MW-scale power hardware-in-the-loop experiments of rapid power transfers in MVDC naval shipboard power systems

A Medium Voltage DC (MVDC), modular multilevel converter (MMC)-type, MW-scale, power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) advanced test facility is being utilized to better understand the impact of fast power transfer between dynamic loads in a notional MVDC shipboard system. In these experiments PHIL simulations demonstrate the transfer of power between two MW-scale, MMC-based loads in a time frame of milliseconds in a 5 kV DC system. The current work also includes the first use of an AC variable voltage source (VVS) as a power source for an MMC. PHIL and controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) test results include a rest-of-system (ROS) simulation of a notional set of ship components. Results will show a distinct aspect to MVDC systems, tolerance to AC side excursions while maintaining the DC bus. Ramp rates that far exceed MIL-STD-1399 are demonstrated in an MMC-based MVDC system architecture. Comparison of CHIL and PHIL results are also presented.