Grid Interactions Research Facility
The Grid Interactions Research Facility (GIRF) is a research, development, and testing facility dedicated to power electronics at the grid-edge with an emphasis on the interaction of distributed energy resources (DERs) for power grid modernization. Examples of DERs include smart photovoltaic (PV) inverters, electric vehicles (EV), battery energy storage systems (BESS), smart loads, smart appliances, and other devices.
This location provides 1,000 square feet of fully conditioned lab space and an additional 3,000 square feet of high bay workspace. Adjacent to the GIRF is the outdoor Solar Energy Technology Testing Laboratory (SETTL) with permanently installed PV modules and flexibility to suite a variety of PV and balance of systems testing. The SETTL test field is connected to the GIRF through a series of underground conduits to carry power and communications cables for power off-take and telemetry.
The GIRF is supplied from a dedicated medium voltage transformer and has access to 1.8MVA at 480V for research use.
Additional facilities include a 8′ W x 13′ D by 8′ H environmental chamber capable of temperature ranges from -60°C to 150°C, a up/down ramp rate of 1.8°C/minute, and sustained -40°C while rejecting 25kW of live load.
More information can be found at the GIRF website
Power Hardware In the Loop (PHIL)
Currently there are two racks that can be used independently or together.
- Typhoon HIL 606
- Real-time emulation of digital twin for power electronics and power system.
- 200 nS resolution step size
- Switching, average, or behavioral models for power electronics
- Power distribution system modelling
- Exchange power flow data with OpenDSS to obtain quasi-static operating points
- High or low-fidelity models
- Expandable to add additional HIL capability
- Regatron 30 kVA 4-quadrant Power Amplifier
- Grid emulation
- Distributed energy resource (DER) emulation
- Paired with the HIL 606 to interconnect a hardware device under test (DUT) with a real-time simulation of an electrical distribution system bus/node
- Battery emulation and testing
- EV emulation and testing
- PV emulation and testing
- Integrated water-cooling for continuous operation at full rated power
- Can be operated individually or in paralleled
Advanced Power Distribution System (APDS)
Custom built Eaton power distribution switchboard for testing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs). It can be configured as an isolated microgrid or grid-connected for investigating grid-edge modernization. It is expandable and flexible to facilitate multiple DERS all interconnected from a single location. Currently it contains five separate PV arrays and two 30kVA PHIL nodes, BESS, diesel gen-set, and 1.8MVA of grid power; 2 power hardware in the loop (PHIL) nodes, each with Typhoon HIL606 paired with a 30kVA regenerative Regatron power amplifier acting as a grid simulator or arbitrarily controlled DER.
- Ratings:
- 480/277V, 225A
- 208/120V, 400A
- Interconnections
- 5 separate 5kW PV Arrays
- 2 Power Hardware in the Loop (PHIL) nodes
- Provisioned for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
- Provisioned for diesel gen-set
- 1,000kVA ac grid power available at facility
- AC and DC Power Meters
- Measure up to 61st harmonic of line, neutral, and phase current and voltage
- 15″ touchscreen for data visualization
- Data archived for off-line analysis
Address
RELLIS Campus
Texas A&M University System
Building 7097
1375 Flight Line Rd,
Bryan, TX 77807 USA
Campus Map
Directions
The RELLIS Campus is a 15-minute drive from College Station along Riverside Parkway (State Highway 47) in Bryan, Texas, just south of its interchange with State Highway 21 West.
Enter the secure area using Gate 5 located on 5th St. between Ave A and Flight Line Rd. Call your host to be escorted onto the premises.
Proceed through the gate to Flight Line Rd and take a right turn. GIRF is ahead on the right. Free parking is available on the driveway in front of the building or in the parking lot.
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