DistriView: An integrated analysis tool for distribution engineers

ASPEN DistriView™ is an integrated suite of voltage drop, short circuit, relay coordination, and harmonics and reliability calculation software for utility distribution systems. DistriView is designed for networks that has a mixture of 3-phase, 2-phase and single-phase network components, including unbalanced loads and shunts. The user interface is very similar to that of ASPEN OneLiner, with split windows, floating menus and a data browser. Some highlights of DistriView are these:

  • Native Microsoft Windows program.
  • Easy-to-use interactive graphics interface under Windows 7, 8 and 10.
  • Models the distribution network in the phase domain (and not in the sequence domain) for short-circuit, locked-rotor and voltage-drop (load-flow) studies.
  • Handles radial or network systems. Each network can have multiple feeders. Each feeder can be fed by any number of substation buses.
  • Simulate short circuits: bus faults, close-in faults, line-end faults and intermediate faults.
  • Simulates lock-rotor condition for single- and 3-phase induction machines, with a variety of starting methods.
  • Simulates distribution transformer faults and reports on fault current on the low side.
  • Simulates voltage drop with a true 3-phase load flow algorithm.
  • Short-circuit and locked-rotor studies can use a voltage-drop solution as initial condition.
  • Has advanced analysis tools: stepped-event analysis, voltage sag analysis, arc-flash calculation and more.
  • Has built-in harmonic analysis engine for frequency scan and harmonic load-flow solution.
  • Has the ability to calculate feeder reliability.
  • Has built-in calculator for overhead-lines and cable impedances. Has library of large number of commonly used conductors, pole constructions and underground cable circuits.
  • Has a fault locator command that accept fault records from COMTRADE files, PDQ files and SEL event files with EVE or CEV extension.
  • Has arc flash hazard calculator based on IEEE 1584-2011 and -2018 standards.
  • Advanced network modeling
    • 2-winding transformers: Balanced 3-phase, as well as transformers that are made up of one, two or three single-phase banks with different kVA ratings and impedances.
    • 3-winding transformers without fictitious buses.
    • 2- and 3-way switches, circuit breakers, voltage regulators and boosters, switchable capacitors, grounding banks, and single-, 2-phase and 3-phase lines and cables.
    • Spot loads and section loads modeled as a mixture of constant power, constant impedance and constant current components in voltage drop studies.
    • Distributed loads: modeled as ‘section loads’ on lines and cables. The total source load can be allocated to section loads using REA, kWh and kVA methods, as well as using line length.
    • Synchronous machines and synchronous condensers: Each machine can be controlled to hold constant voltage or constant power in a voltage-drop study.
    • Induction generators and motors: both 3-phase and single-phase.
    • Inverter-interfaced generators: for modeling solar, wind type-4 and other generators.
    • Type-3 wind generators, also known as doubly-fed induction generators.
  • Advanced relay modeling:
    • Overcurrent relays, fuses, reclosers, sectionalizers and compounded overcurrent devices: The program comes with curves for about 3000 relay, fuse and recloser types. The relay library is user modifiable.
    • Distance relays: Has generic mho and quadrilateral characteristics, as well as manufacturer-specific models that mimics the fault-detection and tripping logic of commercial relays from ABB, GE, SEL, Areva, Siemens, and others.
  • Has the ability to import distance-relay setting parameters from files generated by GE, SEL and other relay manufacturers.
  • Has automatic coordination checking algorithms for any mix of fuses, reclosers and relays.
  • Has the ability to allocate loads in a batch mode using billing data or other sources.
  • Plots transformer damage curve and inrush curves automatically.
  • Choice of IEC or American transformer symbols, 50 or 60 Hz, English or metric units.
  • Displays results of voltage-drop, short-circuit and locked-rotor simulations graphically with color visualization of over- and under-voltage areas.
  • Can output vector-graphics file that can be imported into other software.
  • Has capacitor placement algorithm for loss reduction.
  • Can read ASPEN OneLiner data files.
  • Comes with data conversion program for ArcFM and PTI ADEPT (PSS/U) data files.