Bond Graph Modeling of Physical Systems With Simbus Bondgraphs

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Multidisciplinary bond graph modeling of physical systems in MATLAB & Simulink

Bond Graph Modeling of Physical Systems in MATLAB & Simulink with Simbus Bondgraphs

Bond graph modeling of physical systems in MATLAB & Simulink is made possible with Simbus Bondgraphs. Simbus Bondgraphs is an add-on to these platforms and has been designed for engineers, scientists, educators, and students who want to model the dynamics of physical systems using the Bond Graph notation.

We are big proponents of the bond graph notation since it supports multidisciplinary engineering.  An example of an electromechanical system and its bond graph is shown here.

Bond graphs describe the behavior of physical systems by considering how energy is stored, released, dissipated, converted, and routed throughout them.  Bond graphs therefore enable us to describe physical systems in a way that is much closer to physical reality than other approaches.

Bond graphs provide a domain-neutral representation for multidomain dynamic systems modeling. This enables multidisciplinary teams to work together easily by using a common and simple terminology.

The bond graph notation is mature and was invented and elaborated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by engineers and for engineers. Bond graphs are now taught to engineering students around the world and the approach is documented in many high-quality textbooks (some of these are listed in the substantial documentation provided with Simbus Bondgraphs).

Simbus Bondgraphs Library

Simbus Bondgraphs provides bond graph elements so that you can construct models of physical systems of arbitrary complexity.  The library is integrated with the Simulink Library Browser and bond graph blocks can be used with regular Simulink blocks with ease.

Other users can modify your models if they have a developer license.  Users who only need to run your models can get a free run-time license.  Developer licenses and run-time licenses can be obtained from our store.

Simbus Bondgraphs Library

Making Bond Graph Modeling of Physical Systems Easy

Simbus Bondgraphs makes building physical models in Simulink easy.  Click on the video below to see the construction of a simple first-order system.  Also, see the kinds of things that you can do with Simbus Bondgraphs.

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Model Complex Machinery

An image of an aircraft landing gear: an example of a mechanical system that can be modeled using bond graphs with Simbus Bondgraphs software for MATLAB and Simulink.

Model Complex Machinery

Simbus Bondgraphs permits you to represent the multiple multiple physical domains such as electrical, mechanical, thermo-hydraulic, thermo-pneumatic, and others to help you to model complex machinery such as vehicles, robots, drones, cargo handling systems, and more.

This machinery can be macroscale systems such as offshore wind turbines or microscale and nanoscale systems such as on-chip actuators and sensors.

Model Biological Systems

Bond graphs are often used to model biological entities and processes such as blood clots, cerebral circulation, pulmonary systems, circulatory systems, and musculoskeletal systems. Many of the same constructs used to nonbiological systems can be reused for biological systems modeling in Simbus Bondgraphs.

Model Biological Systems

Model Energy Systems

An image of a tidal turbine: an example of an electromechanical system that can be modeled using bond graphs with Simbus Bondgraphs software for MATLAB and Simulink.

Model Energy Systems

Simbus Bondgraphs can be used to model all energy system levels from low-level components to transmission-scale elements.

So whether you interest is in modeling energy converters, power electronics, power factor correctors, breakers, or distribution and transmission systems, you will find that Simbus Bondgraphs provides a natural way to describe your system.

Control Systems and Algorithms

Control system design is all about how to manage energy flows.  The energy flow representation of Simbus Bondgraphs enables the efficient design of control systems and other algorithms such as failure-detection, isolation, and recovery schemes.

Multi-resolution modeling is also supported.  Low-order dynamic models can be obtained easily from existing high-order Simbus Bondgraphs models.  Similarly, higher-models can be elaborated from low-order Simbus Bondgraphs models in subsequent systems engineering phases.

Control Systems and Algorithms

An image of a P-I-D controller in parallel form.

Systems Engineering

An image of the entity vee lifecycle model.

Systems Engineering

Good communication across engineering disciplines and the need to quickly explore the effects of architectural and parameter changes are essential, especially during the early systems engineering lifecycle phases.

Successful communication is aided by using a common and meaningful notation of system representation.  This is especially important for conveying information to stakeholders at key review points during your design process.

Simbus Bondgraphs provides the consistent and common notation of bond graphs as well as aiding architectural and parametric reconfigurability.

Fault Studies and Design Assurance

Understanding how unmanaged energy flows cause component failures and how the resulting failure effects can propagate is an important part of system safety and operational / mission assurance. Adoption of model-based approaches to aid assurance activities is becoming widespread and Simbus Bondgraphs is ideally-suited to helping you achieve this effectively.

Simbus Bondgraphs models can be used to investigate adverse loadings, undesirable energy accumulations, and unmanaged energy releases. They can also be used to identify unintended energy-transfer paths, such as in electrical sneak circuits. These paths may span multiple physical domains and Simbus Bondgraphs’ ability to explore the effects of energy transfer from one domain to another is a powerful tool in identifying design faults.

Fault Studies and Design Assurance

An image of a solar photovoltaic panel with an electrical failure. Electrical failures can be modeled using bond graphs with Simbus Bondgraphs software for MATLAB and Simulink.

Teach and Learn Bond Graphs

Teach and Learn Bond Graphs

Simbus Bondgraphs provides an accessible interface with built-in documentation making it suitable to academics, students, and professional engineers alike.

The turn-around time for creating and simulating models makes Simbus Bondgraphs ideal for academics to teach bond graphs using MATLAB and Simulink and for student laboratory and homework assignments.

Get Started with Examples

Get started with Simbus Bondgraphs using the many provided examples.  The examples take you on a journey from simply-connected (series and parallel) static systems to more complex electrical and electromechanical systems.

We will continue to add examples to the product and on this website in future releases.

Get Started with Examples