Steam turbine hardware in the loop simulation

In this paper, a new tool for teaching purposes is presented. The tool is a low-cost Hardware in the Loop simulation with separated process model and control algorithm on standalone hardware which runs in real-time. In this paper, the simulation is used to control the steam turbine model with shaft and generator, but it can be used on wide range of complex physical models. The used model is evaluated on ramp-up simulation in Simulink, and after that mathematical equations are implemented in Modelica language and exported into Functional Mock-up Unit (FMU). The controlled and control models are both simulated on Raspberry Pi minicomputers in real-time and one can observe the control strategy on the second Raspberry with prepared control task and Human Machine Interface (HMI). Both Raspberries are connected through the Modbus over TCP/IP protocol and one can get familiar with this wide-used communication. Furthermore, there is possibility to control the system, change regulators parameters and handle the trade-off between various performances. Regulation can be operated in so-called island or grid mode. The aim of system control is to comply shaft speed demands described in norms.