Inverter-based virtual diesel generator for laboratory-scale applications

This paper presents the modeling, simulation and real-time implementation of a laboratory-scale diesel generator emulator. The core of the digital implementation is a development kit based on the digital signal processor TMS320F2812, where the mathematical models of the controllers, diesel prime mover, coupling shaft and synchronous generator are computed in real-time. The interface with the load is a voltage source inverter. The capacitor voltages of the output filter are controlled to emulate the terminal voltages of the generator. The proposed system is compared in simulation with a diesel generator model from SimPowerSystems Simulink library. Then, a low-power prototype of the virtual diesel generator is implemented. Experimental results are satisfactory, but further work is required in order to increase the power level of the prototype, and also to test the emulator with different models of diesel engines and electrical generators.