HIL-methods supporting the development process from simulations to real environment testing

Real-Time Digital Simulation (RTS) is a particular simulation method, which support the technology development process over the complete range from the early stage of simulations until the real testing of prototype units. This paper describes the functionality of Real-Time simulation during development process, here especially in the framework of an intelligent controlled on-load tap change (OLTC) transformer realising different voltage control strategies in a Low-Voltage (LV) network with high share of distributed energy resources (DER). For this purpose a comprehensive real electrical environment, due to a later field test, will be simulated using different Real-Time Simulation methods. The hardware of network elements which can be developed in parallel to the necessary control algorithms can be modelled in a first approach within the simulation environment. Afterwards the real hardware components can be integrated easily into this environment (RTS). For real environment testing, the closed-loop process is used (Hardware-in-the-Loop). In this paper several methods are investigated to build a stable and accurate power hardware simulation (Power Hardware-in-the-Loop).