Getting Started 1

Getting Started

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA1000.32.02
01 Getting Started
2 Getting Started

Workshop
In the Getting Started module you will build the flowsheet around which
most of the rest of this course is based.

The process is a Turbo Expander plant. LPG Product is obtained from a

Feed Natural Gas stream by cooling, expanding, separating and
distillation. The remaining gas is then re-compressed for export.

Learning Objectives
Once you have completed this section you should have revised your
basic HYSYS knowledge. You will also be able to:

• Use the HYSYS LNG Exchanger to simulate multi-pass

exchangers
• Add Columns using the Input Experts
• Add extra specifications to columns
• Customize the Workbook and PFD
• Use stream property correlations

Prerequisites
This course is aimed at people who have had some experience of using
HYSYS before. Hence the instructions are deliberately brief in places
where previous HYSYS users are likely to already know what to do.

If you have problems at any stage you can ask the course instructor.

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Process Overview
Column Overview
 Getting Started 5

Building the Simulation

Some stream and operation names can be obtained by referring to the
PFD at the start of this section.

Defining the Simulation Basis

1. Start a new case using the Peng Robinson Equation of State.
2. Use the following components: Nitrogen, CO2, Methane, Ethane,
Propane, i-Butane, n-Butane, i-Pentane, n-Pentane and Hexane.
3. Enter the Main Simulation Environment.

Add the Feed Gas Stream

4. The Feed Gas stream has the following conditions and composition:

Name Feed Gas

Temperature 30°C (86°C)
Pressure 5000 kPa (725.19psia)
Flow rate 2988 kgmole/h (6587.3 lbmole/hr)

Component Mole Fraction

Nitrogen 0.0149
CO2 0.002
Methane 0.9122
Ethane 0.0496
Propane 0.0148
i-Butane 0.0026
n-Butane 0.002
i-Pentane 0.001
n-Pentane 0.0006
n-Hexane 0.0003

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6 Getting Started

Add the Multi-pass Exchanger

Multi-pass exchangers are known as LNG Exchangers in HYSYS.

The LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) exchanger model solves heat and
LNG icon material balances for multi-stream heat exchangers and heat exchanger
networks. The solution method can handle a wide variety of specified
and unknown variables.

The LNG allows for multiple streams, while the HEAT EXCHANGER
allows only one hot side stream and one cold side stream.

For the LNG exchanger, you can specify various parameters, including
heat leak/heat loss, UA or temperature approaches. Two solution
methods are employed; in the case of a single unknown, the solution is
The Tube Side and Shell calculated directly from an energy balance. In the case of multiple
Side streams can come
unknowns, an iterative approach is used which attempts to determine
from different Flowsheets.
This is one way of using the solution that satisfies not only the energy balance, but also any
different fluid packages on constraints, such as temperature approach or UA.
each side of the exchanger

5. Add a LNG operation.

6. Select the Connections page on the Design tab and enter the
following information:

Figure 1

Any number of Sides may

be added simply by
selecting the Add Side
Button. To remove a side,
select the Delete Side
button after positioning the
cursor in the appropriate
row.

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 Getting Started 7

If you prefer you can add the other streams to the flowsheet manually.
Alternatively typing the name of a new stream into the Sides box will
create it.

For each exchanger side:

• An inlet stream and outlet stream are required.

• A Pressure Drop is required.
• The Hot/Cold designation can be specified. This will be used as
an estimate for calculations and will also be used for drawing the
PFD. If a designated hot pass is actually cold (or vice versa), the
operation will still solve properly. The actual Hot/Cold designation
(as determined by the LNG) can be found on the Performance
tab in the Results page.
7. Switch to the Parameters (SS) page. These values will be left
unchanged.

Figure 2

The Exchanger Design (Weighted) method is used to split the heating

curves into intervals. (Rather than simply considering the end points)
The number of intervals is set in the Exchange Details table. The Step
Type parameter sets whether HYSYS splits the curves by temperature,
The Weighted method is enthalpy or automatically to minimise the errors.
required for exchangers with
more than two sides.
By ticking the Dew/Bub pt. checkboxes HYSYS will include points on the
heating curves for any phase changes that occur. The Press. Profile
options set how HYSYS decides the pressure profile while iterating.

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8 Getting Started

Heat Losses will not be considered. All streams on the same side with the
Equilibrate checkbox checked are considered to be in equilibrium
before entering the exchanger calculations. Thus the driving force will
be reduced.

These options are discussed in more detail in the HYSYS Operations

Guide. This is a good time to learn how to access/search the Acrobat
PDF documentation.

8. Go to the Specs (SS) page.

Two extra specifications (in addition to the Heat Balance spec - i.e.,
conservation of energy) will be added.

Just after the streams have been added the Degrees of Freedom display
shows 6 (i.e., 7 unknown variables, 1 constraint so far). By adding two
new specs this is reduced to 4. Later on when more of the flowsheet is
built, these 4 degrees of freedom will be used up and the exchanger will
have enough information to solve.

Figure 3

The two specs that will be added are:

• Cold Stream Outlet temperatures are the same (0°C or 32°F)

• Minimum approach temperature in the exchanger (10°C or 50°F)

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 Getting Started 9

9. Add these two specs as follows:

Figure 4

LNG exchangers, like normal HYSYS Heat Exchangers and Columns,

allow the user to enter as many specifications as required. Only the
active specifications are used to solve the operation.

If the Est. checkbox is checked then HYSYS will use the spec value as an
initial estimate in its iterative solution. Hence specifications can be used
for more than just being an active spec. They can:

• Provide an initial estimate only (Uncheck Active, Check Est.)

• Be used to monitor how important variables change as the
operation iterates (Uncheck Active and Est.)

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10 Getting Started

Add a Cooler
10. Add a Cooler to stream 1A. This should have the following
parameters:

Name E-100
Cooler Outlet Stream 2
Pressure Drop 20 kPa (2.9psia)
Outlet Temperature -62°C (-79.6°F)
Energy Q-100

Note that in a later module

the Cooler operation will be
The Cooler outlet Stream 2 should now be fully defined.
linked to a HYSYS sub-
flowsheet that represents
an ethane/propane
refrigeration loop. Add a Separator
11. The Cooler product Stream 2 should be sent to a Separator vessel.
12. The liquid product is Stream 4 and the vapour product is Stream 3.

Add an Expander
13. The Separator vapour is then expanded to 2800 kPa.
14. The outlet is Stream 5.
15. The Expander should have the following properties:

Name K-100
Outlet Pressure 2800 kPa (406 psia)
Adiabatic Efficiency 75% (This is the default)
Energy QK-100

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 Getting Started 11

Add a Separator
16. Add another Separator to the Expander outlet.
17. The feed is the outlet from the Expander.
18. The vapour product is Stream 7 which has already been added and
linked to the LNG exchanger.
19. The liquid product is Stream 6.

Add a Valve and Set

20. The liquid from the first Separator is flashed down to the same
pressure as the Expander outlet. Add a HYSYS Valve operation to do
this.
21. The valve outlet is Stream 8.

When the simulation is manipulated later the Turbo Expander outlet

pressure is one of the process parameters that will be changed, hence it
makes sense to link these parameters within HYSYS rather than
manually changing both.

This is done using a HYSYS Set operation. This relates two HYSYS
parameters. It can be used to make them identical or to force a fixed
Multiplier and Offset between them.

22. Install a Set with the following parameters:

Name SET-1
Set icon Target Variable Stream 8 Pressure
Source Stream 5
Multiplier 1
Offset 0 kPa (0 psia)

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12 Getting Started

Figure 5

LPG Recovery Column

This will be simulated using the HYSYS Distillation Column operation.
This column has 5 stages, a Condenser and a Reboiler. Stream 8 is fed to
the top tray and stream 6 is fed to the Condenser.

Rather than defining the column pressures within the column

operation, as would be normal practice, HYSYS Set operations will be
used to relate the column top and bottom pressures to the Turbo
Expander outlet stream.

The purpose of this is to allow the flowsheet to be manipulated later by

changing several key process parameters (including the Turbo Expander
outlet pressure).

Set the Column Pressures

23. First add the bottoms liquid product stream to the PFD. (Stream 10).
24. Install a Set operation to ‘Set’ the pressure of Stream 10, so that it is
the same as Stream 5.
25. Install another Set to make Stream 9’s pressure 5 psi less than
Stream 5’s.

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 Getting Started 13

If psi is not the pressure unit HYSYS is currently using you can enter a psi
value by using the unit drop-down to the right for the number entry
field.

Figure 6

Add the Column

26. Add a Distillation Column operation.

By default HYSYS includes an ‘Input Expert’ to guide the user through

The Input Experts provide setting up the column. The Input Expert has four pages, you must enter
the new user with step-by- all the required information on each page, before the Next > button will
step instruction for defining
become active.
a column. They can be
switched off in the HYSYS
Preferences. 27. Double-click the Column PFD icon to start the Input Expert.
28. Enter the following information on the Connections page:

Connections
Column Name LPG Recovery
Distillation Column icon No. of Stages 5
Feed Stream / Stage 8 / at stage 1
Condenser Type Full Reflux
Overhead Vapour Product 9
Bottom Product 10
Condenser Energy Stream Q-102
Reboiler Energy Stream Q-103

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14 Getting Started

29. Since the product stream pressures have already been set (with the
Set operations), the Pressure Profile page automatically picks these
up. Go to the Optional Estimates page by clicking the Next > button.

Temperature estimates are used to help the column come to a solution.

If you already have an idea of the conditions in the column (e.g. if you
are modeling an existing plant) then you can enter the information. In
this case the temperatures are not known, so these estimates will be left
blank.

30. Click the Next > button to move to the final page.

The final page of the Column Input Expert always has some typical
specifications for the particular type of column. In this case, different
Once the Input Expert has specifications will be used. These must be added after the Input Expert
been completed it cannot be has been completed.
accessed again unless the
column is deleted and
added back. However all the 31. Click the Done button to complete the Input Expert. The Column
information that was entered Property View will now appear.
can be changed using the
column property view.
Figure 7

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 Getting Started 15

Before the column is ready to run, some more information must be

entered:

• Additional Feed Stream

• New Specifications
32. Connect Stream 6 up in the Inlet Streams box. Stream 6 should enter
the Condenser.
33. Go to the Monitor page on the Design tab. The existing column
specs are visible.

Figure 8

Since no values were entered for the Specs in the Input Expert, no values
are present here.

Note that since the column has fully defined feeds, the pressures are
known, and 2 specs are activated the Degrees of Freedom display is
showing 0.

This column will actually be solved to two different specifications.

• Condenser Duty of zero. Stream 6, the cold expanded liquid

stream, enters the condenser so provides the necessary cooling
effect.
• LPG product RVP (Reid Vapour Pressure) specification.

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16 Getting Started

34. Add these two specs as follows:

First Spec
Type Column Duty
RVP (Reid Vapour Name Ovhd Duty
Pressure) is a volatility
measure commonly used in Energy Stream Q-102 @ Col1
the Refining industry. It is Spec Value 0.001 kJ/h
the pressure at which the
vapour and liquid have a 4:1
volume ratio at 100°F. Second Spec
Type Column Vapour Pressure Spec
Name Btms RVP
Stage Reboiler
Type Reid Vapour Pressure
Phase Liquid
Spec Value 200 psia

An estimate of the column overhead vapour rate will also be provided.

One of the specs already added by HYSYS will be used.

35. Modify the existing Ovhd Vap Rate spec as follows:

Existing Vent Rate Spec

Name Ovhd Vap Rate
Draw 9 @ Col1
Flow Basis Molar
Spec Value 1600 lbmole/hr

36. Ensure the Ovhd Duty and Btms RVP specs are set to be Active and
Estimates, and that the Ovhd Vap Rate spec is set as an Estimate.

The other unused specs can be deleted by going to the Specs (SS) page
on the Design tab and pressing the Delete button, or by double-clicking
the spec on the Monitor page on the Design tab and clicking Delete.

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 Getting Started 17

37. If the column hasn't run automatically, click the Run button. You
should see some messages in the Trace Window (bottom right white
pane) as the column solves. When the column has solved, the LNG
should then be solved as now both Streams 7 and 9 are fully defined.

What is the flow rate of the Overhead vapour stream?

Was the ‘Vent Rate’ estimate a good one?

Completing the Simulation

The simulation is now almost complete. The two product gas streams
from the LNG must be mixed and re-compressed for export.

38. Mix Stream 7A and 9A using a Mixer operation. The outlet is Stream
11.
39. Add a Compressor, keep the standard Adiabatic Efficiency of 75%.
The outlet is Stream 12 and the energy is QK-101.
40. Install another Set to link the heat flow of the compressor energy
stream (QK-101) to the Expander energy stream (QK-100).
41. Add another Cooler to cool the mixed compressed gases to 30°C.
The Cooler has a 0.2 bar pressure drop.
42. Finally, install an Export Gas Compressor to take the product gas to
70 bar. The compressor has an Adiabatic Efficiency of 75%.

Save your case!

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18 Getting Started

Compressor Degrees of Freedom

In this HYSYS case there are two compressors specified differently:

• K-101 has a fully specified inlet stream and a specified duty.

• K-102 has a fully specified inlet stream and a specified outlet
pressure.

HYSYS can also solve for a flow rate given an otherwise fully specified
feed stream, a duty and an outlet pressure.

Additionally HYSYS compressors can be supplied with head and

efficiency curves. This is covered in a later module.

Advanced Modeling
The Column is a special type of sub-flowsheet in HYSYS. Sub-flowsheets
contain equipment and streams, and exchange information with the
parent flowsheet through the connected streams. From the main
environment, the Column appears as a single, multi-feed multi-product
operation. In many cases, you can treat the Column in exactly that
manner.

The Column Sub-flowsheet provides a number of advantages:

• Isolation of the Column Solver - The Column Build

Environment allows you to make changes and focus on the
Column without the re-calculation of the entire flowsheet.
The presence of the green • Optional use of different Fluid Packages - HYSYS allows you
‘Up Arrow’ icon in the Button
to specify a unique (different from the Main Environment) fluid
Bar and the Environment:
Name (COL1) indicates that
package for the Column Sub-flowsheet. This may be useful in
you are in the Column Sub- instances when a different fluid package is better suited to the
flowsheet. Column (Gas Plant using PR may contain an Amine Contactor
that needs to use the Amines Property Package), or the Column
The Object Palette is
different in the Column Sub-
does not use all of the components used in the Main Flowsheet
flowsheet. and so by decreasing the number of components in the column
you may speed up column convergence.
• Construction of custom templates - In addition to the default
column configurations, which are available as templates, you may
define column set-ups with varying degrees of complexity.
Complex custom columns and multiple columns may be
simulated within a single sub-flowsheet using various
combinations of SubFlowsheet equipment. Custom column

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 Getting Started 19

examples include, replacement of the standard condenser with a

heat exchanger, or the standard kettle reboiler with a
thermosyphon reboiler.
Enter Parent Simulation • Ability to solve multiple towers simultaneously - The Column
Environment icon Sub-flowsheet uses a simultaneous solver whereby all operations
within the sub-flowsheet are solved simultaneously. The
simultaneous solver permits the user to install multiple
interconnected columns within the sub-flowsheet without the
need for Recycle blocks.

You can enter the Column Sub-flowsheet by clicking the Column

Environment button on the Column Property View. Once inside the
Column Environment you can return to the Parent Environment by
clicking either the Parent Environment button on the Column Runner
view or the Enter Parent Simulation Environment button in the Button
Bar.

Customizing the Workbook and PFD

HYSYS allows the user to customize the Workbook and PFD.

