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Electrical simulation methods have been developed extensively to simulate electrical and electronic circuits. It is commonly recognised that there are electrical analogs to mechanical components using mass, springs and dampers which can then be represented as capacitors, inductors and resistors, with these analogous circuit simulations it is then possible to determine the systems response to arbitrary user inputs, and perform frequency response sweeps, and to optimise component values to minimise overshoots and resonances, in many cases analogous circuit simulations can provide quick and elegant solutions to problems in other physical realms.

In my career as a research engineer (electrical) I've used electrically analogous systems several times but rarely come across other EE's doing the same.

There must be many other interesting practical applications of physical systems that are designed or analysed based on analogous electrical systems.

Background reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical%E2%80%93electrical_analogies

https://lpsa.swarthmore.edu/Analogs/ElectricalMechanicalAnalogs.html

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    \$\begingroup\$ Try engineering.stackexchange.com \$\endgroup\$
    – brhans
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 13:30
  • \$\begingroup\$ Hang in there, BobT. Some people are too quick to jump. \$\endgroup\$
    – analogsystemsrf
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 14:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ Analog computers can model differential equations, hence they are capable of modeling physical systems of various nature. You might want to listen to what Bob Pease had to say about them: youtube.com/watch?v=AEJtajaRj_s \$\endgroup\$
    – Sredni Vashtar
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 15:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ @brhans - no, this would be off-topic on the general engineering SE as well, because it is a "What are some?" question, while SE sites (at least the engineering ones) are strictly reserved only for questions which have specific, definitive answers - questions which seek an open-ended list of possibilities are simply not allowed. \$\endgroup\$
    – Chris Stratton
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 15:49

2 Answers 2

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Thermal modeling is a good application of electronic modeling methods that is also necessary directly in most electronic design.

There's no analog of inductors in thermal modeling, but resistors, capacitors, and even transmission lines are useful, especially if you are modelling dynamic situations where you may have power varying as a function of time.

For example, from here is a model of transistor Tj with periodic avalanches.

enter image description here

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    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for that, thermal transient modelling is a great example, you can use the "power in a device" as input to a voltage controlled current source to inject "heat" into your heatsink. \$\endgroup\$
    – BobT
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 15:17
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I've designed a few multi-domain systems e.g.

  1. A nodding mirror drive, where the inertial energy was swapped back and forth to a storage capacitor in a semi-resonant manner for high effiency. Vibration and acoustic noise cancelling/attenuation methods for aircraft and helicopter mounted metrology systems.
  2. Refrigeration and environmental control of airborne instrumentation chambers.
  3. 6DoF motion simulator modelled on 6 class AB audio amplifiers, and using hydraulic valves as "transistors", capillaries as "resistors", relief valves as "current limiters" with inner loop feedback from accelerometers, to achieve much faster dynamics at much higher efficiencies
  4. A thermal model of my own home to optimise heating (& cooling) by passive solar/reverse cycle air-con/gas heat to minimise costs.
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    \$\begingroup\$ This is not a mechanical design site. \$\endgroup\$
    – Elliot Alderson
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 11:39
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    \$\begingroup\$ The question relates to how Electrical Engineers have used electronic circuit simulation tools to solve problems in other domains, while helping out their colleagues in other engineering disciplines. Design of heatsinks for electronic components use equivalent resistances and potentials, and design of generators and motors (particularly servo motors) commonly include equivalent circuit elements. I'm just inquiring whether other Electrical Engineers have used Spice or similar simulations to extend to other application areas. \$\endgroup\$
    – BobT
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 14:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ This does not answer the question, and should be posted as a comment \$\endgroup\$
    – Voltage Spike ♦
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 15:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ @BobT why don't you expand a bit on one or two topics?. I find the thermal model of a house most interesting. How did you implement it and how did you estimate the relevant parameters? \$\endgroup\$
    – Sredni Vashtar
    Commented Aug 8, 2020 at 15:48
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    \$\begingroup\$ @jasen , Hey, cut me some slack, Newbie here! This is my first question on Stack Exchange, So I'm floundering around, the answer I posted did match my original question, it was designed to get the ball rolling to elicit other responses unfortunately someone clobbered my question as it wasn't "electrical engineering" so I changed the question fix that issue. I'm planning on re-arranging the question, and focus back on thermal modelling as it has some interest. I will also edit my answer at the same time, to focus in on the same area. \$\endgroup\$
    – BobT
    Commented Aug 9, 2020 at 9:35

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