Open Source Tools for High Performance Quasi-Static-Time-Series Simulation Using Parallel Processing

Quasi-Static-Time-Series (QSTS) simulation is a valuable tool for evaluating the behavior of power systems through time. By performing daily, yearly and other time-based simulations, it is possible to characterize time-varying power conversion devices such as photovoltaic panels, storage, loads, and capacitors, among others within the power system. However, depending on the time-step resolution and simulation duration, the sequential simulation may require a considerable amount of computing time to complete. This paper describes the OpenDSSPM program which is the new Parallel Machine version of EPRI's open-source distribution system simulator program, OpenDSS. OpenDSS-PM is used to implement temporal parallelization and circuit solutions with Diakoptics based on actors as techniques to reduce the time required in QSTS. The results reveal that these techniques enable a significant reduction in time using common computer architectures.

I. Introduction

Quasi-Static-Time-Series (QSTS) simulation is a valuable tool for evaluating the behavior of power systems through time. By performing daily, yearly and other time-based simulations, it is possible to characterize time-varying power conversion devices such as photovoltaic panels (PV), storage, loads, and capacitors, among others within the power system. Particularly in the case of PV systems, their proliferation as alternative power source has generated the need of carrying studies such as PV hosting capacity [1], [2], interconnection studies [3]–[5] and microgrids among others, which are QSTS based.