Customizing the Workbook

43. Show the workbook by pressing the Workbook button on the toolbar
(or by using the Workbook option on the Tools menu).

Workbook button

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20 Getting Started

44. From the Workbook menu, select Setup. The Setup view appears as
shown below:

Figure 9

The left side of this section allows you to add new tabs to the Workbook.
The right side allows you to configure the properties that appear on each
tab.

45. Add a new Workbook tab. Choose the object type to be Stream-
Material Stream on the window that appears.
46. Change the tab Name to Other Props.
47. Change the tab to show the following variables: Molecular Weight,
Mass Heat Capacity and vapour phase Cp/Cv.

By using the Order/Hide/Reveal Objects option on the Workbook menu

Phase specific properties all it is possible to customize which objects appear on each tab.
start with 'Phase…' in the
alphabetical variable list. 48. Change the Other Props tab so that it displays only the terminal
streams (Feed Gas, Export Gas and 10).

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 Getting Started 21

Customizing the PFD

For each flowsheet, HYSYS allows multiple PFD views to be configured.
These PFDs are just different views on the same set of objects, so
deleting a stream from one PFD will mean it is deleted from all the PFDs.
Using multiple PFDs allows various possibilities:

• Creation of a 'Presentation' PFD that has some streams/

operations hidden to produce a PFD ready for output.
• Define a number of views on the same flowsheet (e.g. a zoomed
out view and a number of views zoomed in to particular areas of
the process).

When using multiple PFDs it is a good idea to have one 'working' PFD
that shows all the streams and operations.

49. Create a PFD named Presentation using the Add a PFD option from
the PFD menu. Choose to Clone the existing PFD.

Figure 10

50. Hide all the Set operations on the Presentation PFD by right-clicking
on their PFD icons and choosing Hide on the object inspect menu.
To unhide objects that have
been hidden, right-click on 51. Add a PFD workbook table for the Other Props Workbook tab by
the PFD background and object inspecting the PFD background and choosing the Add
choose Reveal Hidden Workbook Table option.
Objects.

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22 Getting Started

Customizing Stream Properties

The Properties page of the material stream property view can be cus-
tomized.

Figure 11

The user can:

• Add or remove properties (these are also referred to as Property

Correlations)
• Change the order of properties
• Save sets of property correlations and apply them to other
streams, or to the whole case

There are two places in HYSYS that these correlations are controlled:

• Property Correlation Controls section on the stream Properties

page – Allows the correlations for an individual stream to be
customized. Also allows sets of correlations to be saved.
• Correlation Manager on the Tools menu – Allows changes to be
made to the property correlations in use for the whole case.

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 Getting Started 23

The property correlations displayed for a particular stream are

controlled using the buttons at the bottom of the stream window on the
Properties page.

Figure 12

These have the following functions:

Button Flyby Text Notes

View Correlation Set List Allows the user to pick from a list of previously
defined correlation sets.

Append New Correlation Brings up a window where all correlations are

displayed in a tree, and can be selected and
added. Correlations are added to the bottom
of the list.

Move Selected Correlation Down

Move Selected Correlation Up

Sort Ascending

Remove Selected Correlation

Remove All Correlations

Save Correlation Set to File The Correlation Set can then be loaded with
the View Correlation Set List function.

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24 Getting Started

View Selected Correlation See settings specific to the selected

correlation.

View All Correlation plots See all correlation plots for the stream.
Currently greyed out as none of the
correlations have plots.

1. Open the property view of the Feed Gas stream. Click the Remove
All Correlations button to clear all the correlations from the stream.
2. Using the Append New Correlation button, add the following
properties:
• Gas - HC Dew Point
• Gas - Higher Heating Value
Don’t forget to click Apply to
add these properties. • Gas - Lower Heating Value
• Gas - Wobbe Index
• Standard - Act. Volume Flow

Figure 13

By clicking the blue stream

arrow button next to the
stream name, a different
stream can be selected.

3. On the Feed Gas stream Properties page, select the Higher Heating
Value [Gas] row in the table.

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 Getting Started 25

4. Click the View Selected Correlation button.

Figure 14

Property correlation
parameters can only be
edited using the Correlation
Manager.
The meaning of the Status
group is explained below.

A window appears giving details of the property, note that here the
Reference temperature option cannot be changed (i.e., it appears in
black).

5. Click the Save Correlation Set to File button to save the properties
in this stream as a correlation set called Gas CorrSet.
If the existing correlations
are not first removed, then
6. Open the Properties page for the Export Gas stream. Remove all the
any new ones in the existing correlations and add the Gas CorrSet correlation set to the
Correlation Set are added to stream using the View Correlation Set List button.
the bottom of the list.

Figure 15

All user defined correlation sets are stored, by default, in the file
StreamCorrSets.xml in the \Support subdirectory of the HYSYS

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26 Getting Started

installation. The name and location of this file can be configured on the
Files-Locations page of the Preferences window (Tools-Preferences
menu option). This file is not created until a correlation set is added.

Customizing Properties for the Whole Case

HYSYS includes a Correlation Manager where global changes for the
whole case can be made. This is accessed from the Tools-Correlation
Manager menu item.

Figure 16

Details of the selected correlation

Add or Remove Load in a previously saved Streams displaying the

Correlations Correlation Set selected correlation

The meaning of the Stream Correlation Controls (Global) buttons are

similar to those for the individual stream, except any changes apply
globally (i.e., to all the streams in the case). The functions of the buttons
are as follows:

Button Flyby Text Notes

Scan System Correlations Click this icon to manually scan the system
registry and build a list of available property
correlations.

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 Getting Started 27

Clone Selected Correlation Only enabled when a property with variable

parameters is selected (details are given in
the following sections).

Delete Cloned Correlation From List Only enabled when a previously cloned
property is selected in the Clone part of the
tree, and when no streams are showing the
property.
Activate Selected Global Correlation Adds the selected property correlation to all
the streams in the case.

Remove Selected Global Correlation Removes the selected property correlation

from all the streams in the case.

Remove All Global Correlations Removes all the property correlations from all
the streams in the case.

Some properties (like the Higher Heating Value property viewed above)
have user adjustable parameters.

1. Open the Correlation Manager using the Tools menu.

2. Select the Gas-Higher Heating Value property in the tree. The right
side of the window now shows a similar view to that seen previously.
However, now the reference temperature can be changed.
3. Change the reference temperature and note that the values
calculated in the Feed Gas and Export Gas streams change.

When you change a correlation’s parameters, all the streams displaying

the correlation will use the new parameters. Hence HYSYS has a clone
feature that allows multiple copies of the same correlation to be used.
Cloned correlations can have different parameter values to the original
correlation.

Note that now the cloned 4. Click the Clone Selected Correlation button to clone the Higher
Higher Heating Value Heating Value property.
correlation is now present in
all the streams in the case.’ 5. Find the new cloned property in the Clone section of the tree.
6. Add this correlation to all the streams in the case using the Activate
Cloned correlations can be Selected Global Correlation button.
renamed by typing a new
value into the Display Name 7. Set the reference temperature for the cloned correlation so that it is
cell. different from the original correlation.

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28 Getting Started

Compare the values of the two correlations for the Feed Gas and Export
Gas streams.

Figure 17

The following table describes the six bars contained in the Status group:

Status Bar Description

Stream Indicates that the correlation can only be applied to material
streams.
Point/Plottable Indicates whether the property correlation is a point or
plottable property.
Black Oil/Electrolyte/ Indicates which correlation type the property correlation
Gas/RVP/Solid/ resides within in the Available Correlations list.
Standard/User/Clone
Active/Inactive Indicates whether the property correlation has been
activated by the correlation manager.
If the status bar is green, any new stream added to the
flowsheet with the same fluid type as the correlation will
automatically have the property correlation added.
In Use/Not in Use Indicates whether the property correlation is being used by
a stream in the case.
Available/Unavailable Indicates whether the property correlation exists in the
window registry of the system.

The View Global Correlation Set List button in the Stream Correlation
Set Controls (Global) group allows a previously saved Correlation Set to
be displayed for all the streams in the case.
View Global Correlation Set
List button

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 Getting Started 29

8. Using the Correlation Manager, remove all the existing correlations

for all the streams in the case, then load in the previously created
Gas CorrSet Correlation Set so that it is used by all the streams.

Warning Message: Loading a Case

When you load a previously saved case, you may see the following
message:

Figure 18

The wording of this

message and the
Preferences options are
slightly different for HYSYS
versions before 3.2,
although the effect of
choosing each option is the
same. • Yes will append the standard set of properties to any streams that
may have had properties removed. Any custom properties added
will remain.
• No will leave all stream property views as they were when the
case was saved.

In most cases the standard property set will be being used anyway, so it
does not matter which option is chosen.

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30 Getting Started

The HYSYS preferences include several options relevant to this message.

Figure 19

• Checking Activate Property Correlations tells HYSYS to add

the standard correlations upon opening a case.
• Checking Confirm Before Adding if Active Correlations are
Present makes HYSYS show the previous message when every
case is loaded.
• Unchecking Confirm Before Adding if Active Correlations are
Present is equivalent to clicking Yes each time the message
appears.

The safest choice of options is the default. Unchecking the Confirm

Before Adding if Active Correlations are Present is probably
worthwhile, unless you are dealing with cases where the correlations
have been customized.

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 Getting Started 31

Each stream has a status indicator on the Properties page that indicates
whether the Activate Property Correlations option is checked in the
Preferences. The Correlation Manager window also has a similar status
indicator.

Figure 20

9. Save and close your case.

10. Go to the Simulation-Options page of the HYSYS Preferences (select
the Tools-Preferences menu option).
11. Ensure that the two checkboxes in the Stream Property Correlations
group are activated.
12. Reload the case. Click Yes on the message box. Notice that all the
streams in the case now have the standard set of correlations in
addition to any customizations.
13. Reload the case again. Click No on the message box. Notice that now
the streams only show the correlations in the Gas CorrSet
correlation set.

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32 Getting Started

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 Extensions 1

Extensions

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA1000.32.02
02 Extensions
2 Extensions

Introduction
One of the most powerful features of HYSYS is that users are able to
create and add their own unit operations to the program through
extensibility. In this module, the power of this feature will be
demonstrated, however the process required to build an extension in
HYSYS will not be covered.

If you want to learn more about creating unit operation extensions or

other tools, using the extensibility feature of HYSYS; AspenTech offers
another course that will meet your needs. For more information, ask the
instructor.

With unit operation extensions users can create models for unit
operations that are not available in HYSYS. Unit operations can also be
used to perform calculations, much like the depressuring utility also
examined in this course.

The Virtual Stream extension to be used in this module allows the user
to transfer information from one stream to another, creating a “Live
Link” between them.

Learning Objectives
By completing this module, you will learn how to:

• Register extensions in HYSYS.

• Use a prebuilt extension in a HYSYS simulation.

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 Extensions 3

Registering Extensions
Before extensions can be used in a simulation, they must be registered.

1. Open the Tools menu and select Preferences.

2. Click the Extensions tab.

Figure 1

3. Click the Register an Extension button. The Select an Extension to

be Registered view appears.

3
4 Extensions

4. Navigate to where your extension file is located and double-click it

to register it with the system.

Figure 2

Once an extension is registered, it will appear on the Extensions tab, and

you will be able to use it in your simulation.

Figure 3

5. Close the Session Preferences view.

There is no need to restart your computer, although HYSYS may need to

be restarted.

4
 Extensions 5

Adding Extensions to Your Simulations

Extensions are added just like any ordinary unit operation in HYSYS.
The only difference is that they do not have an icon on the Object
Palette.

The simplest way to add an extension to your simulation is to follow the

steps below:

1. Press the <F12> hot key to bring up a menu of unit operations.

2. Select the Extensions radio button from the column on the left. The
extensions that are registered with the system will appear in a
column on the right.
3. Select the desired extensions and click the Add button.

Figure 4

If an extension that has just been registered does not show in the list of
available extensions, then restart HYSYS.

5
6 Extensions

Workshop
In this workshop, you will add the Virtual Stream extension to various
Don’t worry if you haven’t
built the Turbo Expander streams in the Turbo Expander case built in the Getting Started module.
plant case. You can use the
“ADV1_GettingStarted_Soln The files for this extension (VirtualStream.dll, VirtualStream.edf and
.hsc” file.
Virtual Stream User Guide.doc) have been supplied to you on the course
disk. In addition to this extension, there are several others available on
the AspenTech support website (support.aspentech.com).

1. Copy these files to a location on the computer's hard disk.

It is not important where on the hard disk you copy these files, but
remember the location as you will need to find these files in order to
register them with the system.

2. Once the files have been copied to the hard disk, move to the
Extensions tab of the Preferences view. (Accessed through the Tools
menu in the main menu bar.)
3. Click the Register an Extension button, and use the file explorer to
locate the VirtualStream.dll file. Opening this file will register it with
the system and allow you to use it in the simulation.
4. Return to the PFD of the simulation and add the extension using the
procedure described previously.
5. On the extension’s Connections tab, use the drop-down list to select
the Reference stream as Feed Gas, and for the Target Stream create a
new stream called Feed Gas VS.

6
 Extensions 7

If the Feed Gas stream doesn't appear in the Reference stream drop-
down then the Allow Multiple Stream Connections option must be set
in the preferences (Tools-Preferences menu).

Figure 5

7
8 Extensions

6. On the Parameters tab, configure the extension to transfer the

Pressure, Molar Flow and Composition, with a specified Target
Vapour Fraction, as below.

Figure 6

Tick checkboxes to transfer Specify Multiplier and Offset

information to Target Stream. for transferred variables.

Type Target value for any remaining

degrees of freedom.

This means that stream Feed Gas VS automatically maintains the same
Pressure, Molar flow, and composition as the Feed Gas stream, but will
always have a vapour fraction of 0. In this way, the temperature of Feed
Gas VS is always the bubble point of stream Feed Gas.

Challenge
Connect to the web and investigate the additional extensions available
within the Sample Macros and Extensions section of the Knowledgebase
on the AspenTech support web page at http:\\support.aspentech.com.
In order to access the Knowledgebase you will need to have previously
registered and obtained a login ID.

These can be downloaded and registered in exactly the same way as the
Virtual Stream extension.

Alternatively you may have some others already stored on your

company network or your computer.

8
 Advanced Columns 1

Advanced Columns

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA 1000.32.02
03 Advanced Columns
2 Advanced Columns

Workshop
Most users are familiar with the prebuilt columns that are available in
the main HYSYS Environment. This module will introduce the concept
of custom columns. HYSYS allows users to build columns without using
the prebuilt configurations. This is useful for simulating columns that
do not fit into the usual configurations.

Building custom columns allows users to replace reboilers with heat

exchangers; the heat exchangers can then be rated and sized. Likewise,
thermosyphon reboilers can be used in place of generic reboilers.

HYSYS also includes a Column Sizing utility that can size and rate
column tray sections.

Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to:

• Build custom columns in HYSYS

• Replace generic reboilers with sizable heat exchangers
• Perform Tray Sizing and Rating calculations

Prerequisites
Before beginning this module, you should be able to:

• Navigate the Main Simulation

• Add unit operations to the PFD
• Add, and converge, a generic prebuilt column

2
Column Overview
4 Advanced Columns

Custom Columns
The most common way of adding a column to a simulation is to use the
prebuilt columns that HYSYS offers. There are four prebuilt columns
available:

• Absorber - the simplest of all towers, no reboiler or condenser.

