Fundamentals of PSCAD and General Applications

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Fundamentals of PSCAD and General Applications

• The PSCAD Environment

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Main Menu Bar
Electrical Palette
Workspace
Controls Palette
Design Editor
Output Window
Status Bar
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Workspace
Library (.psl)
Red Text indicates that changes have been made
since the last save
Cases (.psc)
Inactive Case
Active Case
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The Main Toolbar
Up One Module Level
Pan (Dynamic Scroll)
Print
Find
Forward
Create Default Module
Load Project
Copy
Zoom Out
Undo
Back
Cut
Redo
Wire Mode
Zoom Control List Box
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
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The Runtime Bar
Compile modified modules (active project only)
Stop Simulation (active project only)
Make Project (active project only)
Advances run by 1 time step (while pause is
invoked)
Change PSCAD plot step
Control Settings template list
Take a snapshot
Run Simulation (active project only)
Controls settings menu button
Pause Simulation (active project only)
Compile all modules (active project only)
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The Rotation Bar
Rotate selection clockwise
Flip selection
Mirror selection
Rotate selection counter-clockwise
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The Controls Palette
Add Data Tap
Add Data Merge
Add Data Label
Add Integer Constant
Add Real Constant
Add Import
Add Export
Add RadioLink
Add Output Channel
Add Slider
Add Switch
Add Dial
Add Push Button
Add Graph Frame
Add XY Plot
Add Control Panel
Add Annotation
Add Sticky Note
Add Divider
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The Electrical Palette
Add Wire
Add Resistor
Add Inductor
Add Capacitor
Add Ground
Add Node Label
Add Xnode
Add Breakout
Add Pin
Add Ammeter
Add Voltmeter
Add Voltmeter to Ground
Add Multimeter
Add Tline Configuration
Add Tline Interface
Add Cable Configuration
Add Cable Interface
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Creating a New Case Click File ? New ?
Case Click the New Case Icon Press Ctrl
N Creating a New Library Click File ? New ?
Library Loading an Existing Project Click File
? Load Project Click the Load Project
Icon Press Ctrl O
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• Saving a Project
• 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
• 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
• Press Ctrl S to save the active project
• Click the Save Active Project Icon

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• Making a Case Active
• Right click the case name in the Workspace and
  then select Set as Active
• - The icon to the left of the case name will
  turn blue
• Unloading a Project
• Right click the project name in the Workspace and
  select Unload
• Select the project name in the Workspace then go
  to File ? Unload Project
• Select the project name in the Workspace and then
  press Ctrl U
• Opening a Case in the Design Editor
• Double click the case name in the Workspace
• Right click the case name in the Workspace and
  select Open

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The Master Library
Categories
Double click here to see all the components in
this category
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• 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 or 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

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• Selecting an Item
• Items can be selected two ways
• - Left click on the component to select it
• - The Edit menu (main menu bar) may now be
  used, as well as the shortcuts keys
• - Multiple components can be selected by holding
  down the Ctrl key and left clicking the
  additional items
• - Left click and hold to drag a box around an
  item or items
• - best for selecting multiple items

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• 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

Once you are in the master library and have
copied the component, open the Design Editor for
your project so the item can be pasted
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• Moving and Cutting Components
• Left click and hold on the component and then
  move your mouse, to place the object release the
  left mouse button
• The components can also be cut and then paste to
  change their location
• - 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

• You can release the Ctrl key once the pointer
  changes to the symbol
• This method does not work with all components
  such as plot frames

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• Pasting Components
• Move your pointer over a blank area of the Design
  Editor and press Ctrl V
• Click the Paste icon
• Click Edit ? Paste
• Right Click on a blank area of the Design Editor
  and select Paste
• Rotating Components
• Select or move your pointer over a component and
  press R to rotate it 90 clockwise
• Select or move your pointer over a component and
  press L to rotate it 90 counter-clockwise
• Right click on the component and select Rotate
  Right, Rotate Left or Rotate 180

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• Flipping Components
• To Flip components vertically
• - Select or move your pointer over an object and
  press F
• - Right click on the component and select Flip
• - 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
• - Right click on the component and select Mirror
• - Select the component and click the Flip
  Horizontally icon

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• Deleting Components
• Components can be removed from the Design Editor
  several ways
• - Move your pointer over an item or select it
  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
• - use any of the previously described methods
  to cut the object
• Changing the Order of Components
• If one component is overlapping another you can
  select which one will be in front
• - Right click the component and select Bring to
  Front or Send to Back

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• Wires
• Wires can be added to your circuit several ways
• - Use the Wire icon from the Electrical Palette
• - Use Wire Mode
• - Copy and paste wires from other circuits, the
  master library etc.
• Wires are assumed to be connected whenever the
  end point of one wires touches any point on
  another wire
• The Pin component can be used to force a
  connection between wires that cross
• Resizing Wires
• To resize a wire left click and hold on an
  endpoint and then drag it to the desired length

Connected
Not Connected
Connected
Connected
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• Wire Mode
• Wire mode is a quick way to create wires of any
  length or number of vertices
• - Start Wire Mode by pressing Ctrl W or
  clicking the Wire Mode icon
• - Left click to place the starting point of the
  wire
• - Left click again to place a vertex or right
  click to end the wire
• - You can exit Wire Mode by pressing Esc, Ctrl
  W or clicking the Wire Mode icon
• - Wire Mode can form more complex shapes that
  are defined as one entity (you cant delete one
  leg, only the entire shape can be deleted)
• - Wires created in Wire Mode can be resized by
  left clicking, holding and dragging any vertex
• - Clicking, holding and dragging any other
  section of the wire will allow you to move the
  entire shape

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• Signal Types
• PSCAD has 2 signal types, Electrical and Data
• - These signals can not be directly connected
  to one another
• - Some components allow you to convert an
  Electrical signal to a Data Signal (such as
  ammeters, voltmeters, instrument transformers,
  etc)
• - You can use a data signal to control some
  electrical sources
• - Wires work for both Electrical and Data
  signals
• - When the circuit is compiled the wire color
  will change if it is carrying a data signal
• - The wire will turn blue if it is carrying an
  Integer value
• - The wire will turn green if it is carrying a
  Real value