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The Modern Alternative to CYMCAP is ELEK Cable HV
CYMCAP Software was developed in the 1990s by CYME International T&D and is a widely recognized software tool designed for the analysis of ampacity and thermal performance in high-voltage power cable systems. It offers comprehensive capabilities for assessing the current carrying capacity of cables under various operating conditions, taking into account factors such as cable configuration, installation conditions, and environmental variables.
ELEK Cable HV Software is the modern alternative to CYMCAP and has significant advantages over it including more features, being much easier to use (saving a lot of time), more generous and flexible licensing, and lower cost.
Both ELEK Cable HV and CYMCAP software address steady-state and transient cable rating calculations as per the techniques described by Neher-McGrath and International Standards IEC 60287 and IEC 60853.
The accuracy of ELEK Cable HV has been validated with CIGRE Technical Brochure (2022). You can download a free trial that is fully functioning to try for yourself.
ELEK Cable HV software is well-known and widely accepted as the best alternative to CYMCAP.
Compare
Why choose ELEK Cable HV over CYMCAP?
Both software packages have many features, so there is a lot to compare.
Many of the features and modules included with ELEK Cable HV ($), cost extra in CYMCAP ($$$).
ELEK CABLE HV
CYMCAP
General features
The live (instant with no calculation button) calculations increase the ELEK Cable HV significantly. The licensing of 2 users per licence is generous and flexible.
| Feature | ELEK Cable HV | CYMCAP |
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| IEC 60287 calculations |
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Validated with CIGRE TB 880
ELEK Cable HV is validated with the TB 880 case studies and has matching results to 11 decimal places. The software ships with the case study files. CYMCAP does not produce exact matching results. Refer to their documentation.
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CIGRE TB 908 (2023) calculations
ELEK Cable HV performs accurate armour loss calculations.
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Live (instant) calculations - no waiting
CYMCAP requires users to press a calculate button with every change. ELEK Cable HV produces live results that are displayed practically instantly.
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Number of users
ELEK Cable HV software can be installed onto any number of computers and used by up to 2 users at a time per licence.
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Easy-to-use User Interface
The user interface of ELEK Cable HV is modern, extremely easy-to-use, and fully-interactive.
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Installation methods
ELEK Cable HV provides a very wide range of installation methods. In many cases, ELEK has extended the capabilities beyond the IEC limitations. The flexible FEM package is unique.
| Feature | ELEK Cable HV | CYMCAP |
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In Air
ELEK Cable HV can model cables in ducts in air and has an accurate solar radiation calculator with Google Maps integration which CYMCAP doesn’t have.
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In Groups in Air
ELEK Cable HV has an accurate solar radiation calculator with Google Maps integration which CYMCAP doesn’t have.
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Buried Direct, In Backfill, In Ducts
ELEK Cable HV provides advanced buried installation calculations with soil dryout, which deals with unlimited circuits and different cable types. CYMCAP is limited to a maximum of 50 circuits. The soil dryout calculation costs extra with CYMCAP.
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Soil Temperature
ELEK Cable HV provides soil temperature plots with actual and rise above ambient (for submarine), and Excel export.
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Unfilled Troughs
ELEK Cable HV has an unfilled trough calculator that can deal with groups of circuits in air and multiple cable types. The unfilled trough module of CYMCAP cannot deal with multiple circuits and costs extra.
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Ventilated Tunnels
ELEK Cable HV has an ventilated tunnel calculator that can deal with multiple circuits of the same cable type. The ventilated tunnel module of CYMCAP is limited to a single circuit when there is air velocity in the tunnel and costs extra.
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Risers and J-tubes
These calculations are add-on modules to CYMCAP and both cost extra.
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Submarine
ELEK Cable HV can model cables buried in the seabed, partially buried, and fully surrounded by water. CYMCAP cannot deal with cables partially buried in the seabed. This calculation is an add-on module to CYMCAP and costs extra.
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Finite Element Method (FEM)
ELEK Cable HV provides a highly-flexible and powerful FEM calculation that can model any arrangements of cables, backfills, troughs, and ducts. It also considers heat convection on the ground surface for accurate shallow buried cable ratings. The multiple ductbanks module of CYMCAP (costs extra) is relatively inflexible, and cannot be used for installations consisting of many cables which might exceed their limit of 60,000 maximum elements.
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Download a Free Trial of ELEK Cable HV Software and see for yourself.
Modules
ELEK Cable HV includes transient (cyclic and emergency) ratings and many modules that are paid add-ons with CYMCAP.
| Feature | ELEK Cable HV | CYMCAP |
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Transient -Cyclic and Emergency Ratings
ELEK Cable HV can calculate ratings based on a maximum emergency temperature as well as cyclic ratings using custom load profiles.
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Multiple Cable Crossings
The multiple cable crossings module of ELEK Cable HV can model any number of circuits. The cable crossings module of CYMCAP is limited to only 2 circuits and costs extra.
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Magnetic fields
The magnetic fields module of ELEK Cable HV can automatically import the cables and currents from a study. ELEK Cable HV uses exact theory equations for accurate 3-core cable magnetic field density calculations - CYMCAP doesn't. The magnetic fields module of CYMCAP costs extra.
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Sequence impedance calculations
ELEK Cable HV calculates the positive, negative, and zero-sequence impedance of cables. The sequence impedance calculations in CYMCAP are an optional add-on which costs extra.
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Short circuit calculations to IEC 949
ELEK Cable HV calculates short-circuit ratings of cables automatically. The permissible short-circuit temperature limit of materials can be customised.
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Multiple casings
CYMCAP can model cables installed in ducts inside concrete pipes. This is an optional add-on and costs extra in CYMCAP. ELEK Cable HV does not have this feature but it is being developed.
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Soil Dryout Prevention
ELEK Cable HV has this feature to apply a temperature limit to the thermal backfill. In CYMCAP this feature must be used with the multiple backfills add-on module and both modules cost extra.
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Cable Modelling
The cable modelling user experience with ELEK Cable HV is much better.
| Feature | ELEK Cable HV | CYMCAP |
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| Graphical cable editing |
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| Database of pre-modelled cables |
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| Metric (IEC 60228), kcmil (IEC 62602), or custom conductors |
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| Custom ks and kp values |
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| Calculate DC resistance |
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| Sector-shaped conductors |
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| Custom layers |
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| Sheath and screen around each core |
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| Jacket around each core |
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| HVDC cables |
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| Pipe-type cables |
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| Submarine cables |
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| Double armoured cables |
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Download a Free Trial of ELEK Cable HV Software and see for yourself.
Reporting
Generating reports with ELEK Cable HV is seamless.
| Feature | ELEK Cable HV | CYMCAP |
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| Comprehensive PDF reports |
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Microsoft Excel reports
In CYMCAP the Excel reporting function is an add-on that costs extra.
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Equations in reports
ELEK Cable HV does not currently include any equations in the reports. However, all the intermediate calculation results are provided.
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Conclusions
After thoroughly comparing ELEK Cable HV and CYMCAP, it is evident that ELEK Cable HV offers a comprehensive set of features and significant advantages over CYMCAP. With a focus on enhanced functionality and user-friendly design, ELEK Cable HV stands out as a top choice for high-voltage cable current rating calculations.
We invite you to register for a free trial today and experience the power and efficiency of ELEK Cable HV firsthand.