• Refluxed Absorber - an absorber tower with a condenser on the
top stage that allows for a refluxing stream in the column.
• Reboiled Absorber - an absorber tower with a reboiler at its
base, and no condenser at the top.
• Distillation Column - an absorber tower with both a condenser
and a reboiler.

Customising a Column gives the user greater control over the

simulation. For example, replacing the reboiler with a Heat Exchanger
allows the user to use steam as a heating medium and size the
exchanger based on the required duty.

Custom Columns can be built in two ways, either by modifying a

prebuilt column, or by constructing a new column from the beginning.
In this module, a prebuilt LPG recovery column will be modified.

The Column Sub-Flowsheet

Whenever a column is added to a HYSYS simulation, a Column Sub-
flowsheet is created. The sub-flowsheet is essentially another layer in
the HYSYS simulation. It is located under the Main layer, and can be
seen by selecting Tools-PFDs in the main menu bar, or by pressing the
hot-key CTRL P. The nature of the layering scheme can be seen in the
displayed list as the Column's PFD is indented under the Main PFD.
Selecting the desired PFD and clicking the View button will open that
particular layer for viewing.
In HYSYS Version 3.1+ it is
not necessary to enter the Alternatively the PFD of a particular column can be seen by right
Column Environment to edit clicking on the column PFD icon and choosing Open PFD.
it. Changes can be made by
opening the PFD and editing
it, although it is still In order to edit the column, i.e. to add and modify operations, it is best
recommended to enter the to enter the Column Environment. The Column Environment is
Column Environment.
accessed through the Column Property View. To bring up the Column

4
 Advanced Columns 5

Property View, double click the column icon on the PFD. With the
Column Property View as the active view, click the Column Environment
button. This will make HYSYS enter the Column Environment. The
operations within the column can be deleted, modified, replaced, and
controlled just like ordinary unit operations in the Main Environment.

When in the Column Environment, returning to the Main Environment

can be accomplished by clicking the Enter Parent Simulation
Environment icon located on the Main Menu Bar.
Enter Parent Environment
icon
Adding operations to the column is very similar to adding operations in
the Main Environment. The choice of operations is reduced, but the
method of installation is identical.

Building the Simulation

This module will continue with the column built in the Getting Started
Don’t worry if you haven’t
built the Turbo Expander module. This column is an LPG Recovery unit for a Turbo Expander
plant case. The file plant.
“ADV1_GettingStarted_Soln
.hsc” contains this case.
This column was constructed as a generic distillation column. The
condenser is a “Total Reflux” type; this means that there is no liquid
product from the condenser, rather all of the condensed liquid is sent
back into the column to provide a refluxing liquid stream.

The reboiler on this column is also of the generic type. An energy stream
is supplied and the liquid product from the last stage is boiled up. The
vapours return to the column and the liquid leaves the column as a
liquid product.

5
6 Advanced Columns

Replacing the Reboiler

The generic reboiler will be replaced with a shell and tube heat
exchanger. This will allow the user to supply steam to the column as the
energy stream, and size, or rate, the heat exchanger.
Modified HTSIM Inside-Out
is a general-purpose solver 1. Before modifying the column, it is necessary to change the Column
that allows Heat Solving Method to Modified HYSIM Inside-Out. The Solving
Exchangers and other method is accessed through the Solver page (on the Parameters tab)
operations in the Column
Environment.
of the Column Property View.

Figure 1

2. In the Basis Environment, add Water to the list of components.

3. If necessary click the Run button to recalculate the column.
4. Enter the Column Environment and delete the existing reboiler and
energy stream from the PFD.

Because the generic reboiler that had no pressure drop is being replaced
with a heat exchanger that will have a pressure drop, a pump must be
added to the simulation to “push” the fluid through the exchanger.

6
 Advanced Columns 7

5. Add a Pump to the Column Environment with the following

parameters:

In This Cell... Enter...

Name Reboiler Pump
Inlet To Reboiler
Outlet Pump Out
Energy Pump Duty
Delta P (on Design... Parameters page) 75 kPa (10.9 psia)

6. After the newly created pump, add a Heat Exchanger to the

Column's PFD, with the following parameters:

Heat Exchanger icon In This Cell... Enter

Name E-100
Heat Exchanger Model Calculated by Column (default)
Tube Side Inlet Steam In
Tube Side Outlet Steam Out
Shell Side Inlet Pump Out
Shell Side Outlet Reboiler Out
Tube Side Pressure Drop 50 kPa (7.25 psia)
Shell Side Pressure Drop 75 kPa (10.9 psia)

7. Define the Steam In stream as saturated pure steam at 200°C

(392°F). The mass flow rate is 2500 kg/h (5511 lb/hr).

Normally when the reboiler is deleted from the column Sub-flowsheet

the pressure that was specified at the bottom will be lost, and hence
must be added back on the Parameters page in Profiles tab.

However in this case the pressure at the bottom of the column is set by
the pressure in the bottoms liquid product stream (10), which is linked
to the Turbo Expander outlet pressure.

Be sure to pick the 8. Add a Separator after the Heat Exchanger, with the vapour product
Separator operation from returning to the bottom stage of the column, and the liquid product
the object palette, rather leaving the Column Environment as stream 10. (See the Column
than one of the Condensers
which have similar icons. Overview at the beginning of the module for the column PFD).

7
8 Advanced Columns

9. Because the Reboiler was deleted, HYSYS removed the Reboiler

liquid RVP spec. Add this spec back:

RVP Spec...
Type Column Vapour Pressure Spec
Name Btms RVP
Stage V-100
Type Reid Vapour Pressure
Phase Liquid
Spec Value 200 psia

Since the Heat Exchanger was installed in the Column Environment it's
specifications appear on the Monitor page along with the specifications
of the column. Heat Exchanger specifications can be activated and
deactivated just like Column specifications; they can also be added in
exactly the same manner as Column specifications.

10. Return to the Main Flowsheet and ensure that the three active
specifications for the column are: Ohvd Duty, Btms RVP, and E-100
Heat Balance.

Figure 2

8
 Advanced Columns 9

11. Run the column; after it has converged, answer these questions:

What is the UA of the Heat Exchanger?

What is the LMTD for this exchanger?

What is the vapour fraction of the outlet steam?

Save your case!

Connecting Streams Between Flowsheets

1. Look at the Main PFD. Notice the streams Steam In and Steam Out
are not visible here. This is because they were created in the Column
Sub-flowsheet, and have not been connected to the Main Flowsheet.
2. Streams are connected between the Main and Sub-flowsheet on the
Connections page on the Design tab. Notice that there are two types
of streams listed here, Internal and External. Internal streams are
those on the Column Sub-flowsheet. External streams are the
corresponding streams on the main Flowsheet. Currently Steam In
and Steam Out do not have any linked external streams.

9
10 Advanced Columns

3. Internal streams are connected to the Main Flowsheet by typing a

name in the External Stream column. Add the appropriate names to
the External Streams column, and check to make sure that these
streams appear in the Main PFD.

Figure 3

As this is now a
Custom Column, the
Connections page of
the Design tab no
longer shows a
Distillation Column.

The Steam In flow rate was defined in the Column Environment,

therefore, it is not a specifiable parameter in the Main Environment.
Some users prefer to have all the feed streams visible and editable in the
Main Environment.

4. Delete the flow rate of Steam In in the Column Environment, and

enter the same value as a flow rate for Steam In in the Main
Environment. The column will automatically resolve.
5. Delete the other Steam In specifications on the column sub-
flowsheet (Vapour Fraction, Temperature and Composition) and
transfer them to the main flowsheet.

Save your case!

10
 Advanced Columns 11

Exercise - Simulating the Reboiler on the Main

Flowsheet Using Internal Streams
Another method of simulating the reboiler with a Heat Exchanger is to
use the Internal Stream feature of the column to make a copy of the
reboiler on the main flowsheet. Here this will be added to the case where
a rigorous heat exchanger has already been added to the column sub-
flowsheet. However this technique works just as well with columns
using the standard Reboiler operation.

This way of modelling the reboiler is just as accurate as adding the heat
exchanger to the column sub-flowsheet although it does not look quite
as good.

An 'Internal Stream' is a special HYSYS stream that represents a fluid

inside the column, for example the vapour leaving the top tray, or the
liquid leaving the bottom tray. Internal Streams show with a cyan colour
on the column sub-flowsheet.

11
12 Advanced Columns

1. Go to the Flowsheet-Internal Streams page of the column, press the

Add button and configure the table as below:

Figure 4

Stage and Phase the Check this box to make the stream
Type the name of
stream will represent appear on the main flowsheet
the internal stream

Only relevant for streams with external draws.

Net = exclude effect of external draws (consider flows in column only)
Total = include draws (i.e. total flow leaving the stage)

2. Re-run the column to calculate the internal stream.

3. Locate the stream on the main flowsheet, check that its properties
are the same as those for the liquid leaving the column.
4. Add a pump, heat exchanger and steam streams as earlier in the
module.

Pump Name Reboiler Pump

Instead of manually adding Inlet Btm Tray Liquid

the streams and operations Outlet Pump Out
you can copy & paste them
from the column sub- Energy Pump Duty
flowsheet by using the right- Delta P __75_kPa
click copy/paste options.
Exchanger Name Copy of Reboiler
Tube Side Inlet Steam In 2
Tube Side Outlet Steam Out 2
Shell Side Inlet Pump Out

12
 Advanced Columns 13

Pump Name Reboiler Pump

Shell Side Outlet Reboiler Out
Heat Exchanger Model Exchanger Design (Weighted)
Tube Side Pressure Drop 50 kPa
Shell Side Pressure Drop 75 kPa
Steam In 2 conditions Saturated pure steam at 200°C. Mass
flow 2500 kg/h.

5. Use a Set operation to specify the Reboiler Out stream temperature

to be the same as the column bottom product stream.

Save your case!

Column Sizing
HYSYS contains a Tray Sizing utility that greatly simplifies the
mechanical design of a distillation column. A user can size full towers, or
sections of towers, by specifying information related to the trays, tower
internals, the downcomers, and the weirs.

The most common use of the Tray Sizing utility is to identify a tray
section, and then make HYSYS size the tower into sections based on
your input, then if desired, perform a rating analysis on the column.

While HYSYS is able to size and rate tray sections, the values that it
provides are only rough estimates and should be treated as such.

Column Sizing in Design Mode

1. Select Tools/Utilities from the Main Menu bar, or press the hot key
CTRL U.

13
14 Advanced Columns

2. Select Tray Sizing from the list of available utilities and click the Add
Utility button.

Figure 5

3. Click the Select TS... button, and select LPG Recovery as the
Flowsheet and Main TS as the Object.

HYSYS allows users to select Tray Sections instead of entire columns so

that users may size Side Strippers independently from the Main
Column.

4. Click the Add Section... button. Accept all of the default values that
are presented.

HYSYS will calculate the dimensions of the column using preset values
for the column internals and for the various parameters.

14
 Advanced Columns 15

On the Performance tab a summary of the calculations are presented. A

brief explanation of the terms follows:

• Number of Flow Paths. The number of times liquid crosses the

tray, most trays are single-pass or have NFP of 1.
• Maximum Downcomer Backup. Represents the maximum
amount of liquid hold-up in the downcomer that can be tolerated
by the column before flooding occurs.
• Maximum Weir Loading. Measures the amount of liquid flowing
over the weir.
• Pressure Drops. Estimates the total pressure drop over the
section and the maximum pressure drop per tray.

What is the maximum pressure drop per tray in the Distillation Column?

Over which tray does this pressure drop occur?

What is the diameter of the trays inside the column?

What is the total section height?

Column Sizing in Rating Mode

In rating mode, HYSYS allows you to perform rating calculations based
on a specified tower diameter and fixed tray configuration.

15
16 Advanced Columns

Exercise
Head office is desperate to build a distillation column, but the
fabrication mill is working overtime and there are very lengthy delays for
special orders. The mill has the following trays in stock:

Diameter, m (ft.) NFP (Passes)

0.75 (2.5) 1
1.0 (3.3) 1
1.25 (4.1) 1

Obtain the flow parameters and pressure drops for a column that uses
the trays as given above. The following requirements must be met in
order for the column to be constructed.

• Maximum% Flood = 85
• Maximum weir loading = 80 m3/h-m (860 ft3/h-ft)
• Maximum downcomer backup = 50%

For each case, follow these steps:

1. On the Design tab, click on the Specs page and set the Mode to
Rating.
2. Set the diameter and number of flow paths, and move to the
Performance tab.
3. Leave all the other specs at the default values.

16
 Advanced Columns 17

4. Complete this table with the information provided by HYSYS.

Case Number 1 2 3
Diameter, m (ft.) 0.75 (2.5) 1.0 (3.3) 1.25 (4.1)
NFP 1 1 1
Weir Load
Flood
DC Back Up
Total Delta P

Compare the table above with the specifications on the previous page; which
set of trays will best meet the restrictions? Remember that smaller trays will
be less expensive.

Save your case!

Challenge
The Export Pressures button on the Tray Sizing Utility Performance tab
allows the calculated pressure drops to be exported to the column
pressure profile.

Use this feature to supply the LPG Recovery Column with the rigorously
calculated pressure profile.

Hint: Currently the condenser, reboiler, top and bottom tray pressures
appear as calculated (black) numbers. You will need to make them
specified (blue) before the Export Pressures function will work.

17
18 Advanced Columns

18
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 1

Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA1000.32.02
04 Templates and Sub-flowsheets
2 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Sub-Flowsheets
HYSYS has a multi-flowsheet architecture. This allows a large process to
be split up into smaller sections or Sub-Flowsheets. Each Sub-
Flowsheet, has its own streams and operations, PFD and workbook, and
can be independently linked to a Fluid Package.

Templates
A Template is a special sort of HYSYS case, which has been set up ready
for easy insertion as a Sub Flowsheet into other HYSYS cases. Template
files have the file extension *.tpl.

Workshop
A typical use for templates is to construct a library of ready-made plant
sections ready to be installed into other models. In this module a
refrigeration loop template will be constructed and then installed into
the Turbo Expander plant model.

Learning Objectives
By completing this module, you will learn how to:

• Build a template and/or a sub-flowsheet

• Install a template into a case
• Move objects between Flowsheets
• Efficiently use templates and sub-flowsheets in your simulations

2
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 3

Creating a Template
There are three ways to create a template:

• Convert a whole flowsheet into a template

• Create a new template
• Convert part of a flowsheet into a template.

Convert a Whole Flowsheet into a Template

1. Access the cases Main flowsheet's Property view (Simulation - Main
Properties or press CTRL M) and select the Convert to Template
button. You will be asked to confirm changing the case to a
template, and whether you want to save the simulation (as an
ordinary *.hsc case file) first before converting it to a template.
2. Set the Template Tag, Transfer Basis (if a material stream) and other
optional template information if required. These settings are
covered later in this module.
3. When you save the simulation, it will be saved as a template.

Create a New Template

1. From the File menu, select New, then Template.
2. Follow the standard procedure for building your simulation.
3. Access the cases Main flowsheet's Property view (Simulation - Main
Properties or CTRL M) and set the Template Tag, Transfer Basis (if a
material stream) and other optional template information if
required.
4. When you save the simulation, it will be saved as a template.

3
4 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Convert Part of a Flowsheet into a Template

There are two possible approaches. The easiest is as follows:

1. On the PFD, select all unit ops and streams you wish to "capture".
2. Right-click on any of the selected objects and select Cut/Paste
Objects and then Copy Objects to File (Export). Save the group of
objects to a *.hfl file.
3. From the File menu, select Open, then Cut/Copy/Paste, then
navigate to the *.hfl file you just saved.
4. Convert the new case that is created to a Template as in the
“Convert a Whole Flowsheet into a Template” section above.

