News archive 2009
gPROMS to include SAFT advanced thermodynamics
Tools for complex fluids open new possibilities in optimal process plant design
We are pleased to announce an exclusive agreement with Imperial College London (ICL) for PSE to provide the SAFT-VR advanced thermodynamic technology within the gPROMS framework as a new product gSAFT.
The Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (SAFT) advanced thermodynamics approach uses physically-realistic models of molecules and their interactions with other molecules to accurately predict many different thermodynamic properties of pure components and mixtures over a wide range of operating conditions.
The SAFT-VR (variable-range) technology was developed by a team from Imperial College London's Molecular Systems Engineering group as part of a £3.6m EPSRC-funded development of robust and reliable thermodynamic modelling tools for industry. The key researchers involved are Prof. George Jackson, Dr Amparo Galindo and Dr Claire Adjiman.
SAFT's key advantage, says George Jackson, professor of chemical physics at ICL, is the ability to predict very accurately the behaviour of strongly-associating systems such as azeotropic refrigerant mixtures, aqueous solutions of non-ionic surfactants and even strong electrolyte solutions, as well as high molecular weight components such as polymer-gas systems. All of these systems are typically poorly characterised by conventional techniques.
The availability of SAFT within gPROMS opens up new possibilities for process design, allowing both molecular-level and process design decisions to be taken into account to ensure that the resulting design is optimal. An example is recent work at ICL on absorbent-based carbon capture processes, where the optimal solvent composition and process design were determined simultaneously.
The agreement is in line with PSE's commitment to delivering the best of new technology emerging from university research to process engineers throughout industry via the gPROMS framework.
[SAFT further information] [Press release ]
PSE awards €5000 "Model-Based Innovation" prize
Winning Portuguese team models a salt brine crystallisation spray system
We are pleased to announce that the winner of the PSE Model-Based Innovation Prize for 2009 is a team from the Instituto Superior Técnico of Lisbon, Portugal.
The winning team is Raquel Durana Moita, Prof. Henrique Matos, Prof. Cristina Fernandes, Prof. Clemente Pedro Nunes and Mario Jorge Pinho, for their paper "Dynamic modelling and simulation of a heated brine spray system", published in Computers and Chemical Engineering in February 2009. The paper presents work on modelling of a heated brine spray system for salt recrystallisation ponds, which is integrated with a cogeneration system to increase the overall process efficiency.
Runners up were Fabrizio Bezzo, Federico Galvanin and Massimiliano Barolo of the University of Padova for their paper "Online Model-Based Redesign of Experiments for Parameter Estimation in Dynamic Systems" and Mladen Eic, Qinglin Huang and Amir Malekian, of the University of New Brunswick for a paper entitled "Optimization of PSA process for producing enriched hydrogen from plasma reactor gas".
The judges summarised the winning paper as "excellent work presenting a detailed integrated dynamic model of a novel process that has been well-validated using industrial data. The developed model provides a good basis for optimisation of design and operation for similar industrial processes, and addresses energy efficiency issues."
Raquel Durana Moita, speaking on behalf of the winning team, said "We are very pleased to have won the prize acknowledging the quality and innovative nature of our research and the challenging problems that we are addressing. Using advanced facilities of gPROMS such as stochastic simulation, we were able to create a random drop set to simulate the spray system. gPROMS also allowed us to investigate many different alternatives rapidly, perform a detailed sensitivity analysis of key model parameters, validate the model and analyse simulation results."
PSE is a leader in the emerging field of Model-Based Innovation (MBI), in which detailed high-accuracy mathematical models of processes and products are used to accelerate innovation and reduce technology risk. MBI helps to integrate R&D activities with engineering design, resulting in optimised process design and operation and reduced costs.
Mark Matzopoulos, Chief Operating Officer of PSE, says "As a company closely involved in research and innovation throughout the process industries, we are keen to recognise and foster the efforts of others who are doing the same. We congratulate the winners on the depth and quality of their work."
[Further information]
[Press release ]
The Advanced Model Library for Pressure Relief Systems
New integrated facilities for blowdown and flare system design
PSE is pleased to announce the Advanced Model Library for Pressure Relief Systems (AML:PRS), a comprehensive capability for the design, analysis and optimisation of blowdown operations and flare networks.
