INTEGRATED MATLAB/SIMULINK–SIMSCAPE MODELING AND PI-BASED CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL OF A MICRO-HYDROPOWER PLANT

Abstract

This study presents the development of an integrated dynamic model of a micro-hydropower plant using the MATLAB/Simulink and Sims cape environments. The proposed model combines hydraulic, mechanical, control, and electrical subsystems within a single computational framework in order to investigate the transient and steady-state behavior of the energy-conversion process under variable operating conditions. The hydraulic subsystem represents the water source, conduit losses, and a variable-area flow restriction controlling water admission to the turbine. Hydraulic energy is converted into mechanical rotational power through a hydromechanical converter, while shaft inertia and angular motion are included to represent the dynamic response of the turbine–generator system. A proportional–integral (PI) controller regulates the shaft rotational speed by continuously adjusting the hydraulic restriction according to the difference between the reference and measured angular velocities. The mechanical subsystem is coupled to an electrical circuit through an electromechanical converter, and voltage, current, and generated electrical power are monitored as the principal electrical output parameters. The mathematical formulation includes hydraulic power, net hydraulic head, friction and local losses, turbine torque, shaft dynamics, PI control, electromechanical conversion, and overall energy efficiency. The developed model provides the capability to investigate variations in water discharge, hydraulic head, electrical load, valve opening, rotational speed, voltage, current, and power output. The proposed MATLAB/Simulink–Sims cape framework can serve as a practical numerical tool for analyzing, controlling, and optimizing micro-hydropower plants operating under variable hydraulic conditions and can subsequently be validated using laboratory or field measurements.