Synchronization conditions and Real-time constraints in co-simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop techniques for Cyber–Physical Energy System assessment

Abstract

Abstract Co-simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop, as well as the integration of Hardware-in-the-Loop to a co-simulation framework are innovative approaches that can get a step closer to a complete and realistic assessment and validation of cyber–Physical energy system (i.e. smart grid). While the coupling techniques and the master algorithms ensure good functionality of the experiment, the whole framework has to follow a rigorous time semantic so that the results would be accurate and meaningful. In this paper, we present a formalization of the synchronization aspect in co-simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop. Using this formulation, we propose synchronization and real-time conditions under which a co-simulation/Hardware-in-the-Loop framework is well-posed and correctly synchronized. Moreover, the classical real-time constraint in Hardware-in-the-Loop is relaxed for more flexible application. The proposed formulation is illustrated via an cross-infrastructure implementation of secondary control in micro-grid, with integration of remote controllers to real-time co-simulation framework.