Real-Time Simulation of High-Power DC-DC Converters
5 Enrollments Level : AdvancedRelevance
Real-Time (RT) simulation of high-power DC-DC converters is essential for developing efficient and reliable power conversion systems. As renewable energy integration increases, advanced simulation techniques are crucial for testing and validation. RT simulation is particularly valuable for identifying and mitigating risks during the design phase, preventing potential hardware failures and system malfunctions. By detecting issues early, it helps avoid costly downtime and safety hazards, ensuring system robustness before real-world deployment.
Additionally, RT simulation significantly enhances time and cost efficiency in the development process. Traditional prototyping methods are often expensive and time-consuming, but RT simulation allows engineers to test and refine control strategies in a virtual environment. With recent advances in RT-simulators calculating converter models in a few nanoseconds, the testing performance constantly improves. This accelerates the development cycle, reducing financial burdens and enabling faster iteration and optimization of designs. Ultimately, RT simulation provides a robust framework for advancing power conversion technologies, ensuring they meet performance and reliability standards more efficiently.
Abstract
This module provides a comprehensive exploration of real-time (RT) simulation for high-power dc-dc converters, focusing on first on the application case of RT simulation and theoretical background. In the following, an intuitive understanding of the difference between offline and RT simulation is formed by comparing the principles and similarities of both. Following up, the challenges of RT simulation are examined, caused by the sampling of gate signals and their accurate representation for simulation. The concept of oversampling and sub-cycle averaging is introduced as a solution and average models of power electronic circuits are examined.
In the following, the impact of the model time-step on RT accuracy and stability is investigated on basis of a practical example to form an intuitive understanding. Finally, a comparison between various RT systems available on the market and a model splitting approach for highly complex systems is presented.
Learning Outcomes
The participant can explain the relevance of RT simulation for high-power DC-DC converters.
The participant is able to distinguish between offline and RT simulation and explain the differences.
The participant can analyze the impact of model time-step on RT accuracy using a practical example.
The participant understands the issue of sampling gate signals with an RT simulator.
The participant can perform a model split of a complex power electronic system for RT simulation.
Prior Knowledge
Fundamentals in power electronics (e.g. semiconductor switches and diodes, principles of efficient power conversion)
Fundamental knowledge about the operation of DC-DC converters (e.g. PWM modulation, steady-state analysis)
Keywords
- Real Time Simulation
- DC DC Converters
- Medium Voltage DC
- Power Converters
Elements
1. About this Building Block
About this Building Block
An overview of the material, including motivation and abstract.
2. Reader
Reader
Provides theoretical background about RT simulation of power electronics. Establishes intuitive understanding of the functional principles, relevance and impact of the model time-step.
3. Exercises
Exercise
Uses the theoretical background provided of the reader to investigate RT functional principles. Provides practical handling of the formulas.
4. Presentations
Presentation Slides
Supplementary to the Reader. The same topics are investigated as in the Reader. However, the presentation provides different approach to the topic and additional details
5. Video and knowledge clips
Video
Lecture of the presentation. Participants how require more insights and more explanation to a certain topic of the presentation and Reader are advised to watch the according parts of the Video.
6. Self-assessments
Self Assessment
Allows the participant to test if the most important learnings of the material are understood correctly
7. Self-assessments
Self Assessment Answer Key
Answer key for the self assessment.