The power system as we know it is evolving, and a corresponding evolution is taking place in the way that innovators model and test power system behaviour and equipment in order to enable a reliable and resilient grid. Real-time power system simulation with the RTDS Simulator – and the hardware-in-the-loop testing process that it enables – is becoming increasingly involved in the success of utilities, protection and control equipment manufacturers, research institutions, universities, and consultants.
Hardware-in-the-loop testing allows power system professionals to de-risk the integration of novel systems, anticipate and mitigate negative interactions, and optimize device performance by connecting real devices to a simulated network. Inverter-based resources and other grid modernization technologies can create vulnerabilities that conventional modelling and testing processes are blind to. Hardware-in-the-loop testing allows engineers to anticipate these issues, preventing misoperation and negative interactions which may result in outages or damaged equipment.
This video shows how the RTDS Simulator can be used to de-risk microgrid protection and control equipment. Beyond microgrids, this proven technology is used for testing distribution automation, transmission protection, inverters and other power electronics, HVDC and FACTS, cybersecurity measures, and more. Hardware-in-the-loop testing with the RTDS Simulator reduces commissioning delays and increases reliability, resilience, and performance. In the hands of innovators, it’s changing the grid as we know it.
