Pipe network flow analysis
Pipe network flow analysis
Keywords Rebis, Software, Pipelines, CAE
Rebis, a prominent company in plant design and management software, reports that it has released its Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) Workgroup including a major upgrade to its PlantFLOW software application for pipe network flow analysis. The Windows based PlantFLOW is Rebis' software solution for calculation of steady state pressures, flow velocities and temperatures in gas or liquid piping networks used to size pipes, balance flows, select equipment,and evaluate different valve scenarios.
PlantFLOW V6.0 provides what is believed to be the industry's first pipe network flow software product with options to utilise 3D geometry along with the ability to import 3D models from industry standard Plant Design CAD systems including Rebis AutoPLANT and Intergraph PDS. The new PlantFLOW application also has a bi-directional model interface with Rebis' AutoPIPE software for piping stress analysis.
In order to more accurately simulate systems with multi-component, non-ideal gas or liquid mixtures, PlantFLOW V6.0 has coupled its flow equation with ASME steam table equations, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)Supertrapp and American Gas Association (AGA) Report 8 thermophysical models and fluid databases.
Darrell Foster, Rebis' CAE sales and marketing manager, said:
PlantFLOW does not assume ideal gas or constant "average"properties, or use other simplifications. Coupling proven thermodynamic models with the pipe network flow equation is the most accurate approach – an approach taken by PlantFLOW that is unique among pipe flow analysis software programs.
Other claimed improvements of PlantFLOW V6.0 include object-based graphics which enable users to quickly make changes and evaluate "what if scenarios by selecting ranges on the graphic model. Also included is the ability to visualise system performance problems that exceed user specified criteria through colour-coded graphics and pop-up data windows, as an alternative to manual review of output reports. By graphically selecting a range of points,with one command the user clicks on the model in order to make global changes to pipe diameters, valve loss, pipe roughness and other parameters, or check differences in pressure, velocity or temperature between any two points.
Rebis, a major supplier of PC plant design solutions, measured by its installed base of over 65,000 products is committed to providing quality workgroup software for plant design and management. Rebis markets products for both conceptual and detailed plant design, as well as systems to manage the full operational lifecycle of these facilities. Rebis informs us that it offers a complete suite of integrated applications for piping, structural, process and instrumentation design and management, pipe stress and fluid flow analysis, and plant information management for AutoCAD and Microstation. Product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Details available from: Rebis, Tel: +1 925 933 2525, Fax: +1 925 933 1920,e-mail: nathalie.andrews@rebis.com
