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Electric defects simulation program/software

jfueng00

May 8, 2018
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Good afternoon to everyone. I am researching about electrical protections in the industry and I was wondering if anyone knows any program to simulate the defects that affect electrical systems. Thanks in advance
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
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Given the multiplicity of potential faults and their effects I doubt that there is any program that can do this.
 

Minder

Apr 24, 2015
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'Electrical Systems' covers a plethora of installations, voltages and devices it would be virtually impossible to simulate every possible condition.
What particular kind of industry are you intending aiming at?
M..
.
 

Harald Kapp

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Nov 17, 2011
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I know that for digital systems there are "fault simulators". These are basically digital simulators with the added capability of introducing certain kind of typical faults (typically stuck-at faults or more sophisticated fault models) and evaluating the system n comparison to a fault free system. The goal is to find out whether certain patterns of test vectors (input data to the system) show different behavior with or without a fault present.
This is used to determine a set of test vectors for testing complex systems where you may not have access for measuring every node). Fpr example large digital chips.

For analog chips, typically much less complex than digital ones, I know of no such method. Here what is evaluated is rather the sensitivity to changes in component values, e.g. caused by tolerances in the production. Apart from exhaustively simulating all components with all possible variations, statistical methods are used, e.g. the Monte-Carlo method which is available in many SPICE based analog simulation programs.

For other "electrical systems" I agree with Minder. Wvery kind of fault simulation must resort to a comparatively simple set of fault conditions to be manageable. If you have a simulator for your "electrical system", you can always introduce faults by one or both of the above methods and evaluate the outcome. It doesn't hurt to put some engineering experience into these simulations (where and when is which kind of fault likely to happen and likely to have troublesome consequences) to keep the effort in check. This is e.g. fone when UL evaluates the safety of a circuit: certain types of faults (short circuits, open circuits) are manually created within the circuit under test and the behavior is evaluated. Not in a simulation, on the real subject.
 

Kabelsalat

Jul 5, 2011
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There does exists software for that, most used by electricians and local power companies. The goal is that for each branch (or what the english term for this is, any circuits under a fuse) you got a simulated value that represents the least possible short current. You'll also be interrested in maximum current close to feeding point in case all phases short simoultneously (as if a excevator crush the cable). Those values is what you want such a program to give.

Also such programs typically also capable to calculate eart fault current.

Sadly I only know about programs that is made in Norwegian not translated into english so to find such a program I cannot be very helpful.

But all such values is easy to calculate by hand if the facility isn't too complex, and for that purpose a spread sheet can be used. I assume you have all datasheet for all cables you use.
 
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