Alternatively a group of objects can be copied and pasted into a new

Template, using a combination of the two methods above. The
disadvantage of this approach is that some fluid package assignments
may need to be manually adjusted.

Example - Refrigeration Loop

For this example, a refrigeration loop Process Template will be
constructed. This template will then be installed as a sub-flowsheet into
the Turbo Expander plant simulation built so far in this course.
Don’t worry if you haven’t
built the Turbo Expander
The required power loads will be will then be determined and displayed
plant case. The file on the main flowsheet.
“ADV1_GettingStarted_Soln
.hsc” contains this case.

4
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 5

1. Build the following simulation as a new case. Use PR as the property

package.

Figure 1

2. Initially set Chill-Q to 1E6 kJ/hr, make sure the case solves and looks
acceptable.
3. Ensure that the refrigerant flow rate is positive. If it is not, consider
why this might be. Check your PFD carefully and make the
appropriate changes.
4. Save the case as Mixed Refrig.hsc.

Now the simulation needs to be converted to a template, by following

the instructions above. However before you do this, you must make sure
the template is "ready to run".

If it is converted and saved as it is now, then when it is installed into a

case, HYSYS will generate a consistency error. This is because there are
no unknown variables in the Refrig unit, so when a chiller duty is set
from the main flowsheet the model will be overspecified.To overcome
this the specified Chill-Q value needs to be removed, thus leaving the
loop unsolved. Now when the chiller duty is set by the main flowsheet
the loop will solve correctly.

5. Remove the Chiller duty, then convert the case to a template

following the instructions given on page 4, use the name Mixed
refrig.tpl.

5
6 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Template Properties
The properties for the template can be set on the Main Properties
window (Simulation - Main Properties or CTRL M). The first few tabs of
this window are the same as for any simulation case. However, the two
final tabs are exclusive to Templates. These are Exported Connections
and Exported Variables. These two tabs only appear when the case has
been converted into a template.

Figure 2

The Exported Connections tab lists all the feed and product boundary
streams in the flowsheet, and allows a Transfer Basis to be set, this will
be used when the stream is linked between flowsheets. Connections and
Transfer Basis are covered in more detail shortly.

The Template Tag is used to identify the flowsheet within the case.

6
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 7

The Installed Simulation Basis option controls what Fluid Package the
flowsheet will use when it is imported into another case.

• Internal - Use the Fluid Package it has now

• External - Use the Fluid Package of the parent flowsheet

Figure 3

Key variables within the flowsheet can be configured here and then
easily monitored on the sub-flowsheet's property view when it is
imported into the parent flowsheet.

It is not necessary to make any changes on these two tabs, all settings
can be configured later when the template is imported as a sub
flowsheet into another case.

7
8 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Installing a Template in a Simulation

6. Reactivate the flowsheet from the previous module. To install click
on the Flowsheet icon on the object palette and select Read an
Existing Template. Select the template you have just saved.
Flowsheet icon

Figure 4

Once the template is installed as a new sub-flowsheet any subsequent

changes made only effect this instance, they do not effect the template
from which the sub-flowsheet was derived.

Connections Tab
On the Connections tab, you can enter all the Feed and Product
connections between the sub-flowsheet and the main flowsheet. Feed
connections are material or energy streams into the sub-flowsheet,
products are out of the sub-flowsheet.

7. Click on the External Stream box along side Chill-Q and select Q-
100 from the pull down menu.
8. For the other two streams there are no existing streams in the main
Internal streams refer to flowsheet so give them new stream names as in Figure 6.
streams in the sub-
flowsheet. External streams
9. Rename the sub-flowsheet to Mixed Refrig Unit.
are in the main flowsheet.

8
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 9

Figure 5

Figure 6

You will notice the Chill-Q stream on the sub-flowsheet is automatically

renamed Q-100 to match the main flowsheet stream name.

9
10 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Template Tag
Tags are short names used to identify the sub-flowsheet associated with
a stream or operation when viewed outside the sub-flowsheet. The
default Tag name for sub-flowsheet operations is TPL1 (e.g.: strm6@
TPL1).

When more than one sub-flowsheet operation is installed the default tag
increases, TPL2, TPL3 etc. You may give sub-flowsheets proper names
(e.g.: refrig1).

Exporting Sub-Flowsheet Variables

10. Use the Variables tab to export the following variables:
• Condenser Duty, Heat Flow
• Comp-HP, Power
• Stream 1, Mass Flow
11. Edit the variable descriptions to show what the variables represent.

Figure 7

Notice that the values of these variables are now displayed on the
Parameters tab.

10
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 11

Reviewing the Simulation Basis

12. Enter the Simulation Basis.

Note that since the default Internal Basis option was used when
configuring the template, the refrigeration loop sub-flowsheet is using a
different fluid package to the main flowsheet. If required the fluid
package used by each sub-flowsheet can be changed in the right table.

Figure 8

11
12 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Transfer Basis
HYSYS has the option to model a sub-flowsheet using a different fluid
package to the main flowsheet. This allows, for example, the modelling
of a Gas Sweetening process as a sub-flowsheet using PRSour within a
main flowsheet using PR.

As each fluid package could calculate different properties HYSYS must

do a flash for any streams passing between flowsheets. The Transfer
Basis sets what kind of flash is done.

Flash Type Description

P-H Flash The Pressure and Enthalpy of the
material stream are passed between
flowsheets. A new temperature and
vapour fraction will be calculated. Since
the Enthalpy basis may be different for
each property package this option is only
recommended when the same fluid
package is in use for both streams.
T-P Flash The Pressure and Temperature of the
Material stream are passed between
flowsheets. A new Vapour Fraction will be
calculated.
VF-T Flash The Vapour Fraction and Temperature of
the Material stream are passed between
flowsheets. A new Pressure will be
calculated.
VF-P Flash The Vapour Fraction and Pressure of the
material stream are passed between
flowsheets. A new temperature will be
calculated.
None Required No calculation is required for an Energy
stream. The heat flow will simply be
passed between flowsheets.

In this case no transfer basis is required since only energy streams pass
across the flowsheet boundary.

12
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 13

Finish this section

13. Tidy up the PFD, and add a PFD table for the sub flowsheet to show
the exported variables. (PFD tables are added by right clicking on
the object and choosing Show Table.).

Figure 9

Save your case!

Challenge
In this case the chiller is simulated using a cooler in the main flowsheet
linked with an energy stream to a heater in the sub-flowsheet. It is
possible to replace the heater and cooler with a single heat exchanger.
One of the features of the HYSYS heat exchanger is the option to have
the streams on each side of the exchanger in different flowsheets.

Replace the heater and cooler with a single heat exchanger in the main
flowsheet. What advantages does modelling the chiller in this way have?

If you try this challenge, make sure to save your case with a different file
name and revert back to the separate heater and cooler case for
subsequent modules.

13
14 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Creating and Manipulating Sub-flowsheets

Sub-flowsheets can be created without first creating a template by
choosing one of the other two options when adding a flowsheet.

Figure 10

The paste exported objects buttons allows a sub flowsheet to be created

that contains a group of objects that have previously been saved as a
*.hfl file (by using the PFD right click Cut/Copy Objects … Copy Objects
to File function).

A sub-flowsheet can also be created to contain a group of objects that

already exist on the main flowsheet.

1. On the Turbo Expander plant PFD, select Cooler E-101 and

compressor K-102, their energy streams, and stream 13.

Figure 11

2. Right-click on any of these objects and select Cut/Paste Objects and

then Combine Into Sub-Flowsheet.

14
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 15

This group of objects are then combined into a sub-flowsheet. HYSYS

automatically sets up all the stream connections

Figure 12

3. Right-click on the sub-flowsheet icon and choose Cut/Paste Objects

then Move Contents To Owner Flowsheet.

Figure 13

HYSYS returns everything back to the main flowsheet level.

4. Select the sub-flowsheet icon and delete it as it is now empty.

Viewing and Editing the Sub-Flowsheet

Pressing the Sub-Flowsheet Environment button on the sub-flowsheet
operation window causes HYSYS to enter the sub-flowsheet
environment. (This is equivalent to pressing the Column Environment

15
16 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

button on the column to enter the column sub-flowsheet environment.)

Figure 14

The Environment label at the top right corner of the HYSYS window
indicates which environment is currently active. To return to the main
flowsheet, press the Enter Parent Environment button.

Whilst in the sub-flowsheet environment, the HYSYS solver will only

solve the streams/operations within the sub-flowsheet. To see the effect
of any changes on the whole case it is necessary to return to the top-
level flowsheet.

It is also possible to open the sub-flowsheet PFD and make changes

whilst remaining in the main flowsheet environment. Hence any
changes made in the sub-flowsheet immediately affect the whole case.

To open the PFD for the sub-flowsheet:

1. Right-click on the PFD icon of the sub-flowsheet.

2. Choose Open PFD. Alternatively use the Tools-PFDs menu.

In HYSYS versions prior to 3.1, it was necessary to enter the sub-

flowsheet environment to make any topology changes to the sub-
flowsheet (e.g., change stream connections, add/delete objects, etc.),
however this restriction has now been removed.

16
 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets 17

Use of Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

Consider the following possibilities:

• A case can contain multiple layers of sub-flowsheets

• Your company could develop a library of templates for everyone
to access. These become company standards, and can be more
easily maintained and approved
• Using library templates saves time in modelling and improves QA
• Complicated simulations are much easier to handle if split into
sub-flowsheets
• Large PFDs are easier to read if you use sub-flowsheets
• Several engineers can work on the same overall simulation by
using templates

Note that links are not dynamic. If a template is modified, it needs to be

reloaded into the simulation case for the changes to be incorporated.

17
18 Templates and Sub-Flowsheets

18
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 1

Spreadsheets and Case Studies

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA1000.32.02
05 Spreadsheets and Case Studies
2 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

Workshop
The HYSYS Spreadsheet is a powerful tool that allows the user to apply
Spreadsheet functionality to flowsheet modelling. The Spreadsheet has
complete access to all process variables; this allows the Spreadsheet to
be virtually unlimited in its applicability and function. In this module,
the Spreadsheet will be used to calculate a simplified profit for the
operating plant.

Learning Objectives
After completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Import and export variables to and from the Spreadsheet

• Add complex formulas to the Spreadsheet
• Use the HYSYS Spreadsheet in a wide variety of applications
• Use the casestudy utility to evaluate your flowsheets

2
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 3

The HYSYS Spreadsheet

With complete access to all process variables, the Spreadsheet is a very
powerful tool in the HYSYS environment. The power of the Spreadsheet
can be fully realized by the addition of formulas, functions, logical
operators, and basic programming statements.

The Spreadsheet's ability to import and export variables means that

seamless transfer of data between the Simulation Environment and the
Spreadsheet is a simple matter. Any changes in the Simulation
Environment are immediately reflected in the Spreadsheet, and vice-
versa.

The Spreadsheet has several common applications. For example, the

Spreadsheet can be used to:

• Collect together key inputs and results between flowsheet

objects.
• Relate the pressure drop in a Heat Exchanger to the flow.
• Perform mathematical operations using variables from the
simulation.

Importing and Exporting Variables

Any variable in the case can be imported into the Spreadsheet. The
contents of any Spreadsheet cell can be exported to any specifiable
Note that it is not possible to
import into, and export from
(blue) variable in the case. There are three ways of importing values into
the same cell, instead use the Spreadsheet.
two cells one for the import
and one for the export, and
link them together with a
• Drag and Drop. Position the cursor over the desired item; then
simple '=A1' type formula.
click and hold the right mouse button. Move the cursor over to the
Spreadsheet. Once over the Spreadsheet, the cursor's
appearance will change to a "bull's eye" type. Release the right
mouse button when the "bull's eye" cursor is over the desired cell.
The specific information about the imported variable will appear
in the Current Cell group.
• Variable Browsing. A variable may also be imported into the
Spreadsheet by placing the cursor on an empty cell in the
Spreadsheet and clicking (and releasing) the right mouse button.
Choose Import Variable from the list that appears, and select the
variable using the Variable Navigator.

3
4 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

• Connections Page. On the Connections page, click the Add

Import button and select the desired variable using the Variable
Navigator. After selecting the variable, choose the desired cell
from the drop-down list.

Exporting variables from the Spreadsheet into the Simulation

environment is also a simple procedure. The methods for doing this are
very similar.

The value in any • Drag and Drop. Position the cursor over the Spreadsheet cell
spreadsheet cell can be that is to be exported. Click and hold the right mouse button; the
exported, except if it is an cursor should now change to the "bulls' eye" type. Move the
imported value. "bull's eye" cursor over to the desired cell. Release the right
mouse button, the transfer should be completed.
• Variable Browsing. A variable may be exported from the
Spreadsheet into the Simulation environment by placing the
cursor on the exportable cell in the Spreadsheet and clicking (and
releasing) the right mouse button. Choose Export Formula Result
from the list that appears, and select the desired location for the
variable using the Variable Navigator.
• Connections Page. On the Connections page, click the Add
Export button and select the desired variable using the Variable
Navigator. After selecting the variable, choose the desired cell
from the drop down list.

4
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 5

Building the Spreadsheet

In this module a Spreadsheet to calculate a simple profit margin will be
Don’t worry if you haven’t added to the Turbo Expander plant.
built the Turbo Expander
plant case. Use the file
ADV4_Templates_Soln.hsc. 1. Add a Spreadsheet to your model by double-clicking on the
Spreadsheet icon on the Object Palette. Rename the spreadsheet
Profit Analysis.
2. On the Spreadsheet tab add the following text labels.

Figure 1

3. Set up the required imports.

Figure 2

Try each of the methods described on page 3.

5
6 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

4. Set the Cost of Power (cell D1) to be 0.05 $/kWh and the LPG value
to be 0.2 $/kg.
5. Enter the formulae below.

In this Cell... Enter...

B6 =B4+B5
D6 =D1*B6
D8 =D2*B8
D9 =D8-D6

Notice that HYSYS assigns variable types of Heat flow to cell D6 and
Mass flow to cell D8. This is because these are the variable types of the
cells involved in the calculation.

6. Using the Variable Type drop-down list above the spreadsheet,

change the types of these cells to unitless.

The spreadsheet should now look like this:

Figure 3

Remember in HYSYS The only cell remaining to be completed is B9. This is going to be used to
process variables appear as control the temperature of the refrigerant in the Mixed Refrig Unit.
blue numbers, calculated
ones as black, and in
spreadsheets any
7. Add a formula in cell B9 such that it is 5°C cooler than the Chiller
calculated numbers are exit temperature
shown in red.

6
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 7

8. In the Mixed Refrig Unit sub-flowsheet, delete the temperature in

stream 3.
9. Export the temperature from B9 to stream 3.

To delete the temperature In order to make it easier to access and use the spreadsheet cells in
there is no need to enter the another unit op (e.g. an Adjust) or in the Databook, cells can be named.
Refrigeration sub-flowsheet
environment, simply right This is done either by selecting the cell on the Spreadsheet tab and
click the sub-flowsheet icon typing a name in the Variable field above the spreadsheet, or on the
and press 'Open PFD’
Parameters tab.

10. Name cells D6, D8, and D9 as in the following figure.

Figure 4

With a process temp of -62°C and a turbo exit pressure of 28 bar we have a
profit of $493.8 /h.
Change the chiller exit temp to -60°C and the expander exit pressure to 20
bar.
What is your new profit?

Save your case!

