Fundamentals of PSCAD and

General Applications
 PSCAD/EMTDC
• PSCAD -Power Systems Computer Aided Design
• EMTDC-Electromagnetic Transients with DC Analysis
• PSCAD is a flexible graphical user interface simulation tool for analyzing power
systems transients in electrical networks.
• EMTDC is an integral part of PSCAD as it is the library of power system
component models and procedures, which establish the simulation software
provided with PSCAD.
• Together they provide a fast, flexible and accurate solution for the
efficient time-domain program for simulating a variety of electrical power
system transients and control networks.
 Capabilities

• PSCAD is a professional’s tool, which can simulate control systems and complex
networks.
• PSCAD solves the differential equations of the power system and its controls in the
time-domain.
• It provides a very flexible and effective way for testing and simulation for Power
Quality, especially transients and harmonics
• Other capabilities include, but not limited to:
• Enable circuit to be schematically constructed
• Create new custom components
• Run a simulation
• Analyze results
• Manage data in a completely integrated graphical environment
 PSCAD Vs. Simulink

• PSCAD’s interface is specialized for power

system networks
• Faster time domain simulation speed
• Matlab/Simulink Interface in PSCAD
• Availability of the models for Solar Panels and
Wind Turbines
 Advantages and Disadvantages

• PSCAD’s benefits are summarized as follows:

• A flexible, powerful and relatively cheap simulation program.
• Maximize speed and provide memory efficient storage.
• Useful in analysis of steady-state system response.
• Wide context sensitive HTML HELP system.

• PSCAD has also some limitations and shortcomings such as:

• Supports only time plots, not able to plot harmonic magnitude or phase versus
frequency.
• Graphs plotted could not be exported as a picture file.
• Precise information of power system needed to accurately run the simulation.
The PSCAD Environment
 Main Menu Bar

Workspace Electrical Palette

Controls Palette

Design Editor

Output Window
Status Bar
 Workspace

Red Text indicates that changes have been made since the last save

Library (*.psl)

Cases (*.psc)
Inactive Case

Active Case
The Main Toolbar

Up One Module Level

Print Pan (Dynamic Scroll) Find

Forward Create Default Module
Load Project Copy Zoom Out
Undo

Cut Redo Back

Zoom Control List Box Wire Mode

Save Active Project
Paste Zoom In Create New Component
New Case Project (*.psc file)

 Leave your cursor stationary over an icon for a few seconds if you are unsure of its function, a small popup will tell you its name
The Runtime Bar

Compile modified modules

Stop Simulation
(active project only)
(active project only) Advances run by 1 time step
(while pause is invoked)
Make Project
(active project only) Change PSCAD plot step

Control Settings template list

Take a snapshot
Run Simulation
(active project only)
Controls settings menu button
Compile all modules Pause Simulation
(active project only) (active project only)
 The Rotation Bar The Controls Palette The Electrical Palette
Rotate selection Flip Add Wire
Add Data Tap
clockwise selection
Add Data Merge Add Resistor
Add Data Label Add Inductor
Add Integer Constant Add Capacitor
Add Real Constant Add Ground
Add Import Add Node Label
Mirror Add Export Add Xnode
Rotate selection selection
counter-clockwise Add RadioLink Add Breakout

Add Output Channel Add Pin

Add Slider Add Ammeter

Add Switch Add Voltmeter
Add Dial Add Voltmeter to Ground
Add Push Button Add Multimeter

Add Graph Frame Add Tline Configuration

Add XY Plot Add Tline Interface
Add Control Panel
Add Cable Configuration
Add Annotation
Add Cable Interface
Add Sticky Note
Add Divider
Creating a New Case/Project
Click File  New  Case

Click the New Case Icon

Press Ctrl + N

Creating a New Library

Click File  New  Library

Type NAME here

Loading an Existing Project
Click File  Load Project

Click the Load Project Icon

Press Ctrl + O
Saving a Project

I.Right click the project name in the Workspace and then click Save or Save As

 Save As will allow you to choose a new name and then save the project
 Save will save the project with the current name,
& overwriting any previous version

II.Click File  Save Active Project or Save Project As

 Save (Active) Project will save the active project with the current name,
overwriting any pervious version
 Save Project As will allow you to rename the active project and then save it

III.Press Ctrl + S to save the active project

IV.Click the Save Active Project Icon

 The Master Library
Categories

Double click here

to see all the
components in
this category
To Access the Master Library

 Double click master in the Workspace

 Right click master in the Workspace and select Open
 Press Ctrl + Right Click on an open area of the Design Editor

Contents of the Master Library

• The components in the master library are organized into categories

Each category can be accessed by double clicking its arrow icon
 right clicking the icon and selecting Open

 Some commonly used components can also be found on the main page
of the master library

• Once you are inside a category within the master library you can go back
to the main page by:

Right clicking an open area of the Design Editor and then select Up one
module
Left clicking in an open area of the Design Editor and then press Backspace
Selecting an Item
• Items can be selected two ways
Left click on the component to select it
Multiple components can be selected by holding down the Ctrl key and
left clicking the additional items

