PSIM Tutorial

How to Use the SPICE Module

June 2016

Powersim Inc.
www.powersimtech.com
 Tutorial – How to Use the SPICE Module

1. Overview
The SPICE Module is an add-on option in PSIM. Powered by CoolSPICE from CoolCAD
Electronics LLC., the SPICE Module provides a SPICE simulation engine in the PSIM
environment, and gives PSIM the capability to simulate SPICE circuits and models.
This tutorial provides a quick guide to use the SPICE Module. Further detailed information will
be provided in a separate user manual.
Note that not all PSIM elements are supported for SPICE simulation. To see which elements are
supported, make sure that under Options >> Settings >> Advanced, the box “Show image next
to elements that can be used for SPICE” is checked. With this box is checked, the elements
supported by SPICE will be marked with the image (for SPICE) next to the element in the
Element menu.
If the box “Show image next to elements that can be used for code generation” under Options >>
Settings >> Advanced is also checked, the elements that are supported by SPICE and SimCoder
for code generation will be marked with the image (for SimCoder and SPICE).
Most of the elements with marks mentioned above work in either PSIM simulation or SPICE
simulation. The following elements, however, support SPICE device models and will work in
SPICE only when the model level is defined as SPICE:
 Diode
 npn Transistor (model)
 pnp Transistor (model)
 MOSFET (model)
 P-MOSFET (model)

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 Tutorial – How to Use the SPICE Module

2. Running SPICE Example

To illustrate the process of SPICE simulation, we will use the circuit “Buck Converter with
MOSFET IRF450.psimsch” as an example. This example is located in the sub-folder
“Examples\SPICE”in the PSIM directory.
To keep the original example unchanged, we will create a new folder “C:\PSIM_SPICE\Test”,
and use this folder as the working folder in this tutorial, and we will copy the example file into
this new folder.
In PSIM, load the example “Buck Converter with MOSFET IRF450.psimsch” as shown below. It
is a basic buck converter circuit. The pulsed voltage source for the MOSFET gating can be
replaced with a PWM control circuit for future design.

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 Tutorial – How to Use the SPICE Module

3. Defining SPICE Models Using the SPICE Directive Block

In this example circuit, the switching device is an N-channel MOSFET. To use a SPICE model
instead of a PSIM model, select the element Element >> Power >> Switches >> MOSFET
(model). Then, double click on the MOSFET block, and set the “Model Level” to SPICE Model.
Fill the spaces for “SPICE Model Name” and “SPICE Instance Parameters”. Here as show in the
picture below, a SPICE model of IRF450 from International Rectifiers is used.

To use a SPICE model for the diode D1, follow the same steps as for the MOSFET: Double click
on the diode D1, and set the Model Level to SPICE Model. Fill the spaces for “SPICE Model
Name” and “SPICE Instance Parameters”. In this example, a SPICE model of 1N4004 is used.
To define the SPICE model statement, use the SPICE Directive block. This block can be found
in Element >> SPICE >> SPICE Directive Block.
In this block, one can enter any SPICE directives which are not found in the PSIM menu. All the
content in this block will be inserted in SPICE netlist for simulation and for netlist generation.
In the example circuit, the model definitions in the SPICE Directive Block for the diode and the
MOSFET are shown. The model name in the directive block must be the same as in the
corresponding element parameter dialog box. The MOSFET model name is “MOS_IRF450_N”
and the diode model name is “D_1N4004”. Their SPICE models are defined with “.model” in the
directive block.
The definition of the SPICE Directive Block is shown below.

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 Tutorial – How to Use the SPICE Module

4. Defining SPICE Models in a Library File

One can also define SPICE models through a library file. The library file will be accessible from
PSIM if the folder is included in the SPICE Model Path. To include the folder, go to Options >>
Set Path, and click on Add Folder under SPICE Model Path to add the folder, as shown below.
Click on Reload Models and Save to refresh and save the setting.
One can add multiple folders to the path.

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 Tutorial – How to Use the SPICE Module

Once the SPICE model search path is saved, load the models in the libraries by clicking on the
browser button on the right of the SPICE Model Name input field. Devices in the search path
libraries will be listed as shown below.

In this case, there is no need to provide the model definition in a SPICE Directive Block. PSIM
will find the model from the library automatically.

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 Tutorial – How to Use the SPICE Module

5. Setting up SPICE Simulation

To set up the simulation parameters, double click on the Simulation Control block (the clock
image), and go to the SPICE tab. The dialog window is shown below.

There are three types of SPICE analysis: transient analysis, ac analysis, and dc analysis. Select
“Transient” analysis for this example. The parameters for transient analysis “Time Step”, “Max
Step”, “Start Time”, and “End Time” should be specified accordingly.

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 Tutorial – How to Use the SPICE Module

6. Running SPICE Simulation

To run SPICE simulation, either select Simulate >> Run SPICE Simulation or click on the Run
SPICE icon on the toolbar as highlighted below.
To generate the SPICE netlist, select Simulate >> Generate SPICE Netlist.

If SPICE netlist is already created either manually or from another SPICE software, one can load
the netlist by selecting File >> Open SPICE Netlist File. Then simulate the SPICE netlist file
by running the SPICE simulation in the same way as before.
To create a new SPICE netlist manually, select File >> New SPICE Netlist File.

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