Product category:
Simulation, modelling and validation software
News Release from: Opal-RT Technologies | Subject: RT-Lab Berta Test Bench
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 22 April 2008
Test system simulates power disturbances
RT-Lab Berta enables the engineer to accurately set speed regulator PID gains, in turn assessing the stable behaviour of the generating unit.
Opal-RT Technologies has released the RT-Lab Berta Test Bench for real-time testing of regulators, turbines and alternators Designed to meet the needs of electrical utilities, RT-Lab Berta enables the engineer to accurately set speed regulator PID gains, in turn assessing the stable behaviour of the generating unit
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 24 Oct 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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RT-Lab Berta achieves this without taking the generating unit under test offline.
It also ensures that simulated power system disturbances do not place the engineer or overall power system at risk.
RT-Lab Berta combines a real-time digital simulator, based on Opal-RT's eMegasim Real-time digital power grid simulator technology and the reprogrammable LabView-based GUI of Opal-RT's TestDrive testing system.
RT-Lab Berta conducts real-time simulation at the power plant, directly on the actual AC generator, while recording signal data needed in order to effectively model the turbine and regulator under test.
In addition, RT-Lab Berta can drive the actual generator as if it were actually operating in islanded mode.
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"Accurately assessing the behaviour of turbines, alternators and regulators and conducting effective testing and adjustments has long been a challenge for electrical engineers".
"Identifying modelling parameters has required either making highly accurate calculations using data that manufacturers may be reluctant to provide, or conducting very costly and time-consuming on-site tests".
"This impacts both the productivity of the engineer and the efficiency of the overall power system", said Jean Belanger, President of Opal-RT Technologies.
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"With the launch of RT-Lab Berta, it is now possible for the engineer to make regulators and turbines react as though they were operating in an islanded power system".
"This allows high-precision validation and setting of regulator and turbine models to occur during the same test session, saving valuable time, while improving overall power system performance with each subsequent test session", said Marc Langevin, inventor and primary developer of RT-Lab Berta.
Until now, model and parameter identification tests have proven to be very expensive and do not provide an accurate and robust model of a turbine.
The process is time-consuming and arduous, requiring preliminary settings based on specifications provided by the constructor of the dam and manufacturers of the turbine and generator, followed by model and parameter identification tests in the power station.
Off-line stability studies are then needed to recommend the appropriate settings, based on the models and parameters as determined by tests carried out in the power station.
The final step in the process is a return to the power station to implement the new settings on the speed governor.
RT-Lab Berta allows these operations to take place in a single test run from within the power station, translating into significant returns on investment including.
It provides improved accuracy of speed regulator settings in islanded mode, ensuring that each machine has a stabilising effect on the overall power system.
The system also provides improved stability and reduced demand on servomotors by applying appropriate settings.
RT-Lab Berta can conduct real-time simulation of the unit under test allowing the engineer to quickly and accurately set regulator parameters to ensure the frequency stability of the unit when operated in an islanded power system.
This also improves the unit's contribution to power system stability when it is synchronised with a large power system.
The integrated real-time digital simulator generates a speed error signal corresponding to the behaviour of the generator in an islanded power system.
Injecting this signal into the regulator while the unit is generating power in the system sets up a closed loop, simulating the operation in an islanded system, even though the AC generator is actually synchronised to a multimachine power grid.
The speed error signal is added to the actual frequency signal so that the regulator still reacts to an actual system frequency variation.
Turbine model parameters can change over time because of turbine wear and water head variation.
By using test and measurement results, RT-Lab Berta enables the engineer to precisely estimate adequate turbine and speed regulator models.
Such precision also allows for more accurate offline simulation and adjustment of speed regulator settings.
RT-Lab Berta is also equipped with a PID controller that can be used instead of the actual PID controller of the regulator.
The output signal of this controller replaces the output signal of the actual controller directly driving the gate servomotor chain allowing several optimisation tests to be conducted without modifying the actual regulator settings.
This approach produces results that increase in precision with each subsequent test session and that are virtually identical to those expected from an actual islanded power system, but requiring only a fraction of the time, compared to traditional test methods.
RT-Lab Berta is currently under evaluation for use in multiple power stations in North America and is now available directly from Opal-RT Technologies.
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