PSIM Software

Last updated
Developer(s) Powersim
Initial releaseJune 1994;29 years ago (1994-06)
Stable release
2021a / 16 March 2021;2 years ago (2021-03-16) [1]
Operating system Microsoft Windows
Type Simulation software
License Proprietary, Trialware
Website www.powersimtech.com

PSIM is an Electronic circuit simulation software package, designed specifically for use in power electronics and motor drive simulations but can be used to simulate any electronic circuit. Developed by Powersim, PSIM uses nodal analysis and the trapezoidal rule integration [2] as the basis of its simulation algorithm. PSIM provides a schematic capture interface and a waveform viewer Simview. PSIM has several modules that extend its functionality into specific areas of circuit simulation and design including: control theory, [3] electric motors, [4] photovoltaics [5] and wind turbines [6] PSIM is used by industry for research and product development and it is used by educational institutions for research and teaching [7] and was acquired by Altair Engineering in March 2022. [8]

Contents

Modules

PSIM has various add on modules, the full list and their descriptions can be found on the Powersim website. There are modules that enable motor drive simulation, digital control, and the calculation of thermal losses due to switching and conduction. [9] There is a renewable energy module which allows for the simulation of photovoltaics (including temperature effects), batteries, supercapacitor, and wind turbines. Additionally there are several modules which allow co-simulation with other platforms to verify VHDL or Verilog code or to co simulate with an FEA program. The programs that PSIM currently co-simulates with are: Simulink, JMAG, and ModelSim.

PSIM currently supports automatic c-code generation with the SimCoder Module and will output c-code for use with Texas Instruments F2833x and F2803x floating and fixed point digital signal processors from the C2000 series. With PSIM version 10.0.4, PSIM has support for Freescale Semiconductor Kinetis V series MCU.

In addition, PSIM's Processor-In-Loop simulation or PIL Module was to control a PSIM simulation with code that is executing on a TI DSP or MCU.

Comparison with SPICE

PSIM has a much faster simulation speed than SPICE based simulators based on its usage of the ideal switch. With the additional Digital and SimCoupler Modules almost any kind of logic algorithm can be simulated. Since PSIM uses ideal switches the simulated waveforms will reflect this, making PSIM more suited for system level studies rather than switching transition studies. Additionally, PSIM has a simplified interface compared to other simulators and as a result has a more intuitive interface. [10] [11]

MOSFET and Diode Level 2 models were added in the version 10 release. These models allow the simulation of the switch transition, reverse recovery effects, and gate drive circuitry. [12] A comparison with a PSIM & SPICE model of the same device showed similar resulting waveforms with a comparable simulation speed given identical operating conditions. [13] PowerSim recently partnered with CoolCAD Electronics to add CoolSPICE, a SPICE based integrated circuit modeling and design tool, as a bundle option for the PSIM software package. [14] The advantage being that PSIM would then have the flexibility to be able to run SPICE based models and net-lists.

Licensing

There are various licensing options available for PSIM. There is a free demo version which does not expire but is limited in component count and allowed circuit complexity. The standard/student version allows for the simulation of less complex circuits for a reduced cost. PowerSim does have educational licensing options, some are free, for institutions to address simulation requirements for research and for teaching.

Related Research Articles

In computer engineering, a hardware description language (HDL) is a specialized computer language used to describe the structure and behavior of electronic circuits, and most commonly, digital logic circuits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insulated-gate bipolar transistor</span> Type of solid state switch

An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily forming an electronic switch. It was developed to combine high efficiency with fast switching. It consists of four alternating layers (P–N–P–N) that are controlled by a metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) gate structure.

