Multi-physics Modeling of Technological Systems

2Fundamental Concepts of Lumped Parameter-Based Multi-Physics Modeling

Summary

This chapter presents the fundamental concepts of lumped parameter-based multi-physics modeling. It enables the modeling of a mechatronic type of multi-domain technological systems. Nowadays, it is implemented by many software programs such as Simscape, AMESim, VHDL-AMS, Dymola, and OpenModelica. Most of the examples presented in this chapter use Dymola (Dassault Systèmes), which is a simulation environment of models in Modelica language. The general structure of this chapter aims to introduce the following:

• – Various modeling levels encountered in mechatronic systems engineering;
• – Use of simple examples to illustrate notions related to lumped parameters and acausal modeling;
• – Main physical concepts captured by multi-physics modeling: Kirchhoff’s laws and energy flows;
• – An example of a mechatronic system: power window system.

These modeling principles will be reviewed and applied to exercises that involve known effects and parameters. They enable the review of fundamental concepts and provide an introduction to the setup and simulation of Modelica models.

Learning outcomes

On completing this chapter, the reader is expected to:

• – Referring to Kirchhoff’s laws applied to multi-physics models with lumped parameters:
  • - Know the power and energy variables in electricity, mechanics, and hydraulics;
  • - Know the characteristic equations of the transformer, storage, and dissipation elements in electricity, ...