Controller-hardware-in-The-loop validation of MPC for radial-Mesh HVDC systems

Abstract

The rapid expansion of offshore wind and solar is placing increasing pressure on transmission infrastructure, challenging energy security, sustainability, and affordability. In response, global policy initiatives are advancing high-voltage direct current (HVDC) "express energy highways"to efficiently transfer bulk renewable power. Voltage-source converter (VSC)-based multi-Terminal HVDC (MT-HVDC) grids offer a scalable offshore solution but require advanced control to manage their fast nonlinear dynamics and low inertia. This paper presents a real-Time control and dispatch framework for a five-Terminal radial-mesh VSC-MMC HVDC grid. A model predictive control (MPC) strategy is developed, automatically coded from Simulink, and deployed on a real-Time target for controller-hardware-in-The loop (CHIL) validation using an RTDS® simulator. The setup includes dynamic braking resistors, DC breakers, and integrated human machine and dispatch interfaces for real-Time tuning and supervisory control. Comparative testing under power setpoint changes and AC/DC fault scenarios shows that the proposed MPC achieves more accurate active and reactive power tracking with lower overshoot, improves damping of post-fault oscillations, and enables seamless coordination between local and system-level operations. These results confirm the practical feasibility and operational resilience of MPC-based control for future offshore MT-HVDC systems.