Simulation for Power Generation
Advanced simulation for power generation, enabling early validation, predictable performance, and faster delivery of efficient, low-emission energy systems.
Advancing the Energy Transition with Simulation
The power sector is at a critical inflection point, driven by rising demand from electric vehicles, smart homes, and data centers, alongside the shift to low-emission energy sources such as renewables and nuclear.
To master this complexity, energy providers must move beyond cost overruns and underutilized assets toward predictable, high-quality project delivery.
SIMULIA delivers advanced modeling and simulation to capture real-world, multi-domain behavior, from conventional generation to emerging technologies like fusion, enabling early validation, improved performance, and confident compliance from the first iteration.
Key Benefits of Simulation for Power Generation
Faster Time to Market
Accelerate development with integrated simulation, enabling rapid iteration and efficient solving of large models using scalable cloud HPC.
Predictable Performance and Compliance
Validate real-world performance early, reduce risk, and ensure compliance with evolving safety and environmental standards.
Data-Driven Decisions, Lower Risk
Leverage virtual testing to validate designs early, minimizing rework, delays, and investment risk.
Sustainable, Cost-Efficient Design
Evaluate performance, materials, and environmental impact upfront to deliver efficient, low-emission solutions.
Accelerate Innovation with Unified CAD Modeling and Simulation
Modern engineering demands an agile approach that moves beyond traditional, linear development cycles. Unified CAD modeling and simulation (MODSIM) eliminates silos between design (CAD) and analysis (CAE) by allowing teams to design and simulate simultaneously on a common data model. This continuous loop supports rapid design exploration, allowing engineers to run what-if studies quickly. In one study, MODSIM halved the simulation analysis time for a subsea frame, cutting effort from 60 man-hours to just 30.
Virtual Twins: Future-Proofing Energy Systems
Virtual twins capture the behavior, evolution, and performance of an energy asset across its entire lifecycle. Based on a precise 3D representation, the virtual twin combines geometry, data, and physics to form an evolving model. This enables advanced simulation that integrates real-world data and predicts how the asset will respond under various conditions. This live link allows teams to monitor, optimize, and manage energy systems while documenting every design choice for complete traceability and compliance.
Engineering the Next Generation of Power
SIMULIA solutions are essential for solving the extreme engineering challenges posed by emerging energy systems:
- Fusion Energy: simulation allows engineers to explore and validate challenges like material survival under intense neutron bombardment and managing severe thermal gradients, accelerating the path to commercial viability.
- Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): simulation is used to simplify manufacturing while ensuring safety. It tests new fuel types under hypothetical accident conditions, helping new reactors come to market sooner and achieve regulatory compliance.
SIMULIA Customers in Power Generation
Simulation in Power Workflows
Piping Stress Analysis
Thermal loads from CHT drive expansion and stress in piping systems. Disconnected workflows often cause inaccurate load transfer, while complex layouts introduce combined loading challenges.
Benefits:
Accurate thermal–structural integration, unified modeling, realistic stress prediction, reduced effort, improved reliability.
Heat Exchanger Analysis
Performance depends on complex flow, temperature gradients, and design parameters like geometry and flow rate. Simplified methods miss key effects.
Benefits:
Detailed thermal-flow insights, bottleneck identification, design optimization, improved efficiency and reliability.
Earthquake Loads
Seismic response depends on accurate modal behavior and multi-mode interactions. Vessel–support coupling adds complexity.
Benefits:
Accurate modal analysis, realistic seismic response, coupled system evaluation, improved safety and compliance.
Reactor Cavity Cooling
Cooling performance depends on pipe configuration and cavity design. Small changes can create hotspots.
Benefits:
Rapid design exploration, temperature trend insights, faster optimization, improved cooling efficiency.
Flow Performance
Pump efficiency is driven by geometry like vane count and inlet angle. Small changes impact flow losses and performance.
Benefits:
Flow insights, design comparison, faster optimization, improved efficiency and reliability.
Wind Turbine Load Calculations
Thousands of load cases require balancing accuracy and speed. Managing simulations at scale is complex.
Benefits:
High-fidelity, scalable simulation; flexible modeling; automation; faster execution; improved design confidence.
Wind Turbine Extreme Load Cases
Events like shutdowns and gusts require nonlinear, coupled aeroelastic analysis.
Benefits:
Accurate extreme load prediction, coupled system behavior, better safety margins, resilient designs.
Wind Turbine Drivetrain Resonance Analysis
Resonance across operating speeds can cause failure. Requires full dynamic system understanding.
Benefits:
Resonance identification, full dynamic insight, advanced visualization, improved reliability.
Lifting Analysis
Complex geometry and CoG uncertainty create risks during lifting, amplified by dynamic and space constraints.
Benefits:
Accurate CoG, combined load evaluation, dynamic safety, validated lifting scenarios.
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Industry Processes for Simulation for Power Generation
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