Real-Time Simulation of Electric Drives by Electronic Load Emulation

Using electric motors for complex and increasingly safety-critical functions in vehicles re-quires comprehensive testing to be performed during system development. This applies above all to the innovative drive concepts used in hybrid and electrical vehicles. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation has become a standard method for testing the software functions for these. There are various interfaces that are suitable for connecting the electronic control unit to the hardware-in-the-loop simulator for systems with electric drives. Test systems that reproduce the physical electrical signals (currents and voltages) at the ECU connectors are also increasingly required. This paper presents several concepts for simulating electric drives by means of electronic load emulation. Particular attention is paid to simulating high-power (> 10 kW) and high-voltage (> 100 V) electric drives.