SES Software
Release Notes

New Features in SES Software Release 2006

This document summarizes the most important features added to the 2006 software release. For more information on new features, enhancements and new software, please read the User’s Group 2006 Conference Proceedings (available on SES web site and on the CD-ROM).

Engineering Modules
Module	What’s New
MALT (AutoGroundDesign, AutoGridPro, AutoGround, MultiGround)	Current Recovery. A “current recovery” option was introduced. This allows you to use the current distribution computed in one run to compute the earth potentials in another run with the same network. This can save the computation time associated with the calculation of the current distribution in large cases, when computations at additional observation points are required.
MALT/MALZ (AutoGrid Pro, MultiGround, MultiGroundZ, MultiFields)	Faster Matrix Manipulations. New matrix manipulation techniques were introduced that considerably speed up matrix inversions and multiplications for large cases. Accelerations by a factor of up to 20 can be achieved for the matrix inversion phase of the computations. This is especially useful for cases involving a large number of conductors. Horizontal Conductors at Soil Interfaces. It is now possible to model conductors lying at the interface between two soil layers or between the soil and the air. Improved Patch Subdivision for Finite Volume Soil Model. The patch subdivision algorithm for the Finite Volume soil model was improved, and now offers a greater amount of control over the distribution of the patches on the soil volume faces.
HIFREQ (MultiFields)	· Acceleration for Horizontal Conductors. A spectacular acceleration of calculations involving mainly horizontal conductors was introduced for all soil models (with the exception of the Infinite soil). When all conductors and observation points are located in horizontal planes, the new version of the program can be faster by a factor of 10, or even 100 for a multilayer soil. For more realistic cases, where a substantial fraction of the conductors are not horizontal, the acceleration factor can still reach a full factor of 3 or 4 in many cases. · Transformer Model. The ability to model transformers was added to the program. You can now model single-phase transformers directly, and combine single phase transformers to model 3-phase transformers. The transformers can be entered graphically in SESCAD, or in a tabular fashion in Input Toolbox for HIFREQ.

CDEGS

• Use of ‘Specify’ or ‘Examine’ Sessions while Computing in Integrated Mode: In Integrated mode, it is now possible to use the ‘Specify’ or the ‘Examine’ session mode while an engineering program is being run for a different Job ID or in a different Working Directory.
• Software Protection. The CDEGS software protection system is now fully international, and can work across multiple time zones. This is especially useful when using a network-based protection key, in environments spanning wide areas.

Input and Output Toolbox
Module	What’s New
Input Toolbox	New Network Viewer. The built-in 3D network viewer in MALT, MALZ, and HIFREQ was improved, and now provides greater customizability as well as support for the display of soil volumes. Copy Group and Copy Cable Functions. It is now possible to copy an entire cable or an entire group with a single operation in the TRALIN module.
Output Toolbox	Configuration Data Report: It is now possible to generate a report listing computation results or input data related to the conductor network (e.g., GPR of conductors, leakage current) for selected conductors in MALT, MALZ and HIFREQ. Apparent Impedance Plot & Report. A new type of configuration plot that labels selected conductors with their apparent impedance is now available in MALT, MALZ and HIFREQ. A report listing the apparent impedance for selected conductors can also be produced. Semi-Major Axis Plots. All programs that compute electric or magnetic fields can now produce plots of the semi-major axis and of the resultant of the field. Restricted Step Voltages. A new option was introduced to compute the step voltages assuming that it is impossible to step outside a user-defined zone. Contour Plots Improvements: The number of levels in Contour Plots can now be precisely controlled.

Right-of-Way Pro

• Acceleration for Widely Separated Paths. The calculations were greatly accelerated for systems involving conductor paths that are separated by large distances. The insertion of connection impedances (in the Modify Circuit module) and the creation of the total interference model (MALZ files) were also accelerated.
• Total Interference Envelope Plots. You can now produce envelope plots of the total interference levels under fault conditions, and import any MALZ template file into the total interference model.
• Next/Previous Region. Navigation between different regions was greatly simplified, with the addition of Next Region and Previous Region buttons on several critical screens.
• Current Interpolation. The current interpolation feature can now be applied to several phases.
• Leakage Impedance Correction. The total interference model was improved with the addition of a leakage impedance correction term, to account for soil variations along the right-of-way.
• Batch Processing. Several Right-Of-Way modules can now be executed unattended. In particular, they can be started from the SESBatch utility.

SES-Shield

SES-Shield is a new program that helps you design or analyze lightning protection systems for substations or transmission lines. The main purpose of this software package is to optimize the location and configuration of shield wires and masts in order to prevent the exposure of energized conductors, busses and equipment to direct lightning strikes. This program is available free of charge for all existing licensees of the MultiGround+, MultiGroundZ+, MultiLines, MultiLines+, MultiFields+, and CDEGS packages who qualify for sofware updates; other users need to purchase a license of this program separately.

Tools and Utilities
Module	What’s New
SES-SystemViewer	This new utility is a 3D viewer that allows you to visualize realistic-looking three-dimensional representations of the conductor and soil information in MALT, MALZ, and HIFREQ input and output files. The conductors can be represented as lines or as cylinders, and can be colored according to their leakage current, GPR, or many other useful quantities. The patches on the soil volumes can also be colored according to their current or charge density. Several options are available to control the display of the various parts of the network and soil structure, and to zoom, rotate, scale and pan the view. This utility is especially useful to help detect problems in networks with complex geometry or with cases involving sophisticated usage of the finite volume soil model.
SESCAD	The SESCAD package is used to graphically create conductor networks with as much ease as possible; these networks can be used in the AutoGround, MultiGround, MultiGroundZ, MultiFields and Right-of-Way software packages. The following is a short summary of the improvements that have been made to the SESCAD program: Select Ambiguity Function. A Select Ambiguity function was introduced in the Ambiguity Viewer window. This function allows you to quickly select the objects involved in an ambiguity. Also, it is now possible to save a detailed report showing all ambiguities detected in a document. Create Pipe Tool. A new Create Pipe tool was introduced. This tool allows you to create a wire-mesh model of a pipe (in order to model a GIS installation, or a cable sheath) by specifying the path followed by the axis of the pipe and a few other parameters. Soil Model Display. The program now displays all soil models supported by MALT, MALZ and HIFREQ. Path Operations Options. New options were added to the Path Operations tool. These options allow you to replicate any object along a path, and to increment the conductor type and energization type of selected elements of the replicated object when going from the origin to the end of the path.
AutoTransient (FFT21Data)	The FFT21Data program allows you to visualize time-domain computation results (typically obtained with AutoTransient or HIFREQ/FFTSES) both as static plots and as animated pictures, and to export the corresponding data to popular file formats. The following features have been added to this program for the 2006 release: · 3D Plots and Animations: It is now possible to create 3D plots or animations of time domain data, in addition to the 2D plots and animations available in previous versions. · GPD Plots. You can now create plots and produce reports of the time-domain ground potential difference (GPD) between two conductor segments in the network.
GrServer	GrServer is a sophisticated plotting package for the engineering programs in the CDEGS software package (and related packages). In this release, several new labelling options were introduced for Configuration plots in MALT, MALZ and HIFREQ.
GraRep	GraRep is a graphics and report viewer for the CDEGS and AutoGrid Pro software packages (and related software packages). The 2006 version of this program now preserves the position and zoom level independently for all displayed pictures. Previously, the position would be restored to its default (full screen) settings when activating a different picture. Also, it is now possible to apply the position and zoom level settings of the active picture to any new pictures loaded in the program.