Current limitations and a vision for the future
A major limitation of EPHS.jl is its computer algebra system (CAS) used to express equations/relations. At present, the CAS assumes that port variables are real-valued scalars, rather than elements of some vector space, or even more generally, of a Lie group or Lie algebra.
As applications that require a more general CAS, we have theoretically studied multibody systems (formulated based on the Lie group of Euclidean isometries) as well as fluid and plasma models (formulated using exterior calculus):
- Exergetic port-Hamiltonian systems for multibody dynamics
- Energy-based, geometric, and compositional formulation of fluid and plasma models
The main goal of this proof of concept is to encourage the emergence of one or more community-driven port-Hamiltonian software frameworks. Through united effort, the well-recognized strengths of port-Hamiltonian systems, such as modularity and structure preservation, can move beyond theory and begin to deliver practical impact. This work is guided by the strong conviction that, for port-Hamiltonian modeling to truly gain traction, composability must not only be theoretically possible, but also seamless and intuitive in practice.