Dr. Venkata Dinavahi is an associate professor at the University of Alberta, located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. In 2004, he established the RTX-LAB (Real-Time eXperimental LABoratory), with funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Alberta Science and Research Authority (ASRA). This funding enabled RTX-LAB to purchase a 16 cpu OPAL-RT eMEGAsim Real-Time Simulator, affectionately known as “The Two Towers” by RTX-LAB researchers.
Highlights
- University of Alberta’s RTX-LAB based on 16 CPU eMEGAsim Real Time Simulator
- Simulator used for Electrical Power Engineering Research
- Students’ familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink make eMEGAsim a popular choice
- Opal-RT tech Support plays key role in success of simulation projects at RTX-LAB
Since 2004, Dr. Dinavahi and his research team have been using OPAL-RT products for Electrical Power Engineering research. Specific applications include electromagnetic transient modeling of large-scale electrical power system networks, distributed generation and renewable energy systems, FACTS and HVDC systems, variable frequency power electronic motor drives, detailed device-level modeling of power electronic converters, dynamic modeling of large-scale power systems, hardware-in-the-loop simulations, and digital controller prototyping.
RTX-LAB specializes in the development of new models and new simulation algorithms for real-time simulation in all of these areas. For implementation, Dr. Dinavahi’s team have found the eMEGAsim Real-Time Simulator to be the most open and flexible system. A typical research project involves developing a new model or a new solution algorithm, implementing it in real-time, and validating the proposed model or solution algorithm using experiments and off-line simulation using widely used simulation tools.
One of the main reasons that Dr. Dinavahi chose OPAL-RT simulators is their popularity with students.
“These simulators are tightly coupled with Matlab/SIMULINK from The MathWorks, which makes them accessible and user friendly to any undergraduate or graduate student familiar with the Matlab/SIMULINK modeling environment,” said Dr. Dinavahi. “Students can go from a SIMULINK based off-line model to a real-time model in no time. Students can develop their own models and implement advanced solution algorithms as customized S-functions written in C or C++ and run them on the Opal-RT hardware.”
Despite this seemingly easy and transparent process, Dr. Dinavahi stresses that no single real-time study is routine; students face real challenges at every step of the way and learn to overcome them. This is the way they develop skills to become great researchers.
Another advantage seen by RTX-LAB researchers through their use of an Opal-RT simulator is the product’s use of the most current digital processor technology. Opal-RT simulators are also easily extensible, and can be quickly adapted to accommodate the latest in Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) processors, making them very competitive price-wise, due to the wide availability and low cost of new digital processor technology.
“I am very pleased with the OPAL-RT simulator that I purchased,” added Dr. Dinavahi. “The performances are what we expected and more.”
Opal-RT technical support has also played a key role in ensuring that RTX-LAB has received value from their investment in an eMEGAsim Real-Time Simulator.
“I have a lot of praise for the technical support people at OPAL-RT. They are prompt and reliable,” said Dr. Dinavahi. “For example, we recently faced problems with interfacing analog signals from an experimental setup to one of OPAL-RTs FPGA modules. One email later the problem was solved! The solution they provided was to the point and very efficient. This tells me that the tech support team at OPAL-RT know their systems inside out, and that they really care about customer satisfaction.”
For more information on RTX-LAB’s research activities, visit the lab’s website at
