DWSIM 4
CAPE-OPEN Features Quick Guide
1. Introduction
DWSIM 4 features a number of CAPE-OPEN features, including:
- Property Packages (Thermo Specs 1.0 and 1.1): It is possible to use external CAPE-OPEN
thermodynamic equilibrium and property calculators as Property Packages in DWSIM.
Integration is done transparently and the user only has to map PP’s components and phases to
internal DWSIM ones.
- Unit Operations: CAPE-OPEN Unit Operations can be added to DWSIM flowsheets and
connected to/from energy and material streams just as normal DWSIM Unit Operations. DWSIM
also implements the CAPE-OPEN Reaction interfaces so you can use your CO Reactor together
with DWSIM and manage your reactions using the Reactions Manager as usual.
- Flowsheet Monitoring Objects: DWSIM support CAPE-OPEN plugins, ‘aka’ Flowsheet
Monitoring Objects, such as the WAR Add-in created by William Barrett, USEPA:
CAPE-OPEN Property Packages, CAPE-OPEN Unit Operations, DWSIM Property Packages and
DWSIM Unit Operations can work together on any combination. For example, you can use a DWSIM
PP as the thermo provider for a CAPE-OPEN Unit Operation just as you can use a CAPE-OPEN PP
as the thermo provider for a DWSIM Unit Operation.
2. Using external components
2.1. Property Packages
To use external CAPE-OPEN Property Packages to DWSIM, add a Property Package of the
“CAPE-OPEN” type to the flowsheet:
After that, click on “Configure” to setup your property package. On the window that appears,
select a Thermo Server or Property Package Manager, depending on the CAPE version you
chose. After selecting the server, a list of available Property Packages for that server should be
available for selection on the PP combo box:
After selecting your Property Package, you can edit it by clicking on the “Edit” button. If the
package was just selected or you’ve done changes to its compounds or phases, you MUST map
compounds and phases to DWSIM equivalents on the “Compound/Component Mapping” and
“Phase Mapping” tabs:
IMPORTANT:
- If your PP lists “Overall” or “Mixture” as a phase, you should not associate it with any of DWSIM
phases.
- If a DWSIM phase doesn’t exists in the PP, select “Disable” as its label - DO NOT leave it blank!
- DWSIM and the CAPE-OPEN PP should have exactly the same number of compounds, even if
some of them aren’t used by DWSIM or by the PP.
After the compound and phase mapping steps, click “OK” and you’re ready to go.
2.2. Unit Operations
To add CAPE-OPEN Unit Operations to DWSIM flowsheets, drag and drop the “CAPE-OPEN
Unit Operation icon to the flowsheet. A selection window will appear where you should choose
which Operation will be added:
After the Unit is added, it works the same way as a DWSIM Unit Operation. You can edit its
connections to Material and Energy Streams, parameters and access its ‘Edit’ window through
the object editor:
IMPORTANT: The “Property Package” setting for the CAPE-OPEN Unit Operation has no effect.
It accesses the property packages linked to Material Streams to do calculations. It is
recommended that all streams connected to a CAPE-OPEN UO have the same associated
Property Package to ensure consistence of the results.
2.3. Flowsheet Monitoring Objects
CAPE-OPEN Add-ins are accessed through the “Plugins” menu item just as normal DWSIM
Plugins:
3. Other features
3.1. Using DWSIM as a CAPE-OPEN Property Package Manager (Thermo 1.1)
If you registered DWSIM types during the installation process, DWSIM will expose its Property
Packages to CAPE-OPEN compliant simulators through Thermo 1.1 Interfaces (if your simulator
is only Thermo 1.0 compliant, DWSIM Thermo Server will not be shown). The configuration
window allows you to add/remove compounds, configure flash settings, set the GUI language
and edit model parameters and BIPs. You can download an example of DWSIM Property
Packages used as property and equilibrium calculators in COCO/COFE on SourceForge.
3.2. Using the Script Unit Operation in CAPE-OPEN compliant simulators
If you registered DWSIM types during the installation process, the Custom Unit Operation will be
exposed to CAPE-OPEN compliant simulators as “IronPython/IronRuby Script Unit Operation”.
You can download an example of the Script UO being used to model a simple membrane
separation process in COCO/COFE on SourceForge.
