Launch of RT-LAB 8.2

Real-Time Simulation software environment includes full support for MATLAB 2008A; Updated RT-LAB add-ons enhance Real-Time simulation of SimPowerSystems models, dramatically improve accuracy of fixed-time-simulation of dynamic systems

Opal-RT Technologies (www.opal-rt.com), the leading developer of open Real-Time Simulators and hardware-in-the-loop testing systems for electrical, power electronic, and mechanical systems, today launched RT-LAB 8.2, the latest version of the core technology behind the company’s flagship Real-Time Simulator products including eDRIVEsim, eMEGAsim, and the OP6000 TestDrive ECU Tester.

The launch is taking place at CIGRE 2008 (www.cigre2008.com) in Paris, France, where Opal-RT is demonstrating how the 8-CPU eMEGAsim Real-Time Simulator, equipped with RT-LAB 8.2, can perform real-time simulations of large power grids, wind farms and related power electronics. The company is conducting demonstrations in cooperation with B2i Engineering (www.b2i.fr), the exclusive distributor of Opal-RT products in France and Spain.

RT-LAB is the open real-time simulation software environment that has revolutionized the way model-based design is performed. RT-LAB’s flexibility and scalability allow it to be used in virtually any simulation or control system application, and to add computing-power to simulations, where and when it is needed.

RT-LAB 8.2 is being launched simultaneously with:

• ARTEMIS 5, Opal-RT’s full-featured blockset for SimPowerSystems™,
• and RT-Events 3.1, Opal-RT’s toolbox for fixed-time-step simulation,

These product launches make significant enhancements to Opal-RT’s overall Real-Time Simulation capabilities, including full support for MATLAB® 2007B & 2008A, SimPowerSystems 4.6, and XILINX SG®, enabling users to take full advantage of MATLAB’s new demonstration models of matrix converters, fuel cells, and highly detailed wind farms. RT-LAB 8.2 also improves the accuracy of fixed time-step simulations through RT-Events and ARTEMIS, as well as the accuracy of large simulators which use more than 8 processor cores.

“The launch of RT-LAB in 1998 changed the way that engineers used real-time simulation, both in the lab and in the field. RT-LAB was the first Real-Time Simulation platform designed to take advantage of high-powered, commercially available computer hardware, enabling engineers to conduct high-fidelity simulation and test at the lowest possible cost,” said Jean Belanger, Opal-RT’s President and Co-Founder. “A decade later, RT-LAB is the Real-Time Simulation environment of choice for hundreds of companies, research facilities and universities around the world who rely on Opal-RT simulators every day to conduct research, study, and test of electrical, power electronic and mechanical systems found in a wide array of products - from power steering to the power grid.”

Other features of RT-LAB 8.2 include:

• Full compatibility with QNX Neutrino® and RedHawk Linux RTOS’s, for very large cluster implementation.
• RT-LAB XSG, enabling users to implement models on XILINX FPGA processors with Simulink and XILINX System Generator to achieve sub-microsecond time step
• Support of the latest server-class Quad-Code dual-processor shared-memory boards, yielding to 8 high-end processors interconnected with the highest possible communication bandwidth and minimum latency, since processor cores are communicating through ON-CHIP cache memory.
• EMTP-RT software interface, enabling automatic conversion of EMTP-RV® models for real-time HIL applications

RT-Events Version 3.1

The RT-Events blockset solves simulation accuracy problems of dynamic systems that depend on events not synchronized with the model sample time. In standard fixed-time-step simulations, such events are only taken into account at the next time step, and therefore can introduce significant errors within the simulation. A key feature of RT-Events 3.1 is the blockset’s ability to compensate for multiple events occurring between fixed-time-steps. This means that fixed-time-step simulations using RT-Events can be executed with a higher degree of accuracy, even when using a relatively large time step. This can also be beneficial when conducting non-real-time simulations since the use of larger time steps can result in shorter computation times and more detailed waveforms. RT-Events 3.1 is particularly ideal for use in the simulation of fast switching power electronic devices, such as those found in electrical power networks.

ARTEMIS Version 5

Introduced in 1999, ARTEMIS is a suite of fixed-step solvers and algorithms that optimize real-time simulation of SimPowerSystems models of electrical, power electronic, and electromechanical systems. ARTEMIS 5 provides full compatibility with MATLAB 2008A and SimPowerSystems 4.6. This compatibility lets ARTEMIS users work with, and enhance, the latest SimPowerSystems demonstration models, as well as a number of new motor models such as BLDC, step motor, and battery models. In addition, ARTEMIS 5 takes advantage of RT-LAB’s improved support for simulators using a large number of processor cores. ARTEMIS 5 comes with an extensive library of real-time models to enable true parallel simulation of coupled electrical systems on multi-core eDRIVEsim and eMEGAsim simulators. ARTEMIS 5 also has enhanced compatibility with RT-Events which provides for efficient and seamless interconnectivity between RT-Events interpolated switch control and ARTEMIS/SimPowerSystems models.

How to Upgrade Your Software

All Opal-RT Real Time Simulators, including eMEGAsim and eDRIVEsim, are now shipping with RT-LAB 8.2. Both ARTEMIS 5 and RT-Events 3.1 are available as eMEGAsim and eDRIVEsim options. Existing eMEGAsim and eDRIVEsim users with a valid RT-LAB software maintenance agreement can upgrade to the new versions of RT-LAB, ARTEMIS, and RT-Events for no charge by contacting Opal-RT Customer Support via the Opal-RT website (www.opal-rt.com/support/), via email (support@opal-rt.com), or by calling +1-514-935-2323.

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 eDRIVEsim Real-Time Simulator

Launched in mid-2007 by Opal-RT, eDRIVEsim combines Opal-RT's RT-LAB real-time technology with affordable, high performance multi-core X86 processors and FPGA I/O products, making it the ideal Real-Time platform for designing advanced control systems and performing HIL testing of controllers used in high-speed electric motors, power converters, and hybrid drives. eDRIVEsim also includes support for RTLAB.JMAG™, which combines Opal-RT's RT-LAB Real-Time Simulation technology with JMAG-RT®, part of JRI Solutions' Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tool suite. This means that all tests can be performed in Real-Time, using high precision finite element models.