A simulation platform for systems analysis theory and applications

The analysis of systems can often benefit from the use of simulation. Simulation can be used to study the behavior of individual components in the system, study the interaction of various components, or fine-tune the set points of control devices. Prosim, a general-purpose simulation platform developed at the University of Waterloo, allows the interactive definition and simulation of individual components. Using drag and drop techniques, individual components can be assembled into larger systems which can be simulated. The outputs of the simulation are available either in numeric or graphical form. Prosim is characterized by its totally interactive approach to simulation, its use of graph-theoretic concepts such as through and nodal variables, and its innovative use of symbolic processing to solve for the state of the system. In this paper we show how Prosim can be used to study the interactions between various components of a system. The system chosen is a directly-coupled solar photovoltaic (PV) water-pumping system. The PV array is used to power an electric motor, which rotates a centrifugal pump circulating water in a closed loop. Inefficiencies resulting from mismatches between the characteristics of the array and the motor are shown with the help of simulations.