» March 2012

March 2012

ETAP 11.1 Now Shipping

The just released ETAP 11.1 introduces powerful new features that expand power engineering capabilities. New features include the addition of a DC Arc Flash module, built-in data conversion from other power system analysis software, new libraries, multi-language edition support and other enhancements.

Selected New Features

DC Arc Flash Analysis Module
Conversion tool from Dapper^® PTW32 versions 6.0 & 6.5
Import from PSS^®E version 29 & 30
Updated cable library based on NEC 2008
New cable library based on British standard
New protective device library
Multi Language Edition

For a complete listing of upgrades to the new release, please visit etap.com.

A message from Dr. Farrokh Shokooh, ETAP’s Founder and CEO

In our daily activities and interaction with our customers, our ETAP Team holds the following core values closely. We call these the ETAP 7 C’s.

As we look forward to an accelerating 2012 and beyond, we also pause and reflect on past years to understand what has made our company successful and driven the expansion of our product lines. This is vitally important now, because we are operating in an increasingly complex and expanding global engineering environment.

Throughout the years, one of the things that we hold steadfast is a corporate philosophy that emphasizes supporting our most important asset, our customers. We believe that our success is a result of an unwavering commitment to our customers, their needs, and receptivity to feedback.

The 7 C’s guide our interactions, investments, our initiatives, and are the fundamental underpinnings of our corporate culture. In recent years, with the opening of several international ETAP Automation offices that offer both sales and services, we have developed and refined a pledge originating from the ETAP 7 C’s, and flows from our tag line ‘Thinking Power’. Our Pledge:

‘Thinking Power – Make the Most Commonsense,

Sound Engineering, & Professional Judgments – for our Customers.’

Feature of the Month: DC Arc Flash

With the release of ETAP 11.1 DC Arc Flash Module, the tools available to Electrical Engineers and Electrical Safety professionals have just expanded. ETAP is the first to offer the marketplace this valuable product, providing another example of ETAP’s innovation engine hard at work.

DC Arc Flash applications today include Photovoltaic Solar Arrays, Data Centers, Nuclear Plants Emergency Battery Systems, Industrial and Utility Battery Banks, Chemical Plants, DC Motors, Control Systems, and Automotive, to name a few. Plus, with the growth in renewable and alternative energies, the demand for safety in DC power systems has been steadily increasing.

ETAP DC Arc Flash, automatically calculate arcing fault currents, fault clearing times, incident energy flash protection, PPE level and ATPV violations. With professional reports, labels, and automatic worst-case result analysis, you can present your findings and have confidence in your work.

The new NFPA 70E 2012 version includes an annex section (Annex D.8) dedicated to the direct current incident energy calculation.

Key Features of DC Arc Flash include:

Incident Energy & Shock Protection Boundary Calculations
Maximum Power, Stokes & Oppenlander, Paukert Methods
NFPA 70E 2012 Compliant
Interface with Intelligent One-Line Network
Embedded DC Short-Circuit Analysis Software
Seamless Integration with Star, Protective Device Software
Comprehensive DC Protective Device Library
Incident Energy Plots
Multi Language Labels
MS Excel^®Export & Report
Result Analyzer with “Worst Case” Evaluation

For additional information visit http://etap.com/dc-systems/dc-arc-flash.htm

ETAP 101 Training – Gateway to Power Systems Studies and Design

ETAP 101 is a one day complementary training seminar designed to introduce non-users and existing users of ETAP the functionalities of the latest version of the software.

ETAP 101 participants learn about power system design, analysis, optimization, control, and its use in traditional and emerging markets. They leave with an understanding of how it benefits their organization, themselves, and its positive impact globally. Each course is taught by an experienced and certified ETAP power systems engineer.

ETAP 101’s are held all over the globe. In just the last month, ETAP has conducted four successful ETAP 101’s in Kuwait, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Find one near you by clicking here and register early!

Upcoming ETAP 101 Training Seminars:

support.etap.com

ETAP Technical Support Expands with New Help Desk

ETAP has just expanded your support options with a web based help desk. While providing unlimited electronic ticket and phone support, the introduction of ETAP Help Desk supplements your support channels with 24×7 anywhere/anytime access to information and tools commonly needed. Items such as support tickets details and status, a brand new searchable FAQ, and the ability to log issues are the first to roll-out.

ETAP Help Desk was introduced to make your support experience better by giving you more control over the support process. Do you want to check up on the status of a ticket? Yes, then just go to Help Desk. Want to see if your issue has already been solved for someone else; just go to Help Desk FAQ’s. Need clarification on product usage; go directly to the product tutorials.

ETAP Frequently Asked Questions and Tutorials

One of the most favored and exciting features within ETAP Help Desk – is the link to the most current ETAP library database. This database is updated periodically between releases, so now you can have access to the library models you need sooner!

While much of ETAP Help Desk is automated, for instance auto reply email acknowledgements, the Help Desk is still manned by our support engineers who are assessing, prioritizing, and working on your submissions.

Setting up an account the first time is easy and fast. To get started, go to support.etap.com. We hope you enjoy the services ETAP Help Desk offers, and look forward to hearing from you as we expand and improve our offering.

User Defined Dynamic Modeling (UDM) – New Graphical UDM Interface

In ETAP 11, the UDM module received a new GUI that simplifies and speeds the development of dynamic models for time domain analysis.

The new graphical environment includes a set of block-type libraries that let you build, simulate, implement and test a variety of time-varying control systems. Control block diagrams for practically any type of device can be built for devices such as governors, AVR’s, power system stabilizers (PSS), wind turbine generator, generic loads, energy storage devices, fuel cells, as well as, conceptual and prototype devices of the future.

The UDM module is fully integrated into ETAP and allows for the creation of dynamic models without the need to buy MATLAB Simulink^® software.

With UDM, you can quickly create, model, and maintain a detailed block diagram of your system using a comprehensive set of predefined blocks.

These include:

Continuous and discrete dynamics blocks, such as Integration and Unit Delay
Algorithmic blocks, such as Sum, Product, and Lookup Table
Structural blocks, such as Switch, Sample Hold and Dead Zone

The module also includes a detailed compiler with comprehensive initialization routines that allows you to utilize control block diagrams to simulate dynamic responses to power system disturbances via ETAP Transient Stability software.

User-Defined Dynamic Models Software Key Features

Full graphical model builder
Graphical drag and drop interface for building custom control block diagrams.
Integrated with transient stability models
Wide variety of blocks for building models
Library of pre-defined UDM models to create complex models
Customize existing UDM models
Compile & test directly from the UDM builder
Real-Time compiling & linking of models
Control element toolbars including transfer blocks, input ports, output ports, etc.
Automatic UDM links to components
Import & Export MATLAB Simulink^® models
Create & edit models for Exciter, Governor, Power System Stabilizer & Lumped Load
Various model testing methods such as Load Acceptance, Load Rejection and Fault.