Simulation using SCADA

Hello everyone, i am new to this kind of thing but after some hours of reading, i found this really interesting and would to do something with a PLC.

I would like to simulate a power substation using SCADA software and a real PLC. My concern is if its possible providing a PLC with virtual inputs using a SCADA. I do not want to produce any real/physical inputs.

I have learnt that the PLC require understanding of gates which am good at but my worry is how i can incooperate in timers and comparisons and also use of analog signals. Any good literature sources are appreciated.

Thanks

Cole

Hello Cole.

Are you thinking of a PLC or SCADA brand in particular ?
Many programming softwares have a simulated software PLC that can be used for exactly this purpose.
It is also possible to use a real PLC that is not connected to any real i/o.
All PLCs that I know of can manipulate the inputs programmatically, so that you could let inputs change to reflect what the outputs does. I use this extensively to test my programs before they are used in the real installation.

First of all thanks Jesper for that information. It's really going to help me. Just to have more ideas with me, could you please enlighten me on the best softwares that have a PLC incoperated and is also able to creat a power system? Was thinking of SCADA.

As for the PLC and SCADA in particular, i haven't thought of one and to be frank, i wasn't sure if a number of them existed. Enlighten me on that please.

Thanks

Cole

You ask for a lot of info.
As to "best", then that is very subjective.

I use Siemens S7 and there is a simulator called PLCSIM that works with Siemens WinCC and WinCC Flexible SCADA software. With these I can test my programs before they must run for real.
The simulation of the hardware maye be simple, like output goes on --> input goes on. Or it may be more complicated with a complicated process with many parameters. Such a simulation cannot be 100% perfect.

PLCSIM is good for basic simulation of the PLC. If you choose to base it on PCS7 which is Siemens process control system, there are some more options.

1 Simulate fieldbus interfaces via an HMI screen SimbaPRO FAT.
2. Build up a functional plant model and connect it to a PLC to simulate the process via SIMIT.

I believe that SimbaPRO FAT is bundled within SIMIT. At least it was in PCS7 version 7.0. (current version of PCS7 is 7.1)

Here is an excerpt from Siemens website that describes the simulation software in brief.

• Controller Simulator (PLCSim) – Allows development and testing of configuration logic without controller hardware
• SIMBApro FAT – For simulation of I/O signal response (conventional I/O and digital fieldbus) in order to test timing and system loading
• SIMIT – Modular software simulation package that can be used for panel checkout, loopback testing, to simulate mass flow (through pipes, tanks, pumps, valves and heat exchangers), batch / recipe development and operator training