We describe how to apply the tools and techniques of process algebra to explore and verify the structure of simulation models. Process algebras are concise and precise object-oriented notations in which to express model structure and component interactions. We demonstrate how to specify the structure and basic synchronisations of simulation models using Milner's CCS (Calculus of Communicating Systems) notation, and how to test for the consequences of a specification using the modal mu-calculus (Stirling). In this way we open up the possibility of verifying from its static model description that a simulation model has certain basic desirable properties (is deadlock and livelock free and has appropriate safety, liveness and fairness characteristics (Manna and Pnueli)). Thus adopting these techniques from process algebra both makes models more reliable and saves a considerable amount of debugging time.