Adding Components to the Design Editor

 Components for constructing your system can be found in a number of locations

• Some commonly used items can be found on the Electrical and Controls Palettes

 Left click an icon and then move your cursor over an open area of the
Design Editor and left click again to place the object

Right click an open area of the Design Editor and then Select Add Component

Copy items directly from the master library and then Paste them in the
Design Editor

Press Ctrl + Right Click, left click the menu items or leave your cursor
stationary to navigate through the categories to the desired component,
left click the item and then left click again to paste it
Moving Components
 Left click and hold on the component and then move your mouse, to place the object release the left mouse
button

Cutting Components
Move your cursor over and item or select it and then press Ctrl + X
Select the item(s) and click the Cut icon
Select the component(s) and then click Edit  Cut
 Move your pointer over an item or select it, then right click and select Cut

Copying Components
Move your cursor over the object or select it and press Ctrl + C
Select the component(s) and click the Copy icon
Select the item(s) and click Edit  Copy
Move your pointer over a component or select it, then right click and select Copy
Left click and hold on an item, press and hold the Ctrl key and then drag the item and release the mouse
button (drag and drop)

Pasting Components
Move your pointer over a blank area of the Design Editor and press Ctrl + V
Right Click on a blank area of the Design Editor and select Paste
Click the Paste icon
Click Edit  Paste
Rotating Components
 Select or move your pointer over a component and press R to rotate it 90° clockwise or click on
 Select or move your pointer over a component and press L to rotate it 90° counter-clockwise
or click on

Flipping Components
 To Flip components vertically:
 Select or move your pointer over an object and press F
 Select the component and click the Flip Vertically icon

• To Flip components horizontally (mirror):

 Select or move your pointer over an object and press M
 Select the component and click the Flip Horizontally icon

Deleting Components
 Select the item and press the Delete key
Some items are not removed when the Delete key is pressed (such as plot frames) so they must be Cut
Wires
• Wires can be added to your circuit several ways
 Use the Wire icon from the Electrical Palette
 Use Wire Mode
 Start Wire Mode by pressing Ctrl + W
• To start & stop the wire mode
 Left click again to place a vertex or right click to end the wire
 You can exit Wire Mode by pressing Esc

Resizing Wires

•To resize a wire

 Left click and hold on an endpoint and then drag it to the desired length
 Placing your pointer over a wire will highlight it so you can determine its length
 You don’t need to left click the wire once before dragging the endpoints,
you can simply click near an end, hold and drag

Connected Not Connected

Basic Example
 Example: Y= 5.0*sin100t
 Wire Mode can be initiated by pressing Ctrl + W.
 Double click on the components to edit the parameters.
. Data Labels(connect in the circuit & connect to the Output
Channel) carries same name to identify the respective value
 Output Channel component is allowing Data Signals to be added
to graphs and meters for viewing.
Graph component
 In order to view any results we must add a Graph Frame and set it up to display the waveforms.

 There are many ways to create plots in PSCAD.

I. Place the Graph Frame (available on the Controls Palette, or using the Add Component menu).
 To add the graph into the frame Right click inside the frame and select Add Overlay Graph .
 To add the signal Right click on the Output select Graphs/Meters/Controls Add as Curve.
 To paste the curve by right clicking on the graph and selecting Paste Curve.

 For Additional Overlay Graph and Curve press the Insert key while the mouse pointer is over the graph frame.
II. Alternatively, once you have created the frame and added the graph you can drag and drop.

III. The entire process can also be done in one step by right clicking the Output Channel and selecting
Graphs/Meters/Controls ->Add Overlay Graph with Signal.
 Right-click on the graph frame title bar (top bar on the plot labeled ‘Main : Graphs’) and select
Graph Frame Properties... from the pop-up menu.
.
Assignments
 Y = 9.75 * Tan 15t
 H= Log 10 * 30.261
 A= Cos 75t - 45.3 * Sin 120
Meter component

 We can measure the parameters by using

o Ammeter

o Voltmeter to ground

oVoltmeter

o Multimeter

Not Connected
Connected

Connected

Connected Connected
SINGLE PHASE VOLTAGE DIVIDER
 A simple example that demonstrates the use of a voltmeter, ammeter & Multimeter to plot
the voltage and current at mid node.

Using Voltmeter & Ammeter Using Multi-Meter

with resistive voltage source

R1 = R2 = 1 ohm
V = 10kV (RMS)
• To edit the Voltage source Module 2
• To edit Resistor, Voltmeter, Ammeter, Multimeter

• Multimeter
 First we need to choose the
signal we want to measure.
Than specify name of signal.
Result
Assignments
SIMULATION IN A POWER ELECTRONICS APPLICATION
Half-wave Uncontrolled rectifier with Resistive load

V = 70.07[kV] (RMS) with R=0.01[ohm]

R1= 1 [ohm]
• To edit power electronics switch (Diode)

Change the Name of the Device

Chose the
device
According to
your
preference
Result
Assignment

1. Add an inductor of 2 mH was in series with the load resistor & simulate it.
o Decreased the inductor value from 2 mH to 0.5 mH, and increased to 10 mH &
observe the voltage across load resistor.
o Add a free wheel diode
2. Analysis of a Full-wave uncontrolled rectifier circuit with R & R-L load.