Online Courses: Beginner's Guide to ATP-EMTP

Introduction

ATP is a universal program system for digital simulation of transient phenomena of electromagnetic as well as electromechanical nature. With this digital program, complex networks and control systems of arbitrary structure can be simulated. ATP has extensive modelling capabilities and additional important features besides the computation of transients.

ATP has been continuously developed through international contributions by Drs. W. Scott Meyer and Tsu-huei Liu, the co-Chairmen of the Canadian/American EMTP User Group. The birth of ATP dates to early in 1984, when Drs. Meyer and Liu did not approve of proposed commercialization of BPA (Bonneville Power Administration) EMTP by DCG (the EMTP Development Coordination Group) and EPRI (the Electric Power Research Institute). Dr. Liu resigned as DCG Chairman, and Dr. Meyer, using his own personal time, started a new program from a copy of BPA's public-domain EMTP. Requirements of ATP development include honesty in all dealings and non-participation in EMTP commerce. ATP is not in the public domain, and licensing is required before ATP materials are received (refer to Licensing).

Typical Applications

ATP-EMTP is used world-wide for switching and lightning surge analysis, insulation coordination and shaft torsional oscillation studies, protective relay modeling, harmonic and power quality studies, HVDC and FACTS modeling. Typical EMTP studies are: Lightning overvoltage studies Switching transients and faults Statistical and systematic overvoltage studies Very fast transients in GIS and groundings Machine modeling Transient stability, motor startup Shaft torsional oscillations Transformer and shunt reactor/capacitor switching Ferroresonance Power electronic applications Circuit breaker duty (electric arc), current chopping FACTS devices: STATCOM, SVC, UPFC, TCSC modeling Harmonic analysis, network resonances Protective device testing