MultiFields

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MultiFields

A powerful and accurate software package for the analysis of complex electromagnetic problems involving electric networks.

Computation Modules

RESAP HIFREQ MALZ FCDIST FFTSES

Included Software Packages

Several other software packages are included with MultiFields depending on the selected configuration (see below).



Technical Description

MultiFields is a unique software package that can solve any electromagnetic problem involving a network of arbitrarily oriented aboveground and buried conductors, concentric cables, pipe-type cables, gas insulated substations or lines (GIS, GIL) and metallic plates. Any number of current, potential and voltage sources, or even an external plane-wave, can energize the network. The network can include an arbitrary number of transformers and other lumped devices such as resistors, inductors and capacitors. It is the comprehensive solution for Grounding, EMI and Transient studies.

MultiFields is the optimal tool for those who have to tackle complex electromagnetic problems involving conductor networks. MultiFields is probably the only EMF software that can provide accurate solutions to transient and steady state problems in the frequency range of zero to thousands of megahertz. The central components of MultiFields are the RESAP, HIFREQ, MALZ, FCDIST and FFTSES computation modules.



Features

  • Soil resistivity measurement reporting and interpretation.
  • Simplified or arbitrarily complex fault current distribution calculations.
  • Full-wave 3D EM simulation in frequency domain.
  • Metallic surface and cylindrical wire conductors.
  • Support for field generation in time domain (FFTSES transient analysis tool).
  • Wide range of EMC problems including complex cable structures, GIS and GIL systems.
  • Analysis of power networks above a single-region and multi-region, multilayer soils.

  • Efficient and stable solver at low frequency.


MultiFields tackles the Most Challenging Electromagnetic Problems Head-On

MultiFields calculates the scalar potential, and the electric and magnetic fields due to an energized conductor network, as well as the current distribution in the conductors. MultiFields was designed to solve problems accurately, accounting for multi-region, horizontally layered soil with an arbitrary number of layers and resistivities, conductors in the soil, or non-energized metallic structures in air or soil.

MultiFields can:

  • Calculate current and potential distributions in all conductors, cables and pipe-type cables, and metallic plates.
  • Calculate electromagnetic fields (EMF) in air and soil and voltages along well-defined paths due to buried or aboveground power system conductors and structures.


    Magnetic Field intensity above the surface of the soil in a substation.


    Electromagnetic Fields inside an electrified train modeled with metallic plates.

  • Calculate electromagnetic interference to pipelines, communication lines, railways, metallic fences, etc., in a single step. The software accounts for all inductive, capacitive and conductive effects simultaneously.


    Transmission line – coated pipeline joint-use corridor network.

  • Study transients (such as lightning, switching surges and any conceivable surge problem) and high frequency disturbances on power system networks, structures and grounding systems at frequencies ranging from a few hertz to hundreds of megahertz.
  • Use FFTSES, a fully integrated and automated Fourier Transform tool, to visualize electromagnetic fields and potentials in the time domain.


    Forward FFT as seen in FFTSES of lightning surge.


    Scalar potential on the roof of the international tokamak building (ITER) subjected to a 300 kA lightning strike at various periods. ITER is the world's largest nuclear fusion experiment. Thirty-five nations are collaborating to build and operate the ITER Tokamak—the most complex machine ever designed—and ITER selected SES software MultiFields to examine the effects of lightning on their ITER installations (see https://www.iter.org and SES’s publications for more information).

  • Analyze cathodic protection problems and optimize rectifier capacities and locations on protected structures extending up to hundreds of km.
  • Study re-radiation interference or calculate current distributions in monopole, quarter-wave, and other antenna structures excited at frequencies reaching hundreds of megahertz.
  • Calculate induction between arbitrary circuits at low and high frequencies and during surge conditions. Determine self and mutual impedances as well as capacitances of these circuits regardless of whether they are located above or below ground.
  • Using the SESShield tool, obtain optimized lightning shielding system heights for substations, shielding performance estimates for substations and transmission lines, and detailed risk assessments in accordance with IEC 62305-2.
  • Using the included CorrCAD software package, tackle a large variety of cathodic protection design tasks and related issues, onshore and offshore, and predict the degree of corrosion control provided by a system. Evaluate the corrosion status of the structure and help optimize the location and characteristics of the corrosion protective system (such as Impressed Cathodic Current Protection systems) to minimize stray current interference effects on protected structures such as pipelines.

MultiFields includes the CorrCAD software package.

MultiFields+

MultiFields+ expands on the MultiFields package to include the circuit-based MultiLines package, thereby adding the TRALIN and SPLITS computation modules that provide the following alternative circuit-based computation capabilities used by the Right-of-Way Pro software package:

  • Determines inductive and capacitive interference between energized and non-energized conductors or metallic paths sharing the same right-of-way using circuit theory.
  • Computes conductor and cable constants (parameters) and capacitive and electromagnetic induction effects.
  • Develops detailed circuit models to calculate load and short-circuit current distributions in every section of a multi-conductor, multi-phase power network, whether balanced or not.

Everything indicated in the above list can also be computed using electromagnetic-based models with HIFREQ (which is included with both MultiFields and MultiFields+) and indeed any scenario that can be modeled and computed using circuit-based computations with Right-of-Way Pro can also be modeled and computed using electromagnetic-fields based calculations using HIFREQ (and therefore MultiFields). However, significant efficiencies that can be realized with Right-of-Way Pro, particularly for studies involving long joint-use corridors, make MultiFields+ an attractive option for many.

MultiFields+ also includes the SESTLCPro, SESEnviroPlus, and SESShield-3D software packages.

MultiFields Pro

MultiFields Pro offers a complete grounding and EMI package and the 3D lightning shielding software package, SESShield-3D.

This package includes our classical and extended grounding (earthing) MultiGround and MultiGroundZ software packages.

MultiFields Pro therefore, includes the MultiGround, MultiGroundZ and CorrCAD software packages as well as SESShield-3D, the lightning 3D shielding software package.

MultiFields Lite

MultiFields Lite is a reduced cost version of the more complete MultiFields package, for users who focus on networks consisting of bare or coated cylindrical conductors, in a single horizontal multi-layered soil and do not have an immediate need for advanced features such as transformers, cables, multilayer concentric conductors, GIS, plates, and multi-region soil.

Software packages that come with MultiFields+, MultiFields, or MultiFields Pro—such as AutoGroundDesign, AutoGrid Pro, Right-of-Way Pro, SESTLC Pro, SESEnviroPlus, SESShield-3D, and CorrCAD—are not included in the Lite version.