Hardware-in-the-loop simulation of a pumped storage hydro station

This article describes how a real-time, nonlinear computer model of the Dinorwig pumped storage hydroelectric scheme has been interfaced with an actual system governor to produce a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation. The HIL simulator is used for model validation and as a means of testing governor modifications. The hardware and software used to implement the simulator are presented. Initially, the plant model is controlled by a governor model, rather than the actual governor, allowing a satisfactory real-time sample rate to be selected. The model governor is subsequently replaced with the real governor, and comparing the system responses shows that there is good agreement, thus confirming that the model is a valid representation for use in offline simulation and control analysis. The HIL simulation is then used to predict the responses to standard tests, which are compared with measured results from the plant. Again, there is good agreement, showing that the HIL simulation can be used to forecast the effect of changes in the governor hardware and/or software prior to commissioning on the plant itself.