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Discover how Source Engineers, in collaboration with the European Space Agency and the University of Bern, is developing firmware for the “Laser Ablation Ionization Mass Spectrometer” using Typhoon HIL’s HIL404 real-time simulation device. Learn about the rapid prototyping strategy that accelerates development and ensures high-quality firmware for this payload part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Servic…

This blog article is covering the story from the Schneider Electric Smart UPS Online C-HIL Core Team, where they outline the primary obstacles usually encountered in UPS design, development, and testing, as well as what a C-HIL setup brings when it comes to UPS testing. They shared what HIL benefits did the Schneider Electric Single-Phase UPS Team experienced first-hand and how the real time C-HIL solutions…

How the Fuji Electric evaluation process led to Typhoon HIL solution adoption. Key challenges in traction applications before introducing HIL testing. Main advantages of HIL testing electric train propulsion inverters and motor drives.

SGRC, one of the leading research centers in Korea, significantly contributes to industrial smart grid-related R&D activities. In this Academic Spotlight, learn how Typhoon HIL solutions were utilized in their industry-academia projects and discover the main benefits they see in using HIL in their research. Read the blog to learn more about SGRC’s innovative work and their collaboration with Typhoon HIL.

In this interview, engineers from LS Electric discuss how implementing the Typhoon HIL system resolved several control engineering challenges while developing the control for their Modular Scalable Energy Storage Solution (ESS). They faced the task of setting up a robust controller design for 15 PEBBs, with verification for parallel operations and communication performance. Using Typhoon HIL for control dev…

Fuji Electric’s Kobe site leverages the Typhoon HIL platform for developing their Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems, addressing key challenges in both early and late product testing stages. By adopting controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (C-HIL), Fuji Electric can easily develop and debug new control software functionalities and verify operations in scenarios difficult to reproduce in a high-power la…

Typhoon HIL solutions enable Hitachi Energy to push the limits of testing product functionality, addressing customer needs throughout the entire product lifecycle. While Software in the Loop (SIL) aids in developing individual algorithms, a higher fidelity testing environment like Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (C-HIL) is essential to ensure the system functions cohesively. C-HIL combines real hardware con…

The Otis Microgrid at Joint Base Cape Cod, MA, serves as a model for military microgrid projects, showcasing how Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (C-HIL) has increased test coverage for Raytheon Microgrid Controls. By simulating power stages such as wind turbines, diesel generators, and BESS, the project addresses utility concerns including island-mode protection, cybersecurity, and hardware damage preventi…

The electric power systems are undergoing a transformative transition characterized by digitalization, decentralization, and decarbonization, leading to more resilient power grids. This shift is facilitated by the increased adoption of digital technologies, renewable energy sources, and advanced battery storage systems. ETAP and Typhoon HIL are at the forefront of this transition, offering integrated soluti…

The Fukushima Renewable Energy Research Institute, part of Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), is a leading global facility for testing and evaluating high-power electronics converters. Similar to renowned institutions like Sandia National Laboratories in the US and the Austrian Institute of Technology in Europe, AIST is dedicated to advancing renewable energy te…

The case study featured here is a 3 MW doubly fed induction motor (DFIM) drive used for mining applications. The DFIM drive controls were designed, built, and tested by Indrivetec AG, at the request of CSE-Uniserve. Indrivetec AG is a Zurich-based power electronics, drives, and energy storage company and is an early adopter of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) technology with a research lab primarily based on HIL …

For this next spotlight, we spoke with Powerstar’s CTO, Solon Mardapittas, about developing Powerstar’s intelligent energy management system (EMS) using real-time Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) technology. Based in the UK, Powerstar’s integrated energy system combines voltage optimization technology with an energy storage solution to secure power, lower energy costs, and provide demand-side response servi…

As Europe’s premier research and technology organization, the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) bridges the gap between industry and research by utilizing innovative solutions to key infrastructure issues. Zoran Miletic, Senior Research Engineer and Power Electronics Design Specialist at AIT, discusses how AIT developed its powerful pre-certification toolbox to design and test smart grid converters f…

