Integrating VOLTTRON and GridLAB-D to create a Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Bed

Rapidly growing deployment of distributed generation has caused distribution systems to experience power flow that they were not designed to handle. Smart grid controllers can effectively mitigate the impacts of distributed generation with the proper settings. A Power Hardware in the Loop (PHIL) system is able to study the potential of various smart controllers by incorporating simulation and hardware. The integration of GridLAB-D and VOLTTRON, two software tools developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has created a PHIL system. VOLTTRON is a platform that enables communication and control between smart grid components while GridLAB-D is a distribution system simulation tool. In the PHIL system, GridLAB-D acquires historical power measurement parameters and weather information, via VOLTTRON, of a hardware system. The analysis of the data determines if a controller is feasible or not, and if so, what setting alleviates the system the most effectively. The features of the PHIL system are described and several results are presented.