7
8 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

Use of Spreadsheets
The spreadsheet can be a very useful tool in HYSYS to:

• Pull together important parameters in the simulation into a single

unit op. Use it to try "what ifs" by changing process variables and
seeing if your target variables change, and in the right direction.
• Perform additional calculations that are not possible in HYSYS
directly, such as the profit calculation you have just done.
• Combine data from process streams, energy streams or utility
streams and use multiple spreadsheets to calculate your total
cooling water requirements or power requirements.
• Careful use of spreadsheets can save you having to open several
windows in HYSYS in order to both input information, or examine
results.
• You can see that a spreadsheet can be used to set various
parameters in the flowsheet as a result of a calculation on
another variable. So in the flowsheet here the three sets
controlling the pressures of streams 8, 9 and 10 could be
replaced with a spreadsheet doing the same thing.

Note that when copying and pasting, spreadsheets links are not always
maintained. To ensure all links are maintained convert the relevant part
of the case to a template.

Challenge
As you can see the simulation can be "driven" from the spreadsheet, by
changing the temperature of stream 2 and the pressure of stream 5 and
looking at the new profit.

Do you think you could use the spreadsheet to optimise the cooler exit
temperature and turbo expander exit pressure to give the maximum
profit available? You could but it would take a long time using trial and
error.

8
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 9

The Case Study

The Case Study tool allows repeated runs with varying input parameters
to be automated. In the next section you will set up a case study to vary
the Cooler exit temperature and Expander exit pressure between
defined limits. For each case various results are recorded for analysis
later.

1. Open the DataBook from Tools-Databook, or by pressing CTRL D.

With the DataBook, HYSYS provides a location from which a systematic

approach to data analysis can be taken. The DataBook allows you to
monitor key process variables in Steady State and in Dynamics mode.
Variables for all DataBook features are selected in a single location. You
can then activate variables from the main list for each application.

There is only one DataBook in each HYSYS case, containing variables

from all Flowsheets. All of the following features are defined and
accessed through this single DataBook:

Figure 5

9
10 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

The first step is to configure all the variables of interest, both variables to
be varied in the Case Study and the results. HYSYS will do a series of
simulation runs and record the results for each case. If you omit a
variable from the list you will not be able to look at it once the runs are
complete. All data except for that declared is lost. Consider what you
might want to observe before you commit to running the Case Study.

2. Click on Insert and add the first variable as shown:

Figure 6

Note that the variable descriptions shown for spreadsheet cells

correspond to the Visible Name of each of the cells. Since these are blue
parameters they can be edited here. Removing the cell reference will tidy
up the Case Study and make the final graphs look more presentable. It is
best to add all of the required variables in one go using Add, press OK,
and then return and edit their descriptions, rather than adding and
editing each in turn.

10
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 11

3. Repeat the above until you have added the following variables.
Remember to add all the variables first and then edit their
descriptions.

Figure 7

Note, at any time before you actually run the case study you may add or
delete variables from this list.

4. Go to the Case Study tab and click on Add to set up a new case study.
Call it Operating Analysis.

All the previously configured variables are listed along with two columns
The Independent and Ind and Dep·
Dependent variable
checkboxes are only
enabled when you add a • Independent variables are the ones that will be varied by the
case study. It is not case study. These must be specified variables (i.e. blue
necessary for all the numbers).
variables to be ticked for • Dependent variables are the results to be monitored.
each case study, a minimum
of one dependent and one
independent variable is
required.

11
12 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

5. Select the independent and dependent variables.

Figure 8

}
Here you can Add, or Delete case Here you check the Independent
studies, or view the variables set up for variables that are to be used in this
the highlighted case study. Case Study and the Dependant
variables you want to monitor.

6. Press View and configure the bounds as shown below. (Note the
Pressure and Temperature units here are kPa and °C.)

Figure 9

Five different temperatures with five different pressures, means a total

of 25 states in all. For each of the states in the case study the whole case
is solved, including any utilities. Since in this case the results from the
tray sizing utilities are not needed in the case study, it makes sense to
ignore the tray sizing utilities to speed up the case study.

12
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 13

7. Press CTRL U to open the list of Utilities and then view each tray
sizing utility in turn and set it to Ignore.
8. Click Start to set the study running. The Failed States tab will show
any combination of independent parameters that fail to solve. While
the case study is running, or when it has finished, you can review the
results.
9. Either press the Results button on the Case Studies Setup window or
on the Case Studies tab of the Databook.

Figure 10

The results can also be displayed graphically:

10. Select Graph on the Case Studies tab.

11. Select Setup.

13
14 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

12. Click the Display Properties tab.

Figure 11

The graph displayed will be the first variable that is checked

in the list here, in this case LPG Sales. Change the selected
variable to see other graphs.

13. Size and arrange the windows so that you switch the graph between
the three dependent variables.

Figure 12

14
 Spreadsheets and Case Studies 15

Figure 13

The main interest of course is the Overall Profit and the combination of
Chiller exit temp and Expander exit pressure that will give us the
maximum Operating Profit.

Figure 14

14. Right-click on the graph, and experiment with the tools available.
Try removing Hidden Lines, Rotation, and Plane Cutting.
15. In order to view the graph with the colours shown previously, right-
click on the graph and select Colour Control. Set the ranges as
above. Note that the red colour appears because there is a
discontinuity in the entered ranges between 410 and 430.

15
16 Spreadsheets and Case Studies

Save your case!

What can you see about the peak area of the operating surface? How many
areas give you more than $470 / hr profit (Turquoise). Are they the same
operational conditions?

What could this lead you on to study further?

Your tutor will go through this with you.

16. Before you leave this module, reset the chiller exit temperature to
-62 ºC and the Turbo expander exit pressure to 28 bar.

This will allow the next module to perform correctly.

16
 Advanced Recycle Operations 1

Advanced Recycle Operations

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA1000.32.02
06 Advanced Recycle Operations
2 Advanced Recycle Operations

Introduction
This module will introduce you to several advanced topics concerning
the operation and convergence of the Recycle unit operation. The
HYSYS Recycle logical operation is used to solve looped systems where
downstream material is mixed back in upstream in the process. The
Recycle is a logical operation; it does not transform the stream that
passes through it.

The Recycle operation can be used several times in a given simulation.

Every time a recycle operation is added, the total time needed for the
simulation to successfully calculate and converge increases. The
information presented in this module can be used to reduce this time
and achieve greater success with the Recycle unit operation.

Workshop
The export gas compression section of the Turbo Expander plant is to be
modified to deal with an additional hydrocarbon stream from elsewhere
in the process.

To cope with this additional load it has been decided to replace the
existing single export gas compressor with a two-stage compression
system. Each compressor is to be equipped with an after cooler and
knock out drum. Liquids from each separator are to be recycled back to
the previous stage.

2
 Advanced Recycle Operations 3

Learning Objectives
In this module, you will learn how to:

• Build simulations using Recycles.

• Position Recycle operations for optimum performance.
• Use the various numerical parameters to help reduce
convergence time.
• Consider interactions between Adjusts and Recycles and how to
control them with Calc Levels.
• Use Simultaneous mode when the flowsheet contains multiple,
interacting Adjusts.

Prerequisites
Before beginning this module, you should have a reasonable
understanding of the HYSYS program, and be able to add streams and
operations, including the Set and Spreadsheet operations.

Structure of this Module

This module is split into four main sections:

• An information section discussing use and positioning of Recycle

operations. The key points from this section are summarised on
page 14.
• A series of exercises on Recycle positioning.
• A workshop where a new plant section that requires the use of
Recycles is added to the Turbo Expander plant model.
• An exercise to illustrate the use of Simultaneous Adjusts.

3
4 Advanced Recycle Operations

Recycle Operation Information

Using the Recycle Unit Operation
The HYSYS Recycle logical operation is used to solve looped systems
Recycle icon where downstream material is mixed back in upstream in the process.

HYSYS employs a non-sequential solving method, which allows

information to be propagated both upstream and downstream. This
allows some looped systems to be solved explicitly (particularly heat
recycles, and refrigeration loops). However for material recycles when
downstream material is mixed back in upstream, a Recycle operation is
needed.

Recycles are sometimes The Recycle operation allows HYSYS to solve looped system iteratively. A
also know as ‘Tears’.
set of conditions are assumed and used to solve the recycle loop. The
assumed values are compared with the calculated values and updated.
This is repeated until the values match within a specified tolerance. The
Recycle operation now allows information to be transferred both
forwards and backwards (i.e. the assumed value to be in either the outlet
Forward and backward
information transfer is
or inlet stream), although usually information is only transferred
discussed later in this forwards (i.e. assumed value in outlet).
module.
When the Recycle operation is first added, initial estimates need to be
provided for all the assumed values. Typically this is done by allowing
HYSYS to solve before closing the recycle loop. This is illustrated in the
Workshop.

The Recycle Unit Operation and Dynamic Simulations

The Recycle operation has a role only in Steady State simulations. While
operating in Dynamics, it is perfectly acceptable to return a product
stream to an upstream operation without using a Recycle operation. If a
Recycle operation is used, it will be ignored while operating in the
Dynamic mode; the inlet and outlet streams will always be equal.

4
 Advanced Recycle Operations 5

Positioning the Recycle Operations for Optimum

Performance
It is possible to have numerous Recycle operations in a single
simulation. When several Recycle operations are used together, the total
calculation time can be reduced by carefully selecting the location of the
Recycle blocks.

When a user is deciding on a tear (Recycle) location, the first choice is

often in the actual recycling stream. This is an acceptable choice if only
one Recycle operation is being used. If more than one block is being
used, however, a better location may reduce the calculation time needed
to solve the simulation.

Try to locate recycles:

• To define multiple streams (i.e. before Tees, after Mixers). See

Exercise 2.
• In streams with fixed conditions (e.g. cooler and heater outlets).
This means fewer variables need to be iterated on.
• To avoid conflicts with Adjust operations. This is illustrated later in
the Workshop.
• In major flow streams. These are likely to be more stable.

5
6 Advanced Recycle Operations

Setting the Recycle Tolerances

After the Recycle operation has solved the inlet and outlet streams will
match each other within certain tolerances. HYSYS allows the user to set
these tolerances to match the requirements of their simulation.

The actual tolerance of the Recycle operation is calculated as the

product of the absolute tolerance for the given property (fixed within
HYSYS) and the relative tolerance (specified by the user). The absolute
tolerance is dependant on the specific property in question, and is set by
the HYSYS program. The following table gives the absolute tolerances
for each property.

Property Absolute Tolerance Internal Unit

Vapour Fraction 0.01
Temperature 0.01 °C
Pressure 0.01 kPa
The Internal Vapour Fraction
tolerance, when multiplied Flow 0.001 (this is a relative error) kgmole/s
by the default recycle Enthalpy 1 kJ/kgmole
tolerance, is 0.1, which
appears to be very loose. Composition 0.0001
However, in most situations,
if the other recycle variables Ticking the Use Component Sensitivities checkbox allows different tolerances to
have converged, the vapour
fraction in the two streams
be used for each component.
will be identical. The loose
Vapour Fraction tolerance is While the absolute tolerances are set within the program, the user
critical for close-boiling specifies the relative tolerances. The default relative tolerance for all
mixtures, which can vary
widely in vapour fraction properties is 10, which HYSYS inserts automatically. You are able to
with minimal difference in specify any value here; remember, however, that smaller tolerances will
other properties.
require more calculation time.

When connected to energy streams, the Recycle operation uses an

absolute internal tolerance of 0.1 kW. (kW is the HYSYS internal unit for
energy). The tolerance sensitivity multiplier used is Enthalpy.

6
 Advanced Recycle Operations 7

Figure 1

Tolerances are calculated using HYSYS internal units - These units are
essentially the SI System with pressures in kPa (as shown in the table
above).

But how does HYSYS calculate the actual tolerance of the Recycle
operation? To answer this question, take the example of Temperature.
Multiplying the default relative tolerance of 10 by the set absolute
tolerance of 0.01 gives a tolerance of 0.1. This means that the
temperature of the Recycle's outlet stream must be within 0.1°C (0.18°F)
of the temperature of the Recycle's inlet stream in order for the
operation to be solved.

For flow rate the tolerance quoted in the table is relative. The absolute
tolerance is calculated by multiplying the flow rate in internal units
(kgmole/s) by the factor 0.001. For example with a flow rate of 100
kgmole/s and the standard multiplier of 10 the actual tolerance is
calculated as follows:

Actual Tolerance = Relative Tolerance x Absolute Tolerance

= Relative Tolerance x 0.001 x Flow rate in kgmole/s
= 10 x 0.001 x 100 = 1 kgmole/s

Hence, the flow will be solved if it is within 99 - 101 kgmole/s.

7
8 Advanced Recycle Operations

If your simulation contains streams with very low (ppm) concentrations,

you may want to set the concentration tolerance to a lower value.
Otherwise the default tolerances work well in most applications.

Other Variable Parameters

The Transfer Direction column allows you to select the transfer direction
of the variable. There are three selections:

• Not transferred
• Transfer forwards
• Transfer backwards

The Not Transferred option can be used if you only want to transfer
certain stream variables. For example, if you only want to transfer P, T,
composition and flow, the other variables could be set to Not
Transferred.

When the checkbox is deactivated, the Recycle operation waits until the
inlet stream is completely solved before performing the next calculation
step. The default setting for the checkbox is inactive.

Using the Acceleration Parameters

The Recycle operation can be set to use one of two types of
mathematical algorithm in order to reach a converged solution faster.
The two available acceleration methods are:

• Wegstein Acceleration
• Dominant Eigenvalue Acceleration

8
 Advanced Recycle Operations 9

Figure 2

Using the Wegstein Acceleration

There are several numerical parameters that define the operation of the
Wegstein Acceleration. These parameters will be defined here:

Parameter Default Value Definition

Acceleration 3 The number of iterations per
Frequency number of accelerations. Using
the default, acceleration is applied
to every third iteration.
Qmax 0 Sets the maximum value for Q in
Wegstein equation.
Qmin -20 Sets the minimum value for Q in
Wegstein equation.
Acceleration Delay 2 The number of iterations before
the first acceleration is applied.

9
10 Advanced Recycle Operations

The Wegstein equation is given here. This equation is used to determine

the values passed to the outlet stream for each accelerated iteration.

XN + 1 = Q × XN + ( 1 – Q ) × Y (1)
N

where: X = the value in the outlet stream (assumed)

Y = the value in the inlet stream (calculated)

N = the iteration number

Q = the acceleration factor

HYSYS chooses the value of Q that it will use depending on the amount
of change that has occurred between successive iterations. A larger
value of Q will be used when the change between successive iterations is
large, and vice-versa.

Adjusting the Wegstein Acceleration

While Wegstein acceleration has been shown to reduce the number of
iterations needed to converge a Recycle operation in most cases, there
are a few cases in which the default Wegstein parameters will not help to
converge the Recycle operation. In these cases it is necessary to reduce
A positive Q will help the amount of acceleration, or to ignore it all together.
dampen out any oscillations
that may occur. The Qmax Setting the Qmin value to a smaller negative number will reduce the
should be increased if, and
only if, oscillations are amount of acceleration. The acceleration can be ignored completely by
affecting the convergence of the Recycle operation if the Acceleration delay is set to a high enough
the Recycle.
value. Typically, Recycle operations will converge in less than 10 steps;
therefore, setting the Acceleration delay to a value much larger than 10
means that acceleration will not occur.

Very rarely, the Recycle operation will oscillate as it converges on a

solution. If you find this happening in your simulation, you can increase
the value of Qmax to a small positive value. This will provide a damping
effect that will, hopefully, reduce the oscillating behaviour.

