R&D Focus Areas
Over the last 20+ years, DSTAR has completed numerous research and development projects related to a range of distribution design, operation, and system application issues. You can click here for program-by-program summaries of project objectives and deliverables, or you can can browse through the descriptions of the deliverables organized by R&D focus area below.
Economic Analysis
- Transformer Owning Costs Software (TOCS) (P5-5, 6-4a, b, 10-4)
- Economic Overhead Conductor Software (EOCS) (P7-1, 9-5)
- Transformer Loading And Economic Evaluation (P7-1, 7-3, 10-4, 11-9)
- System Owning Cost Comparison Software (SOCCS) (P8-7)
- Transformer DOE Standards Evaluation (P11-9)
- Distribution Data eHandbook (P9-1, 10-2, 10-9, 10-14, 11-3, 12-3)
Engineering Analysis Software
- Cold-Load Pickup Software (CPLUS) (P5-4)
- Transformer Owning Costs Software (TOCS) (P5-5, 6-4a, 6-4b, 10-4)
- Graphic Secondary Voltage Imbalance Calculator Software (GSVIC) (P6-5)
- Cable Electrical Parameters Software (CEPS) (P 6-6, 7-4, 8-2, 10-6)
- Engineering Toolbox (P7-1)
- Overhead Calculation Suite Software (OCS) (P7-1)
- Transformer Loading Analyzer (TLA) (P7-1)
- Voltage Drop and Flicker Analysis Software Tool (V-Drop) (P7-1, 8-4)
- Cable Pulling Assistant (CPA) (P7-1, 9-2, 10-5)
- Guy Tension Analyzer (GTA) (P7-1, 9-3, 9-4)
- Secondary Electrical Design Software (SEDS) (P7-2, 9-6, 10-15, 11-4, 12-2)
- Transformer Scrap/Repair Decision Software (TSRDS) (P7-3)
- System Owning Cost Comparison Software (SOCCS) (P8-7)
- Distribution Data eHandbook (P9-1, 10-2, 10-9, 10-14, 11-3, 12-3)
- Economic Overhead Conductor Software (EOCS) (P9-5)
- CFO Calculation and Arrester Application Guidelines (CFOCAST)(P10-10)
- Harmonic Load Calculator(P11-8)
Equipment Testing/Evaluation
- Impulse-duty Aging of Underground Cables (P2-1)
- Underground Cable Ampacity (P7-5, 7-7)
- Underground System Overvoltage Protection (P1-1, 1-2, 2-3)
- Secondary-Side Surges (P4-5)
- Wye-Delta Overhead Bank Overvoltages (P5-2)
- Padmount Transformer Fault Current Withstand (P3-4)
- Separable Connector (Elbow) Flashover Problems (P5-1, 6-1)
- Elbow and Overhead Arrester Design Evaluation (P10-17)
- Solid-Blade Switch Testing (P11-12)
Engineering Guidelines
- Ferroresonance Guidelines (P2-4, 4-1a, b, c)
- Distribution Transformer Harmonic Derating Guidelines (P4-3)
- Secondary-Side Surges (P4-5)
- Wye-Delta Overhead Bank Overvoltages (P5-2)
- Transformer Loading And Economic Evaluation (P7-1, 7-3, 10-4, 11-9)
- Transformer Seasonal Loading Analysis Guidelines (P8-10)
- Transient Currents in Capacitor Fuses (P8-3)
- Distribution Data eHandbook (P9-1, 10-2, 10-9, 10-14, 11-3, 12-3)
- CFO Calculation and Arrester Application Guidelines (CFOCAST)(P10-10)
- Wildlife Control and Animal Protection Manual (P10-3)
- Completely Self-Protected Transformer Evaluation (P10-7)
- Improving Utility Energy Efficiency (P12-4)
- Current-Limiting Fuse Application Guidelines (P12-7)
- Capacitor Control Guidelines (P12-8)
Industry Perspectives/White Papers
- Distributed Generation - Impact on Distribution Systems (P8-8)
- Technology Whitepapers - Broadband Powerline Carrier for Utlity Applications (P10-11)
- Technology Whitepapers - Sub-Cycle Electronic Switching (P10-11)
- Technology Whitepapers - Transformer Impedance Considerations (P10-11)
- Anchor Corrosion Detection and Mitigation (P11-1)
- Voltage Flicker Issues Related to Large Electric Loads (P11-2)
- Best Practices for Storm Response (P11-7)
- Transformer DOE Standards Evaluation (P11-9)
- Changing Nature of Loads and the Impact on Utilities (P12-6)
Operational Efficiency
- Transformer Owning Costs Software (TOCS) (P5-5, 6-4a, 6-4b,10-4)
- Secondary Electrical Design Software (P7-2, 9-6, 10-15, 11-4, 12-2)
- Transformer Loading And Economic Evaluation (P10-4, 7-1, 7-3)
- Transformer DOE Standards Evaluation (P11-9)
- Improving Utility Energy Efficiency (P12-4)
- Capacitor Control Guidelines (P12-8)
Power Quality
- Distribution Transformer Harmonic Derating Guidelines (P4-3)
- Distribution Data eHandbook (P9-1, 10-2, 10-9, 10-14, 11-3, 12-3)
- Voltage Drop and Flicker Analysis Software Tool (P7-1, 8-4)
- Secondary Electrical Design Software (P7-2, 9-6, 10-15, 11-4, 12-2)
- Voltage Flicker Issues Related to Large Electric Loads (P11-2)
- Harmonic Load Calculator(P11-8)
System Protection
- Underground System Overvoltage Protection (P1-1, 1-2, 2-3)
- Wye-Delta Overhead Bank Overvoltages (P5-2)
- Padmount Transformer Fault Current Withstand (P3-4)
- Separable Connector (Elbow) Flashover Problems (P5-1, 6-1)
- Transient Currents in Capacitor Fuses (P8-3)
- Distribution Data eHandbook (P9-1, 10-2, 10-9, 10-14, 11-3, 12-3)
- CFO Calculation and Arrester Application Guidelines (CFOCAST)(P10-10)
- Completely Self-Protected Transformer Evaluation (P10-7)
- Current-Limiting Fuse Application Guidelines (P12-7)
System Reliability
- Distribution Data eHandbook (P9-1, 10-2, 10-9, 10-14, 11-3, 12-3)
- Guy Tension Analyzer (GTA) (P7-1, 9-3, 9-4)
- Cable Pulling Assistant (CPA) (P7-1, 9-2, 10-5)
- CFO Calculation and Arrester Application Guidelines (CFOCAST)(P10-10)
- Wildlife Control and Animal Protection Manual (P10-3)
- Anchor Corrosion Detection and Mitigation (P11-1)
- Solid-Blade Switch Testing (P11-12)
- Best Practices for Storm Response (P11-7)
- Impact of Non-Wood Poles on Distribution Reliability (P12-5)