ANIMATED VECTORS FOR VISUALIZATION OF POWER-SYSTEM PHENOMENA

This paper presents an exact mechanical analog for an electric power s ystem that proves to be a powerful visualization tool for studying pow er systems issues such as load flow, transient stability, and the effe cts of FACTS devices. Techniques based on color and highlighting that make the method applicable to the visualization of large systems are i ntroduced. The analog provides a means for demonstrating complex issue s to audiences with little or no background in power systems. For the power engineer, the analog provides unique insights into the hows and whys of power system behavior. To the control center operator, an accu rate model of the dynamic modes may bring about improved understanding of system behavior after contingencies and illustrate the relative me rits of various dispatch options.