I EEE TENCON 93 / Bei j nR

SESA
AN EXPERT SYSTEM
FOR
AUXILIARY POWER SERVICES
DESIGN
Jean-Marc Pelletier and Armand Boyer
Institut de Recherche d Hydro-Quebec
1800 MontCeSE. Julie,Varennes, Quebec, Canada J3X 1S1
ABSTRACT
Very few applications integrating expert systemwith CAD
softwares have been developed in the past given the lack of
functionalities and methodologies needed for such
development. Some applications require such an integration
and have, to bedeveloped with novel approaches.
SESA is a tool which assists the generating stations
auxiliary power systcm designer in making the optimal
selection and layout of equipment required for such
applications. SESA is an open systemwhich includes, at
the present time, two modules: an expert system(with all
the ivlcs applicable to such a design process) coupled with
the layout and drawing facilities of Autocad (to view the
design in progress). Using SESAs expert systemmodule,
a generating stations auxiliary power system single line
diagram schematic is produccd at the conclusion of the
cxpcrt systcm.
With the experience gained through SESAs development,
we can conclude that it is now possible to integrate expert
system applications with CAD softwares. Refining the
functionalities and methodologies used in SESAs
development would lead to a more extensive usc of
applications requiring the integration of such environments.
INTRODUCTION
Expert systems are gaining acceptance fromend users as
they provide valuable &stancc for a wide variety of tasks.
For instance, applications such as power equipment
diagnostic (transformers, circuit breakers,...): load
forecasting, operator alssistance arc typical applications of
expert systems for electric utilities. As this technology
maturcs, new application domains are emerging, domains
which will enlarge the scope of applications of expert
systcms.
At the present time, expert systemapplications have heen
developped which do not rely on external applications to
cnrry out their tasks. Furthermore, expert system
spplications have been developped which access external
databases or mathematical functions. On the other hand,
vciy few expert systcmhave been developed which access
func tionalities provided by CAD softwares.
Such applications are engineering design and layout: these
applications are graphically oriented (pipe layout, substation
design, ...) and require the integration of expert systems
with drawing facilities provided by CAD softwares such as
Autocad, into a single operating application. Having these
two functionalities teamed together, on thesame operating
platform, is a novel application of expert systems.
SESA, which stands for Syst8me Expert pour la
conception des Services Auxiliaires (Auxiliary Power
SystemDesign Expert System), is a tool used to design
auxiliary power systems. Through its integration with
Autocad, the designer, while using the expert systems
assistance, is able to see the schematic drawing being
updated as he interacts with the expert systemitsclf.
INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE WITH GRAPHICS:
THE TRADITIONAL WAY
Software applications have been developped, in the past,
which required the integration of knowledge and graphic
tools in a single application. Such applications were
designed using either the topology presented in figure 1 or
in figure 2.
Y
OOMRIN
KNOUJLEOGE
ENUIRONMENT
Figure 1 CAD environment with embedded knowledge
- 375 -
Y
GRAPHICS
FUNCTIONS
EXRERT SYSTEM
DOMAI N
KNOWLEOGE
Figure 2 Expert systemwith graphical functionalities
added
Both architectures lead to the development of applications
which are inefficient. For instance, CAD environments
with embedded knowledge (developped with the CADS
internal language) lead to a poor knowledge representation
given:
the unavailability of higher level of knowledge
representation (lack of schemas, lack of
inheritance mechanism, ...)
- a language unsuited for knowledge
representation
the problems of maintaining such applications
-
-
On the other hand, expert systems with graphical
functionalities added require the development of drawing
functions commonly available in CAD softwares and the
allotment of resources which would be more efficiently
used for knowledge representation and maintenance.
