Welcome to SPS Software! If you have just installed the toolbox and are wondering how to take your first steps, you are in the right place.
SPS (Smart Power Simulations) operates seamlessly within MATLAB/Simulinkâ„¢, but it requires a few specific steps to get the most out of its specialized solvers. Here is your quick-start roadmap:
Rule 1: Where to find SPS Software blocks
Since SPS is a Simulink add-on, you won’t find a separate desktop icon for it.
To access the blocks:
- Open MATLAB.
- In the Command Window, simply type
sps_liband press Enter. - This will open the specialized library containing everything from basic RLC branches to complex motor drives and renewables.
Alternatively, you can also access them from Simulink Library browser, under OPAL-RT SPS Software.
Rule 2: The Golden Rule (The powergui block)
If there is one thing you must remember, it is this: Every SPS model requires a powergui block.
- Drag the
powerguiblock into your empty Simulink canvas. - You can choose between two methods to solve the circuit; EMT or PHASOR. For each method, you can use continuous or discrete solver.
- Select how to initialize the model. This can be done by setting electrical initial state in the blocks, for simple model. For more complex model, load flow analyzer can be also used.
Rule 3: Don’t start from scratch!
The best way to learn is by exploring working models. Before you build a complex microgrid from a blank page:
- Browse our community’s File Exchange to download benchmark models already optimized for SPS.
- Check out the Official Example Models on our documentation wiki.
Rule 4: Ask for Help
Stuck on a solver error? Not sure which transformer block to use?
Head over to the Q&A Category. Remember to share a screenshot of your circuit and your error message so the community can help you faster.
Ready to go deeper? Check out our other tutorials in this category to learn about advanced topics like Load Flow, Initialization, and Transients! 