Section Content
The simulator panel provides the test bench's interactive interface, which includes access to settings, measurement device display and protection system status.
The interface allows users to manually control the test bench, to start and control the drive speed by altering power sources, connecting various devices to the synchronous machine armature, decoupling machine shafts to block the synchronous machine rotor or resetting the protection system in case of a fault.
This section serves as the complete reference for the features of the components presents on the dashboard of the simulator.
3.1 Startup panel
The main panel is shown in Fig. 5 at simulator startup.
Default setting values shown in Table 3 are applied and control switches are marked on gray which means disabled (see Table 4 below).
Machines are stopped, all power output voltages are at 0 V. The simulator is functioning, and the test bench can be used according to user needs, while maintaining safe settings and making sure not to trip the protection system.
Figure 5: Panel at simulator startup
Observe, from left to right, in Fig.5, how the various settings and measurement display options are grouped according to the virtual test bench components, as described in section 2:
- DC machine: power settings, measurement display and protection status (fuses).
- Shaft: for the detachable mechanical coupling of the shaft that connects the machines, displays torque and speed data.
- Synchronous machine: field power settings, displays measurements and protection (fuse) status.
- Armature Connections: switches for devices that can be connected to the synchronous machine's armature (AC Grid, Short-circuit, RLC Load and Measurement Resistors). Also, we can adjust the three-phase autotransformer connected to the grid and the balanced three-phase passive load. The three-phase short-circuit can be triggered directly from this panel.
- Protections: In the event of a fault, defective fuse replacement can be simulated by resetting the protection system (Reset). It is also possible to suppress the protection system beforehand (SUP) to simulate operating limits that could damage or destroy equipment in a real test bench.
Destroying one fuse can cause machines to stop according to the dynamics of turning parts caused by inertia and friction.
Just like with a real test bench, the user must determine the causes of the fault before restoring power and resetting switches to ensure safe restart.
Failure to do so will result in triggering the protection system again, as would happen with a real test bench!
The tabs in the bottom panel of the screen in Fig.5 display the oscilloscopes connected to the bench, as described in section 3.4 below.
3.2 Tables for parameters setup and control switches
Setup Parameters | Default Value | Variation Range |
|---|---|---|
SC1: Va DC Machine armature (V) | 0 | [0 ; 500] V |
SC2: Vf DC Machine field (V) | 0 | [0 ; 500] V |
SC3: Vjf Synchronous Machine field (V) | 0 | [0 ; 35] V |
SC4: Vd DC external supply (V) | 0 | [0 ; 50] V |
SA1: Autotransformer (V) | 0 | [0 ; 500] V |
fs (Hz) AC grid frequency | 60 | [1 ; 100] Hz |
R (Ω) | 300 | [10 ; 300] Ω |
XL (60 Hz) (Ω) | 300 | [5 ; 300] Ω |
XC (60 Hz) (Ω) | 300 | [5 ; 300] Ω |
Saving_SC_Currents | 0 | [0 ; 10] |
Saving_Recovery_Voltage | 0 | [0 ; 10] |
Table 3: User accessible setup parameters
FUNCTION | Interface/ Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
Command Switches | ||
K1: AC Grid |
| The grid is not connected to synchronous machine armature. Contactor (K1) is open. |
| The grid is connected to synchronous machine armature. Contactor (K1) is closed. | |
K2: Short-circuit |
| The synchronous machine's armature is not connected to the short circuit. Contactor (K2) is open. |
| The synchronous machine's armature is connected to the short-circuit. Contactor (K2) is closed. | |
K3: RLC Load |
| The RLC Load is not connected to the synchronous machine's armature. Contactor (K3) is open. |
| The RLC Load is connected to the synchronous machine's armature. Contactor (K3) is closed. | |
K4: Measurement Resistor |
| The DC voltage supply SC4 that measures armature resistance is not connected to the synchronous machine's armature. Contactor (K4) is open. |
| The DC voltage supply SC4 that measures armature resistance is connected to the synchronous machine's armature. Contactor (K4) is closed. | |
K5: Starting resistor |
| The synchronous machine's field is connected to DC supply voltage SC3. Contactor (K5) in series with the supply voltage is closed. |
| The synchronous machine's field is disconnected from DC supply voltage SC3. Contactor (K5) in series with the supply voltage is open. Field coil is connected to starting resistance. | |
K6: Decouple Shafts |
| The shaft of the synchronous machine is driven by the shaft of the DC machine. |
| The shaft of the synchronous machine is decoupled from the shaft of the DC machine. | |
K7: Phase Inversion |
| The initial phase sequence for the AC grid can be direct or inverse. The user must verify which sequence is used. |
| The initial phase sequence for the AC grid is inverse. The user must verify which sequence is used. | |
K8: Reset |
| Reset push-button is disabled. |
| Reset push-button is activated and simulates replacement of defective fuses after fault. | |
K10: Trig_Acq.Gr1 |
| Waveforms are not triggered, and signals are moving. The Oscilloscope1 group trigger is disabled. |
| Waveforms are triggered by a reference signal. The Oscilloscope1 group trigger is enabled | |
K11: Trig_Acq.Gr2 |
| The Oscilloscope2 group trigger is disabled. |
| The Oscilloscope2 group trigger is enabled. | |
K12: Trig_Acq.Gr3 |
| The Oscilloscope3 group trigger is disabled. |
| The Oscilloscope3 group trigger is enabled. | |
K13: Trig_Acq.Gr4 |
| The Oscilloscope4 group trigger is disabled. |
| The Oscilloscope4 group trigger is enabled. | |
K14: Trig_Acq.Gr5 |
| The Oscilloscope5 group trigger is disabled. |
| The Oscilloscope5 group trigger is enabled. | |
Fuses | LED indicators | |
Fia |
| The DC machine's armature fuse is blown. |
Fif |
| The DC machine's field fuse is blown. |
Fi1 |
| The synchronous machine's stator phase 1 fuse is blown. |
Fi2 |
| The synchronous machine's stator phase 2 fuse is blown. |
Fi3 |
| The synchronous machine's stator phase 3 fuse is blown. |
FJf |
| The synchronous machine's field fuse is blown. |
Table 4: Command switches and LED fuse status indicators
3.3 Tab Descriptions
The Panel tab presented in Fig.5 has several additional tabs the user can select:
- Armature Connections: "AC Grid", "RLC Load" and "Measurement Resistors", respectively.
