ElectriCS Storm

Main article: CAD Computer-aided design systems

ElectriCS Storm - designed for computer-aided design of lightning protection, grounding of buildings and structures, assessment of EMO, electromagnetic compatibility of industrial and power facilities.

The ElectriCS Storm system helps to increase the productivity of designers in terms of lightning protection, grounding and electromagnetic conditions, the quality of the project - through multi-variant design.

2023: AutoCAD 2022/2023, BricsCAD V22, NanoCAD v22/v23

On July 19, 2023, SiSoft Development JSC (CSoft Development) announced the release of the next version of ElectriCS Storm, a software product designed to automate the process of designing lightning protection, grounding buildings and structures, electromagnetic compatibility.

The main distinguishing features of the updated version:

• Added AutoCAD 2022/2023, BricsCAD V22, nanoCAD v22/v23 graphics editors
• the calculation of the equivalent resistivity of the multilayer soil is optimized;
• the user interface has been modified.

Key features of the program

ElectriCS Storm 2023 consists of four subsystems:

• lightning protection calculation subsystems;
• subsystems for calculation of grounding devices (RPA);
• substation grounding calculation subsystem (RFP);
• electromagnetic situation calculation subsystem (EMO).

The RMP subsystem calculates and constructs lightning protection zones in accordance with various guiding documents, as well as constructs vertical and horizontal sections of protection zones. It is possible to simultaneously view in 3D view buildings and structures requiring lightning protection and protection areas obtained as a result of calculation. The RPA subsystem is designed to calculate artificial and natural earthing electrodes. There are two types of calculations: calculation of spreading resistance and calculation of contact stress.

The RFP subsystem calculates the grounding of substations with a voltage of 3 kV and higher with simultaneous optimization of the parameters of the grounding device according to the criterion of minimum metal consumption. The EMO subsystem allows calculating the resistance to spreading of earthing electrodes, calculating potentials and currents along the nodes and branches of the memory for lightning strikes and short circuits, calculating the impulse voltages induced from lightning in secondary circuits. Also, the subsystem performs calculations of potential fields, magnetic field strength, touch voltage, pitch voltage. The results of the calculations can be displayed as a 3D surface, color field, isolines.

The functionality of all subsystems of ElectriCS Storm 2023 allows you to document the results of calculations in the form of MS Word table documents.

ElectriCS Storm is distributed according to two sales schemes: users are offered a permanent license and licenses with a limited validity period (for one and two years). Users with a valid subscription receive the update for free.

In addition to improvements in terms of functionality, the updated version paid considerable attention to the user interface: command icons were changed, some dialog boxes were configured and optimized. These changes make working with a software product more comfortable for the user, told the project manager of the computer-aided design software development department Ivan Kudryashov.

2020: AutoCAD 2020/2021 and BricsCAD V19/20

The CSoft group of companies on August 6, 2020 announced the release of updated versions of eight products at once: PlanTracer Pro and PlanTracer TechPlan Pro, ElectriCS Storm, ElectriCS ECP, GeoniCS, SPDS GraphiCS, SPDS Metal structures and SPDS reinforced concrete.

ElectriCS Storm is a software product designed to automate the process of designing lightning protection, grounding buildings and structures, electromagnetic compatibility. The main distinctive features of the released version of the solution: added the ability to work with graphic editors AutoCAD 2020/2021, BricsCAD V19/20; functionality has been developed for calculation of lightning protection using the protective angle method. The functionality of all ElectriCS Storm 2021 subsystems allows you to document the results of calculations in the form of Word table documents MS.

By modernizing our products, we primarily think about making our customers more efficient, relying on their requests and wishes. We hope that our customers will appreciate all the innovations, and we intend to continue to invest in the development and improvement of solutions, - said Alexander Krylov, CEO of CSoft Development.

2014

ElectriCS Storm 5.0

On April 18, 2014, the CSoft group of companies announced the release of a new version of the ElectriCS Storm software product designed to automate the process of designing lightning protection, grounding buildings and structures, electromagnetic compatibility.

Main features of the version

• modern friendly interface;
• working with graphic editors : AutoCAD 2012/2013/2014, BricsCAD V13/14, nanoCAD v.2/2.5;
• functionality is ready for automatic construction of internal protection zones when forming a horizontal section in the lightning protection design subsystem;

added a control example for calculating the electromagnetic situation of the 110/10 kV substation.

