A Test Bed for Conducting Monte Carlo Power Plant Model Validation Experiments

An accepted approach for power-plant model validation and/or calibration is to utilize actual-system events as captured by a phasor measurement unit. Such an approach has many open questions related to the estimated model parameter accuracy. A powerful approach to addressing these questions is conducting Monte Carlo event analysis. With such an approach, a given event is repeated many times under the same operating conditions. Unfortunately, conducting a set of Monte Carlo event tests on an actual power plant is impossible. This paper describes a mock power plant that enables Monte Carlo event production. The power plant consists of a precision-controlled motor driving a 31-kVA synchronous generator equipped with a rotating rectifier type exciter. The system is synchronized to the grid. Events are implemented via high-speed switching of load banks. All system parameters are measured via a high-speed real-time controller. The real-time controller also implements the speed governor and excitation controls. This paper provides a detailed description of the system, and presents an example Monte Carlo test to evaluate two PMU measurement settings.