Emulation of Complex Grid Scenarios by using Power Hardware In the Loop (PHIL) Techniques

In recent years, power electronic converters have been increasingly used for integration of different generation technologies to electricity networks. However, due to their fast control loops and non-ideal grid conditions, these devices are prone to interact with each other. This can lead to an unstable grid operation with possible catastrophic results. In order to study such interactions between devices before commissioning of new power plants, power hardware in the loop (PHIL) techniques have been increasingly used. However, emulation of complex grid scenarios is not straightforward and requires in-depth knowledge of the emulated grids and dedicated hardware and software. In this paper, the emulation of complex grid scenarios in a PHIL platform is presented. The proposed methodology can be used to emulate not only the dynamics of power devices but also the primary, secondary and tertiary control levels. Four complex scenarios are described and their implementation discussed, with special emphasis on practical details that are commonly not explained in the literature. Results show that the low-frequency dynamics of diesel generators, microgrids, electrical systems and local-power networks can be effectively emulated in the PHIL platform. All the scenarios are validated experimentally.