Real-Time Power Electronic Plant Model Generation for PLECS RT Box

Power converters are sophisticated systems composed of multiple subsystems, including hardware and software components. Their design is a complex task requiring advanced tools and processes. When such systems are developed for... [ view full abstract ]

Power converters are sophisticated systems composed of multiple subsystems, including hardware and software components. Their design is a complex task requiring advanced tools and processes. When such systems are developed for high power applications and include converters connected to the electric grid, as is the case with distributed generation systems, practical testing with hardware can be challenging. Replicating scenarios such as grid faults and islanding is more feasible in a model environment. Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) platforms allow for real time testing of the embedded control system with a virtual model of the electrical system and within the safety of the lab.

Plexim develops and markets design tools for the development of power electronic systems. The company's electrical engineering software PLECS, now widely adopted in various industries and academia worldwide, is a complete power conversion system simulation package that yields robust and fast results. Plexim recently added a HIL offering to its portfolio. The PLECS RT Box is designed for real-time testing of a hardware control system and rapid control prototyping.

In this tutorial, we will explore an example design life cycle for a grid-connected solar system application. The workflow consists of using PLECS for model development in conjunction with the RT Box for verification of a real controller. We will demonstrate the generation of discretized code for the PV inverter model and show how the fidelity of the model can first be verified by means of running the generated code within PLECS. Once the discretization step size is tuned to satisfaction, the real-time code will be deployed onto the PLECS RT Box. Waveforms demonstrating the proper operation of the control algorithms executing on a TI LaunchPad will be shown both on a real oscilloscope as well as on the new PLECS soft-scope.

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