Carry out a Load Flow Calculation
1 Import Project
Click on the icon from the exercise “Carry out a Load Flow Calculation” of the PowerFactory Tutorial window,
to import and activate the project for this exercise.
2 Video
Click on the icon from the exercise “Carry out a Load Flow Calculation” of the PowerFactory Tutorial window,
to open the link to the silent video with the step by step solution of this exercise.
3 Executing a Load Flow Calculation
In this part, we will execute a Load Flow Calculation in an existing network and analyse the results. To open
the Load Flow Calculation command (shown in figure 3.1), click on the Calculate Load Flow icon ( ) on the
main toolbar.
CARRY OUT A LOAD FLOW CALCULATION
Figure 3.1: Load Flow Calculation command
This command dialog offers several options for the Load Flow calculations. For this tutorial, set the options as
follows and execute the command.
• Basic Options page:
– Calculation Method: AC Load Flow, balanced, positive sequence
– Active Power Regulation: Consider active power limits
– Voltage and Reactive Power Regulation: Consider reactive power limits
• Active Power Control page:
– Active Power Control: as Dispatched
– Balancing: by reference machine
A Load Flow Calculation is now started and a message informing that the load flow was successfully executed
appears in the output window. The single line diagram shows the results of the load flow in result boxes and
the diagram is coloured as shown in Figure 3.2.
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Figure 3.2: Results of the Load Flow Calculation
Note also the icon on the main toolbar. If this is active, i.e. not greyed out, it indicates that results are
available. Clicking on the icon will then “reset” the results. Making changes in the network will also have the
effect of resetting the results.
The colouring of the diagram are the default settings after a load flow calculation; these can be changed using
the Diagram Colouring Scheme. We will now modify the colouring scheme and show the colouring legend:
• Click on the icon on the diagrams toolbar to open the colouring scheme.
• Un-check the Energising Status check-box. We want to focus only on the load flow results.
• Click on the Colour Settings button. We will leave the default options, but in this dialog it is possible to
do the following:
– It can be selected to show only voltages or only loading.
– The colours and the limits can be modified.
– On the Advanced tab the colouring scheme can be set to discrete or continuous.
• Click OK
• Show the graphic legend by pressing the Show Legend Layer icon on the diagrams toolbar.
More information about the colouring options is available in the User Manual, section Colouring Options.
Two legends are shown, one with the colouring mode and one with the description of the information displayed
in the result boxes. You can move/resize the legends as follows:
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• Unfreeze the graphic by clicking on the Graphical Freeze Mode button ( ).
• Click on the legend and move/resize it.
4 Editing the Result Boxes
PowerFactory comes with a number of predefined result box formats for each element class. There is also a
generic result box format for edge elements (i.e. elements such as lines, transformers or loads). These formats
may be selected as follows:
• Right-click on a result box of an edge element and hover the mouse over Format for Edge Elements as
shown in Figure 4.1.
Figure 4.1: Predefined Formats for Edge Elements
• Switch to Current, Power Factor to see the changes in the single line diagram (result boxes and legend).
• Set it back to Branch Flow.
It is also possible to define the variables shown in the result box and customise them. Follow these steps:
• Right click on a result box of a edge element (e.g. lines, transformers, loads) and select the option Edit
format for Edge Elements.
• The format dialog, shown in Figure 4.2, will open.
Figure 4.2: Editing the Result Boxes
• Remove the Current, Magnitude from the list by right clicking on the third row and selecting Delete Row(s).
Now we will modify the edge elements labels to include the percentage symbol on the loading.
• Right click on the name label of a line and select Edit format for Edge Elements.
• Check the box Show Unit for the loading.
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• Reduce the decimal places to “0”.
• Press the OK button.
The result boxes can be hidden to tidy up the graphic. This is done using the Show Result Layer icon ( ).
Note: By default, in result boxes, the power flowing into branch elements has positive sign, while that flowing
out of them has negative sign. For consuming edge elements (loads) the same convention is followed.
In the case of producing elements (e.g. generators) power flowing out of the element nodes is positive
while that flowing in is negative.
In this exercise, only the most direct way of changing a result box definition was used. However, PowerFactory
offers highly flexible result box definition tools to customise the result boxes. More information about the result
boxes is available in the User Manual, section Result Boxes.
