Hardware-in-the-loop experiments with a simulated electric ship power system utilizing a 5 MW Variable Voltage Source converter amplifier

Real-time hardware-in-the-loop simulations demonstrate the utility of a hybrid approach to total system modeling. Part of a system is modeled and simulated with computational hardware, which interacts in real-time with physical equipment operating in the real world. In order to achieve a realistic system environment for a physical device, both the dynamics and the power required must be included in the simulation. In this power-hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) study, a variable voltage source (VVS), under the control of a real-time power systems simulator, is used to emulate the dynamics of a ship-board electrical bus. This bi-directional, controllable bus supplies power to a commercial 2.5 MW variable speed drive (VSD) and induction motor (IM). To complete the environment, realistic ship propeller loads are provided by a 2.5 MW dynamometer which is also under the control of the real-time simulator. The simulation includes multiple features of an all-electric ship, including multiple generator dynamics, propulsion motor power regeneration, and pulse loads.