A Computer Aided Engineering Tool for ECLS Systems

This paper presents an overview of the Computer Aided Systems Engineering and Analysis (CASE/A)-ECLSS series which is designed as a generalised ECLSS design and analysis package. This system was developed under NASA MSEC contract NAS8-36407 to meet the Systems Analysis requirements of the Space Station ECLSS. The Space Station represents an order of magnitude increase in complexity over current Spacecraft technologies and will seriously tax current analysis techniques. This program is capable of simulating atmospheric revitalization systems, water recovery and management systems, and single phase active thermal control systems. The program evolved from both the G189A and the SINDA programs and shares the G189A architectural concepts. The designer/ analysis interface is graphics based and allows the designer to build a model by constructing a schematic of the system under consideration. The program performs the data management functions and translates the program into a format compatible with the solution routines. The systems solution routines provide for systems convergence and maintain the component and system data. Operations blocks similar to those provided in G189A GPOLY blocks are provided for use by the analysis to dynamically manipulate parameters as required.