A generic DSP-based real-time simulator with application to hydrogenerator speed controller development

This paper presents the features and evaluation of a digital signal processor/personal computer-based simulator which allows the simultaneous simulation of two linear systems in real time. A desire to gain the ability to evaluate hydrogenerator governors (speed controllers) in forms completely equivalent to that which could be used to control actual hydrogenerators is the primary motivation for this work. The simulator is designed so that one linear system may be conceptualized as an error controller while the second system may be thought of as a plant under control. The simulator is specialized in that it allows direct entry of the hydrogenerator system parameter values of one of two linearized hydrogenerating system plant models. An option to enter the gains of a generic PID controller also exists. This PID controller may be utilized to simulate a governor for a hydrogenerator, thus allowing the real-time simulation of a closed-loop speed-controlled hydrogenerating system. Simulation accuracy is established by comparing computed results to those computed by an accepted “standard” software package. An IBM-compatible personal computer and a modified Texas Instruments TMS320C30 digital signal processor evaluation module are the primary hardware used