Computer Simulation of Continuous Systems

Simulating a continuous process on a (computer) model provides a means of understanding how a system will behave when it is subject to particular constraints. Computers are of particular use for this purpose as the system is one which involves differential equations, eg. the behaviour of the vehicle suspension systems and chemical reactions. The book describes how analogue, digital and hybrid computers are used in simulating continuous systems. Their use is illustrated in the text by a number of simple problems and most chapters also contain examples of varying complexity selected from a range of scientific and engineering disciplines. A short appendix describes the functioning of analogue and hybrid units; for the rest of the book a knowledge of electric circuit theory is not required.

Preface; 1. Computer simulation; 2. Analogue and simple parallel logic computers; 3. Study of differential equation problems by analogue simulation; 4. Generation of functions and the independent variable; 5. Generation of functions of a dependent variable; 6. Analogue memory and its applications; 7. Miscellaneous advanced techniques; 8. Digital simulation; 9. Hybrid computers; 10. Sequential hybrid computing; 11. Applications involving simultaneous computation; 12. Simulation in control; Appendices; Further reading; Index.

Simulating a continuous process on a (computer) model provides a means of understanding how a system will behave when it is subject to particular constraints. This book describes how analogue, digital and hybrid computers are used in simulating continuous systems. Their use is illustrated by numerous simple problems.