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In October 2000, Fluent, AspenTech, ALSTOM Power, Intergraph, and West
Virginia University started work on a software integration project funded
by the U.S. Department of Energy ($1.5 million DOE + $0.5 million cost-share).
The purpose of the project is to develop software tools for integrating
CFD and other equipment-scale models with flowsheet models. An integrated
approach will ensure that consistent and complete knowledge about the
process is used for design and optimization. Two cases are being developed
for demonstrating the software tools. One is a flowsheet model for the
production of allyl alcohol via the liquid phase isomerization of propylene
oxide using methanol as a solvent. A FLUENT CFD model of a stirred-tank
reactor for converting the byproduct acetone into n-propyl-propionate
has been inserted into the AspenPlus flowsheet model of the process. The
two simulations were manually integrated using the CAPE-OPEN interface
in AspenPlus. The flowsheet model invokes a CFD calculation during the
solution process, which then provides the effect of fluid dynamics on
the chemical reactions. Software tools for automating the integration
are expected for demonstration in early November. A second case being
developed is that of a power plant. An AspenPlus flowsheet model of the
steam side of the power plant is being integrated with an ALSTOM Power
in-house code, used to model the gas side of the power plant. The software
tools developed under this project will automate the integration of design
and CFD analysis into flowsheet models.
The gas-side of a power plant flowsheet modeled with
an ALSTOM Power in-house code.
Courtesy of ALSTOM Power
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