Real-Time

Testing Solutions
For Microgrid

OPAL-RT helps with challenges faced by engineers by offering advanced simulation tools
for detailed Hardware-in-the-Loop studies of phenomena occurring with Distributed
Energy Resources (DER). To achieve this, OPAL-RT has hybridized cutting-edge CPU and
FPGA technologies, which accurately represent the behavior of both power systems and
power electronics in a single simulation at very high speed.

Sub-microsecond time Very large grids simulated Compatibility with smart-grid

steps for power electronics with time steps between communication protocols including
simulations 10μs and 50μs Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850, OPC,
and C37.118

Learn more at: www.opal-rt.com/microgrid

 OPAL-RT’s solutions enable the real-time simulation
of microgrids to be performed in numerous
configurations:

• Supervisory control (with a single controller)

• Power HIL (with real inverters, photovoltaic plants (PVs), and

energy storage units

• Simulation Accelerator (from offline to real-time)

• Multi-agent System (with multiple controllers) solving to

HYPERSIM

Benefit from:

• A simulation environment based on MathWorks’ Simscape

Power Systems™ (formerly SimPowerSystems™)

• A suite of fixed-step solvers and algorithms to optimize SPS-

based models of electromagnetic transient (EMT) systems for
high fidelity, high-performance simulation in real time

• The only solver specifically designed for microgrid

distribution systems, ARTEMiS-SSN, allowing for multi-
processor simulation without introducing artificial delays

The Most Advanced Real-Time Simulation

Systems Available
ePHASORSIM: A real-time electro-mechanical
HYPERSIM: A dedicated, large-scale real-
phasor-based simulation system capable
time simulation system developed by Hydro-
of simulating thousands of buses (including
Quebec, RTE and CEPRI for pre-commissioning
unbalanced systems) and importing your
studies and fault-event analysis
PSS/E, CYME and PowerFactory models

eFPGASIM: a real-time FPGA-based power eMEGASIM: a flexible simulation environment

electronics, power systems, and electric based on MathWorks’ MATLAB/Simulink
drive simulation suite capable of sub- and Simscape Power Systems™ (formerly
microsecond time-scale simulation for high- SimPowerSystems™). Includes a suite of
frequency controller development and testing. fixed-step solvers and algorithms designed to
Compatible with PLECS, PSIM, Simscape Power optimize models of electromagnetic transient
Systems and NI Multisim. (EMT) systems for real-time simulation, all
while retaining their high-fidelity

ABOUT OPAL-RT TECHNOLOGIES

OPAL-RT is the world leader in the development of PC/FPGA Based Real-Time Digital
Simulator, Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) testing equipment and Rapid Control Prototyping
(RCP) systems to design, test and optimize control and protection systems used in power
grids, power electronics, motor drives, automotive industry, trains, aircraft and various opal-rt.com
industries, as well as R&D centers and universities.
 Experience the
Power of HYPERSIM
Innovating Beyond Boundaries for Optimal Performance
OPAL-RT strives to continuously innovate its HYPERSIM power system simulator to provide the fastest and most reliable
performance on the market. With the latest developments in hardware and software, such as commercial of-the-shelf chassis
that can support up to 96 cores and 1 TB of RAM, more recent processors with a clock up to 4.0 GHz, a new CentOS 64-bit
operating system optimized for real-time and the latest Intel compiler, this performance has now reached a whole new level.

Astonishing Power in a Go Big with our Tired of Waiting Hours for a

Compact System Scalable Hardware Few Seconds of Simulation?

Because we think you should not be limited OPAL-RT delivers commercial-off-the- HYPERSIM simulation is available
by your hardware, even our most basic shelf simulators offering an unmatched on Windows desktop to speed up
system packs a punch and provides you combination of performance, openness development cycle and to reduce time
with the tools you need to: and affordability: required to perform non real-time studies.

