ASPEN ENGINEERING SUITE

OVERVIEW

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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General Overview
Software for integrated process engineering, including steady-state
and dynamic process simulation, equipment design, and cost
evaluation.

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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ASPEN PLUS
OVERVIEW

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Aspen Plus

Aspen Plus is a process modeling tool for conceptual design,

optimization, and performance monitoring for diverse industries.
Aspen Plus is a core element of AspenTechs Process Engineering
applications.
Given thermodynamic data, realistic operating conditions, and
rigorous equipment models Its possible to simulate actual plant
behaviors, by using basic engineering relations such as mass
and energy balances, and phase and chemical equilibrium
Features
Best-in-class physical properties methods and data
Diverse Model library : Simulation of a wide range of processes
Scalability for large and complex processes
Online deployment of models: real-time optimization/advanced
process control applications
Workflow automation: Aspen Plus models can be linked to Microsoft
Excel using Aspen Simulation Workbook or Visual Basic

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Aspen Plus

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Simulation Steps
1. Define Process Flow Sheet.
Units Streams-Models

2. Specify Chemical Components

3. Specify Thermodynamic Model

Estimation of physical properties

4. Specify Flow Rates and

Thermodynamic conditions
5. Run Simulation Analyze Results

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Example

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Define Process Flow Sheet

Coal Drying Flowsheet

EXHAUST

WET-COAL

DRY-FLSH

DRY-REAC
IN-DRIER

NITROGEN

DRY-COAL

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Specify Chemical Components

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Specify Thermodynamic Model

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Specify Flow Rates conditions

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Simulation Results

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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ASPEN CUSTOM MODELER

OVERVIEW

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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General Overview
Aspen Custom Modeler is a process and equipment
model development and simulation environment

Aspen Custom Modeler (ACM) is used to create

rigorous models of processing equipment and to
apply these equipment models to simulate and
optimize continuous, batch, and semi-batch
processes.

It is used across many industries including

chemicals, power, nuclear, food and beverage,
metals and minerals, pharmaceuticals, and othrers

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features
Designed for process engineers : ACM uses a flow
sheeting environment based on streams and equipment
and includes built-in understanding of components and
process thermodynamics.

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features
Physical properties methods and data: ACM is fully
integrated with Aspen Properties, it includes extensive
databases of pure component and phase equilibrium data
for chemicals, electrolytes, solids, and polymers

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features
Equation oriented architecture : ACM language is
declarative, you say what you want and leave it to ACM
to find out how.
-

Solver for system of Algebraic Equations, based on Newton

iterative procedure

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features
- System of differential and algebraic equations

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Integration Algorithms
- Implicit: Implicit Euler (fixed or variable step), gear
- Explicit: Explicit Euler, Runge Kutta

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features
100,0

Flexible user-defined forms

0,0

Volume
50,0

Volume

9,0 9,5 10,0 10,5 11,0 11,5 12,0 12,5 13,0 13,5 14,0
Time Hours

2,5e+007

Table Forms

Time series Plot forms

Pressure (Pa)
1,5e+007 2,e+007

Compression Space (kg)

Expansion space (kg)
Regenerator space (kg)
0,0025 0,0075 0,0125

Pressure vs Volume

2,e-004

4,e-004

6,e-004
8,e-004
Volume (m3)

Phase Plots

0,001

0,0

Mass distribution

1,57
3,14
4,71
Crank angle (Rad)

6,28

Profile Plots

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features

Optimization and estimation tools enabling

parameter fitting, data reconciliation, and steady-state
and dynamic process optimization.

Estimation example

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features
Optimization example

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features

Flexible Task Language to define batch recipes,

transition schemes, or to simulate process equipment
failures or other disturbances
Heating System example:

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features

Export Equipments or process models

Source: Aspen Technology, 2012

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Features
Library of control models : to simulate process control
systems.
Online deployment of models : ACM includes an OLE for
Process Control (OPC) interface, enabling links to process control
and information management systems
Workflow automation: ACM models can be linked to Microsoft
Excel using Aspen Simulation Workbook or Visual Basic,
enabling workflow automation and allowing model deployment to
casual users

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Model Example

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Stirling Engine Adiabatic Model + Losses

Assumptions
-Adiabatic expansion and compression
spaces
- Sinusoidal volume variations
-Ideal gas inside the engine

Source: Urielli 2014, http://www.ohio.edu/mechanical/stirling/me422.html

- Heat Losses
-Friction and Pressure drop losses
- Non ideal Regenerator
- Heat transfer model from the external
source to the engine included.
Source: Genoa Stirling, http://www.genoastirling.com/

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

Department of Energy Technology

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Ideal Adiabatic Losses

Solution Aspen- C++
Ths(source)
Tks(source)

Tho(heater)
Tko(cooler)

Cooler

S9

Teo=Tho
Tco= Tko

Heater
Solve Differential
Equations
Calculate Tc, Te

S7

Stirling

Tco=Tc
Teo=Te
After 360
(cycle)
If Tc<>Tco
Te<>Teo

+
dQ =

Pressure Losses

Qheater
Q cooler
Qloss

dQ =

kA
T
L

Th=Ths-Qhs/UA
Tk=Tks-Qks/UA

dQ = 1 (dQri)
Regenerator Losses
Shuttle Effect Losses

dQ =

S8

Pm

2 fr m V
P =
Ad 2

Internal Conducction Heat

Exchangers

Regenerator

0.4 z 2 kpDd (Td Tc )

JLd

Tho=Th
Tko=Tk

If Th<>Tho
Tk<>Tko

Qheater
Q cooler
Qloss

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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Total Work (Joules)

Compression Work(Joules)
Expansion work (Joules)
Isothermal Work (Joules)
0,0
20000,0
0,0
1,57
3,14
4,71
Crank angle (Rad)

0,0
1,57 3,14 4,71
crank angle

2,5e+007

Mass distribution

6,28
Q heater (Joules)
Q cooler (Joules)
-4000,0 0,0 4000,08000,0

Pressure (Pa)
1,5e+007 2,e+007

Compression Space (kg)

Expansion space (kg)
Regenerator space (kg)
0,0025 0,0075 0,0125

Preliminary Results Adiabatic model

Pressure vs Volume

6,28
2,e-004
4,e-004

Work

0,0

6,e-004
8,e-004
Volume (m3)
0,001

Heat

1,57
3,14 4,71
Crank angle (Rad)
6,28

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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THANKS

Heat and Power Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

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