Variable Capacitor

Discrete variable capacitor

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Libraries:
Simscape / Electrical / Specialized Power Systems / Passives

Description

The Variable Capacitor block represents a linear time-varying capacitor. It implements a discrete variable capacitor as a voltage source. The capacitance is specified by the Simulink^® input signal. The capacitance value can be negative.

When you use a Variable Capacitor block in your model, set the powergui block Simulation type to Discrete and select the Automatically handle Discrete solver and Advanced tab solver settings of blocks parameter in the Preferences tab. The robust discrete solver is used to discretize the electrical model. Simulink signals an error if the robust discrete solver is not used.

Equations

The block uses the following equations for the relationship between the voltage, v, across the device and the current through the capacitor, i, when the capacitance at port C is C:

$$i=C\frac{dv}{dt}.$$

Ports

Input

C — Capacitance

Simulink signal

Input port associated with the capacitance. The capacitance can be negative and must be finite.

Conserving

+ — Positive terminal

specialized electrical

Specialized electrical conserving port associated with the capacitor positive voltage.

- — Negative terminal

specialized electrical

Specialized electrical conserving port associated with the capacitor negative voltage.

Parameters

Discrete Solver — Solver type

Backward Euler (default) | Trapezoidal

Robust integration method used by the block. The discrete solver method is automatically set to Trapezoidal when, in the powergui block, in the Preferences settings, you select Automatically handle discrete solver and Advanced tab solver settings of blocks.

The Trapezoidal robust solver is slightly more accurate than the Backward Euler robust solver, especially when the model is simulated at larger sample times. The Trapezoidal robust solver may produce slight damped numerical oscillations on machine voltage in no-load conditions, while the Backward Euler robust solver prevents oscillations and maintains good accuracy.

Minimal capacitance absolute value (F) — Minimal capacitance

1e-6 (default) | nonnegative scalar

Lower limit on the absolute value of the signal at port C. This limit prevents the signal from reaching a value that has no physical meaning. The value of this parameter must be greater than 0.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2019b