• Simulate up to 900 nodes on the 3 cores • Several thousands of nodes with up to • Run Windows-based accelerated parallel
of a 2U chassis 96 cores and 256 I/O on a single chassis non real-time simulation

• Achieve time steps as low as 5 μs on CPU • Plug-and-play expansion for more I/O or • Simulate from anywhere, on any
for smaller applications additional processing power engineer’s desktop or laptop

• Test complex distribution systems • Time steps below the μs for power • Validate Ethernet-based communication
and microgrids electronics protocols on your own PC

• Resolve high frequency converters and • Simulate 50+ kHz converters and large • Multiply the number of tests you can run
MMC terminals below 500 ns MMC terminals with 6000 cells and time per day with TestView
steps below 500 ns
• Exchange hundreds of data points with • Conduct complex signal analysis quickly
communication protocols • On-the-fly parameter change thanks to ScopeView

• Long term maintenance • Easy to upgrade thanks to Intel and Xilinx

based architecture
• With the OP4510, additional features
are added without the need for additional • Perform optimal automatic task mapping
hardware.
© 2019 by OPAL-RT TECHNOLOGIES Inc. All rights reserved.

Some HYPERSIM Features

Create dashboards Perform standardized Use data logging to Perform Traveling

for mobile devices Interface with MMC
and automatic IEC 60255- prevent the loss of any Wave Relay Testing
accessible using test benches
121 distance relay testing points from the start with time steps below
OPC-UA and WiFi specifically designed
of your simulation
for Laboratory
Research and Development
OP1400 Series
4-Quadrant PHIL Amplifier

High-speed and
low-latency
closed loop
communications
for real-time
simulation

Introducing the OP1400 Series 4-Quadrant

PHIL Amplifier: Optimize testing and
validation of power systems and power
electronics controls, in applications such as
microgrid and protection. PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

The OPAL-RT OP1400 Series is a 4-Quadrant Power • Innovative soft-switching cell based on SiC
Amplifier featuring high-speed and low-latency closed loop Transistors Technology
communications for real-time digital simulation. It is designed
to be used as a Power Hardware in the Loop (PHIL) testing tool • Very high efficiency >96%
in combination with an OPAL-RT simulator to form a complete
PHIL testing solution. • 100% regeneration
Enhance operational safety and develop safer products and
systems with OPAL-RT’s OP1400 4-Quadrant PHIL Amplifier. • Low output harmonic distortion (THD):
– THD <0.5% for DC to 2kHz, full power
– THD <2% for 2kHz to 10kHz, full power
Key Features:
• High-fidelity 4-Quadrant PHIL Amplifier with 100% non-
APPLICATIONS
dissipative regeneration
• RT-LAB Multi-Domain - Simulink-Based
• Available as 5, 10, or 15KW 3-phase modules with
Software Platform: Ideal for research
independent phases (other configurations available upon
laboratories
request)
• AC & DC mode • PHIL System Device Testing: Test your system
• Overload, short circuit and over temperature protections controller, your algorithm or topology under
real-world electrical conditions
• Specially designed for real-time PHIL applications, such as,
powergrid, motor or DER emulator
• MicroGrid PHIL Testing: Create a microgrid
– Large Signal Bandwidth: DC to 10kHz (-3dB), 0.5% THD topology where you can connect physical
– Integrated coupling inductors equipment. Analyze its interaction with other
emulated DER and power grids (photo-
– Integrated voltage and current measurements
voltaics, wind turbines, batteries, load)
transferred to PHIL models
The Turnkey Solution To Test
Your Battery Management System
Real-Time Simulation for Battery Management Systems (BMS)
OPAL-RT’s flexible BMS approach allows the integration of new technology as it is intro-
duced into the vehicle. OPAL-RT’s real-time solution facilitates the migration of exist-
ing physical testbeds onto real-time HIL simulation platforms when testing your BMS.

OPAL-RT’S REAL-TIME SIMULATOR CONTROLS EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR BMS SYSTEM

• Battery pack voltage & current monitoring • Individual cell & temperature monitoring
• Isolation testing and monitoring for high • State of charge (SOC) & state of health calculations
voltage applications • Power delivery and charge management
• Cell balancing • Overall safety and performance management.

