POWERGRAF - AN EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE PACKAGE FOR POWER-SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

The purpose of PowerGraf is to present a graphical user interface (GUI ) and a convenient tool for building one-line diagrams displaying data . The GUI is open and friendly for power systems design, analysis and control, because a picture provides a better illustration of cause and effect relationships than a tabular printout does. Basic elements suc h as buses, lines and transformers are given such that the power syste m topology is easily drawn with this tool, and the system parameters a re entered on the picture and checked visually. This enables the power system topology and the system data to be shown on one picture page. The advantages of these graphics are that users can view line overload s, low voltage problems, and outages on the overall(total) system. In addition, it is possible to see the impact of contingencies on the sys tem. To date, PowerGraf 3.0 together with an instructional demo has be en used to teach power systems courses in Electrical Engineering Depar tment at the University of Missouri-Rolla (UM-Rolla). It is also avail able on the Computer Learning Center network to help students design t heir own optimal power systems.