The PSIcontrol software consists of application-oriented and system-technical components.
The system software manages the functional and operational aspects of the entire configuration. This also includes the redundancy management which ensure exceptionally high availability. Other functions perform operations such as data model switching and restart of computers.
The application software is based on these system-technical functions and is separated into the complexes Online-Operations Management and Data management.
This structural separation allows implementation of an optimal solution for each complex. The best possible performance characteristics are the main objective for the process control programs . For data management, the highest priorities are the best data quality and best possible integration into the corporate IT environment. The data model generators generate the data models for the online system, and thereby link both complexes.
Simulator and emulator enhance the offerings of PSIcontrol for dispatcher training and provide the best possible test and verification procedures for quality control.
All programs and data models for the online monitoring and control of energy networks belong to the "Process management" complex.
This includes
Excellent and fast performance of the process management functions are a major design criteria for us. The shortest possible processing and response times must be maintained even during high information loads from the process and simultaneous technological operations at all workplaces of the system.
The ongoing shift of network management into increasingly larger control centers poses additional requirements for advanced technological functions and the HMI. Dispatchers are responsible for larger network areas. This results in an increasing amount of information which must be analyzed and responded to.
The increasingly complex tasks related to growing decentralized infeed of renewable energies require additional support and possibly automation of the operational activities.
The task of the control system is to verify, aggregate, and visualize the individual pieces of information by intelligent analysis and calculations in such a way that the users can quickly assess and react to situations. In many cases, the control system can provide suggestions for the required switching operations.
The increasing cost pressure requires to utilize the networks up to their technical limits. The current developments including "Smart grid" and "Smart metering" will further increase the information load to be processed by the control system. Due to this trend, the demand for advanced functions will also grow. A positive side effect is that the additional information provides the basis for far better analysis by the control system for making correct decisions.
Based on its excellent performance and comprehensive advanced functions, PSIcontrol is already fully prepared for these future tasks.
In the "Data management" complex, the specification data for the following are managed in a central network database:
From this, data model generators generate the data models for the process control programs.
Our modern data management increases the data quality while lowering the cost at the same time.
Where possible, the manual data entry is replaced by comprehensive import of the required data from SAP and GIS.
PSIcontrol has specific program modules such as the following for this import-oriented data management:
The intelligent functions of the "Data management" complex interpret the imported and manually created network graphics and generate the supply network graphics in the database.
The importance of frequent and realistic training for the staff managing the network grows with the size of the network.
The simulators developed by PSI supports training of any kind of fault scenarios in transmission and distribution networks. The simulators use the modeling of the network in the respective control system. Thus, the staff trains in their own network and their workstations.
The software is based on network calculation programs by us which provide particularly short calculation times. They also support reality-based modeling of the network protection equipment. For example, the simulator determines the reaction of the protection devices and the network for short circuits at any location in the network. The functioning of the backup protection can also be tested by setting faults at primary and secondary system elements.
The simulator enables testing of protection schemes and protection settings by modeling of all important protective relay types. Thus, it is also a tool for the protection engineers.
The automatic generation of subsequent events after a primary fault almost render the creation of event sequences unnecessary. This is the only way to support a large number of scenarios and to provide a true training effect.
The PSI railway simulator is a special version of the simulator. It supports modeling of moving trains as mobile loads and infeeds.
The simulators of PSI with their comprehensive modeling functions and the particularly powerful network calculations provide proof of the technical competency of our control system engineers.