Aspen Plus - Basic Process Modeling

Content of Index:

1.- Course Objectives
2.- Introduction to Aspen Plus
3.- User Interface & Getting Help
4.- Physical Properties
5.- Introduction to Flowsheet
6.- Unit Operation Models
7.- Reporting Results
8.- Case Studies I, II and III
9.- Case Study IV
10. Conclusion

The Course Objectives (BASIC COURSE ONLINE)

General Flowsheet Concepts
Basic Requirements to set up a Simulation
Setting the adequate Physical Properties
Flowsheet “manipulation”
Major and Common Unit Operations
Workshop Practice
Reporting Results (Tables)
Technical Stuff (extensions, versions, exporting, saving, etc...)

What is Aspen Plus? What is the basic difference between Aspen Plus V8.2 vs V8.8?

What about Aspen HYSYS and PLUS?

How to interact with the Starting and Landing pages.

About the File Menu

The different Templates

The Landing Page is important for file/document manipulation

The different File Extensions, such as .bkp for backup and .aspw for documents

Templates might include SI unit, English unit or Customized Units

What is an Environment? The two most important environments: Physical Properties and Simulation.

Aspen Plus V8.8 interaction with the Environments, specially the Physical Properties Environment which is the first one required to setup.

This is the Universe setup.

The Simulation Environment is the Flowsheet and all the other thigns behind it, i.e. math calculations, algorithms, operations and many other things for the Unit Operations (Blocks) and Streams.

Interaction and explaining of the Simulation Environment in Aspen Plus V8.8

Many Places to get HELP in Aspen Plus V8.8 and also see the versions NEW features

How to interact with the Help Button, get help for different Blocks. The difference between Model types and how to setup such blocks

Understanding the importance of the Physical Properties Environment in Aspen Plus V8.8

The Method Assistant is very helpful when you have no idea about the interactions between substances/components. It will guide you through the type of processes you are carrying out.

An excise in which we fill up all the required data for the Physical Property Environment.

After the Physical Properties Environment, we need to fill up all the Simulation Environment. This is essentially just either a Stream or a Block with full input/output streams. 

How to interact with the Simulation Environment and the Flowsheet in Aspen Plus V8.8

A little on Reporting Results.... More in Section 7. Basic Reporting

Unit Operation is not a concept of Aspen Plus, it is used in Engineering. Is any Unit able to perform any chemical/physical change to a stream/component. We use BLOCKS to model such units in Aspen Plus V8.8

How to choose/model Unit Operations in Aspen Plus V8.8; this is a brief introduction of the Model Palette

Which are the common Mixer/Splitter units? A brief introduction to how and when to use this models in the Simulation of Aspen Plus V8.8

Interacting with Mixers/Splitters in Aspen Plus V8.8. How to setup, add/modify inputs and Requirements for the simulation to run. Getting results fro the unit Block.

Separators are simple to model since they are equilibrium 1-stage units. That is, only one P,T and x,y to model.

Examples:

• Flashes

• Decanters
• Liquid-Liquid

A brief introduction to how and when to use this models in the Simulation of Aspen Plus V8.8

A simulation in which we use Flash 2 as a Flashing Drum. 

How to setup, add/modify inputs and Requirements for the simulation to run. Getting results fro the unit Block in Aspen Plus V8.8

Exchangers are anything that input/outputs energy in form of heat. Examples:

• Heat Exchanger
• Condenser
• Boiler
• Multiple Heat Exchanger

A brief introduction to how and when to use this models in the Simulation of Aspen Plus V8.8

We use a Heat-X to model a heater/cooler in a simulation

How to setup, add/modify inputs and Requirements for the simulation to run. Getting results fro the unit Block in Aspen Plus V8.8

Since Mass Transfer processes are very complex to model, we require Columns. There are plenty of process that can be modeled with columns:

• Flashing
• Distillation Column
• Absorbers
• Liquid-Liquid Extraction

A brief introduction to how and when to use this models in the Simulation of Aspen Plus V8.8

Simulation using a Rigurous Distillation Column.

How to setup, add/modify inputs and Requirements for the simulation to run. Getting results fro the unit Block in Aspen Plus V8.8

This is an important topic, since reactors are used widely. It must be stated that there are 3 sections:

• Stoichiometric based
• Equilibrium based
• Kinetic Model base

A brief introduction to how and when to use this models in the Simulation of Aspen Plus V8.8

We use a Stoichiometric Reactor to model how can we add reactions and input/output requirements for a Reactor (adiabatic)

How to setup, add/modify inputs and Requirements for the simulation to run. Getting results fro the unit Block in Aspen Plus V8.8

How and when to use a Pressure modifier/changer. It can be used for liquid, gases and in pipes/pipelines.

A brief introduction to how and when to use this models in the Simulation of Aspen Plus V8.8

Simulation interacting with the Valve, Pump and Compressor.

How to setup, add/modify inputs and Requirements for the simulation to run. Getting results fro the unit Block in Aspen Plus V8.8

How to get Results, how to modify/format units. How to add/remove Streams form database. Default and Template Reporting.

How to get Results, how to modify/format units. How to add/remove Streams form database. Default and Template Reporting.

Case Study of a Solvent Recovery Application. It uses a set of RadFrac (Distillation Columns). We model it and get acetone, water and methanol solvents.

Simulation of Aspen Plus V8.8 of a Case Study of a Solvent Recovery Application. It uses a set of RadFrac (Distillation Columns). We model it and get acetone, water and methanol solvents.

Case Study of a Cumene Reactor with recycle application. It uses a Recycle Stream, Reactor (RSTOIC) and a flash drum (Flash2). We get a higher conversion/concentration of Cumene in product.

Simulation of a Cumene Plant including the Reactor, Recycle stream and of course a Flash Separator for better production.

Case Study of a Gas Compressions and Transport. It uses a set of Valves, Pumps, Compressors and Pipes. We model this for a final product specification for transport/Storage in Aspen Plus V8.8

Simulation in Aspen Plus V8.8 for a Compression/Decompression, Transportation of Gases.

Try this at home! By yourself! It is a final Case Study for the Petroleum Fractionation. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR RESULTS IN THE ATTACHMENT/LINK BELOW!