A General Purpose Co-Simulation C++/Python Framework for Strongly Coupled Electro-Mechanical Phenomena: ChElectronicsLib

EasyChair Preprint 13430

Abstract

Multibody dynamics (MBD) represent an essential and consolidated tool for the comprehensive kinematic and dynamic analysis of general mechanical systems, involving both rigid and flexible bodies interactions. However, the reliability and effectiveness of standard multibody dynamic simulation software can diminish in presence of strongly coupled phenomena spanning multiple physical domains, such as in the context of electro-mechanical systems. In these cases, where events of various physical natures are closely interconnected, the simulation software’s applicability may become less reliable. In certain applications, the interdependence among various domains exhibits strong correlations, thus a decoupled solution is considered impractical and co-simulation is re-quired. To address this limitation, this paper focuses on the integration of multibody dynamics (MBD) with equivalent circuit modeling (ECM) in order to effectively solve strong coupled mechanical and electrical systems. In particular this work proposes a novel C++/Python framework, called ChElectronicsLib, based on a two-way coupling between the multiphysics dynamics Project Chrono (PC) with the general purpose circuit simulator engine NGSpice (NGS) to solve complex interaction problems between mechanical and electronic domains. This framework aims to address complex interaction challenges between mechanical and electronic domains. Finally, in order to validate the proposed co-simulation library, the results of an experimental test, that takes under analysis a miniature DC motor coupled with a simple mechanical system, are compared with the numerical results obtained through the presented multi-physics model. ChElectronicsLib tries to bridge the gap between mechanical and electronic domains, allowing for more accurate and comprehensive simulation of systems where these interactions play a crucial role.

Keyphrases: Electro-mechanic simulation, Multibody, Project Chrono, SPICE, analog electronics, multiphysics coupling

@booklet{EasyChair:13430,
  author    = {Federico Maria Reato and Matteo Santelia and Claudio Ricci and Filippo Morlacchi and Simone Cinquemani},
  title     = {A General Purpose Co-Simulation C++/Python Framework for Strongly Coupled Electro-Mechanical Phenomena: ChElectronicsLib},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 13430},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2024}}