INTEGRATING BOTH DOMAINS
Integrating both environments would lead to applications
which are optimal apd which efficiently use functionalities
available in each environment. Figure 3 presents such an
architecture on a computing platform with two monitor
screens.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Designing auxiliary power systems is a task performed
manually at the present time. Given the number of
generating units and the type of primary transformers
selected, the designer has to establish the following
decisions:
-
make an estimation of the auxiliary power
systems load requirement
select which generating units will energize the
auxiliary systems
select the number of 133 kV switch gears and
transformers
select the number of 600 V main systemswitch
gears
-
-
-
-
select the number of 600 V secondary systcm
switch gears
- add safety margins to copc with future
expansions
COMMUNl Cf l Tl ON
MECHANISM
EXPERT SYSTEM
WI TH
DOMAI N KNOWLEDGE
AND
CAD
ENUI RONMENT
WI TH
DRAWI NG FUNCTIONS
EXPERT
SCREEN
Figure 3 Integrated expert systemand CAD
environments
For such a process, the designer relies on technical guides,
standards and on his own expertise to carry out this task.
Within Hydro-Quebec, designing auxiliary power systems
is a mature process which could be automated by using a
specifically designed software application. Furthermore, the
rule based nature of such a process leads naturally to the use
of expert systemtechnology to develop such an application.
Secondly, this process is graphically oriented, e.g. the
design is more naturally carried out through the use of
several versions of drafts which are updated until the
designs completion.
Thirdly, such a process being graphically oriented, the
expert systemcan be designed to command the drawing
environment. With the addition of drawing rules, the expert
systemis able to update the drawing as inferences are being
made during the design process.
The project required the development and deployment of a
software application based on expert systemtechnology and
capable of generating the auxiliary power systems single
line diagram drawing. The application had to be
architectured in such a way as to permit the addition of
further software modules as required in the future.
- 376 -
Thesystem's required chardctcristics can be summzrized as
follows:
-
to embed all the knowledge related to auxiliary
power system's design within the expert systcm
to interact with the designer through a user
friendly interface
to interact with the drawing software as to
produce a single line diagramdrawing
to update the single Iine diagram drawing as
answers and inferences are being assessed by
theexpert systcm
to enable the user to modify previously entered
selections (explore "what ir' scenarios)
to explain the expert systcm's reasoning
to provide "on line" help to the user
to enable ii seamless integration with other
applications
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS
The first constraint imposed on the project was the use of
Autocad as the drawing environment. This CAD software
is being used by the client for it's internal use as well a
with it's externals consultants. This constraint has been
imposed to avoid the complexity of converting a drawing
fromone CAD softwafieto the one used by the client.
The second constraint imposed on the project required the
use of drawing symbols as used by the client. For instance,
a large number of drawing symbols (transformers,
inductors, 1 3 3 kV and 600 V equipment, ...) have been
developed in the past and the investment in developing
those symbols had to bleprotcctcd.
The third constraint imposed on the project is related to the
hardware and the computer's operating system. The
computers used by the client are PC micro-computers
operating under MS-DOS and this constraint, given the
project's objectives, is a challenging constraint.
SYSTEM'S ARCHITECTURE
The selected architecture differs slightly from the
architecture presented in figure 3. The architecture
presented in figure 3, although functional, would lead to a
system with poor behaviour. Since DOS is a single task
operating system, the cxecution of a secondary application
is done through the "DOS Shell" mechanism, a mechanism
which suspends the original application, loads and execute a
secondary application and, upon termination of the
secondary application, resumes the execution of the first
application. Since, in figure 3, the drawing environment
would be call (via a "DOS Shell") fromthe expert system,
upon completion of the drawing update process, the
drawing environment would beexited, resulting in the loss
of persistance of thedrawing on .the CAD screen.
Figure 4 presents the project's selected architecture. Similar
to the architecture presented in figure 3, the expert systemis
called fromthe drawing environment (via a "DOS Shell")
and the drawing remains persistent on the CAD screen
while the user interacts with the expert systemon the expert
systemscreen.
