RTDS Technologies, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, introduced the RTDS Simulator–the world’s very first real time digital power system simulator–in 1989. Today, the Simulator is used by leading power system protection and control equipment manufacturers, electric utilities, and research and educational institutions in over 40 countries around the world. The Simulator consists of custom hardware and software, specifically designed to perform real-time electromagnetic transient simulations for electrical systems. The Simulator’s hardware–a fully digital parallel processing architecture–allows simulation of complex electrical networks and their behaviors in real-time. The software allows the user to assemble a representative network, run and interact with simulations, and view and analyze results.
The Simulator supports the communication protocols necessary for implementing smart grid solutions: IEEE C37.118-compliant communication for PMU applications, IEC 61850-compliant GOOSE messaging and Sampled Values communication for digital substation applications, and DNP3 and IEC 60870- 5-104 communication for SCADA system applications.
For simulating distributed generation, the Simulator includes models of wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, and a wide variety of other power sources. The implementation of distributed generation on the grid also necessitates the use of increasingly complex converters and their controls. “The RTDS Simulator is capable of simulating these converters so that the user can study their impact on the network and their behavior in a wide variety of contingency scenarios, some of which would be dangerous to induce in the actual power grid,” adds Rick.
The RTDS Simulator provides a digital simulation environment for studying and testing smart grid technologies in real time, equipping users to overcome these technological challenges as they work toward the grid of the future
By equipping users with a simulated environment for testing the operability of their equipment in the electrical network, RTDS Technologies ensures the safe implementation of novel technologies on the grid. “At RTDS Technologies, we measure our success in our customers’ success,” said Rick. “Our customers are the power industry’s innovators. We strive to stay actively involved with industry working groups so that we can provide these customers with the ability to simulate and test the latest power system developments. Some current areas of development include cybersecurity applications– developing the Simulator’s ability to prevent network security compromises on the smart grid–as well as a new functionality for the efficient testing of fully digital substations.” RTDS Technologies expects to see tremendous growth in the smart grid market as this exciting technology further permeates the modern grid.
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Company
RTDS Technologies
Headquarters
.
Management
Rick Kuffel, Director
Description
Provides digital simulation capabilities to research institutes, equipment manufacturers and electric utilities