Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Teoría Presión-Flujo
Workshop
The Pressure Flow Theory module introduces you to the underlying concepts
necessary for developing your own dynamic simulations with Aspen HYSYS
Dynamics™. Some of the things you will learn from this module are:
Learning Objectives
Once you have completed this section, you will understand:
2
Teoría Presión-Flujo 3
Theoretical Foundations
The Pressure-Flow Solver: A Boundary Value Problem
In terms of pressures and flows, perhaps the simplest way to view the pressure flow
solver in Aspen HYSYS Dynamics™ is to consider the Flowsheet as a Boundary
Value Problem.
If you were to make pressure or flow specifications on all the boundary streams
(feeds/product streams in a Flowsheet), then all the internal pressures and flows
would be solved simultaneously at each integration step by the pressure-flow solver.
The internal stream pressures and flow rates are calculated from the pressure
gradients in the Flowsheet. Flow rates are determined from:
Since pressure gradients 1. Changes in vapour pressure nodes (vessels with hold-ups) within the Flowsheet
are the driving force for system.
flow in Aspen HYSYS®,
care should be taken to
ensure that the pressure 2. Resistance across valves
profile of the flowsheet has
been properly specified.
3. Conductance through equipment (coolers, heaters, heat exchangers)
Pressure Nodes
All unit operations (with hold-up) represent pressure nodes. Some unit operations
may contribute to one or more nodes. For example:
3
Teoría Presión-Flujo
Fundamental Principle
Vessel equipment has a fixed geometry and thus a fixed volume. Mathematically,
this means that:
This concept is dV
fundamental to performing ------- = 0 (1)
dynamic simulation dt
analyses with Aspen
HYSYS®. Therefore, for a fixed volume, a pressure node (vessel pressure) is calculated as a
function of the vessel temperature and the vessel hold up.
In dynamic mode, the rate of change in vessel pressure is related to the rate of
change of temperature (enthalpy) and the rate of change of material hold-up (level):
dP
------- = fn V F T (2)
dt
where: V = Fixed volume
F = Change in flow (hold-up)
T = Temperature (change in enthalpy)
V P + V F + V T = 0 (3)
4
Teoría Presión-Flujo 5
Example
Consider the operation of a separator in dynamic mode that is initially at steady state
with a level of 60%:
Figure 1
Flow in
Fixed geometry
60%
no accumulation.
an increase in the feed liquid Flowrate with a constant liquid product Flowrate results
in the liquid level (hold-up) increasing.
5
Teoría Presión-Flujo
An increase in the feed vapour Flowrate with a constant vapour product Flowrate
results in the vapour (hold up) increasing. Because vapour is a compressible fluid,
the accumulation of vapour, occupying a smaller volume, will cause the vessel
pressure to rise.
2. The increase in liquid level also causes the vapour hold-up to occupy a smaller
volume within the vessel, causing the vessel pressure to rise.
If the x, y, and z gradients are ignored, the system is lumped and all the physical
properties are considered to be equal in space. In such, an analysis in which only the
time gradients are considered, the chemical engineering system equations are
represented by a set of ordinary differential equations (ODE’s). This method saves
calculation time and provides a solution that is reasonably close to the distributed
model solution.
Aspen HYSYS® uses lumped models for all unit operations. For instance, in the
development of the equations describing the separator, it is assumed that there are no
thermal, pressure or concentration gradients present. In other words, the temperature,
pressure, and component gradients are the same throughout the entire separator.
Aspen HYSYS® does take into account the static pressures in the fluid and vapour
phases. This can result in a dP/dz effect in a vessel. However, Aspen HYSYS ® does
not solve any partial differential equations.
6
Teoría Presión-Flujo 7
F Valve = fn C v P 1 P 2 (4)
F = k P (5)
7
Teoría Presión-Flujo
Pressure/Flow Networks
In Aspen HYSYS Dynamics™ the pressure/flow network is described in terms of
nodes, resistance and conductance. Flow takes place in streams from one node to
another. Thus there are two basic sets of equations that define the pressure/flow
network:
The resistance to flow
1. Equations that define the material balance at the nodes
through valves and the
conductance through
process equipment 2. Equations that define the flow – conductance and resistance to flow
determines stream flow
rates between nodes.
The simplest case is that of incompressible flow with no accumulation at the nodes.
