Acquisition of Real-Time Simulator for Intelligent Power Networks in Operational Energy Applications
Abstract
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, under authority of 10 U.S.C. ¤ 2362 and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OASD(R&E)), allocated $28 million to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) with equipment and instrumentation enhancements to improve their research and education capabilities in scientific disciplines important to the defense mission. The program aims enhance the capacity of HBCU/MI to participate broadly in defense research programs and activities and to increase the number of graduates, including underrepresented minorities, in fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This project proposes to acquire a real-time Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) simulator system that will enable research in intelligent, adaptive and reconfigurable power networks for mobile and fixed power installations to enhance DoD mission effectiveness. The long term goal of this effort is to create a strong research and education center at UTSA focused on innovative technologies and solutions for Energy-Systems Management At Real-Time (Energy-SMART). As mentioned in the DoD Operational Energy Strategy, Òenergy is a fundamental enabler of military capability.Ó Operational Energy (OE) contributes to nearly 70% of DoDÕs fuel use by volume. There is a national need to develop technologies that will improve the use of energy by DoD. UTSAÕs research capability in modeling and simulating complex military unique platforms will be enhanced by the proposed real-time simulator system. The system will serve as a catalyst in creating and validating innovative Energy-SMART solutions to OE challenges. The following systems are proposed for research and educational use: (i) Real-time target computer with 12, 3.46GHz processor cores, user programmable Virtex 7 FPGA, 256 I/Os with additional 16 Analog and 32 Digital I/Os; (ii) eMEGAsim - a scalable realtime simulator that can achieve ultrafast, accurate and reliable real-time simulation of very large systems such as PV, wind, fuel cells, energy storage, power inverters and power grids; (iii) eFPGAsim with time steps reaching as low as 100ns for detailed study of power electronic converters; (iv) ePHASORsim for real-time transient stability simulations with time-step of >10ms capable of simulating 1000 bus power network; and (v) Four Quadrant 10kVA DC and AC Power Amplifiers. This system will enable real-time simulation of power networks and associated devices in OE applications, and builds on existing instrumentation in the PIÕs lab such as a two channel PV emulator, programmable load and high power inverters. The system will support UTSA research programs in power electronics, micro-grids, intelligent power networks, distributed generation, cyber-physical systems, fixed power installations, naval and ground vehicle platforms. It will also support future research in energy efficiency, storage, and cybersecurity in the UTSA colleges of engineering, sciences, and business. The PIs will utilize the systemÕs remote connection capability to conduct demonstrations of key concepts of sustainable energy to middle and high school students. Using this simulator effectively at broader college recruitment events will both help attract students into STEM fields and provide them with research-related education once they are in college. The system will be used to support both undergraduate and graduate level courses in power electronics, power systems, cyberphysical systems, optimization, senior design projects and graduate research for UTSAÕs Electrical, Computer, Mechanical and Civil engineering programs. The proposed research and education on Energy-SMART aligns well with the DoD interests published in the Operational Energy Strategy Document and the Naval S&T Strategy document. While most relevant to ONR, this research is generally applicable to all DoD agencies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 06, 2017
- Source ID
- W911NF1610515
Entities
People
- Hariharan Krishnaswami
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- University of Texas at San Antonio