Power Hardware in the Loop

This video explains the creation of Power Hardware in the Loop models and their integration.

In order to have a more realistic behavior of the whole system, a Power Hardware in the Loop approach is used to calculate specific outlet temperature similar to the approach of El Baz.

For this approach, SimulationX models are used (https://github.com/DZinsmeister/CoSES_thermal_ProHMo). Several parameters of the models can be changed in the model without creating a new model for VeriStand (see 'parameters' in each subsection). If further changes in the model are required, the changes have to be done directly in SimulationX and a new VeriStand model has to be created and exchanged with the currend version in VeriStand.

SimulationX Hardware in the loop models cannot be created for LinuxRT, therefor they have to run on the Host PC. The modules read required measurements from the testbed and calculate the set points

The naming of the models in VeriStand is as follows and has to be used, otherwise the communication between the model and the testbed won't work:

• Pipes: SimX_Pipe_'HouseX'to'HouseY'_'level'
  HouseX and HouseY: SF1, SF2, SF3, SF4, MF5
  level: high, low
• Houses: SimX_'HouseX'

Weather

The user can choose between 12 different typedays for the weather. The typdedays are defined according to VDI 4655 as follows:

• Season: Winter - Transission - Summer
• Presence: Saturday/Sunday/Holiday - Weekday
• Radiation: Cloudy - Sunny

Output:

• Ambient temperature: T_ambient_degC
• Relative air humidity: RelativeHumidityAir_percent
• Direct solar radiation: DirectRadiation_W_per_m2
• Diffuse solar radiation: DiffuseRadiation_W_per_m2
• Internal model time: Modeltime_s

Parameters:

• Typeday:
  1. letter: Winter (W) - Transission (T) - Summer (S)
  2. letter: Saturday/Sunday/Holiday (S) - Weekday (W)
  3. letter: Cloudy (C) - Sunny (S)
  1 - WSC
  2 - WSS
  3 - WWS
  4 - WWC
  5 - TWC
  6 - SSS
  7 - TWS
  8 - TSS
  9 - SWC
  10 - SSC
  11 - TSC
  12 - SWS

Heating

The HiL model for heating consits of a house which calculates the required heat according to its settings and the weather data:

Outputs:

• Set flow rate for heating circuit pump: SFW_HCRLbM_Set_l_per_min
• Set temperature for the supply line of the heating circuit: STM_HCVLaM_Set_degC
• Set temperature for the return line of the heating circuit: STM_HCRL_Set_degC
• Current room temperature: T_roomIs_degC
• Electric power of the house: P_elConsumption_kW

Inputs:

• Actual flow rate of the heating circuit pump: SFW_HCRLbM_l_per_min
• Actual temperature of the supply line of the heating circuit: STM_HCVLaM_degC

Parameters:

• Set room temperature in °C
• Heated area in m²

• Heating system:
  0 - Radiator Heating
  1 - Space Heating

• Number of apartments
• Number of floors
• Start time for night time temperature reduction (hour, e.g. 23)
• End time for night time temperature reduction (hour, e.g. 7)
• Set room temperature during night time reduction in °C
• Yearly electric consumption

Domestic Hot Water

The HiL model for domestic hot water consumption calculates the cumulative energy, required for the domestic hot water supply, based on time series created in 'DHWcalc'.

Outputs:

• Cumulative energy of the domestic hot water consumption: E_DHW_kWh

Inputs:

• Actual temperature of the return line of the domestic hot water circuit: STM_CCVL_degC

Parameters:

• Daily domestic hot water consumption of the whole house: V_DHWperDay_l

Solar Thermal

The HiL model for solar thermal collectors calculates the current thermal power of the solar thermal module.

Outputs:

• Set temperature of the supply line of the solar thermal unit: STM_STVL_Set_degC
• Set power of the solar thermal unit: PEH_ST_Set_kW

Inputs:

• Actual temperature of the return line of the solar thermal unit: STM_STRL_degC
• Actual flow rate of the solar thermal unit: SFW_STVL_l_per_min

Parameters:

• Collector surface in m²
• Volume of the heating medium within the collector in m³
• Collector type:
  0 - Flat Plate Collector
  1 - Compound Parabolic Collector

Ground Heat Exchanger

The HiL model of the ground heat exchanger calculates the conditions of the collector.

Outputs:

• Set return temperature of the brine: STM_BCRLaM_Set_degC
• Ground temperature: T_ground_degC

Inputs:

• Actual supply temperature of the brine: STM_BCVL_degC
• Actual flow rate of brine circuit: SFW_BC_l_per_min

Parameters:

• Number of individual heat exchangers
• Collector type:
  0 - horizontal collector
  1 - vertical collector
• Depth of the collector
• Pipe diameter or collector radius

Pipe

The HiL model of the pipe calculates the pipe temperature at the outlet, depending on the flow direction.

The flow direction is defined positive, if water flows from house X to house Y.

Outputs:

• Set outlet temperature of the pipe: TOut_degC

Inputs:

• Actual inlet temperature from house X: TInHouseX_degC
• Actual inlet temperature from house Y: TInHouseY_degC
• Water flow between house X and Y (positive or negativ): V_XY_l_per_min
• Ground tempererature: TEnv_degC

Parameters:

• Pipe diameter in cm
• Pipe length in m
• Heat loss coefficient of the pipe in W/mK
• Initial pipe temperature