Overview of the co-simulation methods for power and communication system

Smart grid is a space-time multidimensional heterogeneous system integrated with cyber system and power system. Because of event-driven discrete characteristic of communication system and continuous characteristic of power system, it is difficult to study power and communication hybrid system. In traditional researches, the model of either system was simplified and run in one single platform, while the accuracy and practicability of study results can't be guaranteed. Therefore, co-simulation methods have become a research hotspot which can be used to analyze complex dynamic performance of power and communication hybrid system. This paper summarizes existing co-simulation methods by classifying them into three types: unified simulation methods, non-real-time simulation methods and real-time simulation methods. Simulation tools, system architecture and data synchronization problems are also overviewed and analyzed in detail. In order to increase simulation precision and efficiency, a new time synchronization method based on state cache is proposed.