HELICSAuto: Automating the Development of Cyber-Physical Co-Simulation Framework for Smart Grids

Abstract

Co-simulation is a powerful technique integrating various simulation tools to create a unified simulation environment. It provides an in-depth understanding of the interplay between cyber and physical infrastructures in industrial control systems like smart grids. HELICS is a framework that facilitates co-simulation development by providing common interfaces to enhance simulators, synchronize their executions, and exchange information. In this paper, we propose HELICSAuto, a code instrumentation procedure that automates the integration of domain-specific simulators with HELICS APIs. HELICSAuto requires developers to label their source codes using a pre-defined syntax, after which an interpreter automatically instruments the code with minimal manual involvement. We demonstrate the effectiveness of HELICSAuto by successfully applying it to simulators based on PandaPower, PowerWorld, OPAL-RT, and PyDNP3 to create a transmission-distribution-communication co-simulation environment for complex smart grids.