At the Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems Center at North Carolina State University, U.S. universities and industry partners are focusing on modernizing the electric grid using advanced power electronics. Dr. Subhashish Bhattacharya, a founding faculty member at the FREEDM Systems Center, concentrates his research on power electronics and power systems, including DC Mi…

FlexGen, a leader in the energy storage industry, has revolutionized the field with its advanced hybrid energy storage software and power conversion products for various power systems. Commissioned by Vista Energy, FlexGen’s 10-megawatt/42-megawatt-hour storage system is now the largest battery in Texas. Tony Olivo, Director of Engineering, and Preston Miller, firmware engineer, discuss how they utilized Ty…

Using a Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop simulation platform, EPC Power was able to integrate their control software with new hardware in just two days. Based in San Diego, CA, EPC Power designs and manufactures grid-forming bi-directional inverters and DC-DC converters for solar, wind, energy storage, automotive, and microgrid applications. Ryan Smith, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Controls Architect, …

Sandia National Laboratories, the largest U.S. Department of Energy national lab, plays a pivotal role in supporting inverter development and testing protocols for standards organizations and distributed energy resource (DER) vendors. Jay Johnson, a principal member of the technical staff at Sandia, discusses his research on a SunSpec-Compliant Smart Grid Controller and the innovative use of Controller Har…

At the Microgrid Symposium, organized by MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the focused on challenges in commissioning and testing microgrids, especially in brownfield projects, and demonstrated how HIL simulation technology addresses these challenges, offering significant time and cost savings in configuring communications, protection, DER controller testing, power quality in islanded mode, and certification of micro…

Modern shipboard power systems (SPS) are increasingly complex, filled with digital control, protection, and communication hardware and software. As ships become smarter and more electric, the complexity of these systems will only grow. This complexity has led to costly commissioning delays for sophisticated vessels due to SPS software issues. To address these challenges, advanced testing tools like the Mari…

In computing, a virtual machine (VM) emulates a computer system, while an emulator allows one system to run software from another. Similarly, the Virtual HIL Device is a software toolbox within the HIL toolchain that enables HIL models to run on a PC instead of a HIL device. This true HIL emulator runs the same code as the proprietary HIL processor and retains all advanced features like scope, capture, Pyth…

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines myth simply as “an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true”. Myths are not only the stuff of fairytales and bedtime stories. They also appear in engineering, even in power electronics. Let us now take a closer look at seven HIL402 myths and see how they stack up against reality.

Today’s aspiring electrical engineers have the unique advantage of learning power electronics and power systems hands-on with ultra-high fidelity real-time simulators. These advanced “flight simulators” for power, with their nanosecond resolution and microsecond integration time steps, allow students to interact with smart inverters, distributed energy resources (DERs), microgrids, and power systems with ex…

C-HIL testing evaluates the performance of physical control system hardware, firmware, and software against a real-time simulated mathematical model. This method, long utilized in automotive and aerospace industries, is now transforming power electronics testing by enabling engineers to test complex scenarios that are impractical or too expensive to replicate in the lab. Join us as we delve deeper into the …

Digital control and communication are revolutionizing power electronics and power systems, and Controller Hardware in the Loop (C-HIL) technology is at the forefront of this evolution, especially in educational settings. C-HIL technology makes power engineering hands-on and interactive for undergraduate and graduate students by eliminating the dangers, costs, and supervision requirements of traditional powe…

Until recently, the market lacked Hardware in the Loop (HIL) systems specifically designed for power electronics and microgrid applications, leaving only large companies in rail and aerospace capable of adding HIL functionality to general-purpose systems. However, advances in system-on-chip devices have now opened the market to numerous new vendors. This surge in competition, while promising, also leads to …

Despite occasional frustrations shared by engineers about Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation, HIL testing has great potential when designed correctly. Inspired by Dieter Rams’ principles of good design, we outline four key principles for Good HIL Design: ease of use, plug-and-play capability, ultra-high fidelity, and overall usefulness. These principles can transform HIL systems into indispensable tools …