From EMTP-RV to Real-Time - Opal-RT Announces EMTP-RT

Software interface tightly integrates eMEGAsim Real-Time Simulation functions with EMTP-RV, enabling Real-Time Simulation of EMTP-RV models with a simple mouse click; enables simulation of EMTP-RV models in SimPowerSystems environment

Opal-RT Technologies Inc. today announced the launch of EMTP-RT, a software interface which brings the Real-Time simulation power of Opal-RT's eMEGAsim Real-Time Digital Power Grid Simulator to EMTP-RV (www.emtp.com). EMTP-RV, developed by the EMTP Development Coordination Group and marketed by CEATI International Inc., is the electromagnetic transient simulation software of choice for utilities and research centres worldwide.

Opal-RT made the announcement at the IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference & Exposition (www.ieeet-d.org), taking place this week at McCormick Place in Chicago. The company will be conducting live demonstrations of EMTP-RT in Booth #547, as well as providing a detailed Information Session on Wednesday April 23rd at 1:00pm in Room # 501BC at McCormick Place.

EMTP-RT seamlessly integrates a number of key eMEGAsim features into EMTPWorks, the modeling environment of EMTP-RV. These include Real-Time simulation capabilities, integration with both Simulink /SimPowerSystems from The Mathworks Inc. and Opal-RT's RT-EVENTS blockset, and the ability to separate design models for execution on multiple multi-core CPUs. The result is that now engineers and operators have the option to conduct simulation of EMTP-RV models in Real-Time without the need to migrate to a new, unfamiliar simulation front end.

"The EMTP Development Coordination Group is very excited about the marriage of EMTP-RV with eMEGAsim through EMTP-RT," said Douglas Mader, Chairman of the EMTP Development Coordination Group. "The industry-leading capabilities of EMTP-RV for off-line power system analysis are now, through a single interface, made available for Real-Time hardware-in-the-loop studies, making EMTP-RV the most advanced and broadly capable simulation environment available today."

"Simulation of electromagnetic transient phenomena has always been required to ensure safe and efficient power grid operation. However, conducting Real-Time simulation of power grids from EMTP-RV system data has always been a very time consuming task," said Jean Mahseredjian, Professor of Electrical Engineering at École Polytechnique de Montréal and EMTP-RV Technical Leader. "With the availability of tools like Opal-RT's EMTP-RT, electrical engineers can now efficiently conduct a wider range of simulation studies, in Real-Time, without the need to re-enter and re-validate all system data used with EMTP-RV off-line studies."

"EMTP-RV represents one of the most open approaches to offline simulation available in the power industry today. Over the last three decades, EMTP-RV has constantly evolved to meet the needs of electrical engineers and researchers," said Jean Belanger, President and Co-founder of Opal-RT Technologies. "With the launch of Opal-RT's EMTP-RT, users of EMTP-RV can now take advantage of all the benefits of Real-Time simulation while continuing to work with their simulation environment of choice."

How EMTP-RT works
EMTP-RT supports most EMTP-RV models and advanced features, and is designed to be easy to use by both electrical engineers and simulator operators. Once EMTP-RT has been deployed, it can be enabled with a simple mouse click, activating the process of bringing the user's EMTP-RV models to Real-Time.

With EMTP-RT, users can conduct standard offline simulations using the EMTP-RV solver or transfer their design data automatically into the eMEGAsim Real-Time world. This EMTP-RV to Real-Time process, which includes data transfer and data conversion, can be executed automatically within minutes without the need for user intervention. EMTP-RT also imports EMTP-RV load-flow and steady-state simulation results to initialize machines and control states during real-time simulation.

EMTP-RT reads a specialized Netlist and imports complete circuit data into the eMEGAsim environment, which integrates Simulink and SimPowerSystems from The Mathworks Inc., as well as RT-EVENTS and Artemis - Real-Time Simulink libraries developed by Opal-RT.

Models are imported into eMEGAsim as .mdl Simulink files. However, this remains transparent to the user during the conversion process, due to EMTP-RT`s tight integration into EMTPWorks.

While EMTP-RV and SimPowerSystems models share many similar characteristics, data that is entered by the user, calculated and sent to models often differs between the two environments. To overcome these differences, EMTP-RT applies several unique model transformations, allowing data imported from EMTP-RV models to be used with a high degree of accuracy in a SimPowerSystems environment.

Models are imported into eMEGAsim as .mdl Simulink files. However, this remains transparent to the user during the conversion process, due to EMTP-RT`s tight integration into EMTPWorks.

EMTP-RT includes support for a variety of EMTP-RV model types including:

Most EMTP-RV design features are also supported by EMTP-RT including:

Models are imported into eMEGAsim as .mdl Simulink files. However, this remains transparent to the user during the conversion process, due to EMTP-RT`s tight integration into EMTPWorks.

EMTP-RT is also a useful tool for SimPowerSystems users who wish to simulate EMTP-RV-based models in a SimPowerSystems environment. Within seconds, EMTP-RT converts EMTP design data into a SimPowerSystems model format. This feature helps engineers save up to several days of manual conversion for each model.

EMTP-RT is now available from Opal-RT and the company`s global network of distributors.

About eMEGAsim Real-Time Digital Power Grid Simulator
Introduced by Opal-RT in 2007, eMEGAsim is a fully digital real-time power grid simulator for the study, test, and simulation of large in-land power grids, industrial power systems, commercial and military ships, and electrical train traction systems and feeding networks.

eMEGAsim is designed to meet the real-time simulation and testing needs of engineers and researchers across the power generation industry, from university researchers studying renewable energy sources to electrical utilities seeking ways to manage an increasingly diverse range of power generation and distribution systems.

About Opal-RT Technologies Inc.

Founded in 1997, Opal-RT is the leading supplier of integrated software and hardware solutions for real-time simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing of electrical and mechanical systems. Opal-RT's unique approach integrates parallel, distributed computing with commercial-off-the-shelf technologies. Opal-RT customers perform rapid-prototyping, system integration and hardware-in-the-loop testing of mechatronics, automotive, transportation, spacecraft and aircraft systems as well as electric drives, power electronics and power distribution networks used in all products, industries including utilities. Opal-RT solutions can be found in leading International companies in the automotive, aerospace, energy and power generation industries including AISIN, BMW, Daimler Chrysler, Delphi, DENSO, EADS, Embraer, Ford, GM, Hitachi, Mitsubishi and Toyota.