Design of a Modular Marine DC Microgrid Testbed with Controller-Hardware-in-the-Loop (CHIL) for Real-Time Evaluation

Integration of renewable sources enables economical and sustainable energy availability to coastal and remote communities. Different power electronics converters deliver electric power from renewable sources to the local communities. A Multi-Port Converter (MPC) is utilized to allow energy flow between subsystems in a controlled, efficient, and safe manner. This paper proposes the incorporation of multiple MPCs in a modular manner to allow extensive integration of renewable sources, loads, and energy sources. A DC microgrid testbed is developed to evaluate the performance of two proposed MPCs. The individual converters of each MPC are initially designed and developed in a Simulink/PLECS simulation environment. The average model of designed converters is further tested in Typhoon real-time simulator with Controller Hardware In Loop (CHIL) mode for high fidelity converter operation. The individual converters are integrated into their respective MPCs and operated in close-loop control through MPC control algorithms. Eventually, a plant control algorithm is designed to control the proposed DC microgrid testbed. Typhoon real-time CHIL simulation results are provided to validate the operation of each converter and the whole microgrid in the testbed.