When having Power Labs Ecosystem Trainers, with the use of the Smart Grid Software it is possible to have a Smart Grid system.
The system allows to study of the main concepts of smart grid, to explore its benefits and advantages in the power network. The system includes a chain of power networks (traditional, hydro, wind, and solar power generations, power transmission, power distribution, etc.). The system is being monitored and controlled by the SCADA software.
– contains a theoretical part
This trainer allows investigating how the traditional and renewable generations sources work in parallel (synchronously) within a microgrid. Firstly, the Hydro Generation Trainer is synchronized to the traditional ones, and vice versa. In both cases, the voltage and frequency regulation is implemented. During the parallel operation of two-generation sources, the users are able to adjust the power factor to have minimum reactive power generation.
This trainer combines features from Solar Power Generation, Wind Power Generation, and Hydrogen Fuel Cell.
The Solar Power Generation Trainer mainly consists of a solar panel, solar simulator, a battery, a charge controller, an inverter, different types of loads, a solar irradiation sensor, a power supply module, and a control and measurement module programmable through LabVIEW.
The Wind Power Generation Trainer mainly consists of the wind turbine-generator set, wind tunnel with a controllable air fan, wind speed meter, a charge controller, battery, an inverter, and different types of loads.
The Fuel Cell Energy Trainer mainly consists of a PEM fuel cell stack with a controller, hydrogen cylinder, a hydrogen flow meter, a pressure meter, resistive load, a power supply module, and a control and measurement module programmable through LabVIEW.
This trainer allows investigating the synchronous operation of Solar Power Generation and Wind Power generation as a small microgrid. The solar part consists of a PV panel and an array of halogen lamps as a sun simulator. The positions of both the PV panel and Sun Simulator can be controlled manually using joysticks and also from the software. It allows to simulate real light, daytime, year time and investigate the PV performance in different irradiation. The wind part consists of a wind tunnel and a real wind turbine generator set. It allows to simulate real wind and investigate the generator performance in different wind speeds. In off-grid mode, it allows to investigate the battery charging process using a DC charge controller and also the discharge using an AC-DC Inverter and loads. In on-grid mode, it allows implementing the synchronization with the Wind Power Generation using a Grid-tie inverter.