Real time digital simulator (RTDS) upgrade

Contracting authority is publishing direct award notice for 'Real time digital simulator (RTDS) upgrade', hereinafter 'RTDS upgrade'.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION To advance research in energy and electrification, Tampere University (TAU) is expanding and upgrading its laboratory infrastructure with funding from the Research Council of Finland. As a part of the interdisciplinary project “Digital electrification infrastructure”, the laboratory setup for real time simulation of electrical networks and connected energy resources is being upgraded, benefiting both research and educational purposes. This setup is an upgrade to the existing real time simulator system at TAU and comprises of two real-time simulator units capable of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations equipped with the necessary accessories. The first simulation unit is aimed mainly at research purposes and has simulation capacity for larger networks and better expansion possibilities in terms of simulation capacity and I/O-connectivity compared to the second simulation unit. The second simulation unit is aimed at teaching and less demanding research purposes. NEED Purchase of the following essential components to upgrade the existing test setup: two real-time simulator units compatible with TAU’s existing simulator’s I/O and network interface/protocol cards and fulfilling the technical specifications listed below. Both simulator units should be capable of simulating power systems and power electronics and have a possibility to expand the simulation capacity later, for example, by core licensing. Technical specifications: • The simulator system offered shall consist of two simulator units which can be used both separately as stand-alone units and coupled together to simulate larger networks/systems. Both simulator units should be capable of simulating power systems including electromagnetic transient phenomena (simulation time step in the order of 50 µs or less) and power electronics. • Provision of software suitable for modelling of power systems including power electronics. • Software licensing included for at least 20 simultaneous users with two users running real time simulations simultaneously and software updates included. • The first simulator unit shall have a simulation capacity for power networks of 90-120 three-phase nodes and shall have expandability e.g. by core licensing later up to at least 200-300 three-phase nodes. • The second simulator unit shall have a simulation capacity for power networks of 15-20 three-phase nodes and have expandability e.g. by core licensing up to 60-80 three-phase nodes. • Black box control capability at least in the first simulator (possibility to integrate vendor control models into the real-time simulation while protecting the manufacturer’s intellectual property). • Both simulator units shall be compatible with TAU’s existing simulator I/O and network interface/protocol cards providing specified functionalities and interfaces. MARKET ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION FOR DIRECT AWARD • Meeting all the specified requisites and the ability to provide all required components is mandatory for being selected in this procurement process. • According to the section 41 of the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts (1397/2016) a contracting entity may opt for direct procurement if purpose of an additional order is to partially replace or expand functionalities for existing equipment or delivery. It shall be a further condition that a change of supplier regarding the originally set up equipment or delivery would lead to incompatibility or to significant problems in operation and maintenance. • The purpose of this additional order is to partially replace the existing real time simulator system at TAU supplied by RTDS Technologies Inc. The processor cards of the existing simulator will be replaced by a Novacor 2.0 chassis and a Novacor Light chassis supplied by RTDS Technologies Inc., while keeping the existing I/O and network interface/protocol cards. All of these cards are compatible with the purchased RTDS Novacor 2.0 and Novacor Light simulators, but not with the simulators of other suppliers on the market. • The change of supplier would lead to incompatibility with the existing I/O and network interface/protocol cards and would cause disproportionately large amount of extra work in deployment of the new simulation environment and modifying the existing simulation models developed by TAU personnel in the existing simulation environment to comply with the new simulation environment. • The change of supplier would lead to considerably higher total cost of the purchase, since the existing I/O and network interface/protocol cards from RTDS could not be utilized and new cards would have to be purchased from the new supplier. • Based on the market analysis, with the available budget it is not possible to get a system fulfilling the specifications from other suppliers. • Thus – due to technical compatibility issues and absence of relevant alternatives – contracting authority considers RTDS Technologies Inc. (represented in Finland by C.N. Rood Nordics AB, Sweden) as the only possible supplier.