10
 Advanced Recycle Operations 11

Using Successive Substitution

In the rare cases in which Wegstein acceleration will not help to reduce
the number of iterations in the Recycle operation, it may be necessary to
set the operation to use Successive Substitution in order to reach
convergence.

Successive substitution is when the recycle's outlet stream properties

are rewritten with the inlet stream properties without any type of
acceleration applied. This is considered the most stable solving method;
however, it is also the slowest.

This can be accomplished using one of two methods; either set the
Acceleration Delay term to a large value, e.g.100, or set both Qmax and
Qmin to 0.

Using the Dominant Eigenvalue Acceleration Method

The Dominant Eigenvalue Acceleration method is less adjustable than
the Wegstein method. It is recommended for Recycle operations in
systems that are non-ideal and/or where strong interactions exist
between the components. This method has the advantage of examining
the interactions between the variables during the acceleration process.

Information on Multiple Recycles

When installing multiple Recycle operations, you have the choice
between Nested or Simultaneous solution. They should be used as
follows:

• Nested - Single Recycle or multiple, non-connected recycles

11
12 Advanced Recycle Operations

• Simultaneous - Interconnected, interacting recycles

In the Simultaneous
example, the number of
recycle operations may be
reduced to one if placed in
the correct stream.

When Recycle operations are selected as Simultaneous, they will not be

calculated with the other unit operations. Instead, they are listed in a
separate solver, and calculated only after the ordinary solver has
finished calculating all other unit operations in the flowsheet.

Some Troubleshooting Tips

Typically, Recycle operations will converge in less than 10 steps.
However, if the tolerances have been reduced, or the system is non-
ideal, it may take more than the 10 iterations that HYSYS has set as the
default limit. Once the limit has been reached, HYSYS will stop and ask
the user if it should leave the operation unconverged, or continue for 10
more iterations.

If your Recycle operation has not converged in 10 iterations, it may be

advantageous to stop the calculations and examine the flowsheet.

Monitoring the Recycle‘s Calculations

The progress of the calculations performed by the Recycle operation can
be checked on the Monitor page of the operation's property view. This is
useful if the Recycle is having problems converging. The results can be
seen in tabular format, or in a plot format.

12
 Advanced Recycle Operations 13

Choosing a Flash Type

It is possible to choose the type of flash that the Recycle operation will
perform. The default choice is a PT flash.

A PT flash means that pressure (P), temperature (T), and composition

values are passed through the Recycle operation, and other variables
(vapour fraction (V), enthalpy (H), and entropy (S)) are calculated in the
other stream.
Composition and Flow rate
values are always passed Choices of flash type include PH, PV, PS, and TV. While a PT flash will be
through the Recycle
sufficient for most applications, a PH flash is a better choice for very
operation, regardless of the
flash type. pure recycle streams. When dealing with very pure streams, a small
change in T can make a big difference in H. Take a pure water stream at
atmospheric pressure, for example, the enthalpy (H) of that stream will
be very different if the temperature is 99.9°C (211.9°F) or 100.1°C
(212.1°F).

13
14 Advanced Recycle Operations

Information Summary
Using the Recycle Operation
• The Recycle operation is used to solve looped systems where
downstream material is mixed back in upstream.
• Initial estimates are needed for all assumed values.

Recycle Tolerances
• Calculated as the product of the relative tolerance (user
specified) and the absolute tolerance (set in the program).
• Tolerances are calculated using HYSYS internal units.
• Recycle streams that have very low concentrations of important
components, may require lower relative tolerances for the
composition specification.

Using the Acceleration Parameters

• There are two types of acceleration available: Wegstein and
Dominant Eigenvalue. Wegstein is the most common, and
Dominant Eigenvalue is recommended for simulations where
strong interactions exist between the components.
• Wegstein acceleration can be controlled using the four factors
available: Acceleration Frequency, Qmin, Qmax, and Acceleration
Delay.

Multiple Recycles
When using Multiple Recycles set the Calculation mode as follows:

• Nested - Single Recycle or multiple, non-connected recycles

• Simultaneous- Interconnected, interacting recycles

Flash Types
• The flash type can be changed.
• Use default PT flash choice for most cases
• PH flash is better for very pure recycle streams.

14
 Advanced Recycle Operations 15

Recycle Positioning Exercises

Exercise 1
Examine the following PFD. This Flowsheet has three physical recycles
and three HYSYS recycle operations.

What is the minimum number of recycle operations that are needed?

_____________________________________________________________

Where should the recycle operation(s) be positioned?____________

Figure 3 - Exercise 1

15
16 Advanced Recycle Operations

Exercise 2: Adding a Recycle

Assume the condenser outlet stream is fully defined (except flow rate),
the chiller duty and outlet conditions are known, the pressure drops
across the condenser and chiller are known, and the stage 1 compressor
outlet pressure is known.

How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?
____________________________________________________________

Figure 4 - Exercise 2

16
 Advanced Recycle Operations 17

Exercise 3
Assume that the Feed is fully defined, Shell and Tube Side pressure
drops are known, as well as the Column Feed temperature.

How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?
_____________________________________________________________

Figure 5 - Exercise 3

17
18 Advanced Recycle Operations

Exercise 4
Assume the Feed is completely defined, shell and tube side pressure
drops for E-100 and E-101, and the temperatures of streams 3 and 4 are
known.

How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?
____________________________________________________________

Figure 6 - Exercise 4

18
 Advanced Recycle Operations 19

Exercise 5
Assume the Feed is completely defined, and the shell and tube side
pressure drop for E-100 are known.

How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?
____________________________________________________________

Figure 7 - Exercise 5

19
20 Advanced Recycle Operations

Exercise 6
Examine the three stage compression plant PFD on the next page.

This flowsheet has five physical recycles and six HYSYS recycle
operations.

What is the minimum number of recycle operations that are needed?

_____________________________________________________________

To answer this question consider all the information about recycle

positioning in this module, and note the following:

• Every Exchanger in the PFD has pressure drops defined

• E103 has a UA specified
• E104 has an outlet temperature specified

Where should the recycle operation(s) be positioned?______________

20
 Advanced Recycle Operations 21

Figure 8 - Exercise 6

21
22 Advanced Recycle Operations

Workshop
Building the Simulation
This module will continue with the case built in the Getting Started
module. This is a Turbo Expander plant with an export gas compressor.

In this workshop the existing compressor will be replaced with a two-

stage compression system. Each compressor is to be equipped with an
Don’t worry if you haven’t after cooler and knock out drum. Liquids from each separator are to be
built the Turbo Expander
plant case. The file recycled back to the previous stage.
“ADVI_GettingStarted_Soln.
hsc” contains this case. The reason for this modification to the plant is that an additional
hydrocarbon stream must be processed.

To simplify the main PFD the two stage export gas compression system
will be constructed in a new sub flowsheet.

22
 Advanced Recycle Operations 23

Process Overview
Figure 9

23
24 Advanced Recycle Operations

Add the New Feed Stream

Add the Feed HC stream with the following conditions and composition
to the main flowsheet.

Name Feed HC
Temperature 35°C (95°F)
Pressure 3000 kPa (435.1 psia)
Flow rate 6000 kgmole/hr (13228 lbmole/hr)
Component Feed Stream
Nitrogen 0.005
CO2 0.015
Methane 0.32
Ethane 0.24
Propane 0.11
i-Butane 0.075
n-Butane 0.075
i-Pentane 0.065
n-Pentane 0.05
n-Hexane 0.045

Add a New Sub-Flowsheet

Object Palette Sub Add a new sub flowsheet and choose to Start with a Blank Flowsheet.
Flowsheet button

Make Feed Connections

Rather than delete the existing export gas compressor, the new system
will be connected in parallel on the HYSYS PFD to allow for comparison
The Allow Multiple Stream
Connections option allows (i.e., the full export gas flow rate will go through both export gas
any stream to be connected compression options).
anywhere.
Without it you can only In order to allow this the "Multiple Stream Connections" feature of
make a feed connection for
a stream that is not already HYSYS must be enabled.
connected as a feed stream
elsewhere.

24
 Advanced Recycle Operations 25

1. Go to the Session Preferences window (via the Tools-Preferences

menu).
2. Tick the Allow Multiple Stream Connections option on the
Simulation page in the Options tab.

Now stream 13 can be connected to the Sub flowsheet even though it is

still the feed stream to the existing export gas compressor.

3. In the Sub-flowsheet operation window on the Connections tab,

connect up streams 13 and Feed HC as feed streams to the sub-
flowsheet by using the dropdown menu under external stream.
4. Review the Transfer Basis settings, here the default PH flash basis
will be used.
5. Change the Name of the sub-flowsheet to Export Gas Compression.

Build the Flowsheet Without the Recycle Operations

You can find some of the required stream and operation names by
referring to the PFD in the Process overview.

1. Ensure you are in the sub-flowsheet environment.

If a stream name is changed
in the sub-flowsheet, the 2. Rename stream 13 to the more meaningful From Main Case.
name of the linked stream in
the main PFD is not 3. Mix the two feed streams. Name the outlet Mixed Feeds.
changed.

25
26 Advanced Recycle Operations

When mixing streams at different pressures the HYSYS Mixer operation

offers a number of pressure assignment options. These can be found on
the Parameters page of the Design tab.

Figure 10

The Equalize All options will

set the pressure of any
connected streams so they
are all equal.

4. Ensure the Automatic Pressure Assignment option for the Feed

Mixer is set to Set Outlet to Lowest Inlet.

Now the product stream from this first mixer is always at the lowest
pressure of either of the two feed streams.

5. Add another mixer ready to take the returned liquid from the first
compression stage. The Mixer will have two feeds: Mixed feeds and
one from the recycle. For now, just set Mixed Feeds as the inlet. Call
the output To LP Sep.

The mixed feed streams are then fed to a separator, compressor, and
after cooler.

6. Install a separator. Call it LP Sep. The vapour stream is named LP

Sep Vap and the liquid stream is named LP Sep Liq.
7. Install a compressor and a cooler. Use the following parameters:
Since HYSYS knows the
Cooler outlet pressure and Compressor
pressure drop, it can back
calculate the Compressor Inlet LP Sep Vap
outlet pressure. Outlet Stage 1 Out
Energy Stage 1 KQ

26
 Advanced Recycle Operations 27

Cooler
Inlet Stage 1 Out
Outlet E-Stage 1 Out
Pressure Drop 25 kPa
Energy Stage 1 Eq

Set the temperature of stream E-Stage 1 Out to 30°C and the pressure to
5000 kPa.

8. Install another mixer in preparation to take the second stage

returned liquid. At the moment this will only have the first stage
after cooler product as its feed stream. Call this mixer MP Mix and
its product To MP Sep.

The second compression stage is an exact copy of the first. Hence here is
a good place to make use of HYSYS' Copy / Paste functionality.

9. Select the entire first compression stage from the LP Separator, to

the after cooler product stream (EStage 1 Out).
10. Right click somewhere on the PFD and choose Cut/Paste Objects ….
Copy Selected Objects from the pop up menu that appears.

A question box may pop up if you did not also select all the attached
Since the objects are being
streams for any of the operations you selected.
pasted immediately to the
same flowsheet, the Clone 11. Unselect the objects, then right click on the PFD background and
function could have been choose Paste Objects from the fly out menu.
used. This is equivalent to
Copying then Pasting. 12. HYSYS automatically renames the pasted objects so the stream
names will need to be changed. Rename streams according to the
flowsheet on page 20.
13. Install a final knock out drum and the product gas stream.
14. Modify the second compression stage so that the product gas will be
at 70 bar.

The liquid from the MP and HP Sep knock out drums is to be returned
upstream, and hence must be flashed to the appropriate pressure. Since
this may be altered in the design process it is sensible to link the
returning liquid pressures to the compressor inlet pressures.

15. Install valves and valve outlet streams on the MP and HP Separator
liquid products. Use a Set operation to make the valve outlet
Object Palette Set icon pressure the same as the appropriate compressor inlet pressure.

27
28 Advanced Recycle Operations

Think carefully about the source streams for these pressures. Ensure the
source stream is upstream of any operations effected by the returning
flashed liquid.

Save your case!

Installing the Recycles

The PFD is now ready to add recycle operations. Initially Recycles will
be added in the physical recycle streams.

16. Install a Recycle on the outlet of the let down valve from the MP
The physical recycle is often
a convenient place to put separator.
the Recycle operation 17. Add an outlet stream.
initially. Although it is not
always the best place!
In this case (as in the majority of all situations) the default parameters
are appropriate.

18. Review the settings on the Parameters tab.

19. Connect the recycle outlet into the RCY-1 Mixer.
Object Palette Recycle icon
The first recycle will then iterate to a solution.

20. Repeat this procedure for the second liquid return.

Save your case!

28
 Advanced Recycle Operations 29

Analysing the Results

Examine the convergence process for the Recycles.

21. Open the Recycle property view and look at the Tables page of the
Monitor tab.

How many iterations did each Recycle need to converge? _________________

22. Look at the Worksheet tab for each Recycle. Complete the following
table:

Recycle RCY-1 RCY-2

Inlet VF
Outlet VF
Inlet Temperature
Notice that the pressures
are exactly the same on Outlet Temperature
both sides of each recycle. Inlet Pressure 3000 kPa (435.1 psia) 5000 kPa (725.2 psia)
Since these are specified by
the set, there is no need to Outlet Pressure 3000 kPa (435.1 psia) 5000 kPa (725.2 psia)
for HYSYS to iterate. Inlet Molar Flow
Outlet Molar Flow
Inlet Molar Enthalpy
Outlet Molar Enthalpy

Do any of the tolerances need to be tightened?

23. Make any tolerance adjustments you feel are necessary.

Make the Product Stream Appear on the Main Flowsheet

Return to the main flowsheet and connect up an External stream for the
product HP gas stream.

Save your case!

29
30 Advanced Recycle Operations

Exercise
Part of the design process for this new multi-stage compression plant is
to choose an inter-stage pressure to balance the load between the two
compressors.

The details of setting up the In this exercise you will calculate the duty ratio for the two compressors
spreadsheet are not using a HYSYS Spreadsheet, and then use an Adjust to change the inter-
covered here. If you have
stage pressure such that the load is balanced across the two
any problems with this
section, ask the instructor. compressors.

Add a Spreadsheet that calculates the Compressor Duty ratio.

Figure 11

30
 Advanced Recycle Operations 31

Adding the Adjust

The Adjust operation is another Logical Operation. It will vary the value
of one stream variable (the Adjusted variable) to meet a required value
or specification (the Target variable) in another stream or operation.
Adjust button

24. Add an Adjust operation.

25. For the moment check the Ignored box to prevent the Adjust from
solving before it's calculation level has been correctly set.
26. Set the Adjust to vary the first stage outlet pressure (Adjusted
Variable), until the calculated duty ratio (Target Variable) is 1.

Figure 12

27. On the Parameters tab set the following values:

In This Cell... Enter...

Method Secant
Tolerance 1 x 10^-3
Step Size 50 kPa (7.25 psia)
Minimum 3000 kPa (435.11 psia)
Maximum 7000 kPa (1015.3 psia)
Maximum Iterations 50

31
32 Advanced Recycle Operations

A Brief Introduction to Calc Levels

Calc(ulation) Levels are used to determine the order in which streams
and unit operations are solved in HYSYS.

HYSYS uses a non-sequential solution method (i.e. it can solve both

backwards and forwards). Each time the solver is triggered it constructs
a list of objects (streams and operations) to solve. This list is arranged in
order of the object Calc Level. The lower the calc level of an object the
higher it will appear in the list, and hence the earlier it will be solved.

