Modeling and Power-Hardware-in-the-Loop Validation of Synchronous Machine Governor

The transition to distributed energy resources requires a deep understanding and accurate emulation of the dynamic behaviors of conventional generation sources, such as natural gas (NG)-driven combustion turbines (CTs) and heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs). This paper introduces the development of a high-fidelity gas turbine governor model using a programmable logic controller for power-hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) validation. The governor model is integrated with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's PHIL test bed, featuring a 2-MVA synchronous machine and a 2.5-MW variable-speed drive, to emulate NG-driven HRSGs and CTs under various operational scenarios. The study focuses on grid-connected and islanding operations, with representative startup sequences including turbine purge, ignition, speed ramp-up, generator synchronization, and breaker closure.