Abstract

The growing penetration of inverter-based resources and associated controls necessitates system-wide electromagnetic transient (EMT) analyses. EMT tools and methods today were not designed for the scale of these analyses. In light of the emerging need, there is a great deal of interest in developing new techniques for fast and accurate EMT simulations for large power grids; the foundations of which will be built on current tools and methods. However, we find that educational texts covering the fundamentals and inner workings of current EMT tools are limited. As such, there is a lack of introductory material for students and professionals interested in researching the field. To that end, in this tutorial, we introduce the principles of EMT analyses from the circuit-theoretic viewpoint, mimicking how time-domain analyses are performed in circuit simulation tools like SPICE and Cadence. We perform EMT simulations for two examples, one linear and one nonlinear, including induction motor (IM) from the first principles. We anticipate that by the end of this monograph, the readers will have a basic understanding of how power grid EMT tools work.

Circuit-Based Electromagnetic Transient Simulation

This monograph, written in a tutorial style, focuses on electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation. These are becoming increasingly common, with significant active research, due to the introduction of inverter-based resources on the grid. A step-by-step tutorial is provided on performing an electromagnetic transient simulation for simple networks from the first principles, and concepts covered range from circuit simulation and Newton-Raphson to numerical integration with difference methods.

This monograph should help graduate and senior undergraduate students, and working professionals, learn the inner workings of tools that perform EMT simulations. The tutorial uses a circuit-theory based approach to EMT simulation, and is introductory in that it shows the workings through several examples, expecting the reader to thereafter build further expertise through more detailed research. Nonetheless, the monograph should provide an excellent first step for anyone interested in the subject of electromagnetic transient simulation, especially those interested in building their own tools.