When upstream or downstream objects are affected by new calculations

they are added to the solver list. The solver continues until all items are
solved.

The default calc levels are listed in the table below:

Item Calc Level

Material and Energy Streams 500
Ordinary Unit Operations 500
(e.g. Pumps, Heaters, Coolers...)
Columns and Sub-flowsheets 2500
Simple Logical Operations 500
(Set and Balance)
Complex Logical Operations 3500
(Adjust and Recycle)

The Calc Levels of all the objects in a flowsheet can be viewed and
changed by going to the Simulation / Main Properties menu option and
choosing the Calc Levels tab.

32
 Advanced Recycle Operations 33

Figure 13

Hence the default calculation levels for Adjusts and Recycles mean they
solve after the rest of the flowsheet, but are at the same level of priority
in the solver list.

If the target of an Adjust is inside a recycle loop then sometimes the

Adjust and Recycle can conflict. In this situation it is best to set the calc
level of the Adjust slightly higher so that it solves after the recycle has
solved.

28. Change the Calc Level of the Adjust to 4000 so that it solves after the
recycles.
29. Unignore the Adjust, it should now solve.

What inter-stage pressure balances the compressor loads?

________________________________________________________________

33
34 Advanced Recycle Operations

Exploring with the Simulation

Since the two Recycles in this simulation are interconnected it would
make sense to change their Calculation Mode (under Recycle
Parameter tab, Numerical page) to Simultaneous rather than Nested.

Deliberately displace the simulation from the load balance point (e.g. by
changing the inter stage pressure to 40 bar). Compare the solution time
between the two calculation modes.

Which Calculation Mode makes the simulation solve fastest?

________________________________________________________________
Try tightening all the tolerances to 0.1, What happens now?
________________________________________________________________

The Author found that for a displacement to 40 bar the Nested recycles
took around 13 seconds to solve, whereas the Simultaneous recycles
solved in just 4 seconds. In this case the step size is probably too small
since the Adjust requires many small steps to work up to the solution.

Exercise - Backward Pressure Transfer

The Backward transfer feature of the Recycle operation allows the two
Sets to be removed. Using the following steps, remove both the Sets in
the multi-stage compression sub flowsheet.

1. Ensure the upstream pressure is propagated into the recycle outlet

stream by changing the mixer pressure assignment mode to
'Equalize All' (Design / Parameters page).
2. Change the Transfer Direction on the Recycle (Parameters /
Variables page).
3. Delete the Set.
4. Move the assumed value from the Recycle outlet stream to the inlet
stream.

34
 Advanced Recycle Operations 35

Challenge
You complain to your boss, Grayson Streed, that your simulation takes
too long to converge on your computer because of the multiple recycles
and use this opportunity to petition for a new high-speed computer.
Grayson has a look at your simulation and denies your request on the
basis that you can reduce your convergence time by eliminating one of
the recycles in the simulation. Is your request justified or is Grayson
correct?

Hint: visualize the two recycle loops in the case, and try to see if there
are any overlaps. If you find that Grayson was right, eliminate one of
your recycles. Think carefully about the best way to proceed. Remember
that you'll need to provide an initial estimate of the recycle outlet
stream. What is the best way to obtain this estimate?

With one recycle eliminated how long does the simulation take to recover
from a disturbance now?___________________________________________

Exercise - Using Simultaneous Adjusts

It has been decided to split the export gas flow between the multi-stage
export gas compression system and the existing single stage export gas
compressor. There is a fixed product gas flow requirement of 100
MMSCFD from the multi-stage compression plant. The requirement to
set the interstage pressure so that the compressor duty is balanced still
holds.

This will require the following modifications to the case:

• Remove the current multiple stream connections on stream 13

and add a Tee to split the flow between the two export gas
compression systems.
• Add an Adjust to vary the feed gas flow to the multi-stage
compression system.

The compression sub-flowsheet will therefore have two Adjust

operations. Since changing either adjusted variable (feed gas flow or
interstage pressure) will effect both target variables (compressor load
balance and product gas flow), if the Adjusts are left with the standard

35
36 Advanced Recycle Operations

solving method they may interfere with each other while they are
solving. This is because each Adjust considers only its adjusted and
target values, and does not cooperate with any of the other adjusts.

To prevent this interference the Adjusts can be set to solve

simultaneously. This uses a different solution algorithm, which makes
the Adjusts solve cooperatively at the end of each flowsheet calculation
step.

Use the following steps to adapt your existing model.

1. Break the connections between the main flowsheet stream 13 and

the main flowsheet export gas compressor (K-102), and the multi-
stage compression sub-flowsheet.
2. Insert a Tee, reconnect the streams as below. Remember the Feed
gas from the main flowsheet (labelled To multi-stage comp) should
be connected to the stream currently called From Main Case on the
sub-flowsheet.

Figure 14

3. Enter an initial flow of 2500 kgmole/h in the sub-flowsheet To multi-

stage comp stream.

MMSCFD is one of the

4. Add an Adjust to the sub-flowsheet to vary this flow rate with a
available units for the Molar target value of 100 MMSCFD in the New Export Gas stream.
Flow variable type, it uses
the volume of an ideal gas
5. Set both Adjusts in the sub-flowsheet to use the Simultaneous
at standard conditions to do Solution method. (This is accomplished using a checkbox on the
the conversion. Parameters tab.)

36
 Advanced Recycle Operations 37

6. Start the Adjusts solving

What feed flow rate is required to give an export gas flow of 100
MMSCFD?___________________________________________

The Simultaneous Adjust Manager (SAM) allows all the simultaneous

adjusts in the case to be controlled in one place. The SAM can be
accessed via a button on each Adjust or from the Simulation menu.

Figure 15

The Configuration tab shows the set-up of each of the Simultaneous

Adjusts, you can view the individual Adjust windows by clicking on their
names. The History tab shows iteration-by-iteration results for each
Adjust.

37
38 Advanced Recycle Operations

Parameters Tab
The Parameters tab allows you to modify the tolerance, step size, and
max and min values for each Adjust. It also displays the residual,
number of iterations the SAM has taken and the iteration status. This tab
also allows you to specify some of the calculation parameters as
described in the table below:

Parameter Description
Type of Jacobian Calculation Allows you to select one of three
Jacobian calculations:
• ResetJac. Jacobian is fully
calculated and values reset to initial
values after each Jacobian calculation
step. Most time consuming but most
accurate.
• Continuous. Values are not
recalculated between Jacobian
calculation steps. Quickest but allows
for ‘drift’ in the Jacobian therefore not
as accurate.
• Hybrid. Hybrid of one of the above
two methods.
Type of Convergence Allows you to select one of three
convergence types:
• Specified. SAM is converged when
all Adjusts are within the specified
tolerances.
• Norm. SAM is converged when the
norm of the residuals (sum of squares)
is less than a user specified value.
• Either. SAM is converged with
whichever of the above types occurs
first.
Max Step Fraction The number x step size is the maximum
that the solver is allowed to move during
a solve step.
Peturbation Factor The number x range (Max - Min) or the
number x 100 x step size (if no valid
range). This is the maximum that the
solver is allowed to move during a
Jacobian step.
Max # of Iterations Maximum number of iterations for the
SAM.

38
 Advanced Recycle Operations 39

Answer Key
Exercise 1
Examine the PFD above. This Flowsheet has three physical recycles and
three HYSYS recycle operations. What is the minimum number of recycle
operations that are needed?

One. Three are 3 separate loops and they overlap in stream 1

(Hint: Visualise the separate loops in the system. Which stream is

included in all the loops?)

Where should the recycle operation(s) be positioned?

At the outlet of the mixer

Exercise 2
How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?

There is no need for a Recycle operation in this refrigeration loop

flowsheet due to the positioning of the specifications.

Exercise 3
How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?

Again, there is no need for a Recycle operation. The column feed

stream is fully defined even though Exchanger E-100 hasn't
completely solved, hence the column can solve and then E-100 can
solve.

39
40 Advanced Recycle Operations

Exercise 4
How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?

There is no need for a Recycle in the small loop containing the two
exchangers and separator V-101 because the pressures and
temperatures in streams 3 and 4 are known, hence stream 4 can flash
fully before the exchangers are solved.

However, the column will not be able to solve unless its feed stream is
fully defined, hence a Recycle is need somewhere in the main loop -
for example in stream 9, 1 or 7.

Exercise 5
How many recycles are needed in this flowsheet, where should they be
placed, and why?

The column requires both feed streams to be fully defined before it

will solve, hence a Recycle is required in each of the two loops, for
example a recycle in stream 4 and another in stream 1.

40
 Advanced Recycle Operations 41

Exercise 6 Questions (page 19)

Examine the PFD of a three stage compression plant above. This Flowsheet
has five physical recycles and six HYSYS recycle operations. What is the
minimum number of recycle operations that are needed?

Three

To answer this question consider all the information about recycle

positioning in this module, and note the following:

• All the Exchangers in the PFD have pressure drops defined

• E103 has a UA specified
• E104 has an outlet temperature specified.

Where should the recycle operation(s) be positioned?

See the PFD below for suggested positioning.

Recycles 1 and 2 can be combined at the outlet of the mixer.

Recycle 5 is superfluous since the first feed separator can solve fully
with the other Recycles in place.

Recycle 3 can be positioned anywhere in the loop containing the

liquid return from the first stage of compression and the vapour
produced from the second feed separator. Here it has been moved to
one of the main streams as this is likely to be a more stable. (Larger
flows and less fluctuation of flow rate as the case solves.)

Likewise Recycle 4 has been moved to one of the main streams.

Recycle 6 is also superfluous since both feed streams to E-103 are fully
defined as E-104 has a specified outlet temperature.

41
Answer Key PFD

2 3
Advanced Recycle Operations 43

43
44 Advanced Recycle Operations

44
 Troubleshooting 1

Troubleshooting

© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.

EA1000.32.02
07 Troubleshooting
2 Troubleshooting

Workshop
In this module, you will be presented with cases derived from the HYSYS
Steady State course. There have been errors introduced into the cases
that prevent them from solving. It is left up to you to find these errors
and solve the cases. Of course, the instructor will be willing to assist you
in any way that he/she can.

In order to save time, all of the cases can be found on the supplied
Starter disk. The solved cases are also provided on the Solutions disk.

Also included in this module are several troubleshooting tips that you
can use both for this module and for troubleshooting your own cases.

Learning Objectives
After competing this module, you will be able to:

• Troubleshoot existing HYSYS cases

• Recognize common problem areas in a HYSYS case
• Understand the message HYSYS gives after a consistency error
occurs

Prerequisites
Before beginning this module, you should be able to:

• Navigate the PFD and Workbook Environments

• Add and delete specifications for various unit operations

2
 Troubleshooting 3

General Troubleshooting Tips

These tips are given here to help you complete this module, but they are
generic so that they can be used when troubleshooting almost all HYSYS
simulations. This list was compiled with the help of the Technical
Support department and contains several of the problems that they
encounter on a daily basis.

1. Always check that the solver is not in "Holding" mode. Whenever a

consistency error is encountered in the simulation, the solver is
placed in this mode. When the Holding mode is active, streams and
operations that are not solved can appear to be solved, and vice
versa; this can make the troubleshooting process quite difficult.
When the solver is holding, "Holding..." will appear in the HYSYS
status bar and the focus will be on the red "traffic light" in the tool
bar. The solver can be returned to "Active" by clicking the green
"traffic light."
2. Carefully examine all consistency error messages that HYSYS
provides. They can often help you find the source of the error. All
Consistency Errors will look something like this.

Figure 1

3
4 Troubleshooting

3. Always debug simulations in the direction of the process flow. For

example, if the feed streams enter on the left and product streams
exit on the right, debug from left to right. It is important that
upstream operations be error-free before you attempt to debug
downstream operations.
4. The HYSYS Workbook is a handy debugging tool. You can quickly
determine which simulation variables are user specified (blue) and
which are calculated (black). Remember that in order for the
workbook to accurately represent actual conditions, the solver must
not be in "Holding" mode.
5. Make sure that all required streams are fully specified. All column
feed streams and, usually, all process feed streams are fully defined.
Make sure all assumed values in Recycle operations are fully
defined. In most cases these will be in the outlet stream, unless the
recycle is set to transfer information backwards.
6. Use the HYSYS Status window and Trace window to their full
potential when debugging HYSYS simulations. Carefully monitor all
messages in both windows; pay special attention to messages in red
or blue type.
7. Check that no operations or streams are hidden or ignored. Ignored
operations will not be solved, and hidden operations can affect
other operations in the simulation resulting in errors. To determine
if a case has any hidden objects, and to unhide them, right click on
the PFD background and choose Reveal Hidden Objects …
8. When dealing with Adjust operations there are several items to
remember.
• Make sure that the step size and tolerance values are
reasonable.
• Use maximum and minimum values to limit the operation.
• The adjusted variable must be user-specified or a consistency
error will result.

4
 Troubleshooting 5

Using the Property Balance Utility to Check Overall Mass

and Energy Balances
The property balance utility displays material and energy balances
across the whole flowsheet or across selected operations. It can be
useful for troubleshooting.

To add a property balance utility:

1. Open the Tools-Utilities menu, or press CTRL U. The Available

Utilities view appears.
2. Select the Property Balance Utility.

Figure 2

5
6 Troubleshooting

3. Click the Add Utility button. The Property Balance Utility view
appears.

Figure 3

Next, you must choose the scope for the utility.

1. Click the Scope Objects button.

2. To select the whole flowsheet as the scope, select Case. (Ensure the
Object Filter is set to the FlowSheet Wide radio button as shown.)

Figure 4

6
 Troubleshooting 7

3. Select the required flowsheet, and press the >>>>>> button as

shown.

Figure 5

Notice that FlowSheetWide

appears in your Scope
Objects list.

4. Click the Accept List button.

5. Next choose variables to include in the material balance by using
Alternatively the balance the Insert Variable button.
can be limited to selected
operations. To view material balance results, click the Material Balance tab and
select the Balance Results radio button.

Figure 6

7
8 Troubleshooting

To view energy balance results, click the Energy Balance tab.

Figure 7

Column Troubleshooting Tips

Columns are the key operations in many HYSYS simulations, and
because their operation is more complex than most HYSYS operations, a
separate section of this module is dedicated to tips that you can use to
converge all types of column operations.

8
 Troubleshooting 9

Degrees of Freedom
Degrees of freedom play an important role in the operation of the
HYSYS solver, but their role is most obvious when working with column
operations. The DOF can be checked on the Monitor page. They must
be zero before the column solver will attempt to converge the column.
The number of active specifications that the column requires depends
on the configuration of the column and can be determined using this
formula:

# of active specs = # of side exchangers + # of side draws + # of

(1)
pumparounds + # of side strippers

In the above formula, reboilers and condensers (any type) are counted
as side exchangers.

What will be the required number of active specifications for a column

operation with a condenser, three side strippers, three pumparounds, and
no reboiler? _________________________________________________________

This is a tricky question because many people forget that each pump around
and side stripper also has its own individual side draw. So the actual
number of required active specifications is 13, not 7.

When you are defining the active specifications for your column
operations, ensure that you are not entering conflicting specifications.
For example, with a generic distillation column (a condenser and a
reboiler) do not specify both the reboiler duty and overhead rate as
active specifications. These values are linked and are really the same
specification; so specifying both as active will probably not allow the
column to solve.

It is also a good idea to spread the active specifications between the top
of the column and the bottom. For example, do not specify the
condenser temperature, overhead vapour rate, and reflux ratio as your
three active specifications. These specifications all focus on the top of
the column; it would be much better if the three specifications were
reflux ratio, bottoms draw rate, and overhead vapour rate. This means
that the bottom of the column will be partially specified as well.

