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Stella Software Cases

This document introduces the basic elements of Stella models including stocks, flows, converters, and connectors. It provides examples of simple population models in Stella including exponential growth and logistic growth. It explains how stocks represent pools that increase or decrease via flows, while converters control flows. The document contrasts graphical and equation views in Stella and shows how models can be constructed and equations defined.

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brzeczka
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
54 views5 pages

Stella Software Cases

This document introduces the basic elements of Stella models including stocks, flows, converters, and connectors. It provides examples of simple population models in Stella including exponential growth and logistic growth. It explains how stocks represent pools that increase or decrease via flows, while converters control flows. The document contrasts graphical and equation views in Stella and shows how models can be constructed and equations defined.

Uploaded by

brzeczka
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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10/9/2018 Introduction to Stella controls

Introduction to Stella controls

The Stella graphical drawing area

Graphical view

In this simple diagram you can see some of the basic


elements of a Stella model:

A stock is a pool of stuff

A flow is what makes the stock bigger or smaller

A converter is some factor that controls the flow.

A connector is an arrow indicating that one element


controls another.

The little blob on the left side of the input flow is a


source or sink outside the model.

Sometimes these flows represent an actual transfer of stuff from one place to
another. Other times this is just an abstraction which represents some growth or
decay process.

Equation View

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10/9/2018 Introduction to Stella controls

By clicking the arrows at the top left


you can switch from graphical view
into equation view. If you double-
click on any line of the equation
you get a dialog box to edit the
equation.

This model is very unformed and


does not have any equations
defined, except the relation
between the stock and the input
flow.

In general, you use the graph view


to draw out general relations
among the elements. Then you
switch to equation view to fill in the
details. There is also an interface
view where you can put
explanations, snazzy visuals, etc.

A simple flow model

Here are the


basic stocks
and flows for a
model of a
college. We
have simplified
the model by
not including
transfer
students.

Let's suppose
we are
assuming that
20% of each
class will drop
out. This
means that the

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10/9/2018 Introduction to Stella controls

dropout flow
depends on
the stock of
students in
each class. So,
we need the
connectors
shown here.

If we assume
the other 80%
of each class
moves on to
the next class,
then that flow
also depends
on the stock of
students.

The batted-ball model in Stella

In the batted ball model, velocity does not


flow into position, but velocity does influence
the change of position. So we model it like
this.

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10/9/2018 Introduction to Stella controls

Two simple population models


The exponential growth model

In the simplest population model, growth is a constant percentage of the population


size.

The model has five elements:

The population size (a stock)

Births and deaths (flows into


and out of popluation size)

The population birth rate (a


converter, controlling births)

The population death rate (a


converter, controlling deaths)

The logistic growth model

A standard population dynamics model is the logistic growth model. This model
includes a carrying capacity, which is the largest population size the environment
can support. The behavior of the logistic model is like this:

For small population sizes, the population grows exponentially;

As the population approaches carrying capacity, growth rate goes down and the
population levels off.

The growth of the population in this model is controlled


by the ideal growth rate , plus the carrying capacity.

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10/9/2018 Introduction to Stella controls

Now, the growth rate depends on the population size


relative to the carrying capacity.

An equation sometimes used is

Actual population size

Actual growth rate = Ideal growth rate * (1 - ------------------------- )

Carrying capacity

This is a simple function which has the following nice properties:

For small population sizes, the growth rate is nearly the ideal growth rate

For larger population sizes, the growth rate is nearly zero.

In class we will work out these two examples on Stella. Pay special attention to how
we create a graph pad object to graph the model results.

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