SPICE is a general-purpose, open-source analog electronic circuit simulator. It is a program used in integrated circuit and board-level design to check the integrity of circuit designs and to predict circuit behavior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simulink</span> Programming environment

Simulink is a MATLAB-based graphical programming environment for modeling, simulating and analyzing multidomain dynamical systems. Its primary interface is a graphical block diagramming tool and a customizable set of block libraries. It offers tight integration with the rest of the MATLAB environment and can either drive MATLAB or be scripted from it. Simulink is widely used in automatic control and digital signal processing for multidomain simulation and model-based design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power electronics</span> Technology of power electronics

Power electronics is the application of electronics to the control and conversion of electric power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OrCAD</span> Electronic design automation software

OrCAD Systems Corporation was a software company that made OrCAD, a proprietary software tool suite used primarily for electronic design automation (EDA). The software is used mainly by electronic design engineers and electronic technicians to create electronic schematics, and perform mixed-signal simulation and electronic prints for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs). OrCAD was taken over by Cadence Design Systems in 1999 and was integrated with Cadence Allegro in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PLECS</span> Simulation software for electrical circuits

PLECS is a software tool for system-level simulations of electrical circuits developed by Plexim. It is especially designed for power electronics but can be used for any electrical network. PLECS includes the possibility to model controls and different physical domains besides the electrical system.

VisSim is a visual block diagram program for simulation of dynamical systems and model-based design of embedded systems, with its own visual language. It is developed by Visual Solutions of Westford, Massachusetts. Visual Solutions was acquired by Altair in August 2014 and its products have been rebranded as Altair Embed as a part of Altair's Model Based Development Suite. With Embed, you can develop virtual prototypes of dynamic systems. Models are built by sliding blocks into the work area and wiring them together with the mouse. Embed automatically converts the control diagrams into C-code ready to be downloaded to the target hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micro-Cap</span>

Micro-Cap is a SPICE compatible analog/digital circuit simulator with an integrated schematic editor that provides an interactive sketch and simulate environment for electronics engineers. It was developed by Spectrum Software, and was only available with a paid commercial license. In July 2019, Spectrum Software closed down and Micro-Cap was released as freeware. Software updates and technical support are no longer available. In early 2023, their website went offline, though it was previously backed up at archive.org.

Intel Quartus Prime is programmable logic device design software produced by Intel; prior to Intel's acquisition of Altera the tool was called Altera Quartus Prime, earlier Altera Quartus II. Quartus Prime enables analysis and synthesis of HDL designs, which enables the developer to compile their designs, perform timing analysis, examine RTL diagrams, simulate a design's reaction to different stimuli, and configure the target device with the programmer. Quartus Prime includes an implementation of VHDL and Verilog for hardware description, visual editing of logic circuits, and vector waveform simulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CircuitLogix</span> Electronic circuit simulator software

CircuitLogix is a software electronic circuit simulator which uses PSpice to simulate thousands of electronic devices, models, and circuits. CircuitLogix supports analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits, and its SPICE simulation gives accurate real-world results. The graphic user interface allows students to quickly and easily draw, modify and combine analog and digital circuit diagrams. CircuitLogix was first launched in 2005, and its popularity has grown quickly since that time. In 2012, it reached the milestone of 250,000 licensed users, and became the first electronics simulation product to have a global installed base of a quarter-million customers in over 100 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic circuit simulation</span>

Electronic circuit simulation uses mathematical models to replicate the behavior of an actual electronic device or circuit. Simulation software allows for modeling of circuit operation and is an invaluable analysis tool. Due to its highly accurate modeling capability, many colleges and universities use this type of software for the teaching of electronics technician and electronics engineering programs. Electronics simulation software engages its users by integrating them into the learning experience. These kinds of interactions actively engage learners to analyze, synthesize, organize, and evaluate content and result in learners constructing their own knowledge.

Simulation software is based on the process of modeling a real phenomenon with a set of mathematical formulas. It is, essentially, a program that allows the user to observe an operation through simulation without actually performing that operation. Simulation software is used widely to design equipment so that the final product will be as close to design specs as possible without expensive in process modification. Simulation software with real-time response is often used in gaming, but it also has important industrial applications. When the penalty for improper operation is costly, such as airplane pilots, nuclear power plant operators, or chemical plant operators, a mock up of the actual control panel is connected to a real-time simulation of the physical response, giving valuable training experience without fear of a disastrous outcome.

PowerEsim is an electronic circuit simulation software for online switched-mode power supply (SMPS) and transformer design. It can carry out loss analysis at component and circuit level, simulation of board temperature, design verification, failure rate analysis and generate relevant reports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SimulationX</span> Software application

SimulationX is a CAE software application running on Microsoft Windows for the physical simulation of technical systems. It is developed and sold by ESI Group.

