Multi-domain modelling and simulation

Abstract

One starting point for the analysis and design of a control system is the block diagram representation of a plant. Since it is nontrivial to convert a physical model of a plant into a block diagram, this can be performed manually only for small plant models. Based on research from the last 35 years, more and more mature tools are available to achieve this transformation fully automatically. As a result, multi-domain plants, for example, systems with electrical, mechanical, thermal, and fluid parts, can be modeled in a unified way and can be used directly as input–output blocks for control system design. An overview of the basic principles of this approach is given. This provides also the possibility to use nonlinear, multi-domain plant models directly in a controller. Finally, the low-level “Functional Mockup Interface” standard is sketched to exchange multi-domain models between many different modeling and simulation environments.