Introduction to

Alternative Transients Program

(ATP)
Nandkishor W. Kinhekar

Outline of the talk

Introduction
Operating Principles
Components
Hardware Requirements
Program Capabilities
ATP Tools
Typical Applications
Licensing
Demo

Introduction
The ATP is universal program system for digital simulation of
transient phenomena of electromagnetic as well as electro
mechanical nature in electric power systems.
It can simulate complex networks of power system and
control system.
Main contributors are Drs.W.Scott Meyer and Tsu-huei Liu
(early 1984).

Operating Principles
ATP predicts variables of interest within electric networks as
functions of time, typically initiated by some disturbances.
Trapezoidal rule of integration is used to solve the system
differential equations in time domain.
Initial conditions: user defined or determined automatically.
TACS (Transient Analysis of Control Systems) enables
modeling of control systems.
Symmetric or unsymmetric disturbances are allowed (e.g.
faults, lightning surges, switching, commutation of valves).
It supports frequency response and harmonic analysis.

Components
Uncoupled and coupled linear, lumped R,L,C elements.
Transmission lines and cables with distributed and
frequency-dependent parameters.
Linear/nonlinear/controlled resistances and inductances.
Components with nonlinearities: transformers, surge
arresters (gapless and with gap).
Ordinary, time/volt dependent, TACS controlled switches.
Analytical sources: step, ramp, sinusoidal, exponential surge
functions.
Rotating machines: 3-phase synchronous and induction
machine, universal machine model.
Valves: diodes, thyristors, triacs,
User defined component.

Hardware Requirements
486/Pentium-based PC's with MS-Windows
95/98/NT/2000/XP, min. 16-MB RAM, hard disk (20 MB
free space) and VGA graphics is sufficient to execute
ATP under MS-Windows.
Linux (GNU version of ATP)

Program Capabilities
No absolute limits have been reported.
Largest performed simulation has:
Busses: 6000
Branches: 10000
Switches: 1200
Sources: 900
Nonlinear elements: 2250
Syn. Machines: 90

ATP Tools
ATPDraw (graphical preprocessor to ATP)
ATPDraw is a graphical, mouse-driven pre-processor to
ATP on the MS-Windows platform.
In ATPDraw the user can construct an electrical circuit
using the mouse and ATPDraw generates the ATP file in
the appropriate format.
All kinds of standard circuit editing facilities copy/paste,
grouping, rotate, import/export are available in ATPDraw.

PlotXY (Plotting program)

It is a plotting program to generate easy and fast
scientific line plots using data collected from PL4 file after
running.
Main Program features are:
- up to 8 plots per sheet.
- allows plots versus time.
- allows linear and logarithmic scales.
- scaling, offsets and zoom support.
- automatic axis scaling and labeling.
- cursor to see values in numerical format.
- printing and Windows Metafile export facilities.

DATA selection window

Once the program is activated, the data selection
window is displayed.
The variables in the window are from .PL4 files and are
prefixed by one or two character string, that is:
v for voltages
c for currents
t for TACS
s for syn. Machines
To select variables to plot, click on them.
Can perform addition, subtraction and multiplication of
only two variables.
Scaling factor and offsets can be added.
Can request automatic time conversion to min & hour.

 Time is taken on X-axis by default.

To use a different variable as X variable simply click in
the corresponding cell in the X column of the variable.
Click on Plot to plot the selected variables.
If the user wants to export in an output file, in numerical
form, then click on icon
save variables.
Can save as .ADF, .MAT file.
To enter multi-file mode, click on the button
Allow
Multiple files on the right-upper part of the Data
Selection window.

Typical Applications

Switching and lightning surge analysis.

Fault analysis.
Protective relaying studies, circuit breaker studies
Insulation coordination and lightning overvoltage studies.
Shaft torsional oscillation studies.
Transient stability studies.
Machine modeling.
Transformer and shunt reactor/capacitor switching.
Power electronic applications.
FACTS: STATCOM, SVC, UPFC, TCSC modeling.
Harmonics analysis, network resonances.

Licensing
ATP software is royalty free and can be downloaded free
of charge from several sites.
However, ATP licensing is mandatory prior to get
permission to download the program.

References
http://www.emtp.org
http://www.ece.mtu.edu/atp

Thank You