0
COMMANDS
EHPERT SYSTEM
WI TH
OOMRI N KNOWLEDGE
BND
ENVI RONMENT
I-
Figure 4 Selccted system's architecture
This architecture, on the other hand, imposes additional
constraints on the expert systemimplementation itself:
the need to save "facts" during drawing update
process
- the need to manudlly implement logical
dependencies on facts
the need to design rules that operate in reentry
mode
-
-
1. Saving Facts during Drawing Update Process
The expert system is called fromthe CAD environment
through a "DOS Shell" and is therefore a "child" application
of the CAD software. Before leaving theexpert system(for
drawing update purposes), asserted facts have to be saved
in a file that will be reloaded upon reentry in the expert
system, resuming the expert system's operation at the point
where it has been left.
2. Manual Implementation of Facts Logical Dependencies
Logical dependencies among facts are maintained by the
inference engine during normal operation. Since we exit the
expert system(for drawing update purposes) and resume
it's operation by reloading asserted facts (fromthe "facts"
file), logical dependencies are lost. We therefore had to
- 377 -
implement a mechanism to automatically retract dependant
f ap upon retraction of the "primary" or "main" fact
3. Rules Operating in Reentry Mode
Rules are executed only once for a given set of conditions
and will not be reexecuted for the same set of conditions.
Since we exit the expert system and resume it's operation at
the point where it was interrupted, rules will be reexecuted
with the same set of conditions, yielding to questions which
are asked more thanonce to the user.
In order to avoid such a behaviour, rules have to be
designed differently:
for a given "if-then'' rule
IF fact A THEN ASSERT fact B
it has to be designed as
IF fact A AND NOT fact B THEN ASSERT fact B
to avoid reexecution of the same rule.
EXPERT SYSTEM'S CODE
SESA was developed using Inference Corp.'s ART-IM
shell under DOS operating system. The deployed
application is a binary program (.exe) of 1.4 MBytes
running in DOS protected mode, avoiding the 640 Byte
barrier.
SESA is composed of two main modules:
the domain knowledge module which is
implemented as rules acting upon single facts
thedrawing module which is implemented as rules
acting upon schemas and which uses the inheritance
mechanismand associated drawing methods.
SESA has the following characteristics:
1 1300 lines of code
EHPERT SYSTEM
248 rules
CAD
ENUI RONMENT
16 schemas
74 drawing methods associated with the drawing
schemas
FUTURE MODULES
As mentioned before, SESA was designed as an open
system, e.g. a system in which future software modules
could be easily added. Figure 5 lists the modules that are
being developed at the present time.
CONCLUSION
SESA is implemented at the client's premises and is an
operational system. New modules such as project cost
estimate, simulation of short circuit bus capabilities, parts
listing ... are being added to the basic system. Ultimately,
SESA will be a fully integrated application which will assist
the operator during all stages of auxiliary power system
design.
0
OTHER MODULES...
U
Figure 5 Future modules under development
Fromthe experience gained in developing SESA, we can
conclude that it is now possible to develop expert system
applications which closely interact with CAD softwares,
yielding sophisticated applications as needed for graphically
oriented engineering tasks.
BIOGRAPHY
J ean-Marc Pelletier received his B .A.Sc. in Electrical
Engineering and his M.A.Sc. in High Voltage Engineering
from&ole Polytechnique, Universit6 de Montreal, Canada
in 1974 and 1980 respectively. In 1975. he joined Hydro-
Quebec as an electronics engineering specialist.. In 1980,
hejoined IREQ in the electronics department and has been
actively developing expert systems since 1987. Since
1992, he assumes leadership of the Intelligent Systems
Group. He is a registered professional engineer in the
Province of Quebec and is chairman of Quebec's
Professionnal Engineers Association computer comi w.
Armand Boyer received his B.A.Sc. in Electrical
Engineering fromUniversitd d'Ottawa, Canada, in 1976.In
1981, he joined Hydro-Quebec as a High Voltage
Underground specialist and is now project manager for
Powerhouse design. He is a registered professional
engineer in the Provinceof Quebec.
- 378 -