F. Wörnle, C. Zhou, and D.K. Harrison (UK)
Simulation, Modelling, Non-linear, Ferro-resonance, Chaos
Throughout the past few decades, scientists of many different areas have reported an increasing number of dynamic effects which cannot be explained using linear models alone. A pronounced non-linear characteristic of the underlying process often manifests itself in form of major signal distortions and, sometimes, completely unexpected system responses. It has been suggested that neglecting non-linearity can pose a serious problem, as equipment might malfunction, thereby putting the operating personnel at risk. A design engineer is thus faced with the difficult task of having to consider the impact of non-linearity on the dynamic performance of the system. The wide availability of powerful simulation packages has greatly facilitated investigations in this area. Numerical integration packages such as MATLAB and Simulink now allow a user to put together large simulations for non-linear systems within minutes. However, when it comes to investigating chaotic oscillations, great care has to be taken to avoid spurious responses and misleading simulation results. This paper highlights some of the pitfalls, which have lead to a number of published results with uncertain expressiveness. The example system used throughout this contribution is a ferro-resonant oscillating circuit, as can be found in many power system applications.
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