Page Contents

This page describes how to run an ePHASORSIM simulation from scratch using ePHASORSIM Excel Template.

For more details on the Excel Template, refer toIntroduction to Excel Template.

Prepare the Excel Template

The first step to run the simulation is to prepare an Excel Template file which describes the network components and topology.

To access the template, click the link Open an empty template (latest version) in the Network data tab of the ePHASORSIM Solver Block.

How to open an empty Excel Template

Save the Excel Template file in an empty folder in an intuitive location, like your active default project folder or C:\OPAL-RT\ePHASORSIM. You will use this folder and path throughout this procedure; this is why we recommend an intuitive and/or default location.

The Excel Template must have

a General worksheet with version v2.0 to define the Power Base (MVA) and Frequency (Hz) of the network
a Pins worksheet to define the measurement probes (outgoing pins) and control signals (incoming pins) of the system
- Pins creation pins require to know the component names and the associated specific pins names.
  - This information is import dependent and respectively available under Native Library for Excel Template import and Third-Party Network Imports for other types of imports.
- For more details on Pins usage, refer to Introduction to Excel Template | Pins Worksheet.

In this step, we will use ePHASORSIM Solver block to setup the Simulink model.

For more details on the Solver block, refer to ePHASORSIM Solver Block (GUI)

Change the MATLAB working directory to the previously created folder.
Open the Simulink Library.
Select RT-LAB > ePHASORSIM.
Drag the Solver block into a new Simulink model.
Provide a unique Name to the Solver block if there are more than one.
Save this model in the previously created folder.
Open the Simulink mask and follow the following steps to configure the Solver block.

For more details on the Network Data Tab, refer to Network Data

Select Excel as the Input file format.
Select (or type) the name of the Excel Template using the Complete network field.

The Excel Template must be in the working directory.

Excel Template Network Data Tab

For more details on the Library Tab, refer to Library

To use FMUs, enter the corresponding folder name in the FMU component field, between single quotes, or use Path button to select the folder that contains the required FMUs.
The default is the empty string '', or two single quotes.
Make sure the compiled FMUs are placed in the folder name specified in the mask
- more details about FMUs in Modelica-Based Library

Library Tab

For more details on the Simulation Settings Tab, refer to Simulation Settings

Power-flow calculation

Select the Initialization method from the drop-down menu.
Enter the Power mismatch (max pu) tolerance for the power-flow calculation (default value is 1e-8).
Enter the Max number of NR iterations (default value is 100).
Clicking Execute or Execute and export report runs the power-flow. Only the latter writes the power-flow results in CSV format.

Dynamic simulations

Check Start from Power-flow to run power flow before dynamic simulation.
Enter the Number of partitions to be used for the network solution (default value is 1).
Clicking Export admittance matrix writes the admittance matrix in CSV format.
Check Optimize number of threads (Windows only).

Click OK.
- The ePHASORSIM Solver block is redrawn using the pins from the given Excel Template.
- The network data may also be converted to OPAL format, depending on the configuration of the Refresh netlist option in the Network data tab.
Connect Simulink sources and sinks (scopes, displays) to the input/output pins on the ePHASORSIM Solver block.
Ensure the simulation is set to use a fixed time-step (under Simulation/Model Configuration parameters/Solver), and that the time-step is consistent with the one specified in the Simulation settings tab.
Once the Solver block mask and Simulink model are configured, run the model to verify a reasonable value appears on the scopes.
Save your model.