1
On the Use of Real Time Simulators for the Test
and Validation of Protection and Control
Systems of Micro Grids and Smart Grids
T. Ilamparithi, Simon Abourdia, Thomas Kirk, OPAL-RT Technologies
 vital to test and validate the control and protection aspects of
Abstract—This paper brings out the necessity of real time
simulators for studies on micro-grids and smart grids. Micro-
grids and smart grids have many complex, multi-layered and
sophisticated protection and control systems. Real time simulators
are inevitable in testing and validating such protection and
control algorithm as access to real test grids is limited and not
always feasible. Three applications namely reverse power flow
detection using phasor measurement unit, supervisory control
validation of a micro-grid and cyber security assessment in a
smart grid are presented in this paper. In each of the application,
a real time simulator provides a safe platform to model the
network of choice and validate the performance of interfaced
components under test.
Index Terms— Microgrid, Smart grid, Hardware-In-Loop,
Cybersecurity, Phasor measurement unit, Supervisory control
Real-time, Simulation.
I. INTRODUCTION
T HE continuing integration of distributed energy resources
(DER) such as photo-voltaic (PV) arrays, wind turbines
and energy storage systems into electric power distribution has
driven the need for advanced protection and control
technology, to ensure the efficient and reliable operation of
power grids [1-4]. While these resources have a large potential
for providing uninterrupted green power in the form of micro-
grids, they also create technological and economic challenges
for the bulk power system. The rapidly varying nature of
power generation and consumption in micro-grids introduces
certain difficult scenarios, such as reverse power flow,
islanding, and frequency and voltage instabilities that cannot
be neglected. Consequently, some special protection schemes
have been investigated in [5], [6]. Further, micro-grids demand
hierarchical control structures that rely on rapidly evolving
information and control technology (ICT) [7-9]. Such layered
control schemes must be implemented to handle various
scenarios that may occur in a micro-grid. Concurrently
cybersecurity aspect of the grid must be verified, as the impact
of cyber threat is real and significant [10-12]. All these make it
T. Ilamparithi is with OPAL-RT Technologies Inc., India. (e-mail:
t.ilamparithi@opal-rt.com).
Simon Abourida is with OPAL-RT Technologies Inc., Canada (e-mail:
simon.abourida@opal-rt.com).
Thomas Kirk is with OPAL-RT Technologies Inc., Canada (e-mail:
thomas.kirk@opal-rt.com).
micro-grids and smart grids.
A major challenge in testing and validating these complex
control schemes is that access to real test grids is both limited
and expensive. It is in this context, a real time simulator gains
tremendous significance.
II. REAL TIME SIMULATION
Real time simulation is a discrete simulation with fixed step
size. In traditional discrete simulation (off-line simulation), the
wall clock time required to solve all equations of a system can
be lower or higher than the fixed time step. However, in real
time simulation, computation of the system equations as well
as communication with other simulation nodes start only at the
beginning of a time step and must end within the same time
step. Figure 1 shows a pictorial representation of real time
simulation having 50 μs time step.
Model
Calc
Output
Model
Calc
Output
Inputs Inputs
0μs 50μs 100μs
Fig. 1. Representation of real time simulation having time step of 50 μs
Real time simulation ensures that simulated model and
physical component could interact with each other with proper
time synchronization. Real time simulation that involves
connecting hardware devices (e.g. controllers, protection
relays, PMUs, and sensing devices such as CTs, PTs) to a
simulated model is called hardware-in-the-loop simulation
(HIL). A simple diagrammatic representation of HIL is shown
in Fig. 2.
HIL simulation offers a cost-effective and comprehensive
means of testing micro-grid/smart grid control and protection
schemes by covering functional and robustness testing at both
the algorithmic and communication/interface levels. Detailed
simulation models of the system under study are created in real
time platform to capture dynamic effects in the time-scales of
interest (i.e. EMT or transient stability) under a range of
operating conditions. The important requirements of a real
time HIL simulation setup is to ensure high fidelity of the
system modelled and minimum loop latency between the
physical device and virtual system in the simulator. Due to
 2

these requirements, a HIL simulation of complex networks | V | is the measured line to ground voltage of bus 1 by a one
comprising of multiple components with different dynamic
phase voltage transformer
characteristics is a challenge. Hence, the choice of the real
time simulation tool is important. S is the apparent power, and
HARDWARE IN LOOP P, Q are the active and reactive powers transmitted from bus 1
REAL TIME SIMULATOR to bus 2, respectively.
RUNNING PLANT MODEL The measured impedance is a complex value and has real and
imaginary parts, which can be written as:
§ V2 ·
Communication ¨ ¸ (2)
channel R ¨ 2 2 ¸
uP
¨ P  Q ¸
© ¹
PHYSICAL § V 2
·
CONTROLLER, ¨ ¸ (3)
PMU, IED etc. X ¨ 2 2 ¸
uQ
¨P Q ¸
© ¹
Using (2) and (3) the squared magnitude of impedance can be
Fig. 2. Concept of Hardware-In-Loop real time simulation
written as
4
In this paper, three applications that highlight the use of V
R X
2 2 (4)
real time simulators for studies in micro-grids and smart grids P2  Q2
are presented. For each of the application the challenges For fixed apparent power, (4) represents a circle in the
involved in accomplishing a hard real time simulation and complex plane centered at (0,0) and with fixed radius as shown
solutions used are briefed. in Fig. 4.

