Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Verification Method for Industrial Microgrid Solutions

A hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) solution was developed to test and verify successfully an industrial microgrid configuration. The microgrid system consists of bidirectional inverters connected in a back-to-back configuration. Researchers utilized the Typhoon HIL platform with proprietary HILConnect to develop a HIL test bed that uses the actual inverter control boards to accurately model and test the controls of the physical system. Different model variations were developed to accommodate three different test scenarios. Detailed parameters of the entire microgrid system such as the battery discharge properties and transformer impedances were included in the model to increase the accuracy of the results. Real-time simulations were conducted for various test scenarios based on the predicted usage of the industrial customer. The overall efficiency, stability, and functionality of the system were verified to ensure safety, and save development time at the project site. The controls developed using the HIL test bed were then alpha tested with physical hardware.