The AML:PRS provides an integrated facility for high-fidelity modelling across the entire range of possible application, from upstream process – which can be modelled to any level of detail – to flare tip. Models at different levels of fidelity can be mixed as required to provide, for example, high-accuracy wall temperature modelling at critical points, and all can make use of gPROMS's powerful facilities for dynamic simulation and optimisation. All models conform with the API 520 and API 521 standards.
Mark Matzopoulos, PSE's Chief Operating Officer, says "When we analysed the tools available to process engineers for this highly important and safety-critical area, we were surprised at the lack of integration, the inconsistency between tools, and the difficulty of performing key tasks such as dynamic simulation and wall temperature modelling. The AML:PRS was designed to overcome all of these limitations."
At the standard level, models provide calculation similar to existing flare system design tools, but with the ability to perform full dynamic modelling with upstream or downstream quantities specified, and to apply integer (discrete) optimisation in order to determine optimal pipe diameters.
These models are augmented by a set of 2-D pipe models, which can be used to refine any standard-level pipes in the flowsheet – for example, to investigate detailed wall temperatures in areas where brittle temperature fracture is a concern. A non-equilibrium pressure vessel with 3-D metal wall modelling is available for detailed dynamic depressurisation calculations, and can be connected to the downstream flare network if required.
Because the AML:PRS models execute in gPROMS they can take advantage of all gPROMS facilities, including full drag-and-drop flowsheeting for easy construction of networks, dialog-based model specification, choice of rigorous physical property models, 3-D plotting, custom reporting and full audit capability. [Further information]
gPROMS v3.2: modelling, usability and solution power
Powerful custom modelling in a flowsheeting environment
We are pleased to announce the release of gPROMS version 3.2.
V3.2 builds on the new functionality in the previous v3.0 and v3.1 releases, refining and completing some of the many features introduced with the new gPROMS v3 architecture. This takes PSE's aim of providing the world's most powerful custom modelling within a flowsheeting environment a significant step forward.
Apart from the numerous productivity, speed and robustness enhancements, v3.2 contains significant enhancements to the ability to handle discrete logic within the equation-oriented modelling environment, as requested by a number of customers over the years.
Building on gPROMS' already strong capabilities for modelling and optimising both complex physics and discrete operating procedures, each physical model can now invoke discrete logic that is automatically triggered for every instance of the model included in a flowsheet. This allows, for example, gPROMS library models to include sophisticated supervisory controllers, whose execution is completely transparent to end-users.
There are a number of usability enhancements aimed at simplifying the creation and maintenance of complex flowsheets. These range from minor improvements such as the ability to align flowsheet elements to the ability to use text array indices consistently throughout gPROMS, including dialogue specifications.
v3.2 contains significantly-enhanced diagnostics that make information more easily accessible both for model developers and users. These include facilities for diagnosing over-and under specification and making intelligent suggestions for the choice of specification variables. There is improved analysis and assistance for numerical failures during execution, as well as improved information at the flowsheet level during model construction.
For results presentation, a new data export facility provides semi-automated selective export of variables to postprocessing facilities such as MS Excel for - for example - pivot table analysis. In addition to providing formatted output and addition calculations, this helps reduce model size and execution time.
Emphasizing the fact that PSE's development continues to focus on the underlying solution technology for which gPROMS is renowned, there have been some significant enhancements to solution power and efficiency.
Exact model reduction techniques to eliminate inessential equations and variables during solution mean that many classes of problem now run 20% faster than in previous versions and use less memory. Examples from testing to date are a parameter estimation problem that ran in half the time taken in v3.1.5, a typical 20% reduction in memory footprint and, in one case, a reduction in the number of variables by a factor of 40% and simulation time by a factor of 35%.
These improvements allow increases in the number of discretisation points used, in order to improve accuracy, or increases in complexity of flowsheets, while keeping simulation times and memory requirements within acceptable limits.
On the CFD front, an extended Hybrid Multizonal interface now supports FLUENT® multiphase models with or without energy conservation, FLUENT dynamic simulations in two-way mode, FLUENT 2-D models and FLUENT parallel processing in either one or two-way mode.
PSE Managing Director Costas Pantelides says "v3.2 continues our rollout of the 3rd generation advanced process modelling technology, aimed at delivering gPROMS's sophisticated custom modelling capabilities within a flowsheeting environment familiar to process engineers. This combines the best of both worlds for users".
He adds "at the same time we are working on making numerical solutions
faster and more robust all the time, thus continually broadening the classes
of application that can be addressed".
