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PHIL bandwidth and stability

Determining the amplifier bandwidth is a factor not to be underestimated in determining the total PHIL system cost. In fact, the total system cost can double if high-frequency amplifiers are required compared to a normal low-frequency amplifier. Emulating motors Example: we want to simulate a motor to test the thermal capacity of an inverter design. For this, it suffices to (...)

Communication between amplifier and simulator

PHIL applications require fast amplifier control and fast feedback of currents and voltages to close the loop. If the feedback is too slow, the changing currents and voltages will not be measured correctly, resulting in an unstable configuration. Since real-time simulators can be coupled to a wide range of amplifiers and controllers, choosing the right instrumentation is crucial. In fact, (...)

Applications for PHIL

There are numerous applications where Power Hardware in the Loop (PHIL) can be a solution. We highlight some of them: Inverters for solar energy systems: A PHIL setup can be used to test the performance of an inverter for solar energy systems. The inverter is integrated into a real-time model that will simulate the solar power system and the power (...)

Dimensioning the amplifier

The first consideration when designing a PHIL test setup is to specify the operating range of the devices that will be coupled. A common mistake is to select an amplifier solely on the basis of its power output without considering some important points. Should the amplifier be able to absorb power? What bandwidth do we need? Furthermore, the design should (...)

Power Hardware in the Loop (PHIL)

Power hardware in the loop (PHiL) is a variant of the original HiL concept. The concept of HIL is retained and supplemented by additional power -read amplifier- in the loop. In this way, the HIL concept is made suitable for controlling physical components or subsystems that require more power. Think of testing or designing electric motors, transformers or inverters. In (...)

Introduction Hardware in the Loop HIL

Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) is a testing and validation technique often used in the development of complex systems such as electronic implementations in automotive and aerospace applications, industrial machinery and other similar applications. Examples include motor control systems, brake controls, communication systems and many other applications. In every contemporary concept, we encounter electrical designs that provide control, safety and communication in a (...)

Connector types

For charging electric vehicles, there are different types of connectors (outlet, plug, inlet). Different car brands use different types of connectors. This depends on the region where they are most commonly used and AC or DC charging. Here are the main charging connectors you may encounter internationally: Type 1 (SAE J1772): The Type 1 connector, also known as the SAE (...)

Grid emulation

First, let's distinguish between grid emulators and AC power supplies. With AC power supplies, we can simulate grid voltage and frequency at a certain power. This is fine if we want to test a DUT (Device Under Test) against, for example, the various standards that apply to equipment on our power grid. Think of the IEC-61000-4-xx and IEC 61000-3-xx standards (...)

Battery emulation

What does battery emulation actually entail and why would you want it? A battery is basically a DC power supply/DC load but with some specific properties. For instance, every battery has an internal resistor. The output voltage of the battery also depends on the charge status of the battery. And so there are some other variables that affect it. A (...)