AIT-AIST-FREA
TA15 – AIT-AIST-FREA
Location
Machiikedai, 2-2-9,
963-0298 Koriyama, Japan
Description
The Smart System Research facility can supply up to 7.5 MVA, which is one of the largest alternating current (AC) grid simulators available for testing large-scale power electronics. This national facility is capable of conducting integrated, megawatt-scale research and development of components, systems, and strategies necessary for safely and efficiently integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DER) into the grid. Notably, the facility is equipped with both Software-In-the-Loop (SIL) and Power Hardware-In-the-Loop (PHIL) capabilities using RTDS (NovaCore). AIST (FREA) aims to test the interoperability of power electronics such as smart inverters, smart meters, and storage systems.
Additionally, the facility provides an advanced experimental environment to rapidly verify concepts based on model-based development. This includes the use of Typhoon HIL for Controller Hardware-In-the-Loop (CHIL) and Imperix, which excels at Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) by allowing easy implementation of models developed in MATLAB. The facility is also equipped with sample models, such as the Japanese standard grid model, and benchmark testing scripts.
Moreover, the facility is utilised for PHIL testing to evaluate the grid connection of Grid Forming Inverters (GFM inverters) and their interaction with actual power systems. This includes thousands of test cases specifically designed for GFM inverter testing, as well as pre-implementation tests for microgrid deployment.
Testing Capabilities
Equipment of the test bed:
- AC grid simulator:
- 30kVA x 1 unit
- 500kVA x 1 unit
- 67MVA x 3 units = 5.0 MVA
- 5MVA x 1unit
- DC (Photovoltaic (PV)/Battery) simulator:
- 200kW x 3 units
- 550kW x 6 units = 3.3 MW
- 4MW x 2 units = 2.8 MW
- LRC load bank:
- 1MW x 3 units = 3MW
- 1 MW x 2 units = 2.2 MW
- Environmental Chamber: -40 to 85 C degree
- One EMC test room
- Three grid connection test rooms
- One Environmental test room
Simulation tools, components, and capability:
- Digital Real-Time Simulator (DRTS)
- RTDS, NovaCore
- Typhoon HIL
- PLECS RT-Box
- Simulation-in-the-Loop (SIL), Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (CHIL) and Power Hardware-in-the-Loop capability
- Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP): Imperix
- Network simulation tools: PSCAD
Technical Equipment
- Grid connection test bed
- Conduct required tests to secure quality for the grid connection of distributed generations.
- Conduct various inverter tests (anti-islanding test, FRT test, etc.).
- Safety test bed
- Conduct high-temperature acceleration and heat cycles tests with inverter where real environment is simulated to evaluate long-term reliability, as well as safety-related tests, including surge voltage tests.
- EMC test bed
- Conduct tests to measure electromagnetic radiation from inverter and to assess whether inverter’s functions and behaviour would be inhibited by external electromagnetic wave.
- System performance test bed
- Evaluate different capabilities (e.g. automatic control function to maximise output depending on the weather) of distributed generations (PV, BESS, FACTs, etc.) and inverter as one single system.
Additional information
Technology Readiness Level: 4-6
Special considerations: N/A
Technology clusters: Integrated Grids
Website: https://www.renewable.pr.aist.go.jp/ent/
Availability: All year
Provision of tools to prepare data sets in a FAIR way: Yes
