An Evaluation of Co-Simulation for Modeling Coupled Natural Gas and Electricity Networks

Brian Sergi, Kwabena Pambour

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Reliance on natural gas for power generation has increased the coupling between gas and power networks. While this coupling can bring operational and economic benefits, it can also yield challenges, as the constraints in one system can impact the other. Co-simulation can capture the constraints and interactions between these systems, but so far, there has been limited comparison of co-simulation results to those of an integrated model. In this work, we develop a new co-simulation framework using the HELICS platform and the SAInt tool for modeling transient gas and AC optimal power flow. We evaluate this co-simulation framework against a fully integrated version of the SAInt power and gas simulators, thus providing a benchmarking of the co-simulation approach. We compare results across the two approaches for two test networks and a network representing the Belgian power and gas networks, testing both normal operating conditions and cases with compressor disruptions. In each of the cases tested, we find nearly identical results from the two approaches across various metrics of interest, such as nodal pressure, gas flow rates, and active power generation. This alignment suggests that co-simulation can yield comparable results to fully integrated models for modeling coupled gas and electricity networks.

Original languageAmerican English
Article number5277
Number of pages18
JournalEnergies
Volume15
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors.

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-6A40-81707

Keywords

  • co-simulation
  • coupled modeling
  • electric power systems
  • HELICS
  • natural gas
  • SAInt

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'An Evaluation of Co-Simulation for Modeling Coupled Natural Gas and Electricity Networks'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this