Integrated Co-Simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing for Microgrid

This article underscores the critical necessity of practical validation through a meticulous combination of simulation and hardware experimentation. Integrating a field-programmable gate array controller with the real-time digital simulator enables robust validation via controller hardware-in-loop (CHIL) testing. This novel platform provides valuable insights into the improved performance and resilience of inverter based resources connected in the microgrid. Testing conducted with a 2.5 kW doubly fed induction generator wind turbine and a 2 kW lithium-ion battery emphasizes the importance of integrating a grid-forming controlled battery converter to maintain stable, grid-independent wind turbine operation. Unlike conventional hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setups, this platform is further enhanced by incorporating physical power hardware elements to assess system resilience under realistic load variations and fault conditions. Key contributions include an advanced synchronization control strategy, combining modified phase-locked loop technique with PI-based pre-synchronization to achieve stable voltage and frequency control in grid-independent operation. This integration enables sustained standalone operation and enhances fault resilience at load connection points. The combined FPGA-RTDS platform effectively bridges theoretical models and real-world hardware, providing a reliable means of validating hardware simulations and control algorithms. Ultimately, the proposed integrated CHIL platform provides a comprehensive assessment framework, crucial for verifying microgrid reliability and resilience prior to real-world deployment.