EcosimPro is a first class modelling and simulation software for modeling 0D or 1D multidisciplinary continuous-discrete systems and any kind of system based on differential-algebraic equations (DAE) and discrete events. Although originally developed for space applications, namely to assist in the modelling of the Environmental and Control Life Support Systems (ECLSS) for European Space Agency (ESA)’s HERMES and COLUMBUS projects, due to the nature of its broad, wide-ranging capabilities it is now being used in many other fields as system simulation software. The first version of EcosimPro was released in 1993.

Simulation Software

EcosimPro has been designed to carry out steady and transient studies, as an optimization and design tool that helps the engineer to improve any kind of system modeled with equations (0D and 1D). It also provides a highly intuitive graphics environment that facilitates its use in creating physical models based on schematic views.

Engineers find it to be an extremely intuitive tool, since it has been designed based on real industry needs. Its GUI provides tools for creating easy to identify icons that represent components and which can be connected to other icons using ports of the same type. EcosimPro carefully extracts the complexity of the mathematical model and solves the final equations.

The multidisciplinary libraries allow components to be created that mix disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, fluids, control, etc. For advanced users EcosimPro provides an intuitive modeling language to guide the user through the process of creating new component libraries in a simple way. EcosimPro has internal symbolic and numerical algorithms for transforming the equations and solving them in the most appropriate way. The object oriented approach prevents having to re-code simulation applications every time you need to begin a new project. The user can mix causal and acausal equations and algorithms in order to find the most reusable and robust way of modeling your libraries.

The components can use inheritance and aggregation to create more sophisticated components based on existing ones. This helps to reduce the complexity of the simulation models by sharing common behaviour.

EcosimPro provides tools for simulating the models and visualize the results during the simulation using plotters, histograms, etc.

EcosimPro modelling skills are based on user levels. The higher the level of use, the fewer the skills that are needed:

• Level 1: Developers of basic mathematical libraries.
• Level 2: Developers of simulation models reusing existing libraries.
• Level 3: Developers of different experiments on existing models.
• Level 4: External users of EcosimPro from Excel, Matlab, C++, etc