III. REVERSE POWER FLOW DETECTION

The first application presented is the validation of a reverse
power flow detection algorithm based on phasor measurements
in a micro-grid with distributed renewable generation sources.
Reverse power flow in a grid connected with renewable energy
sources is a topic of concern as reported in [13], [14]. A PMU
is connected in the loop and, in real-time, apparent impedance
calculations are made using synchro phasors to determine
power flow direction, with alarms raised when reverse power
flow is detected.
A. Principle of Operation
Consider a simple network with two sources as shown
below. Apparent impedance is calculated by:
Fig. 4. Measured impedance trajectories for active and reactive power
variation while the apparent power is fixed

The position of the measured apparent impedance in the R-X

plane is indicative of the value and direction of active and
reactive power. Thus, by monitoring the quadrant of the
apparent impedance, any power reversal can be identified
easily.
Fig. 3. A sample network with two sources
2
| V | §¨ P  jQ ·¸ 2 V uS (1)
|Z| uV
| I | ¨© P 2  Q 2 ¸¹ 2
S

where
| Z | is the apparent impedance obtained by a measuring unit
installed at bus 1 in Fig. 3.
| I | is the line current flow from bus 1 to bus 2, measured by a
phase current transformer

Fig. 5. Apparent impedance in R-X plane
B. Challenges
In order to validate the reverse power flow detection
algorithm, a micro-grid comprising of a few distributed energy
resources (DER) and storage element has to be simulated in
real time. A few phasor measurement units (PMU) will be
interfaced with the test network to capture the currents and
voltage phasors. A schematic of the test system is given in Fig.
6.
Distribution feeder
PMU 1
Solar PV power
Battery
Wind generation
Load
Microgrid
Fig. 6. Virtual micro-grid with a physical PMU connected
The micro-grid simulated comprises of multiple DER: a solar
PV source with associated converters, a wind energy system
with associated converters and a battery with converters. In
addition, the simulated model has a part of the distribution grid
and consumers. This network comes with a two contradicting
requirements. The converters associated with DER systems
have a high switching frequency requirement. Hence, to
accomplish high accuracy, a low time step is needed. At the
same time, to execute the complete large network with
multiple converters, distribution grids and loads, a large time
step is needed to ensure hard real time execution. Only then,
PMU connected to the virtual micro-grid will be measuring
voltages and currents of the network at the right time.
3
C. Solution
The contradicting requirement of accomplishing good
accuracy (low time step) and accommodating large network
(large time step) is met by opting for a sophisticated real
time solver called ARTEMiS from OPAL-RT Technologies
[15]. This advanced solver uses a higher order
approximation compared to the traditional solver used in
MATLAB. With the higher order approximation, the
accuracy of the solution is improved significantly even with
larger time step. Further, the designed solver also exploits
some of the basic matrix properties such as sparse matrix to
ensure smaller execution time.
Another key benefit of the selected solver is its ability to
decouple a large network in to two smaller subsystems
without any time delay with its State-Space Nodal method
[16-18]. Such decoupling permits simultaneous execution of
large network model in multiple computing units. Hence,
large network can be split into many smaller networks thus
bringing down the execution time.
An example of such application is shown on Figure 7,
where IEEE 34-bus distribution system, connected to 4
generic microgrids (PV system, battery storage system, wind
generation system and loads); the whole power grid is
modelled with Simulink SimPowerSystems with
(ARTEMiS-SSN) library and solver, and it is simulated on
an OP5600 Real-Time Simulator, allowing it to be
connected to a physical real PMU as shown.
Fig. 7. RT simulator of micro-grid connected to a physical PMU
IV. SUPERVISORY CONTROL OF MICROGRID
The second application presented focuses on a test bench
with the ability to assess the performance of supervisory
controllers for micro-grids based on a set of metrics such as
voltage stability, peak-shaving kWh etc. The test bench could
also be used to test prime-mover controls, distribution
controls, DER controls etc.
A. Challenges
In this case, too, the challenges are similar to the previous

