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The goal of the proposed research is to establish a computational and experimental platform that will allow reliable and efficient power and structural performance evaluation of FOWT. A secondary goal of the research is to establish an educational FOWT setup to promote renewable energy research among undergraduate and high-school students.
Conventional electromagnetic transient (EMT) and phasor do-main hybrid simulation approaches presently exist for transmission system level studies and their simulation efficiency is generally constrained by the EMT simulation. With an increasing number of distributed energy resources and non-conventional loads being installed in the distribution systems, it is imperative to ex-tend the hybrid simulation application to include distribution systems and integrated transmission and distribution systems. Meanwhile, it is equally important to improve the simulation efficiency as the modeling scope and complexity of the detailed system in the EMT simulation increases. To meet both requirements, this paper introduces an advanced electromagnetic transient (EMT) and phasor domain hybrid simulation approach. This approach has two outstanding features: 1) a comprehensive phasor domain modeling framework which supports positive-sequence, three-sequence, three-phase and mixed three-sequence/three-phase representations; 2) a robust and flexible simulation mode switching scheme which enables simulation switching from hybrid simulation mode back to pure phasor domain dynamic simulation mode to achieve significantly improved simulation efficiency. The proposed method has been tested on integrated transmission and distribution systems, and the results show that with the developed simulation switching feature, the total computational time is significantly reduced compared to running the hybrid simulation for the whole simulation period, while good accuracy is maintained.
The escalating integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) poses new challenges to power systems by introducing fast dynamics with higher frequencies, which may need to be simulated by an electromagnetic transient (EMT) program. As an alternative to conducting EMT simulations for the entire system, which is typically time consuming, hybrid simulation between EMT and phasor-domain transient stability (TS) can greatly reduce the computational burden while preserving the detailed fast dynamics in the EMT zone. This paper establishes an EMT-TS hybrid simulation platform using open-source tools, specifically ParaEMT, GridPACK, and HELICS, which are the EMT simulator, TS simulator, and interface framework, respectively. Case studies on the 240-bus Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system demonstrate that the developed ParaEMT-HELICS-GridPACK hybrid simulator can accurately capture both slow electromechanical and fast IBR-driven dynamics with a 2.4x speedup.
HYBRID is a modeling toolset to assess the economic viability of Nuclear-Renewable Integrated Energy Systems (N-R IES). The frameworks enabling this toolset are INL’s RAVEN, its CashFlow plugin and the Modelica language. The toolset includes sample RAVEN workflows performing economic assessments. These workflows consist of: generation of stochastic time series and application of probabilistic analysis and optimization algorithms (RAVEN); a library of Modelica models representing the physical behavior of N-R IES; and the CashFlow plugin mapping physical performance to economic performance. The toolset allows assembling existing and new models such as nuclear reactors, renewable energy sources, energy storage, gas turbines, industrial processes, etc. into an N-R IES. The toolset workflows evaluate the dynamics of the N-R IES responding to stochastic conditions (electricity demand, price, etc.) and optimize the dispatch economics as well as N-R IES capacity planning.
As the penetration level of power electronics-interfaced renewables such as photovoltaics (PV) and wind has surged in modern electric grids, new operational risks caused by the dynamics of those inverter-based resources (IBRs) are emerging in parallel. Lessons learned from various grid events include that the impact of IBRs on system-level grid stability will become prominent along with the increase of renewables and that the short-timescale dynamic impacts of IBRs on grid stability are not fully captured by current commercial dynamic simulation tools [1] [2]. For example, IBRs can be controlled to mitigate those destabilizing interactions, but conventional phasor-domain tools (e.g. PSS/E, PSLF) often cannot capture that; likewise, the existing electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation tools (e.g. PSCAD, EMTP) can simulate detailed IBR controls, but for large power systems with many IBRs, slow simulation speeds severely impede the ability to study dynamic events [3] [4]. Massively paralleling simulations using high-performance computing (HPC) can help address this, especially now that cloud-based HPC capability is widely available, but today s EMT tools are not HPC-compatible, and parallelization of dynamic simulation solvers is not trivial because each region can dynamically affect the others. Thus, dynamic simulation of grids with very large numbers of IBRs potentially poses a barrier to the ongoing energy transition.
Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) divides a structural system into an analytical and experimental substructure. The former is based on a well-established analytical model while the latter consists of a physical model in the laboratory, for which there is not a well-established analytical model. This paper extends real-time hybrid simulation to monopile-type Offshore Wind Turbines (OWTs) to enable the investigation of their behavior considering the response of pile foundations under operational and more severe conditions. The embedded foundation and surrounding soil of the OWT are modeled physically in a soil box in the laboratory while the remaining parts of the system and loading are modeled analytically. The program OpenFAST, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), is linked to the RTHS coordinator to determine the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic loads acting on the OWT, along with modeling the dynamics of the electric power generation equipment and associated controller for the OWT. The RTHS framework along with its initial implementation and validation are described in this paper. RTHSs of a 5 MW OWT subjected to operational and more severe conditions are performed to experimentally validate the framework. The framework offers a realistic approach to investigate the behavior of OWT structures supported on monopiles. Furthermore, this approach accounts for the coupled response of the OWT structure with its foundation, while experimentally capturing the nonlinearities of the soil-foundation interaction in real-time.
1D hybrid simulations of rotational discontinuities (RDs) are presented. When the angle between the discontinuity normal and the magnetic field (theta-BN) is 30 deg, the RD broadens into a quasi-steady state of width 60-80 c/omega-i. The hodogram has a characteristic S-shape. When theta-BN = 60 deg, the RD is much narrower (10 c/omega-i). For right handed rotations, the results are similar to theta-BN = 30 deg. For left handed rotations, the RD does not evolve much from its initial conditions and the S-shape in the hodogram is much less visible. The results can be understood in terms of matching a fast mode wavelike structure upstream of the RD with an intermediate mode one downstream.
Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is an enabling technology that has transformed engineering experimentation and helped researchers expand modeling capabilities. However, breakthroughs are necessary to expand the range of hybrid simulation methods and, thus, enable experiments with loading conditions representing multiple hazards. This paper discusses the development of a new thermomechanical RTHS framework and a systematic approach to determining RTHS control requirements. First, the framework is established using a representative finite element model of a layered structural system subjected to thermal loading. A complete two-layer system model serves as the reference system, and it is then partitioned into a numerical layer and an experimental layer that share interface conditions. Next, a thermal actuator is introduced to impose dynamic thermal loading on the experimental subsystem, serving as a transfer system. Finally, control and performance metrics are defined to evaluate the realization of interface boundary conditions and map this to the RTHS execution. Through an illustrative example considering the influence of temperature on a lunar habitat, we demonstrate how to establish controller requirements for RTHS and demonstrate that this approach can be used to conduct RTHS on structures with thermomechanical loading.
With steady increase of power electronic devices and nonlinear dynamic loads in large scale AC/DC systems, the traditional hybrid simulation method, which incorporates these components into a single EMT subsystem and hence causes great difficulty for network partitioning and significant deterioration in simulation efficiency. To resolve these issues, a novel distributed hybrid simulation method is proposed in this paper. The key to realize this method is a distinct interfacing technique, which includes: i) a new approach based on the two-level Schur complement to update the interfaces by taking full consideration of the couplings between different EMT subsystems; and ii) a combined interaction protocol to further improve the efficiency while guaranteeing the simulation accuracy. The advantages of the proposed method in terms of both efficiency and accuracy have been verified by using it for the simulation study of an AC/DC hybrid system including a two-terminal VSC-HVDC and nonlinear dynamic loads.
The manner in which a hybrid simulation was used in support of Skylab operations in the area of dynamics and control is described. Simulation results were used in the development of acceptable vehicle maneuvers and in the verification of acceptability when the maneuvers were integrated into daily flight plans. The criterion of acceptability was based on vehicle controllability and the minimization of thruster system propellant usage. A simulation of a representative daily flight plan containing three experimental maneuvers is included, along with thruster attitude control system propellant usage tables which show predicted and actual usage for each mission. The inherent characteristics of quick turnaround and flexibility afforded by the hybrid computer proved invaluable in the operations support required throughout the Skylab mission.
Currently, the lack of (1) a sufficiently integrated, adaptive, and reflective framework to ensure the safety, integrity, and coordinated evolution of a real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) as it runs, and (2) the ability to articulate and gauge suitable measures of the performance and integrity of an experiment, both as it runs and post-hoc, have prevented researchers from tackling a wide range of complex research problems of vital national interest. To address these limitations of the current state-of-the-art, we propose a framework named Reflective Framework for Performance Management (REFORM) of real-time hybrid simulation. REFORM will support the execution of more complex RTHS experiments than can be conducted today, and will allow them to be configured rapidly, performed safely, and analyzed thoroughly. This study provides a description of the building blocks associated with the first phase of this development (REFORM-I). REFORM-I is verified and demonstrated through application to an expanded version of the benchmark control problem for real-time hybrid simulation.
Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) - a cyber-physical testing approach - promises to enhance the simulation fidelity of the model-scale experiments used to prototype floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs). In hydrodynamic RTHS (hydro-RTHS), actuators emulate aerodynamic forces on model-scale FOWT specimens subjected to physical waves in a hydrodynamic laboratory. Robotic arms are promising candidates for actuation in hydro-RTHS due to their compact multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) capabilities. Unlike classical RTHS for seismic applications, which typically relies on displacement control, hydro-RTHS requires 6-DOF force control on newly designed floating prototypes in a model-scale setting, which presents significant challenges, including modeling uncertainties, directional asymmetry, configuration drift, bandwidth limitations, and time-varying delays. To mitigate these constraints without extensive pre-test calibration, this study proposes an adaptive model-free robotic force control strategy that combines task-space explicit force control with a secondary joint-space pose-keeping task. The Adaptive Feedforward Compensator (AFC) is integrated into the force control loop to compensate for time-varying delay. Experimental testing was conducted using a Franka Emika Panda robotic arm with a 1:50 scale FOWT specimen under operational wind and wave conditions. Results demonstrate stable and consistent 6-DOF force tracking. Effective delay compensation was observed, with low-frequency delay reductions ranging from 71.4% to 91.8% and improvements in low-frequency surge force tracking of 25.0% to 52.1%. This study enhances robotic actuation performance in hydro-RTHS and introduces a force control strategy that supports reliable robotic operation in uncertain floating environments. Future work will explore disturbance-observer mechanisms to further enhance wave rejection capabilities under extreme wind and wave conditions.
Digital and hybrid simulator computer programs for optimal control of satellite attitude maneuvers
One-dimensional hybrid simulations of tangential discontinuities (TDs) are presented. Ion kinetic effects are shown to play a crucial role in determining the TD structure. When the density ratio across a TD is large, magnetic profiles with either overshoots or monotonic gradients are obtained. When there is a bulk plasma flow perpendicular to the magnetic field, so that the motional electric field is directed into the moving plasma, the field profiles exhibit similar behavior when the density ratio differs from unity. In each of these cases, the final width is between 2 and 5 ion Larmor radii, roughly what is seen at the earth's magnetopause.
In this report we discuss the ion velocity distribution dynamics from the 3D hybrid simulation. In our model the background, pickup, and ionospheric ions are considered as a particles, whereas the electrons are described as a fluid. Inhomogeneous photoionization, electron-impact ionization and charge exchange are included in our model. We also take into account the collisions between the ions and neutrals. The current simulation shows that mass loading by pickup ions H(+); H2(+), CH4(+) and N2(+) is stronger than in the previous simulations when O+ ions are introduced into the background plasma. In our hybrid simulations we use Chamberlain profiles for the atmospheric components. We also include a simple ionosphere model with average mass M = 28 amu ions that were generated inside the ionosphere. The moon is considered as a weakly conducting body. Special attention will be paid to comparing the simulated pickup ion velocity distribution with CAPS T9 observations. Our simulation shows an asymmetry of the ion density distribution and the magnetic field, including the formation of the Alfve n wing-like structures. The simulation also shows that the ring-like velocity distribution for pickup ions relaxes to a Maxwellian core and a shell-like halo.
The development and innovation of floating offshore wind energy in the U.S. requires detailed high-fidelity observations and measurements of turbine and platform loading due to wind, waves, and currents. However, full-scale and quasi-full-scale experiments require significant financial and temporal investments for construction, experimental testing, and long-term field campaigns. To support the commercial advancement of the offshore wind energy industry, specialized wind tunnel and wave basin experimental facilities are critical to be able to test FOWT designs at small scale under controlled conditions prior to full-scale deployment. Oregon State University (OSU) is internationally known as a leader in water and energy research, development, and testing. The O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory (HWRL) and the Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility (WESRF) at OSU have extensive experience building, modeling, monitoring, controlling, and actuating scaled systems. Experiments on wave-structure interaction have been performed at the HWRL since its establishment in 1972. Studies have included the interaction of waves with coastal structures (breakwaters, seawalls, buildings, cylinders, bridges, fixed foundations of offshore wind turbines, etc.) and with floating structures (e.g., wave energy converters, maneuvering of vessels, etc.). Hinsdale is actively used by marine energy technology developers, both for private testing and OSU-collaborative research projects. However, despite the availability of several large-scale facilities for hydrodynamic testing (at OSU and elsewhere in the U.S.), existing experimental laboratories are generally limited in their ability to accurately generate combined wind and wave conditions. The simulation of both wind and waves in experimental testing is complicated due to a number of constraints, including: [i] incompatible similitude laws governing the wind and waves for scaled experiments, [ii] producing accurate wind over a large enough control volume via fans, and [iii] generating wind that reasonably represents the