Power electronics are required whenever voltages or currents have to be converted from one level to another. Electric power generation, transport, and distribution involve many different sources and loads working together in one system, the power grid, to get the electric energy from the power plants to the final consumers. On this journey, power electronics components are essential key technologies for an efficient conversion at the different interfaces.
dSPACE provides developers of power electronics with comprehensive solutions for the development and validation of all power electronics components used in the energy industry, such as AC/DC, DC/AC, and AC/AC stages used in wind and solar converters as well as in solid-state transformers and high-power chargers. Get an overview of our portfolio for power electronics validation and learn how your development process will benefit from it.
Challenges
Reliability is a key challenge in the development of grid-connected power electronics. Since most renewable energy sources such as wind and sun are not constant, power electronics systems have to switch frequently and quickly between different operating points. Their integration into the power grid can lead to various problems, including grid instability and voltage fluctuations.
To address these issues, power electronics systems must be designed to integrate seamlessly with the existing grid and to be compatible with other grid devices.
Efficiency is another challenge. The goal: Reduce energy losses to a minimum when transmitting electricity from renewable sources to the grid. When handling several gigawatts of power, 0.1% can be the deciding factor.
Our Solutions for Power Electronics
dSPACE offers a wide range of solutions for developing and testing control algorithms and power electronics throughout the entire range of energy industry components.
We bring your ideas to life – from rather simple AC/DC converters in high-power DC charging stations up to complex solid-state transformer topologies that enable efficient and reliable power transfer to manage a smart grid.
In addition to our product portfolio, customer-specific functions and implementations are available on request.
Rapid Prototyping
HIL Testing
Central Test Method for Validating ECUs
The dSPACE HIL test systems provide a simulated environment for efficient and reproducible validation of real ECUs in the laboratory on a 24/7 basis. This increases test coverage and shortens validation times significantly. Benefit from the numerous highlights of our solution and optimize your HIL tests of power electronics:
- Gate signal processing in the range of nanoseconds
- Ready-to-use toolboxes including FPGA models for established power electronics topologies
- Topology-based real-time simulation-capable models using the circuit diagram (Simscape Electrical™ Specialized Power Systems)
- Optical high-speed communication interface (multi-gigabit transceiver) to easily distribute large topologies across multiple FPGAs
How to Select the Optimum dSPACE Solution for Simulation
High dynamics and fast switching of semiconductor devices make simulating power electronic circuits in real time an ambitious task. dSPACE provides different tools for this task and can help you find the right solution.
- Topology-based real-time simulation based on the circuit diagram (EPSS Processor, EPSS FPGA)
- Ready-to-use FPGA models for well-known circuits
- Customer-specific FPGA-based implementation for cutting-edge performance
Power HIL Testing
Closing the Gap Between HIL and Dynamometer Testing
With our power HIL systems, we offer ready-to-use solutions for testing any kind of inverter, including the controller and power electronics, at full power. Using real voltages and currents, our systems enable you to complete exceptionally rigorous tests. Our systems behave like a digital twin of the real system and allow for easy configuration with just a few clicks, which significantly reduces setup times.
SIL Testing
Software-in-the loop (SIL) testing with the powerful dSPACE solution for PC- and cloud-based simulation
With the dSPACE solution for software-in-the loop (SIL) testing, you can significantly accelerate your software development process by testing and validating virtually. dSPACE offers you a complete, modular, scalable development and test solution. You can conveniently simulate a device-under-test on a PC, connect it to physics-based models, run scalable tests in the cloud, and then easily reuse test scripts on hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems.
Bus & Network Communication
Simulation, Logging, Replay, and Analysis
dSPACE provides a comprehensive and complete tool chain for simulation, analyzation, and validation, supporting a wide range of bus systems and applications. Ready-to-use products and customer-specific solutions support you during your development process.
For data exchange with any industrial devices and SCADA systems using protocols like Modbus, Distributed Network Protocol 3 (DNP3), and IEC 61850, please contact us.
Test Data Management
Data Management and Collaboration Software for Automated ECU Testing
SYNECT, our solution for the efficient and automated verification and validation of ECU software, helps engineers worldwide handle all test parameters, their dependencies, versions and variants, and the underlying requirements throughout the entire development process.
This results in consistent data versions and complete traceability as required in homologation processes, and an efficient reuse of data in other projects.
Production Software Development
Optimized Production Software Development
The central challenges in production software development include the optimization of RAM resources, run time, and integration into the overall system. Furthermore, it must be possible to split the software in such a way that regular software updates are possible. And before the final software release, special validation and often a release process are required.
Simulation Modeling
Development support from start to finish
Developing complex E/E systems and software with ever more safety-critical functions, especially in the area of autonomous systems, raises the question of guaranteeing function reliability. That's why dSPACE offers end-to-end expertise in functional safety, test strategy development as well as verification and validation in complex E/E processes - to support you from the earliest project stages to homologation.
dSPACE systems are easy to get up and running – however, if a project is more complex, if individual solutions are needed or if there is high time pressure, you can also trust dSPACE's fast, competent and reliable engineering services.