application in terms of fast switching power converters
embedded in a distribution network. In addition to those
challenges, this network considered for testing supervisory
controller also comprises of detailed models of components
such as diesel generators, induction motors, transformers and
dynamic loads that include effects such as saturation and
hysteresis. Further, there are several breakers and associated
relays, whose status change depending upon the operating
conditions. Finally, as per IEEE 1547 standard
communication protocols such as Modbus over TCP need to
be used for appropriate information exchange.
B. Solution
To accommodate high frequency converters, and short-line
based distribution network, advanced solver ARTEMiS is
used as in the previous case. In addition, to ensure non-
linear effect such as saturation is modelled more accurately
and executed in real time, the model is slightly modified to
remove algebraic loops but still does not compromise on the
accuracy. Other non-linear components such as varistors are
executed in real time using a special iterative algorithm
embedded in ARTEMiS solver.
By making use of the special solver, a few supervisory
controllers for a virtual micro-grid were tested by MIT and
were reported [19].
V. CYBER SECURITY ASSESSMENT
The final application presented in this paper is a set-up
for assessing cyber security threats to networked control
systems and for validating counter measures to ensure
system security. As the grid becomes smarter, there are
several layers of communication added between actual
equipment and the operator. Fig. 8. displays a hierarchical
representation of multi-layered smart grid. Consequently,
cyber threats are real and significant.
Fig. 8. Modern multi-layered smart grid
4
Real-time simulation can be employed as an efficient
testing tool by simulating attacks and system failures. Real
time simulators provide a platform for simulation of virtual
grids where the testing of multiple scenarios can take place
simultaneously and in real-time. A typical real time
simulation setup used in cyber security assessment studies is
shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 9. Typical real time simulation setup for cyber security assessment
In cybersecurity applications, it is combined with a
communication network and simulation of various protocols
in order to effectively re-create communication failures or
cyberattacks and study their impact on the power grid.
Several types of cyberattacks threatening power grid can be
recreated using real time simulator. A few of them are
Denial of Service, Man-in-Middle, and GNSS spoofing.
A. Denial of Service
Denial of Service can render a service unavailable either
through a direct or indirect attack. It also refers to physical
attacks on communication infrastructure, such as the cutting
of wires or wireless jamming.
B. Man-in-the-Middle
A Man-in-the-Middle situation occurs when an external
attacker is capable of intercepting, modifying, suppressing or
replaying network packets undetected by tricking two
communication nodes to believe they are still communicating
normally.
C. GNSS Spoofing
The act of causing Global Navigation Satellite System
(GNSS) receivers to lock onto simulated or replayed satellite
signals instead of real ones effectively causing the receiver to
locate itself at the wrong position and/or time. This class of
attack is a major threat to PMUs and synchro phasor systems,
which are heavily reliant on time synchronization.
The major challenge with respect to performing smart grid
cyber security assessment studies is to ensure IEEE standard
communication protocols used in a physical grid work with the
real time simulation setup. In order to meet this requirement,

different types of communication protocols ought to be
supported by the real time simulator. This concern is addressed
by developing software code for each type of communication
protocol that work in dedicated computational unit of a real
time simulator. By adopting such an approach, large number of
physical components such as PMUs can be communicated
using appropriate protocol without compromising on real time
simulation effect.
By making use of such communication protocols, research
related to cyber security issues have been carried out by many
research groups around the world.
VI. CONCLUSION
The need and capabilities of using real time simulators in
providing virtual micro-grid and smart grid is presented in this
paper. The advantage of a real time simulator is that it
provides a platform to test and validate control and protection
systems by interfacing with physical components as well as by
exchanging information through appropriate communication
protocols. To highlight the possibilities of usage, three
different applications namely reverse power flow detection
based on phasor measurements in a microgrid, supervisory
control and cybersecurity assessment are presented in this
work. To ensure proper testing and validation, the real time
simulation solution must be able to replicate modern micro-
grid and smart grid with high fidelity. Some common
challenges encountered in performing real time simulation of
complex system such as micro-grid and smart grids are
mentioned in this work. Finally, some of the solutions used to
overcome these challenges are also briefed.
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VIII. BIOGRAPHIES
T. Ilamparithi completed his B.E. from Anna University, M. Tech. from IIT-
Delhi and Ph.D. from University of Victoria, Canada. He has been with
OPAL-RT Technologies since April 2013. He has worked on a few projects
including real time simulation of power systems for HVDC transmission and
fault studies. He is a member of IEEE since 2010.
Simon Abourida has a Master’s degree in electrical engineering from
Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, and over 18 years of experience in
electrical engineering, project management and business development. At
OPAL-RT, he led several projects in real-time and hardware-in-the loop
simulation in the fields of power systems, renewable energy systems, hybrid
vehicles, motor drives and power electronics.
Thomas Kirk joined OPAL-RT Technologies in 2014 following a M.A.Sc.
from the University of Waterloo, where he specialized in experimental fluid
dynamics. His work in simulation started first at Bechtel’s Aluminum Center
of Excellence in Montreal. He has his B.Eng. from McGill University, and is
an IEEE and PES member.