This tab shows the devices that can be connected to the armature windings of the Synchronous machine according to the exercise to be performed. - Oscilloscopes: "Oscilloscopes1", "Oscilloscopes2", "Oscilloscopes3", "Oscilloscopes4" and "Oscilloscopes5".
On the lower part of the panel, several tabs are used to select scopes to visualize the waveforms of electrical and mechanical signals. - The Help tab: at the top right of the panel, contains information about the exercises and the diagrams associated with each exercise.
3.4 Measurement Device Display and Oscilloscopes Waveforms
Device display modules shown in the simulator panel are shown in Fig.5.
The sign convention by device is also provided.
Sections | Display | Label | Parameters Displayed |
|---|---|---|---|
DC Machine | Display1 | Va | Voltage at machine armature terminals. |
Display2 | Ia | Current in armature (positive for motor operation in rotation direction N positive) | |
Display3 | Vf | Voltage at field terminals. | |
Display4 | If | Current in the field. | |
Shaft | Display1 | N | Synchronous machine rotation speed (if N is positive, the phase sequence in the synchronous machine armature is direct) |
Display2 | Tu | Torque of the DC machine (positive for motor mode operation in rotation direction N positive) | |
Synchronous Machine | Display1 | Us | RMS line-line voltage at armature terminals. |
Display2 | Is | RMS line current in the armature. | |
Display3 | Vjf | Voltage at field terminals. | |
Display4 | Jf | Current in the field. | |
Display5 | P | The synchronous machine's active power. Sign convention is generator type. P is positive when operating in generator mode and negative in motor mode. | |
Display6 | Q | The synchronous machine's reactive power. | |
Display7 | Internal angle θ | Internal angle θ between the electromotive force E and the armature voltage Vs. θ is positive in generator mode and negative in motor mode | |
AC Grid | Display1 | U | RMS line-line voltage at the autotransformer's SA1 output. |
Display2 | I | RMS line current at the autotransformer's SA1 output. | |
RLC Load | Display1 | Power factor | Load power factor at 60 Hz. |
Measurement Resistors | Display1 | Udc | DC voltage between two synchronous machine armature terminals to measure resistances. |
Display2 | Idc | DC current flowing through the armature during measurement of resistances. |
Table 5: Display modules for measurement devices and sign convention for parameters displayed
Waveforms for electrical and mechanical signals displayed on the oscilloscopes are listed in Table 6.
Each oscilloscope allows users to view one or two signals. Voltage and/or current range settings and time settings are also provided in this table.
Tab | Oscilloscope | Waveforms Displayed |
|---|---|---|
Oscilloscope1 | Oscilloscope 1 | Line-neutral voltage for the phase A of synchronous machine's armature and AC grid. |
Oscilloscope 2 | Line-neutral voltage for the phase B of synchronous machines' armature and AC grid. | |
@_yscale/div1 | Voltage range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
@_yscale/div2 | Voltage range settings for oscilloscope 2. | |
Oscilloscope2 | Oscilloscope 1 | Line current in phase A of the synchronous machine's armature. |
@_xscale/div3 | Time range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
@_yscale/div3 | Current range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
Oscilloscopes3 | Oscilloscope 1 | All 3-line currents of the synchronous machine's armature. |
Oscilloscope 2 | Current Jf in the synchronous machine's armature. | |
@_xscale/div4 | Time range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
@_yscale/div4 | Current range settings for oscilloscope 1 | |
@_xscale/div5 | Time range settings for oscilloscope 2. | |
@_yscale/div5 | Current range settings for oscilloscope 2. | |
Saving_SC_Currents | Log file number for currents in the event of a short -circuit. | |
Saving_Recovery_Voltage | Log file number for recovery voltages after a short -circuit. | |
Oscilloscopes4 | Oscilloscope 1 | Electromagnetic Torque of the synchronous machine. |
Oscilloscope 2 | Internal angle between electromotive force E and the synchronous machine's armature output voltage Vs. | |
@_xscale/div6 | Time range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
@_yscale/div6 | Torque range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
@_xscale/div7 | Time range settings for oscilloscope 2. | |
@_yscale/div7 | degrees range settings for oscilloscope 2. | |
Oscilloscopes5 | Oscilloscope1 | Synchronous Machine speed. |
Oscilloscope2 | Electromagnetic Torque of the synchronous machine. | |
@_xscale/div8 | Time range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
@_yscale/div8 | Speed range settings for oscilloscope 1. | |
@_xscale/div9 | Time range settings for oscilloscope 2. | |
@_yscale/div9 | Torque range settings for oscilloscope 2. |
Table 6: Waveforms displayed and Oscilloscope settings