Interactive object-oriented simulation of interconnected power systems using SIMULINK

An object-oriented power system simulation environment is constructed using the SIMULINK dynamic system modeling software. The environment is well suited to educational purposes, because the user interface is interactive and intuitive with a graphical, object-oriented model representation. For small system studies, a model is constructed in block diagram form with one block for each system component. For large scale simulations, the dynamics of portions of the network can be combined into collective blocks, with parameters managed as data arrays accessed indirectly using string mnemonics. The advanced numerical capabilities built into SIMULINK provide an excellent simulation engine for the nonlinear models. Offline analysis is available through the extensive capabilities of the MATLAB environment.

I. Introduction

The use of computer simulation tools is essential in power system studies. Software tools are widely used by utilities for transient event simulations, power flow studies, stability analysis, and operational planning. Most of the commercially available software packages are, however, designed to work with large power system models. The use of such tools is often cumbersome and not well suited to the small power system studies used for educational purposes. This paper presents a new power system simulation tool that uses an interactive, object oriented interface in the SIMULINK [1] modeling environment.