From May 25 to June 19, 2026, Institute of Electronics and Computer Science (EDI) young researcher Roberts Lazdiņš undertook a scientific research visit to the Institute of Energy Systems and Fluid Mechanics at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW IEFE) in Winterthur, Switzerland. The long-term visit took place within the framework of the second work package of the LACISE project, aiming to master real-time simulator systems, establish a virtual data channel between the infrastructure of both institutes, and participate in the project’s general meeting at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen.
During the visit, the primary focus was placed on simulator integration and data synchronisation. In collaboration with ZHAW colleagues, two interconnected Kundur system models were developed in the DIgSILENT PowerFactory environment. Based on this, two-system ePHASORSIM blocks were created, and real-time data exchange and synchronization between EDI and ZHAW OPAL-RT real-time simulators were successfully implemented using OPC UA communication, alongside custom-written Python UDP codes. Additionally, under the guidance of Professor Mario R. A. Paternina from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Roberts, together with his ZHAW colleagues, developed an online tool for the automatic detection of frequency oscillations using Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) data. The scientific paper on this concept, prepared during the visit, has already been submitted to the International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems (IJEPES, Q1), and plans are underway to prepare a conference publication for RTUCON 2026.
At the conclusion of the research visit, Roberts participated in the LACISE general meeting at the Paul Scherrer Institute, where he presented the achieved results and took part in discussions regarding the future progress of the project.
The visit provided an excellent opportunity to establish new contacts with leading energy researchers from Switzerland and Mexico, laying the groundwork for future joint project proposals and scientific publications.