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Process Analysis 360: Modeling Fluids

Process Analysis 360: Modeling Fluids

We’re using Process Analysis 360 software to model a fluid process.  The software does not appear to support fluid batch processes natively.  The reason is because the connecting lines between process equipment have a storage capacity, like a conveyor line would in moving a hard good from one machine to the next.  In fluid processing, this isn’t possible – the batch must be transferred from one machine to the next before the first can start again.

 

Trying to model this behavior by setting Capacity of connection to 1 doesn't model it correctly.  It doesn't quite work.

 

The reason is because the line connector still has a capacity of “1” unit minimum.  What happens is that if a downstream piece of equipment is busy, an upstream unit will still transfer in the connector and “wait” in that connector, while the upstream equipment starts another unit.  This is not possible in fluid process as the batch unit cannot sit in a pipe line (the connector here would represent a pipe line and not a conveyor as it is intended with hard good manufacturing).

 

With this problem, the upstream equipment process begins its next batch while the downstream is still busy with the previous batch, and the “orphan” batch just sits on the connector in limbo.  What needs to happen instead is that line connector cannot have any holding value – capacity of “0”.  Further, the processes connected by the connector need to integrate – the upstream process cannot transfer its unit until the downstream process is ready to receive it.  Because of this limitation we have to build out these production models in Excel manually.

2 Comments
liqinomickey
Autodesk

Hi There,

 

Yes, I remember there was once a customer, who was also trying to simulate a fluid production line. We are glad to see that our product could be applied to so wide range of industry. Please keep us in the loop of your further application.

I try to summarize a quick way that could be a solution of your question here.

That is, enable the "Merge" and "Split" function to exist in 1 single operation. Let's take an example, your 1st equipment could process 100 L at a time, and downstream 2nd equipment could also process 100 L at a time. The pipe line between the two equipment could store a 5 L of product. Since we enabled the "Merge & Split" operation, we set Both the equipment to, Merge 100 "pieces" of product and then Split to 100 "pieces". Then after the 1st equipment finished 1 operation, it will ship to the "connection" (aka pipe line). Oh yes, we set the connection's capacity to be 5. Then 1st equipment will ship 5, but still has 95 in its belly. Until 2nd equipment shipped out all its product, it will not take a single "piece" in. But right after 2nd equipment shipped out all its product, pipe line runs, but it will not start process until 100 "pieces" arrived. And till 1st equipment shipped out all its product, it will take in new raw materials. I hope I made myself clear.

I had this thought, because I imagine that you also would like to track how many "pieces" was processed/transferred. But I would like to hear your opinion on this. We didn't have many customers on fluid industry, but we would very much like to improve our software to meet your requirements!

Looking forward to hear from you! Thank you very much!

Mickey

omc
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Mickey,


could you post a screenshot to better understand your solution?
It could be interesting also for some of mine simulations.


Thanks.

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