Converging an Implicit Model: Nonlinear circuit analysis#

Consider a simple electrical circuit made up from two resistors, a diode, and a constant current source. Our goal is to solve for the steady-state voltages at node 1 and node 2.

diagram of a simple circuit with two resistors and one diode

In order to find the voltages, we’ll employ Kirchoff’s current law, and solve for the voltages needed at each node to drive the net-current to 0.

import numpy as np

import openmdao.api as om


class Resistor(om.ExplicitComponent):
    """Computes current across a resistor using Ohm's law."""

    def initialize(self):
        self.options.declare('R', default=1., desc='Resistance in Ohms')

    def setup(self):
        self.add_input('V_in', units='V')
        self.add_input('V_out', units='V')
        self.add_output('I', units='A')

        # partial derivs are constant, so we can assign their values in setup
        R = self.options['R']
        self.declare_partials('I', 'V_in', val=1 / R)
        self.declare_partials('I', 'V_out', val=-1 / R)

    def compute(self, inputs, outputs):
        deltaV = inputs['V_in'] - inputs['V_out']
        outputs['I'] = deltaV / self.options['R']

class Diode(om.ExplicitComponent):
    """Computes current across a diode using the Shockley diode equation."""

    def initialize(self):
        self.options.declare('Is', default=1e-15, desc='Saturation current in Amps')
        self.options.declare('Vt', default=.025875, desc='Thermal voltage in Volts')

    def setup(self):
        self.add_input('V_in', units='V')
        self.add_input('V_out', units='V')
        self.add_output('I', units='A')

        # non-linear component, so we'll declare the partials here but compute them in compute_partials
        self.declare_partials('I', 'V_in')
        self.declare_partials('I', 'V_out')

    def compute(self, inputs, outputs):
        deltaV = inputs['V_in'] - inputs['V_out']
        Is = self.options['Is']
        Vt = self.options['Vt']
        outputs['I'] = Is * (np.exp(deltaV / Vt) - 1)

    def compute_partials(self, inputs, J):
        deltaV = inputs['V_in'] - inputs['V_out']
        Is = self.options['Is']
        Vt = self.options['Vt']
        I = Is * np.exp(deltaV / Vt)

        J['I', 'V_in'] = I/Vt
        J['I', 'V_out'] = -I/Vt

class Node(om.ImplicitComponent):
    """Computes voltage residual across a node based on incoming and outgoing current."""

    def initialize(self):
        self.options.declare('n_in', default=1, types=int, desc='number of connections with + assumed in')
        self.options.declare('n_out', default=1, types=int, desc='number of current connections + assumed out')

    def setup(self):
        self.add_output('V', val=5., units='V')

        for i in range(self.options['n_in']):
            i_name = 'I_in:{}'.format(i)
            self.add_input(i_name, units='A')
            self.declare_partials('V', i_name, val=1)

        for i in range(self.options['n_out']):
            i_name = 'I_out:{}'.format(i)
            self.add_input(i_name, units='A')
            self.declare_partials('V', i_name, val=-1)

            # note: we don't declare any partials wrt `V` here,
            #      because the residual doesn't directly depend on it

    def apply_nonlinear(self, inputs, outputs, residuals):
        residuals['V'] = 0.
        for i_conn in range(self.options['n_in']):
            residuals['V'] += inputs['I_in:{}'.format(i_conn)]
        for i_conn in range(self.options['n_out']):
            residuals['V'] -= inputs['I_out:{}'.format(i_conn)]

class Circuit(om.Group):

    def setup(self):
        self.add_subsystem('n1', Node(n_in=1, n_out=2), promotes_inputs=[('I_in:0', 'I_in')])
        self.add_subsystem('n2', Node())  # leaving defaults

        self.add_subsystem('R1', Resistor(R=100.), promotes_inputs=[('V_out', 'Vg')])
        self.add_subsystem('R2', Resistor(R=10000.))
        self.add_subsystem('D1', Diode(), promotes_inputs=[('V_out', 'Vg')])

        self.connect('n1.V', ['R1.V_in', 'R2.V_in'])
        self.connect('R1.I', 'n1.I_out:0')
        self.connect('R2.I', 'n1.I_out:1')

        self.connect('n2.V', ['R2.V_out', 'D1.V_in'])
        self.connect('R2.I', 'n2.I_in:0')
        self.connect('D1.I', 'n2.I_out:0')

        self.nonlinear_solver = om.NewtonSolver()
        self.linear_solver = om.DirectSolver()

        self.nonlinear_solver.options['iprint'] = 2
        self.nonlinear_solver.options['maxiter'] = 10
        self.nonlinear_solver.options['solve_subsystems'] = True
        self.nonlinear_solver.linesearch = om.ArmijoGoldsteinLS()
        self.nonlinear_solver.linesearch.options['maxiter'] = 10
        self.nonlinear_solver.linesearch.options['iprint'] = 2


p = om.Problem()
model = p.model

model.add_subsystem('circuit', Circuit())

p.setup()

p.set_val('circuit.I_in', 0.1)
p.set_val('circuit.Vg', 0.)

# set some initial guesses
p.set_val('circuit.n1.V', 10.)
p.set_val('circuit.n2.V', 1e-3)

p.run_model()

print(p['circuit.n1.V'])
print(p['circuit.n2.V'])
print(p['circuit.R1.I'])
print(p['circuit.R2.I'])
print(p['circuit.D1.I'])

# sanity check: should sum to .1 Amps
print(p['circuit.R1.I'] + p['circuit.D1.I'])
=======
circuit
=======
NL: Newton 0 ; 0.00141407214 1
|  LS: AG 1 ; 6.9707252e+152 1
|  LS: AG 2 ; 8.51199079e+68 0.5
|  LS: AG 3 ; 9.40605982e+26 0.25
|  LS: AG 4 ; 988771.709 0.125
|  LS: AG 5 ; 0.00130322117 0.0625
NL: Newton 1 ; 0.00130322117 0.921608691
|  LS: AG 1 ; 5580826.07 1
|  LS: AG 2 ; 13.3748871 0.5
|  LS: AG 3 ; 0.0198015756 0.25
|  LS: AG 4 ; 0.000828003297 0.125
NL: Newton 2 ; 0.000828003297 0.585545301
NL: Newton 3 ; 7.02986117e-06 0.00497135964
NL: Newton 4 ; 2.64550002e-08 1.87083809e-05
NL: Newton 5 ; 3.78431444e-13 2.67618202e-10
NL: Newton Converged
[9.90804735]
[0.71278185]
[0.09908047]
[0.00091953]
[0.00091953]
[0.1]