From the preliminary results, the SIMIAN architecture appears to be a workable and efficient system for power system modelling. Future work will investigate the effects of a scaling in the size of the network. The IEEE 30-Bus network is unrealistically small compared to typical distribution planning studies of 5000 nodes. The dynamic behaviour capability of the SIMIAN system was found to allow easy extension, whilst maintaining the object-oriented nature of the architecture. Integration of a GUI (graphical user interface) for browsing model parameters and topological representation of a network were both implemented using the dynamic function, and state machine functionality. The use of a common mechanism not only simplified the design but also enabled the resultant GUI classes to be constructed in a highly generic manner and as completely independent application objects. In porting the 'applications' to disparate hardware platforms, such as PCs, this latter ability requires that only this one portion need be ported - the object server application may remain on a workstation. In addition, the automatic updating of information between applications and the OODBMS was completed seamlessly through the event handling system. From this experience, it appears that more complex applications, for instance SCADA could be 'bolted-on' in a comparable manner.

Inspec keywords: SCADA systems; power system simulation; graphical user interfaces; object-oriented methods; finite state machines

Other keywords: state machine functionality; graphical user interface; object server application; power system modelling; event handling system; object-oriented design; dynamic behaviour capability; power system analysis software; SCADA; GUI; dynamic function; IEEE 30-Bus network; SIMIAN architecture

Subjects: Power systems