How to Use Simscape Electrical in Simulink: Step-by-Step Guide

To use Simscape Electrical in Simulink, start by opening a Simulink model and adding Simscape Electrical components from the library browser. Connect electrical elements like resistors, capacitors, and sources, then run the simulation to analyze electrical behavior.

Syntax

Simscape Electrical uses blocks from the Simulink library to build electrical circuits. The basic syntax involves:

• Adding blocks: Use components like Resistor, Voltage Source, and Ground.
• Connecting blocks: Connect electrical ports with lines representing wires.
• Simulation: Run the model to see voltage, current, and power results.

matlab

simulink;
open_system('simscape');
% Add blocks like 'Electrical Sources/Voltage Source'
% Connect blocks with lines
% Run simulation with 'sim' command

Example

This example shows how to create a simple circuit with a voltage source, resistor, and ground, then simulate it to observe current and voltage.

matlab

model = 'simple_electrical_circuit';
new_system(model);
open_system(model);

% Add Voltage Source block
add_block('simscape/Electrical/Sources/Voltage Source',[model '/Voltage Source'], 'Position',[100 100 140 140]);

% Add Resistor block
add_block('simscape/Electrical/Passive/Resistor',[model '/Resistor'], 'Position',[250 100 290 140]);
set_param([model '/Resistor'], 'Resistance', '10');

% Add Electrical Reference (Ground)
add_block('simscape/Electrical/Sources/Electrical Reference',[model '/Ground'], 'Position',[250 200 290 240]);

% Connect blocks
add_line(model, 'Voltage Source/RConn1','Resistor/LConn1');
add_line(model, 'Resistor/RConn1','Ground/LConn1');
add_line(model, 'Ground/RConn1','Voltage Source/LConn1');

% Add Solver Configuration
add_block('simscape/Solver Configuration',[model '/Solver Configuration'], 'Position',[50 200 90 240]);
add_line(model, 'Solver Configuration/RConn1','Voltage Source/LConn1');

% Save and simulate
save_system(model);
sim(model);

% Close system after simulation
close_system(model, 0);

Output

Simulation completed successfully with voltage source driving current through a 10-ohm resistor.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using Simscape Electrical include:

• Not adding an Electrical Reference (Ground) block, which causes simulation errors.
• Incorrectly connecting blocks, such as mixing electrical ports with physical signal ports.
• Forgetting to add a Solver Configuration block, which is required for simulation.
• Setting unrealistic parameter values that cause solver failures.

matlab

%% Wrong way: Missing ground
model = 'missing_ground';
new_system(model);
open_system(model);
add_block('simscape/Electrical/Sources/Voltage Source',[model '/Voltage Source'], 'Position',[100 100 140 140]);
add_block('simscape/Electrical/Passive/Resistor',[model '/Resistor'], 'Position',[250 100 290 140]);
add_line(model, 'Voltage Source/RConn1','Resistor/LConn1');
% No ground added
% Simulation will fail

%% Right way: Add ground
add_block('simscape/Electrical/Sources/Electrical Reference',[model '/Ground'], 'Position',[250 200 290 240]);
add_line(model, 'Resistor/RConn1','Ground/LConn1');
add_line(model, 'Ground/RConn1','Voltage Source/LConn1');

Quick Reference

Here is a quick checklist for using Simscape Electrical:

• Always include Electrical Reference (ground) in your circuit.
• Use Solver Configuration block for simulation setup.
• Connect electrical ports only to electrical ports.
• Set realistic component parameters (resistance, voltage, etc.).
• Run simulation and use scopes or data logging to analyze results.

Key Takeaways

Always add an Electrical Reference (ground) block to avoid simulation errors.

Use Solver Configuration block to enable Simscape simulations.

Connect only electrical ports to each other to build valid circuits.

Set component parameters carefully to ensure stable simulation.

Run simulations and analyze results with scopes or data logging.