Anna Glyaznetsova, specialist, CSoft Ivanovo noted: "In the new version, the functionality of the electromagnetic situation calculation subsystem has been significantly expanded; at the numerous requests of users, the ability to interact with and has been added BricsCAD ; nanoCAD You have switched to a new interface that allows you to work more productively with the program. In addition, support for macros has been added, it VBScript is possible to work with projects of any size (the previously existing limitation on the scope of the project when working with the EMO subsystem has been removed). "

Key features of the new program

ElectriCS Storm 5.0 consists of four subsystems:

• lightning protection calculation subsystems;
• subsystems for calculation of grounding devices (RPA);
• substation grounding calculation subsystem (RFP);
• electromagnetic situation calculation subsystem (EMO).

The RMP subsystem calculates and constructs lightning protection zones in accordance with various guiding documents, as well as constructs vertical and horizontal sections of protection zones. It is possible to simultaneously view in 3D view buildings and structures requiring lightning protection and protection areas obtained as a result of calculation.

The RPA subsystem is designed to calculate artificial and natural earthing electrodes. There are two types of calculations: calculation of spreading resistance and calculation of contact stress.

The RFP subsystem calculates the grounding of substations with a voltage of 3 kV and higher with simultaneous optimization of the parameters of the grounding device according to the criterion of minimum metal consumption.

The EMO subsystem allows calculating the resistance to spreading of earthing electrodes, calculating potentials and currents along the nodes and branches of the memory for lightning strikes and short circuits, calculating the impulse voltages induced from lightning in secondary circuits. The subsystem also calculates the fields: potentials, magnetic field strength, touch voltage, pitch voltage. The results of the calculations can be displayed as a 3D surface, a color field, and isolines.

The functionality of all subsystems of ElectriCS Storm allows you to document the results of calculations in the form of MS Word table documents.

System Environment Requirements

Operating system

• Operating system Windows XP - 32, 64-bit; Windows Vista — 32, 64-bit; Windows 7 — 32, 64-bit.
• You must be an Administrator to install the program.
• The correct operation of the program requires Administrator or Experienced User rights.

Software

• Autodesk AutoCAD 2008–2011.
• Microsoft Word 2003 или Microsoft Word 2007.

Hardware requirements

• Processor Intel Pentium IV or higher.
• 1024x768 True Color Monitor.
• CD-ROM for installing the program.
• A graphics card that supports Windows standards.
• Mouse or other pointing devices supported by the operating system.
• RAM - 1024 Mb (recommended).
• Free hard disk space - 100 Mb (minimum).

Description of ElectriCS Storm

The ElectriCS Storm system consists of four main subsystems:

• lightning protection calculation subsystems,
• subsystems of grounding devices calculation (RPA),
• substation calculation subsystems,
• electromagnetic situation calculation subsystem (EMO).

The RMP subsystem of the ElectriCS Storm system is designed for automated calculation and construction of protection zones of lightning arresters and horizontal sections of these zones.

The calculation and construction of protection zones can be carried out in accordance with various guidelines:

• СО 153-34.21.122-2003 "Instruction on lightning protection of buildings, structures and industrial enterprises";
• RD 34.21.122-87 "Instructions for lightning protection of buildings and structures";
• SPE No. 212-e "Grounding and Lightning Protection at Thermal and Nuclear Power Plants. Reference Book on the Design of Thermal Power Plants and Heating Networks, Teploelektroproekt, 1974. (RD 34.21.121);
• STO Gazprom 2-1.11-170-2007 "Guidelines for Lightning Protection of Buildings, Structures and Communications of OAO GAZPROM."

The RMP subsystem provides the calculation of multiple rod and/or cable lightning arresters and has the following advantages over other lightning protection calculation systems due to the possibility of:

• viewing in 3D view (axonometry) of buildings and structures requiring lightning protection, protection zones obtained as a result of calculation, as well as their ratio;
• make horizontal sections of zones at any height (by default - at the height of the structure with the maximum height);
• graphic input of digital information - coordinates of buildings, structures and lightning protection devices;

work on a flat general plan;

• make vertical sections of zones.