An easily-installed hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) inverter system for power electronics teaching

As a multidisciplinary area in power engineering, power electronics teaching needs a simple and easily-installed laboratory testbed to demonstrate the internal relationships among the power, control and electronics technologies. In this paper, it is introduced that the layout, component, connection, cost and demonstration of a hardware-in-the loop (HIL) inverter system for university/college labs. Particularly, the interactions of components are specified for the system. The HIL system can be established as quickly as in one day to support the course teaching of electric machines, motor drives, power electronics, etc. Also, this HIL system can be used for senior design, professional training and graduate research. In addition, the function of this HIL system might be expanded into a microgrid and a smart grid upon need.