Static and dynamic power system load emulation in a converter-based reconfigurable power grid emulator

A hardware testbed platform emulating multiple-area power system scenario dynamics has been established aiming at multiple time-scale real-time emulations. In order to mimic real power flow situations in the utility system, the load emulators have to behave like real ones in both their static and dynamic characteristics. A constant-impedance, constant-current, and constant-power (ZIP) model has been used for static load types, while a three-phase induction motor model has been built to represent dynamic load types. In this paper, ways of modeling ZIP and induction motor loads and the performance of each load emulator are discussed. Comparisons between simulation and experimental results are shown as well for the validation of the emulator behaviors. A real-time composite power load emulator is then demonstrated with desired characteristics and detailed transients for representing a power system PQ bus dynamics.