Bridging the gap: a standards-based approach to OR/MS distributed simulation

Pre-print version. Final version published in ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation (TOMACS); available online at http://tomacs.acm.org/In Operations Research and Management Science (OR/MS), Discrete Event Simulation (DES) models are typically created using commercial simulation packages such as Simul8™ and SLX™. A DES model represents the processes associated with a system of interest; but, in cases where the underlying system is large and/or logically divided, the system may be conceptualized as several sub-systems. These sub-systems may belong to multiple stakeholders, and creating an all-encompassing DES model may be difficult for reasons such as, concerns among the intra- and inter-organizational stakeholders with regard to data/information sharing (e.g., security and privacy). Furthermore, issues such as model composability, data transfer/access problems and execution speed may also make a single model approach problematic. A potential solution could be to create/reuse well-defined DES models, each modeling the processes associated with one sub-system, and using distributed simulation technique to execute the models as a unified whole. Although this approach holds great promise, there are technical barriers. One such barrier is the lack of common ground between distributed simulation developers and simulation practitioners. In an attempt to bridge this gap, this paper reports on the outcome of an international standardization effort, the SISO-STD-006-2010 Standard for Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Simulation Package Interoperability References Models (IRMs). This facilitates the capture of interoperability requirements at a modeling level rather than a technical level and enables simulation practitioners and vendors to properly specify the interoperability requirements of a distributed simulation in their terms. Two distributed simulation examples are given to illustrate the use of IRMs

Equivalent of distribution network with distributed photovoltaics for electromechanical transient study based on user-defined modeling

As more and more distributed photovoltaics (PVs) are installed in distribution networks, the dynamic characteristics of PVs affect the operation of the bulk power system. Accurate simulation of PV characteristics is essential for the needs of power system transient security and stability analysis. However, because of the large number of distributed PVs, detailed modeling of each PV significantly increases the electromechanical transient simulation time. The equivalent study of distribution networks with distributed PVs is needed to improve simulation efficiency. However, existing equivalent methods of PVs mainly focus on centralized PVs but are unsuitable for distributed PVs with significantly different dynamic characteristics. To improve simulation efficiency, this paper proposes an equivalent method of the distribution network with distributed PVs for electromechanical transient study based on user-defined (UD) modeling. Firstly, the equivalent structure of the distribution network is established. The static equivalent of the transmission lines and the dynamic equivalent model of loads are carried out. Then, a UD model based on PSASP is established for the dynamic equivalent of the distributed PVs. Compared with the current PV models in simulation software, the UD model has multiple sets of parameters for the equivalent of distributed PVs with different dynamic characteristics. Finally, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to obtain the parameters of the equivalent PV. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified under an example of a distribution network with PVs in PSASP

Distributed simulation and the grid: Position statements

The Grid provides a new and unrivaled technology for large scale distributed simulation as it enables collaboration and the use of distributed computing resources. This panel paper presents the views of four researchers in the area of Distributed Simulation and the Grid. Together we try to identify the main research issues involved in applying Grid technology to distributed simulation and the key future challenges that need to be solved to achieve this goal. Such challenges include not only technical challenges, but also political ones such as management methodology for the Grid and the development of standards. The benefits of the Grid to end-user simulation modelers also are discussed

Supporting security-oriented, collaborative nanoCMOS electronics research

Grid technologies support collaborative e-Research typified by multiple institutions and resources seamlessly shared to tackle common research problems. The rules for collaboration and resource sharing are commonly achieved through establishment and management of virtual organizations (VOs) where policies on access and usage of resources by collaborators are defined and enforced by sites involved in the collaboration. The expression and enforcement of these rules is made through access control systems where roles/privileges are defined and associated with individuals as digitally signed attribute certificates which collaborating sites then use to authorize access to resources. Key to this approach is that the roles are assigned to the right individuals in the VO; the attribute certificates are only presented to the appropriate resources in the VO; it is transparent to the end user researchers, and finally that it is manageable for resource providers and administrators in the collaboration. In this paper, we present a security model and implementation improving the overall usability and security of resources used in Grid-based e-Research collaborations through exploitation of the Internet2 Shibboleth technology. This is explored in the context of a major new security focused project at the National e-Science Centre (NeSC) at the University of Glasgow in the nanoCMOS electronics domain

Animating Human Muscle Structure

Graphical simulations of human muscle motion and deformation are of great interest to medical education. In this article, the authors present a technique for simulating muscle deformations by combining physically and geometrically based computations to reduce computation cost and produce fast, accurate simulations

An Assessment of PIER Electric Grid Research 2003-2014 White Paper

This white paper describes the circumstances in California around the turn of the 21st century that led the California Energy Commission (CEC) to direct additional Public Interest Energy Research funds to address critical electric grid issues, especially those arising from integrating high penetrations of variable renewable generation with the electric grid. It contains an assessment of the beneficial science and technology advances of the resultant portfolio of electric grid research projects administered under the direction of the CEC by a competitively selected contractor, the University of California’s California Institute for Energy and the Environment, from 2003-2014