SC-MMC Controller Validation Using a CHILplug Interface

This paper describes and demonstrates the CHILplug, a new means of interfacing controls and real-time simulation in a controller hardware-in-the-loop test (CHIL) arrangement. The CHILplug builds on a computer network based interface that can be integrated into the developed controls and control platforms, and extends traditional CHIL methods. By integrating this interface at all layers of, e.g., power electronics controls, different development and validation stages are enabled. With reducing the complexities encountered in the associated conventional CHIL environments, e.g., large number of digital and analog I/O, rapid validation of the controller algorithms becomes feasible. The CHILplug's high-speed communication interface to a real-time simulator (RTS) further supports additional benefits provided by the RTS including signal processing and logging. The design and benefits of the CHILplug are demonstrated in the context of a medium voltage switched-capacitor modular multi-level converter (SC-MMC) setting.