gEDA-user: gnucap: Multi-disciplinary / mixed language simulation

[Dan McMahill]

Peter Clifton wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> As part of my research into linear generators, it would be useful to
> produce a full system level simulation combining gnucap as well as
> mechanical modelling I have in Octave.
> 
> Another student has done circuit modelling for the power conversion
> stage (using PSpice), and my work so far has investigated the mechanical
> aspects of the system in Octave.
> 
> To solve for the system's response, I find myself implementing crude
> circuit models in Octave, I wounder if there is some way to embed
> gnucap, calling it to provide solutions to circuit-side aspects of the
> system from within the mechanical simulation. I'm not sure how the
> time-stepping of the two numerical solvers would tie together though.
> 
> I'm keen to write a gnucap model for the generator at some stage, so
> more accurate modelling of arbitrary converter waveforms / control
> algorithms can be evaluated for the system as a whole.
> 
> I'm currently going around in circles trying to work out whether is is
> best to try and build a mechanical model of the generator into gnucap
> (probably calling Octave), or to try and use gnucap to solve the
> electrical problems for a "system" simulation in Octave. (Which may well
> be embedded in a gui).
> 
> Anyone have any thoughts... or know of such things being done before?

I'm not sure about how far verilog-a support is or is not in gnucap, but 
would that be a sufficiently powerful language for your model of the 
mechanical system?  It would seem like it ought to be.

There is also some work on getting verilog-a models working in ng-spice. 
  I have not looked in any detail there to be able to comment on the 
current state.

-Dan