Real-Time Hardware in the Loop Simulation Setup for Automotive Grid Interfacing System Based on PLECS RT BOX and National Instruments PXI

In this paper, a novel Hardware in the Loop (HIL) simulation setup will be presented based on PLECS RT BOX I and NI PXIe-1071 Real-Time target computer. The software suite used for programming and management of the control unit (PXIe-1071) is based on NI VeriStand and MathWorks Matlab - Simulink. Within NI VeriStand the Simulink model will be associated with the physical I/O ports of the PXIe-1071 controller. The NI PXIe-1071 simulation computer can act both as HIL simulator or RCP simulator (Rapid Control Prototyping platform). The HIL software management and programming suite used for the RT BOX is PLECS Plexim which is a Power Electronics dedicated modeling and simulation environment. The whole setup will be able to simulate fast-switching power electronics topologies that are used in electric vehicle and smart grid interfacing with the associated control law and switching pattern strategies, helping the end user to find the appropriate parameters for the control law. Using the proposed setup, the energy flow of the EV battery charging unit can be simulated in real-time.