Scalability :
The OPAL-RT’s BMS real-time simulation
testbeds, which are based on real-time
Battery Cell Simulator by Comemso
battery simulation capabilities combined
Each Comemso BCS unit provide 12 cells and
with Comemso’s Battery Cell Simulator, combine a high-precision emulation of battery
cells with a high-resolution measurement tech-
protection and fault injection, allow en- nology and extended validation possibilities.
gineers to validate their BMS controllers.
OPAL-RT’s solution provides advanced
BMS testing through accurate battery
models that drive robust hardware.

Real-Time Simulation by OPAL-RT

OPAL-RT’s real-time simulation system allows us-
ers to develop or test products or designs in a
Performance: safe environment. Model of battery, high fidel-
Extend your BMS HIL test coverage with ity power electronics & motors, cooling or vir-
tual control unit can be simulated in real-time.
high fidelity power electronics and motors
Now also available on the
for extended test capabilities. Real-time NI Hardware, Labview &
Veristand.
simulation of power electronics remains
one of the greatest challenges to HIL sim-
ulation. The I/O capability for capturing
PWM frequency, the overall latency of the State-of-the-art Engineering
closed-loop simulation, and mathematical OPAL-RT provides the engineering required to
solving of coupled switches and fault injec- extend the functionalities of your BMS HIL test
bench, from extra protection, shunt emulation,
tion on all stages of complex power elec- break-out box, current and voltage sensing to
complete integration of other controls for electri-
tronics schematics are just some of the cal vehicle, ADAS system or the complete vehicle.
complexities of this evolving industry.
 Battery Management Systems HIL Overview
REAL-TIME SIMULATION BATTERY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
Cell Models, Pack Models
& Vehicle Models
• Cell Balancing
Monitoring
Communication Buses & Protection
CAN, Serial, Modbus
• Voltage, Current
I/O & Temperature
Current Sensor, RTD, Analog I/O, Monitoring
Digital I/O
• Control I/O

Cell Emulation • Protection

• Fault Monitoring
Fault Injection,
Break-out Box • Battery Management

• System Communication
Protection

HIGHLIGHTS

Beyond BMS: Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G/G2V)

Ability to simulate the battery and its surrounding environment, in real-time:

Battery Cells Simulated Electrical
• Simulate the battery along with the entire electrical Grid
network and mechanical dynamics of an electrical
vehicle, or along with the grid/microgrid in which the
© 2019 by OPAL-RT TECHNOLOGIES Inc. All rights reserved.

battery operates

• Study the effects of having vehicles charge and

discharge their batteries while connected to
a complete simulated electrical grid BMS
(UUT)

• Ability to simulate full stack voltage • The simulator can emulate Simulink or
regardless of the number of cells Simscape Power Systems-based battery
being physically emulated models, such as lead-acid, lithium ion, nickel
cadmium, nickel metal hydride, etc.
• OPAL-RT’s simulator cabinets are equipped
with rear and front door switches that • Communication includes standard analog and
immediately cut power when opened. digital I/O, CAN and EtherCAT
Complete high-voltage protection is also
provided for all I/Os. • High levels of safety for BMS real-time
simulators.

ABOUT OPAL-RT TECHNOLOGIES

OPAL-RT is the world leader in the development of PC/FPGA Based Real-Time Digital
Simulator, Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) testing equipment and Rapid Control Prototyping
(RCP) systems to design, test and optimize control and protection systems. used in power
grids, power electronics, motor drives, automotive industry, trains, aircraft and various opal-rt.com
industries, as well as R&D centers and universities.
OP1300
POWER ELECTRONICS TEST BENCH
From simulation to real power

Modular, flexible and configurable, the Power Electronics Test Bench Flexibility and versatility
combines a state-of-the-art Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulator from
OPAL-RT with Imperix’s Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) system and real Benefit from a flexible hardware and software to experiment
power hardware. It enables rapid development of power electronics, and validate any novel topology or control algorithm. Instan-
drives and smart-grid applications across industry and academia. taneously jump from real-time simulation to the real power
hardware by simply changing cable connections, without
A typical con guration is proposed with 6x power modules, 1x B- ox editing your control code.
RCP controller and 1x OP4510 HIL simulator, constituting a turnkey
hardware and software solution to instantly start experimenting. For
more advanced needs, customized passives and auxiliaries can be pro-
Performance
vided, typically enabling connection with the AC grid. Execute high-performance real-time simulation of power con-
verter on eHS and rely on the B Box and its software to
help you design and generate closed-loop control code. Rely
on software-independant protections to keep your
HIL simulator bench safe at all times.
FPGA
Controller
DSP+FPGA Time-to-application
Power converter
Real switches
With this test bench, it has never been more easy to speed
up prototyping activities. The focus can now be set on the
real research objectives, and meaningful experimental results
can be achieved within few hours.

