Automatic Harmonic Number Identification for Circuit Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current harmonic balance analysis in simulations lacks the ability to automatically determine the optimal harmonic number, leading to inaccuracies or excessive computational time due to incorrect harmonic number settings.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to automatically determine the optimal harmonic number by applying a periodic input waveform to a modeled circuit, detecting steady state response, and calculating time and frequency domain power values to converge on the appropriate harmonic number for accurate simulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guessed harmonic number is used for harmonic balance analysis, then the simulation can proceed, but the simulation result suffers from aliasing error, inaccuracy, and/or lack of convergence
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the optimal harmonic number by analyzing the circuit's steady state response and calculating power values across different harmonics. The harmonic number is selected based on when the time domain power value and frequency domain power value converge, eliminating the need for user guessing while ensuring accurate simulation results without aliasing errors or convergence issues.
2Reliability
If a large harmonic number is used to ensure accuracy, then the simulation becomes more accurate, but the simulation takes a long time and/or runs out of memory
Solution Approach 1:
Before performing the full harmonic balance analysis, the system performs a preliminary transient simulation to detect when the circuit reaches steady state response. This preliminary action identifies the optimal harmonic number in advance, allowing the subsequent harmonic balance simulation to use the minimum necessary harmonics, thereby reducing computation time and memory usage while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines the optimal harmonic number by monitoring power values across different harmonic components. By changing the harmonic number parameter based on the convergence of time domain and frequency domain power values, the system achieves accurate results with minimal computational resources, avoiding both under-sampling errors and excessive simulation time.
3Productivity
If the entered harmonic number is too small, then the simulation runs faster, but the simulation result suffers from aliasing error, inaccuracy, and/or lack of convergence
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from power value calculations across different harmonics to automatically determine the optimal harmonic number. By monitoring when the time domain power value and frequency domain power value converge, the system identifies the minimum sufficient harmonic number, ensuring both fast simulation and accurate results without aliasing errors or convergence problems.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for identifying an optimal harmonic number of a circuit are disclosed. In a simulation of the circuit, a periodic input waveform up to a particular number of periods is applied to the modeled circuit and an output waveform is obtained in response. In response to detection of a steady state response of the output waveform, embodiments simulate the circuit by applying an additional period of the periodic input waveform and obtaining the output waveform corresponding to the additional period of the periodic input waveform. A time domain power value and a frequency domain power value are calculated using the output waveform corresponding to the additional period of the periodic input waveform. Embodiments detect a harmonic of the output waveform corresponding to the additional period of the periodic input waveform at which the time domain power value and the frequency domain power value converge with each other.