atmospheric boundary layer in existing wave basins/flumes. Hence, physical test data providing insight into the simultaneous wave- and wind-structure response of floating offshore wind components can be difficult to generate. Given the aforementioned challenges in classic hydrodynamic experiments, the motivation of this project is to establish a real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) approach that can apply aero- and hydro-dynamic loading by augmenting wave-only experimental facilities with virtual aerodynamic forces through numerical models representing the remaining dynamic forces. RTHS is a physical-numerical approach that partitions a prototype system into physical and numerical sub-assemblies that interact with each other through actuators and sensors in real time. In coupling physical and numerical models, the hybrid simulation approach applied herein is ideal for problems with: (1) structures subjected to different scaling laws, such as floating offshore wind turbines subjected to combined aero/hydro-dynamic loading, (2) structures that are too large or complex to be tested entirely in a laboratory setting, such as deep-water mooring applications, and (3) component testing, where the behavior of a portion of the assembly is uncertain but still interacts with other portions of the structure, such as testing the fatigue life of turbine blades. Few U.S. experimental facilities are able to test simultaneous aero- and hydro-dynamic loading and none can accurately produce aero/hydro-dynamic response on scaled FOWT models due to conflicting similitude laws between the wind (commonly Reynolds) and the waves (commonly Froude). To aid in accelerating the development of the U.S. floating offshore industry, there is a significant need to develop a flexible, modular framework that can expand the capacities of existing wave-only laboratories. The project goal is to demonstrate a hydrodynamic real-time hybrid simulation (hydro-RTHS) framework that couples numerical wind and physical waves acting on a FOWT, thus representing simultaneous aero/hydro-dynamic loading. The FOWT is partitioned into a full-scale numerical sub-assembly associated with the aerodynamics and a model-scale physical sub-assembly associated with the hydrodynamics. The numerical-physical partition associated with hydro-RTHS mitigates scaling constraints by supplying different scaling laws to the physical and numerical sub-assemblies. Herein, length, force, and time are scaled and exchanged between the sub-assemblies using Froude scaling to represent the open-channel flow in the physical sub-assembly. Other similitude laws could also be utilized depending on the problem definition. It is envisioned that the ability to model FOWTs under waves and wind, with mitigation of similitude distortions, would result in reduced development costs (currently, FOWT concept development is performed with full-size pro- totypes at enormous expense and risk) and increase the reliability of the FOWT industry (since extreme wave and wind conditions and contingency events can be tested safely in a controlled environment).
Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) mitigates similitude distortions in model-scale tests of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) by coupling physical experiments with numerical models in real time. The coupling requires faster-than-real-time numerical computations to satisfy temporal similitude with the physical experiment, presenting a bottleneck for using more complex numerical models in RTHS. This paper presents a hydrodynamic-RTHS (hydro-RTHS) framework for FOWTs that simulates the hydrodynamics physically and the aerodynamics numerically with sensor feedback from the physical testing. The framework adapts the three-loop hardware architecture to leverage greater computational resources and mitigate strict temporal requirements, enabling more computationally demanding numerical analyses in hydro-RTHS. The three-loop hardware architecture integrates multiple machines, each dedicated to either numerical analysis or RTHS controls, with a rate-transition algorithm to synchronize the tasks executed across the different machine processors. Virtual and physical tests verified and validated the hydro-RTHS framework, respectively. The ”virtual” tests, which approximates the physical domain numerically, verified the RTHS framework with respect to a numerical full-scale complete FOWT model simulated in the open-source software, OpenFAST. The virtual tests were able to maintain comparable control signals while enabling greater computational resources for the numerical calculations. Real-world physical tests demonstrated that the hydro-RTHS framework computes aerodynamic forces similar to the complete OpenFAST model, validating the hydro-RTHS framework using the three-loop hardware architecture. Findings show that the hydro-RTHS framework with the three-loop hardware architecture is computationally efficient, with reserve capacity to simulate more complex problems due to the customized software, hardware, and rate-transition algorithm.
Linear instability analysis as well as a corresponding two‐dimensional hybrid simulation are performed to examine the excitation of the proton cyclotron waves observed upstream of Mars. The waves are believed to be excited by the pickup ions produced from the ionization of the Martian hydrogen exosphere. And previous statistical analysis of wave observations suggested that the waves are mostly related to pickup ion beam velocity distributions. While earlier linear instability analysis of pickup ion beam distributions has mainly been focused on the parallel unstable modes, our analysis reveals that the maximum growth rate occurs at very oblique propagation. The corresponding hybrid simulation confirms the linear analysis results and further demonstrates that the pickup ions are scattered toward an isotropic shell velocity distribution by the waves excited. Interestingly, the waves at oblique propagation gradually damp out and the system is eventually dominated by waves of quasi‐parallel propagation.