LTspice is a SPICE-based analog electronic circuit simulator computer software, produced by semiconductor manufacturer Analog Devices. It is the most widely distributed and used SPICE software in the industry. Though it is freeware, LTspice is not artificially restricted to limit its capabilities. It ships with a library of SPICE models from Analog Devices, Linear Technology, Maxim Integrated, and third-party sources.

Toolkit for Interactive Network Analysis (TINA) is a SPICE-based electronics design and training software by DesignSoft of Budapest. Its features include analog, digital, and mixed circuit simulations, and printed circuit board (PCB) design.

CoolSPICE is a computer-aided design tool for electronic circuit development. It is a version of the SPICE simulation tool that focuses on design and simulation for circuit operation at cryogenic temperatures, circuits operating with Wide-bandgap semiconductors, and simulation of thermal effects on circuit performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SPICE OPUS</span> Analog circuit simulator software

SPICE OPUS is a free general purpose electronic circuit simulator, developed and maintaned by members of EDA Group, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is based on original Berkeley’s SPICE analog circuit simulator and inlcudes various improvements and advances, such as memory-leak bug fixes and plotting tool improvements. SPICE OPUS is specially designed for fast optimization loops via its built-in optimizer.

References

  1. ↑ "Version History | Powersim, Inc". powersimtech.com. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  2. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Powersim Inc. Retrieved Nov 26, 2013.
  3. ↑ Pahlevaninezhad, Majid; Pritam Das; Gerry Moschopoulos; Praveen Jain (March 17, 2013). "SENSORLESS CONTROL OF A BOOST PFC AC/DC CONVERTER WITH A VERY FAST TRANSIENT RESPONSE". Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Long Beach, CA: IEEE. pp. 356–360.
  4. ↑ Sukesh, Nikhil; Majid Pahlevaninezhad; Praveen Jain (March 17, 2013). "Novel Torque Predictive Control for a Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motor with Minimum Torque Ripple and Fast Dynamics". Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Long Beach, CA: IEEE. pp. 2253–2258.
  5. ↑ Nélio N. Lima; Luiz C. de Freitas; Gustavo M. Buiatti; João B. Vieira Jr.; Luiz C. G. Freitas; Ernane A. A. Coelho (March 17, 2013). "Low Complexity System for Real-time Determination of Current-Voltage Characteristic of PV Modules and Strings". Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Long Beach, CA: IEEE. pp. 2817–2813.
  6. ↑ Mohamed Hilmy; Mohamed Orabi; Mahrous Ahmed; Mohamed El-Nemr; Mohamed Youssef (March 6, 2011). "A Less Sensor Control Method for Standalone Small Wind Energy Using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator". Twenty-sixth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Fort Worth, TX: IEEE. pp. 1968–1974.
  7. ↑ "UBC Power Group useful links". University of British Columbia, department of Electrical Engineering. UBC. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. ↑ "Altair Acquires Powersim to Boost Its Electronic System Design Capabilities". Engineering.com. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  9. ↑ Martinez, C.; A. Lazaro; C. Lucena; I. Quesada; P. Zumel; A. Barrado (March 17, 2013). "Improved Modulator for Losses Reduction in Auxiliary Railway Power Supplies". Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Long Beach, CA: IEEE. pp. 2324–2331.
  10. ↑ Raghuwanshi, Santosh; Ankita Singh; Yamini mokhariwale (March 2012). "A Comparison & Performance of Simulation Tools MATLAB/SIMULINK, PSIM & PSPICE for Power Electronics Circuits" (PDF). International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering. IJARCSSE. 2 (3): 187–191. ISSN   2277-128X.
  11. ↑ Ben-yaakov, Sam (October 2006). Control Design of PWM Converters: The User friendly Approach (PDF). Long Beach, CA: Power Electronics Technologies Conference.
  12. ↑ "PSIM Version History". Powersim Inc. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Intro to PSIM level 2 MOSFET & Comparison with SPICE". Powersim Inc. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  14. ↑ Ferreira, B. (2016). Expanding Power Electronics Activities Across the Globe [President's Message]. IEEE Power Electronics Magazine, 3(1), 6-8.
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