In this situation, the flow equations are a function of the pressure gradient and
equipment parameters such as the pipe diameter and roughness. The material balance
at the nodes is simply that the accumulation is zero.
In a more comprehensive dynamic simulation the pressure flow equations are more
complex. They account for:
8
Teoría Presión-Flujo 9
Figure 2
P3
F2 F3
P1 F1 F4 F5
P2 P4 P5
P1, P2, P3 etc. represent Pressure Nodes (Vessels with hold up)
F1, F2, F3 etc. represent streams with flow rates
Pressure/flow relationships
Energy relationships
Compositional relationships
The grouping of the equations also permits a different solution strategy to be applied
to each group. In particular, it is possible to solve the pressure/flow relationships
simultaneously across the entire Flowsheet while the other equations (composition,
enthalpy) are solved on a module-by-module basis.
9
Teoría Presión-Flujo
If you suspect that the P/F solver is failing because of the interaction with the VLE
correlation, then you can do one of the following:
Reduce the integration step size – this can be accessed from the menu bar:
Simulation – Integrator – General.
Change the frequency of integration steps per step size (composition and
enthalpy). This can be accessed from the menu bar: Simulation –
Integrator – Execution.
Figure 3
10
Teoría Presión-Flujo 11
P = Pressure
F = Flow
In this Flowsheet, there are 7 variables in total that will define the system. These are:
Figure 4
In addition, there are 4 equations that define the pressure-flow relationships in the
Flowsheet. These are:
With 7 variables and 4 equations, the DOF = 7-4 = 3. Therefore, 3 P/F specifications
need to be made to define this system.
11
Teoría Presión-Flujo
Aspen HYSYS Dynamics™ is equipped with a Dynamics Assistant that analyzes the
Flowsheet to identify problems. (We will discuss this simulation aid later in this
module). However, with a greater understanding of the role of the P/F solver and the
P/F calculations you will be better able to:
In the previous example, we had three Degrees of Freedom, requiring that three
specifications be made to define the system.
12
Teoría Presión-Flujo 13
Feed 1 Pressure
Stream 1 Pressure
VLV-100 Delta P
Although making these three specifications will satisfy the DOF analysis, the choice
of specifications would not make sense. P Feed1, P1 and PVLV-100 are all related by the
following equation:
13
Teoría Presión-Flujo
Feed1 Pressure
Product1 Pressure
Product2 Pressure
Consider the same Flowsheet with pressure specifications made on all the boundary
streams. This solution is consistent because the pressure in the vessel is calculated by
the hold-up equation. (The stream flow rates were calculated using the turbulent
equation or the resistance to flow equation).
Guidelines to Remember:
14
Teoría Presión-Flujo 15
3. The Aspen HYSYS® P/F solver solves a set of linear and non-linear equations
simultaneously to determine the P/F relationship.
4. In order for the P/F solver to solve the Flowsheet, there must be a pressure
gradient established over the entire Flowsheet.
5. The pressure gradient exists due to a specified pressure flow relationship (or a
specified pressure drop) over all operations in the Flowsheet.
6. The P/F solver works by finding P from F, according to the P/F theory, or by
solving the pressure node equation.
7. Following any flow path through the Flowsheet, the user should be able to see
the pressure gradient, or expect to see a pressure gradient established along the
path. If the pressure gradient cannot be seen, an additional pressure specification
may be needed.
8. If the user follows a flow path to the boundary of the Flowsheet, they should see
that at such a location, a pressure gradient does not exist, nor can it be
established. This means that a pressure (or flow) specification is always needed
on boundary streams.
15
Teoría Presión-Flujo
Figure 7
It is possible to have flow specifications on all unit operation streams as long as the
vessel pressure is controlled.
Figure 8
16
Teoría Presión-Flujo 17
Exercise
Modifying the Flowsheet in dynamics
Modify the Flowsheet such that there is a Cooler downstream of the Sep Vap 1
stream.
3. Set delta P=70kPa and calculate the resistance to flow constant (k) for the
Cooler. Like the valves, the flow through the Cooler is calculated as a function
of delta P by using the calculated overall k as specs.
Using the conductance equation provides a more realistic simulation. The pressure
drop across the Cooler can change with increases or decreases in flow. If the Cooler
pressure drop were fixed, then it would not vary. Because we specify the resistance
to flow as the dynamic specification, then we can make a pressure specification as
the boundary specification. The flow rates are calculated by the resistance equation.
17