5 Using the Network Model Manager
Now we will use the Network Model Manager to see the data and results in a tabular format.
• Open the Network Model Manager by clicking on the icon from the main menu.
• The Flexible Data page tab should automatically be selected, as shown in Figure 5.1. If this is not the
case, it may be that the load flow results have accidentally been reset. Repeat the load flow and try
again.
Figure 5.1: Network Model Manager
We will modify the Flexible Data page to show specific variables.
• Click on the line symbol on the left side of the Network Model Manager ( ).
• Click on the Variable Selection icon ( ).
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• Remove the variables e:bus1, e:bus2, n:u:bus1, n:u:bus2 and c:Cload from the Selected Vari-
ables by double-clicking on them or using the << button.
• Include the variable c:Losses by double-clicking on it or using the double-arrows. This variable is a
Calculation Parameter (see Figure 5.2).
• Confirm by clicking the OK button.
Hint: You can also use the arrow ( ) next to Description to search for variables.
Figure 5.2: Variable Selection
• Sort the data according to the loading by clicking on the Loading % column header.
The Flexible Data page of the lines should look now like the one shown in Figure 5.3.
Figure 5.3: Modified Flexible Data page
Now we will add a filter to get only the elements loaded over 50 %:
• Click on the small arrow on the Loading % column header ( )
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• Write “> 50” as shown in Figure 5.4 and click OK.
Figure 5.4: Filtering Data
• The header will be now coloured bold blue and only the lines with a loading higher than 50 % are listed.
The data in the Network Model Manager can be copied to other programs by selecting the relevant data fields
and using the Copy (with column headers icon ( ).
More information about customising the Flexible Data page is available in the User Manual, section The Flexible
Data Page.
6 Showing a Heatmap
In PowerFactory, heatmaps can be used to illustrate the state of a large grid by colouring the area around
network elements. The colour definition works the same way as for the single line diagram colouring:
• Click on the Heatmap icon right next to the diagram colouring icon.
• The colour settings can be changed by clicking on the grey arrow on the Settings field.
• Press Execute.
The result should look like the map shown in Figure 6.1, assuming that the load flow results are still available.
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Figure 6.1: Heatmap representation
Note: In Figure 6.1 the result boxes were hidden using the icon.
To remove the heatmap, just click again on the icon.
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7 Summary
This concludes the exercise. Now it should be clear how to carry out the following tasks:
□ Execute a balanced load flow calculation.
□ Colour the diagram and modify the colour settings.
□ Show the legend of the graphic.
□ Hide/show result boxes.
□ Select predefined formats for the result boxes.
□ Customise the results boxes.
□ Work with the Network Model Manager.
□ Define variables in the Flexible Data page.
□ Copy data from the Network Model Manager.
□ Show a Heatmap.
8 Additional PowerFactory Documentation
There is additional information available, depending on what you are looking for; the following documents
can be accessed either directly from PowerFactory or from the DIgSILENT download area ([Link]
[Link]/en/[Link]).
• Tutorials: step by step description of several tasks in PowerFactory. Help → Tutorial. . .
• Examples: the window PowerFactory Examples provides a list of application examples of PowerFac-
tory calculation functions. Every example comes with an explanatory document. Additionally, videos
demostrate the software handling and its functionalities. File → Examples. . .
• User Manual: all the functions, objects and settings of PowerFactory are described in the User Manual.
Pressing the key F1 while working with PowerFactory will lead directly to the related topic inside the User
Manual. Help → User Manual
• Technical References: description of the models implemented in PowerFactory for the different power
systems components. Help → Technical References
• What’s New: document and video provided with every annual release. Help → What’s New
• Release Notes: for all new versions and updates of the program Release Notes are provided, which
document the implemented changes. Help → Release Notes
• Knowledge base: a database of information, based on an FAQ format, available for any users (whether
registered or not) in [Link]
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• Scripting References: description and examples of DPL and Python commands. Help → Scripting
References
• Additional Packages: documents with additional description and /or examples of the PowerFactory
Interfaces. Help → Additional Packages
Apart from the mentioned documentation, DIgSILENT provides Direct Technical Support, where PowerFac-
tory experts offer direct assistance to registered users with valid guarantee/maintenance. The Support Centre
is located on the website [Link]