarchy Branch Definitions Branch... . Runtime Objects in the Definitions Branch Transmission Lines and Cables. Observers Group Name Based Sorting. The Output Window... Moving and Resizing the Output Window Errors and Warnings Build Messages... Runtime Messages .. Locating the Problem Source. Search The Definition Editor. Viewing Windows. Circuit Graphic Parameters Script. Fortran Data Other Important Features Menus Main Menu Bar......- Right-Click Pop-Up Menus... Library Pop-Up Menus Grouping of Components within the Toolbars jenuTable of Contents Main Toolbar 70 Status Bar 1 Rotation Bar 71 Runtime Bar - . . 74 Electrical Palette 72 Control Palette 73 Graphic/Script Bar. .74 Graphic Filter Bar. 75 Keyboard Shortcuts. .76 General 76 Wires 77 Plotting .78 PSCAD Temporary Directories. . fevcteraeie 79 PSCAD On-line Help System 79 Look and Feel 80 The Help Toolbar..... 80 The Navigation Pane.....rneene . evonerenee BF Contents. 81 Index 81 Search. 82 Favourites . 82 The Main Viewer so . evsnereree 8B Tutorial Projects 83 Voltage Divider 83 Fast Fourier Analysis... 83 Simple AC System with a Transmission Line 83 Use of Control Arrays...... 84 Use of Slider, Switch, Button, and Dial 84 Interpolation . . 84 Generating a Legend and using PSCAD Macros... 84 Chatter Elimination. , evenranee 84 Multiple Run 84 Chapter 5: Operations and Feature Overview Projects . a Creating a New Project... Importing a Project. Loading a Project Recent Files Opening and Viewing a Project. Navigating an Opened Project Scroll Bars. Arrow Keys. Panning (Dynamic Scroll) Mode ....PSCAD Moving In and Out of Modules 88 Forward/Back Buttons. 89 Tabs Zoom... Zoom Rectangle. Zoom Extents. Refresh... Setting the Active Project Compiling and Building a Project Compile Make . Viewing Error and Warning Messages Navigating to the Message Source Running a Simulation Editing Project Settings. Changing the Run Duration... Changing the Simulation Time Step. Changing the Simulation Plot Step Taking a Snapshot Manual Pre-Defined.... Starting from a Snapshot Saving Output to File Saving Project Changes. Save Project As....... Cleaning the Temporary Directory Unloading a Project... Components and Modules Selecting Objects. - Adding Components to a Project ‘Adding Multiple Instances of a Component . 100 101 Moving or Dragging an Object 102 CutCopy/Paste 102 Rotate/Mirror/Flip 103 Deleting Objects. 103 Undo and Redo... . evens 103 Connecting Components Together. 103 Invalid Component Connections 104 Porting Signals and Nodes between Modules ... 105 Data Signal Analogies to FORTRAN Code... 106 Porting Data Signals by Port Connection. eves 106 Porting Data Signals by Component Parameter 108 Porting Data Signals by Radio Links. 110Table of Contents Porting Electrical Nodes. Editing Module Canvas Settings Overlays... . Paper... Sequence Editing Component or Module Parameters. Changing Parameter Values Editing Definition Properties. Linking and Re-linking Definitions. Link List Resource Link Viewing Component Properties. Invoking the Component Properties Viewer. Category Descriptions Formatting Viewed Properties. Saving Component Properties to a Fille . Copying Data to Clipboard «1... Changing to Single-Line View Creating a New Component, Module or Transmission Wire Using the Component Wizard eee Step 2 Step 3 Step 4... Manually Creating a New Module or TLine/Cable Definition... sense Creating the First Instance of a Definition Compiling an Individual Module Definition .. Lock/Unlock Modules....... Importing/Exporting Definitions. Import a Definition Export a Definition Copy as Meta-File or Bitmap Printing Selected Objects. Printing a Module Page. Tutorial: Creating a New Project Creating a New Case Project Saving the Project... ssserneene Changing the Namespace Nam Opening the Project Main Canvas ... Opening the Master Library Assembling the Voltage Divider Circuit "1 12 113 114 114 14 oS 6 aT 7 118 118 II 119 122 we 122 122 122 123 123 123 124 125 125 125 126 os 126 os 126 127 127 127 127 2 128 128 128 128 130 2131 131 131 132PSCAD Locating the Single-Phase Source. 132 Add and Assemble 133 Editing the Remaining Component Parameters. 134 Plotting Results... fevenstsivevee sae enone 135, ‘Adding a Graph Frame 135 Additional Overlay Graph and Curve 136 Editing the Graph Properties. Running the Project Multiple Instance Modules. Input Parameters. Similarities and Differences 141 Module Definitions and Instances 144 Practical Example of Multiple Module Instances in Use .. 144 Coding Analogies 148 Instances vs. Calls 154 Subroutine Arguments... ; 151 Important Design Considerations. 138 138 139 140 ees soseee 152 Definition and Instance Variables 153 Output Channel and Online Control Placement 154 Runtime Configuration in EMTDC. 154 Copy with Dependents. Inter-Project .... 155 155 Intra-Project 156 Import Notes 156 Wire Mode... 157 Drag and Drop...... 158 Create a Component instance ... . eves 158, Copy a Component Instance. 159 Adding a Curve to a Graph...... 159 Adding a Meter to a Control Panel . 159 Adding a Control Interface to a Control Panel... 160 Move/Copy Meters and Curves between Graphs/Panels .. 160 Accessing the Online Help System 161 Tool Tips 161 Searching... 162 Component and Signal Tables 163 Component Table 163 Signal Tables 164 Scenarios (Control Templates) 165 Saving the Active Scenario 166 Delete Active Scenari 167 Scenario Viewer 167 Features and Functions 167Table of Contents Chapter 6: Online Plotting and Control. Global Substitutions 168 Viewing Defined Global Substitutions 169 Adding/Editing Global Substitutions .. . 170 Utilizing Global Substitutions. 170 Unit System Enabling the Unit System Unit Format... Base Units Prefixes Target Units Unit Conversions. Compound Units Verifying Unit Conversions... EMTDC Output Files Creating Output Files Multiple Output Files ....... Column Identification and the Information File. Preparing Data For Control Or Display Channelling Output Dati Controlling Input Data...... Graph Frames Adding a Graph Frame. Moving and Resizing a Graph Frame..... Cut/Copy Frames ev Paste Frame... Adjusting Frame Properties. Adjusting Horizontal Axis Properties 188 Graphs... Adding Graphs to a raph Frame. Graph Order ener Cut/Copy Graphs Paste Graph Copy Data to Clipboard... Overlay Graphs... erctnerintiene Adjusting Overlay Graph Properties 191 Poly Graphs 193 Adjusting PolyGraph Properties 194 CUIVES eso . Adding a New Curve to a Graph . fevceeree: 195, Curve Legends 196 Curve Order 196 Cut/Copy/Paste an Existing CUrVE ren 197