RT24 UK | Lessons learned from 5 years of operating a PHIL/CHiL environment for Power System Studies Opportunities & Challenges

The ongoing integration of renewable energies and the increasing complexity of modern energy systems necessitate the development of innovative approaches to testing and validation procedures. Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) methodologies, in particular Power Hardware-In-the-Loop (PHIL) and Control Hardware-In-the-Loop (CHIL), offer significant potential in this regard. This presentation provides lessons learned from 5 years of operating a PHIL and CHIL-test bench at RWTH Aachen University, based on experiences from different research projects. The projects include protection and control of multi-terminal and meshed HVDC systems (EU-project PROMOtioN), black-start of offshore wind farms through an HVDC link, and interoperability studies of AC/DC system structures. The presentation highlights learnings from this project, challenges encountered in setting up a closed-loop PHIL or CHIL setting, and an outlook toward future setups.