[Further information][Press
release][]
[Download v3.2]
PSE and Hyperion sign Saudi gPROMS agency agreement
Model-Based Engineering for Process Development and Plant Optimisation
We are pleased to announce that PSE and Hyperion Systems Engineering, the Cyprus-based leading independent simulation solutions supplier, have signed an agency agreement for Hyperion to represent PSE's gPROMS technology and Model-Based Engineering (MBE) services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Under the agreement, Hyperion Systems Engineering Saudi Arabia Ltd will introduce gPROMS and PSE's Model-Based Engineering services to the Saudi process industry.
Hyperion Systems Engineering (www.hyperion.com.cy) is the leading independent supplier of operator training system (OTS) and dynamic simulation solutions to the process industries, and has one of the world's most experienced teams of modelling engineers. The company has an extensive network of global operations including offices in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in the Gulf region.
Dr. Symeon Kassianides, CEO at Hyperion, says "We are very pleased to be able to represent PSE's renowned technology and capabilities to expand our already strong position as a provider of specialist modelling, simulation and optimisation solutions for the process industries in Saudi Arabia. We believe that together we can add significant value to the operations of our Saudi customers."
Prof. Costas Pantelides, MD of PSE, says "We are very pleased to be taking our first step into the Middle East with a company that has the excellent track record and reputation of Hyperion. We believe that Saudi Arabia, with its extensive and dynamic chemical and energy industries, will develop into a major market for PSE and gPROMS."
[Further information][Press release][Press information]
PSE new-look website
As you will have noticed by now there is a new look to the PSE website, our logo and - shortly - our literature and other material.
We felt that after over 10 years in the business it was time to present a fresh image to the world, one that better reflects our maturing though nevertheless rapidly-evolving international organisation. We are thus delighted to present PSE's new look and feel, created by our graphic designer James Atkins.
Branding is about more than logos and corporate colours. It is about what the organisation represents in the minds of the people who deal with it, a perception that is often created over many years.
Corporate Communications Manager Kate Burness says "We hope the image of PSE is that of a dynamic and innovative company executing its vision for the role of modelling, delivering excellence and acting with integrity. The three colours of our logo are intended to represent our core values: blue for vision, black for integrity and orange for skill or expertise, and serve as a constant reminder of what we stand for. Philosophy aside, we hope you like our new style!"
PSE signs major agreement with Samsung Petrochemical
MBI to reduce capital and variable cost, accelerate new process development
We are pleased to announce a major agreement with Samsung Petrochemical Company (SPC), the leading Korean producer of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), for joint development of new high-performance technologies for PTA production.
Under the agreement, PSE's advanced model-based optimisation techniques will be combined with SPC's PTA process know-how and expertise to develop a range of advanced process optimisation services to be offered to PTA manufacturers around the world. PSE's technology and expertise will also be applied to accelerate the development of SPC's brand new high-performance PTA Process, optimising its performance and commercial advantage.
SPC is already a leader in PTA manufacture, with the lowest capital and variable costs of all the major processes licensors. The new developments will aim primarily at reducing operating costs and improving product quality, providing clear advantages over other licensed processes on the market.
The provision of joint optimisation services with Samsung Petrochemical is an important development for PSE's growing process optimisation business. Likewise the further developments of Samsung's own processes are a good example of the application of model-based optimisation techniques to capture and further develop process Intellectual Property (IP) with the aim of providing significant differentiators against other processes in the market.
SPC's motivation is outlined by company President Mr T.H. Her, who says "We aim to strengthen the distinctive technology differentiators for SPC's PTA processes by using the most advanced methods available to optimize design and operations. We are very pleased to be able to announce this agreement as a key step in this strategy."
Managing Director Mr. S.H. Park adds "We chose to work with PSE because of the comprehensive set of industry-tested techniques that they bring to PTA process optimization, and the high level of expertise and experience of their core personnel."
PSE Managing Director Prof. Costas Pantelides says "Our MBI technology has already been applied successfully to a number of PTA processes, delivering outstanding results, particularly in terms of significant reductions in operating cost achieved with minimal capital expenditure. With today's agreement, we are taking a major step towards making these benefits available to the PTA industry worldwide."
He adds "We are extremely pleased to work with SPC, a company with over three decades of experience in the market and a very strong engineering capability and technical reputation, to help our clients achieve a step-change in PTA process performance. We look forward to a long and successful collaboration." [Further information][Press release][Press information]
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