3~

1. Imagine and develop 2. Model and simulate 3. Debug and test 4. Implement and validate
Imagine and develop your control Simulate the power converters and By connecting the RCP controller Connect the RCP controller to the
on Matlab Simulink, and instantly their passive components on the to the HIL simulator, test your con- real power hardware to test your
download it into the B ox, a OP4510, a high-fidelity and flexible trol algorithms under all operating control algorithms live and com-
high performance and easy-to-use HIL simulator based on RT-LAB and conditions. Observe any signal and pare the experimental results with
power electronics controller. Matlab Simulink. produce insightful graphics. the previous simulation results.
 SYSTEM OVERVIEW TYPICAL CONFIGURATION
The Power Electronics Test Bench is delivered
ready-to-use, and includes :
A » 18U cabinet with all necessary signal, power
supply and optical fiber cables
» Technical User Manual
» Examples and tutorials (RCP controller and
HIL simulator)

B A. B BOX RCP
The B Box is a high-performance rapid con-trol
prototyping (RCP) controller. It features :
» 300 MHz TI DSP
» Up to 200 kHz sampling frequency
» 16 analog inputs, 16 fiber optic outputs, 4
analog outputs, 8+8 digital I/O, CAN.
C » Software-independent protections
» B ox Control software and automated
code generation toolbox for Simulink

B. OP4510 HIL SIMULATOR

The OP4510 is a state-of-the-art platform for
D real-time HIL simulation. It features :
» 4-core CPU, Xeon E3 processor 3.2 GHz
» Kintex-7 XILINX FPGA, 325T
» 32/32 digital I/O, 16/16 analog I/O
» Fully integrated with Matlab Simulink
» RT-LAB open real-time simulation software
environment
» eHS64 power electronics simulation toolbox
» Circuit editors compatible with SimPower-
Systems toolbox

C. POWER STAGE
The power stage delivers ready-to-use and free-
ly configurable power conversion, thanks to :
» 6 independent half bridge power modules
max 800V / 32A or 400V / 46A per module,
galvanic isolation, up to 50 kHz switching
» 1 sideboard for temperature monitoring and
variable-speed fan control. LCD screen
» 4U enclosure with front and back panels
UNLIMITED TOPOLOGIES » Internal wiring and power supplies
» 4 mm safety laboratory plugs
You may use all six half-bridges to implement Thanks to the complete flexibility in the con-
back-to-back converters, such as grid-tied var- nections of the modules, isolated DC/DC are
speed drives, HVDC systems, etc. Alternatively, also supported, such as DAB, resonant convert- D. AUXILIARY RACK, OPTIONAL
fewer modules may be sufficient for applica- ers or similar topologies. Interleaved DC/DC sys- The auxiliary 4U rack is a customizable unit for
tions such as PV inverters, battery chargers, etc. tems are of course within reach as well. the necessary passive components, filters, etc.
The standard configuration features :
» 4U enclosure with laser-cut front and back
panels, forced air cooling and wiring
3~ » 6 independent inductors (2.5mH, 20A)
» 2 LC-type common-mode filters (3-phase)
» Optional : external voltage sensors
» Optional : external relays and breakers

ABOUT IMPERIX
Imperix is a Swiss manufacturer of high-end and prototyping equipment for power electronics, with a special
focus on their control. The company’s products and software enable cutting-edge innovation and accelerate
R&D activities in corporate and academic environments. www.imperix.ch

ABOUT OPAL-RT TECHNOLOGIES

OPAL-RT is a world leader in real-time simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing equipment for elec-
trical, electro-mechanical and power electronics systems. Since 1997, OPAL-RT Simulators are used by engi-
www.opal-rt.com
neers and researchers at leading manufacturers, utilities, universities and research centres around the world.