9
10 Troubleshooting

Another common mistake is that the HYSYS user will specify the
product flow rates as their active specifications. This is commonly done
when attempting to model an existing column because product flow
rates are often readily available. The problem here is that if all of the
product flow rates are fixed, HYSYS has no flexibility in determining a
solution. It is much better to specify the flow rates as estimates, and use
other specifications as the active specs.

Temperature estimates are not required for most columns; however, if

they are specified, you may find that the column will converge faster. If
you use temperature estimates in your simulations, remember to enter
values for the top stage and bottom stage temperatures only; however, if
a condenser is used as stage 1, enter a stage 2 temperature also.

Often a steam feed is used to supply energy to the bottom stage in a

column. If a steam feed is used, remember to attach a water draw at an
appropriate location on the column to remove the excess water.

All feed streams to a column must be fully defined before the column
can solve. Columns can not calculate the conditions of a feed stream
based on product streams. Likewise, all product streams should not
contain any user specified information. A product flowrate specification
must be listed with the column’s other specifications on the Monitor
page, not specified as the flow rate for that stream in the worksheet.

The configuration of a column must be defined before the column can

solve. This means that the following items must be fully defined:

• All feed streams and their respective feed locations

• Number of Ideal Stages
• The Tower Pressure - specify both a top stage pressure and a
bottom stage pressure. If stage 1 is a condenser, specify a stage
2 pressure (a condenser pressure drop) also.
• The Type of Tower - Contactor, Refluxed Absorber, Reboiled
Absorber, or Distillation.
• Location and number of side strippers, pumparounds, and side
draws, if applicable.

10
 Troubleshooting 11

Column Diagnostics
Once all of the required information is entered and the column solver is
able to begin calculations, there is no guarantee that the given
specifications will lead to a solved column. As many HYSYS users are
aware, finding the specific reason for convergence failure can be a
difficult and frustrating challenge.

The following five situations can occur if the column fails to converge.
Each situation has possible causes, which may help you find the source
of the problem.

Condition 1 - The Column fails almost immediately after start-up:

• A vapour-liquid mixture may not be possible at tower conditions.

Check BP and DP of all feed streams at tower pressures and
ensure that a V-L mixture is possible.
• The mass balance around the column is failing. Check that the
product flow estimates (specifications) do not sum to a value that
is greater than the feed flowrate.
• A component specification exists for a component that does not
exist in the feed stream.
• Columns with no condenser must have a top stage liquid feed,
and columns with no reboiler must have a bottom stage vapour
feed.

Condition 2 - The Heat and Spec Error fails to converge:

• The column may be unable to meet the desired purity

specifications. If this is the case, increase the number of stages.

Condition 3 - The Heat and Spec Error oscillates and fails to converge:

• If the components in the column have similar bubble points, allow

looser component specs.
• This condition can also result from a build-up of water in the
column, which can be solved by adding a side water draw. This is
usually added to the condenser, but may be added at any stage.

11
12 Troubleshooting

Condition 4 - The Equilibrium Error fails to converge.

• Check that the top stage calculated temperature is not too cold. If
it is, a side water draw may be required.
• Check the material balance around the column, make sure that
your specifications are not preventing the column from solving.

Condition 5 - The Equilibrium Error oscillates and fails to converge:

• This occurs most often with non-ideal towers. In these cases,

convergence may be reached by changing the damping factor to
a number between 0.4 - 0.6. Another option is to set the damping
factor at "Adaptive" rather than "Fixed". This will allow HYSYS to
determine its own damping factor.

Working on Cases
This is your opportunity to apply the tips that were presented on the
previous pages. The instructor will let you work through the problems
individually; however, if you require assistance, please, ask the
instructor for help.

Case 1
Open the HYSYS case called Case 1.hsc located on the Starter course
disk. This case is a multi-stage compression plant with liquid recycled
upstream.

12
Process Flow Diagram - Case 1
14 Troubleshooting

Attempt to solve the case by adding and deleting specifications as

needed. It is a good idea not to delete anything too quickly as you may
need the value later on. It is also a good idea to begin at the very
beginning of the simulation and work you way through to the end.
After opening the case, you
may notice that it is in Holding
There are errors in three places in this simulation that must be removed
mode. To resume the
calculations, click the "Green before the simulation will solve.
Light" button in the Main Menu
Bar.

What was the first thing that you changed? _____________________________

The second? _________________________________________________________

The third? ___________________________________________________________

Case 2
Open the HYSYS case called Case 2.hsc located on the Starter course
disk. This case is a simple gas plant where the separator temperature is
set to meet a dew point temperature specification on the export gas.

14
Process Flow Diagram - Case 2
16 Troubleshooting

In this case, there are five errors distributed among three operations.
Start at the beginning of the simulation; remove all of the errors and
solve the simulation.

In order to solve this simulation, you need to think about the purpose of
the Balance operation, and the solving behaviour of the Adjust
operation. The balance operation can perform material and energy
balances over it's connected streams. If the Mole balance type is chosen
then component mole flows are balanced, the Mass balance type
balances overall mass flows.

What was the first thing that you changed? _____________________________

The second? _________________________________________________________

The third? ___________________________________________________________

The fourth? _________________________________________________________

And the last thing that you changed? __________________________________

Case 3
Open the HYSYS case called Case 3.hsc located on the Starter course
disk. This case simulates demethaniser and deethaniser columns.

16
Process Flow Diagram - Case 3
18 Troubleshooting

In this case, there are four errors that prevent the two columns from
converging. It is important to remember what a column needs in order
to solve. Once again, start at the very beginning of the simulation and
work your way through the case.

What was the first thing that you changed? _____________________________

The second thing? ____________________________________________________

The third thing? _____________________________________________________

And the last thing that you changed? ___________________________________

Case 4
Open the HYSYS case called Case 4.hsc located on the Starter course
disk.

18
Process Flow Diagram - Case 4
20 Troubleshooting

In this case, there are only two things that must be changed, finding the
errors could prove challenging; things are not always as they appear.
Remember to think twice before deleting anything; once it is gone, you
might not be able to get it back. In this case, it will help to consider the
purpose of every operation.

What operation contained both problems? _____________________________

Why did you change in this operation?_________________________________

Why does this operation need to be specified in this manner? ____________

20
Depressurisation: A Practical Guide

This guide has been prepared based upon questions frequently asked regarding the Dynamic
Depressuring utility introduced in HYSYS 3.0. It should provide users with an explanation how to use the
utility and correctly interpret the results. It is divided into three sections:

1.0 Overview
2.0 Adding and Configuring the Utility
3.0 Example Problem

1.0 Overview
Why are there two Depressuring utility options?

The original Depressuring utility in HYSYS was a pseudo-dynamic calculation based on a series of
steady state calculations. The Dynamic Depressuring utility was introduced in HYSYS 3.0 to allow users
to perform proper time-dependant calculations. A HYSYS Dynamics licence is NOT required to use this
new utility.

What can this utility be used for?

The Depressuring utility can be used to simulate the depressurisation of gas, gas-liquid filled vessels,
pipelines and systems with several connected vessels or piping volumes depressuring through a single
valve. References to “vessel” in this guide can also refer to piping or combinations of the two.

What types of depressuring calculations can be performed?

There are two major types of depressuring calculations available:

• Fire Mode is used to model a vessel or pipe under fire conditions. This mode has three sub-types:
Fire, Fire Wetted and Alternative Fire.

• Adiabatic Mode is used to model the blowdown of pressure vessels or piping with no external heat
supplied.

A more in depth discussion of the different methods follows in Section 2.0.

2.0 Adding and Configuring the Utility

How to add the utility

A Depressuring utility can be added to the case by selecting "Tools" ! "Utilities", highlighting
"Depressuring - Dynamics" and pressing the "Add Utility" Button. You may note that the original
Depressuring model is still shown on the "Available Utilities" menu, this option will be discontinued after
version 3.0.1 and all existing models will be converted to the new Dynamic utility.
Connections

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How to connect the utility to a stream

On the "Design" tab, "Connections" page, choose the stream that represents the fluid you want to use as
the source for the depressuring. If you have a single vessel, for example, the stream would be the feed
stream into the vessel. Attaching the stream to the utility is accomplished as shown in the view below.

Press the arrow and

select the inlet stream
from the drop-down list.

Entering Vessel Parameters

Ideally, the vessel size will be known and this data can be entered into the appropriate fields on the form
shown above. If the vessel size is unknown, then the vessel sizing utility in HYSYS can be used to
estimate the required parameters.

The initial liquid volume is normally calculated at the normal liquid level (NLL). The heads of the vessel
are not taken into account so the volume will be the liquid in the cylindrical portion only. If the feed stream
is two-phase, the equilibrium composition of the liquid will be calculated. If an initial liquid volume is not
specified, HYSYS will take a volume equal to the volumetric flow of the feed liquid over one hour. This
may be disproportionate to the total vessel volume.

HYSYS does not take account of the heads in a vessel so volumes and areas are calculated as for a
cylinder. The total vessel volume is calculated from the diameter and height (or length for a horizontal
vessel). To account for piping or head volume contributions, a small amount can be added to the height
or length of the vessel.

If the condition of the system at settle out are such that the vapour is superheated, HYSYS will not allow
a liquid inventory. The settle out conditions for mixed sources and volumes are calculated on a constant
enthalpy, volume and mass basis.

Correction Factors allow for adjustments to the amount of metal in contact with the top or bottom of the
vessel. This can also be used to account for additional nozzles, piping, strapping or support steelwork in
close contact with the vessel. HYSYS will use the heat content of this metal when performing the

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calculations. This is analogous to adding, for example, ten percent to the vessel mass to account for
fittings.

Configure Strip Charts

When the Depressuring utility is run, all data is stored using strip charts. Three default strip charts are
added when the utility is added. It is possible to remove variables by deselecting the appropriate variable
in the "Active" column. A variable can be added by pressing the "Add Variable" button and selecting it
from the list of simulation variables. Any configuration to the strip charts should be done before the utility
is run, otherwise any new variables will not be stored.

To view data in graphical

To view data in form, press the "View Strip
tabular form, press Chart…" button.
the "View Historical
Data…" button.

Heat Flux Parameters

On this page, the type of depressuring to be performed is specified. The different modes and their
respective equations are described here.

• Fire Mode can be used to simulate plant emergency conditions that would occur during a plant fire.
Pressure, temperature and flow profiles are calculated for the application of an external heat source
to a vessel, piping or combination of items. Heat flux into the fluid is user defined using the following
equation:

LiquidVolumetime=t
Q = C1 + C2 × time + C3 (C4 − TVESSEL ) + C5 ×
LiquidVolumetime=0
The Fire equation can also be used to simulate the depressuring of sub-sea pipelines where heat
transfer occurs between seawater and the pipeline. If C3 was equal to UA, C4 was equal to T1 and C1,
C2 and C5 were equal to zero, the above equation would reduce to:

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 3

 Q = UA(∆T )

• Fire Wetted Mode uses similar heat flux parameters to those used in Fire mode. Three
coefficients: C1, C2 and C3 must be specified. The equation used by HYSYS is an extension to the
standard API equation for heat flux to a liquid containing vessel. A wetted area is required and used
to calculate the heat transfer into the vessel.

The following notes are based on extracts from Guide for Pressure-Relieving and Depressuring
System, API Recommended Practice 521, Forth Edition, March 1997.

The amount of heat absorbed by a vessel exposed to an open fire is affected by:

a) The type of fuel feeding the fire

b) The degree to which the vessel is enveloped by the flames (a function of size and shape)
c) Any fireproofing on the vessel

The following equations are based on conditions where there is prompt fire fighting and adequate
drainage of flammable materials away from the vessel.

API Equation Q = total absorption to wetted surface (BTU/h)

(field units) Q = 21000 × F × A0.82 F = environmental factor
A = total wetted surface (ft2)

API Equation Q = total absorption to wetted surface (kJ/s

(metric units) Q = 43.116 × F × A0.82 F = environmental factor
A = total wetted surface (m2)

Environmental Factor

Table 5 on Page 17 of API 521 lists F factors for various types of vessels and insulation. For a bare
vessel, F = 1. For earth-covered storage, F = 0.03. For below-grade storage, F = 0. For insulated
vessels, users should consult the reference and select an F value based on the insulation
conductance for fire exposure conditions.

Wetted Area

The surface area wetted by the internal liquid content of the vessel is effective in generating vapour
when the exterior of the vessel is exposed to fire. To determine vapour generation it is only necessary
to take into account that portion of the vessel that is wetted by liquid up to 7.6m (25ft) above the
source of the flame. This usually refers to ground level but it can be any level capable of sustaining a

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 pool fire. The following table indicates recommended volumes for partially filled vessels. Volumes
above 7.6m are normally excluded as are vessel heads protected by support skirts.

Type of Vessel Portion of Liquid Inventory

Liquid full (e.g.: treaters) All (up to 7.6m)
Surge drums, knockout drums and
Normal operating liquid level (up to 7.6m)
process vessels
Normal level in the bottom plus liquid hold up from all the
Fractionating columns trays dumped to the normal level in the column bottom. Total
wetted surface only calculated up to 7.6m 1
Working storage Maximum inventory level (up to 7.6m)
Either the maximum horizontal diameter or 7.6m, whichever
Spheres and spheroids
is greater
1
Reboiler level is to be included if the reboiler is an integral part of the column.

The HYSYS equation is an extension of the standard API equation. Therefore, in field units, C1 will be
21000 multiplied by the environmental factor, F and C2 will 0.82. (In most cases, C1 will be equal to
21000).
Q = C1 × (WettedAreatime=t )
C2

Wetted area at time t is defined by the following equation:

  LiquidVolumetime=t 
WettedAreatime=t = WettedAreatime=0 × 1 − C3 ×  1 − 
  LiquidVolu metime =0  

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The following table is an example showing how the C3 term affects the wetted area calculation. An initial
liquid volume of 6m3 and a wetted area of 500 m2 were given.

C3
Liquid Volume 1 0.75 0.5 0.25 0
Time Volume Ratio Wetted Area Wetted Area Wetted Area Wetted Area Wetted Area
(minutes) (m3) (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)
0 6 1.0 500.0 500.0 500.0 500.0 500.0
5 4 0.7 333.3 375.0 416.7 458.3 500.0
10 3 0.5 250.0 312.5 375.0 437.5 500.0
15 2 0.3 166.7 250.0 333.3 416.7 500.0

Therefore if a C3 value of 0 is used, the initial wetted area is used throughout the calculations. This could
represent a worst case scenario. Alternatively, if a C3 value of 1 was used, the volume would vary
proportionally with the liquid volume. This would represent a vertical vessel.

HYSYS 3.0.1, Build 4602 KNOWN ISSUE

Depressuring Heat Flux Equation is incorrect if Field units are selected. If the fire wetted equation is used
while field units are selected (i.e.: BTU/h), the heat flux equation used by the Depressuring utility will be
incorrect. There is a problem with the conversion between SI and Field units. Instead of using the normal
API coefficient of 21000, the value of C1 should be multiplied by 7 (i.e.: 147000). This will correct for the
unit conversion problem. Because of this defect, the following equations should be:
API Equation Equation Units Area Units
Q = 147000 * F A 0.82 BTU/h ft2
Q = 155201 * F A 0.82 KJ/h m2
Q = 43.116 * F A 0.82 KJ/s m2

• Alternative Fire Mode uses the Boltzman constant to take into account radiation, forced
convection, flame temperature and ambient temperature. The method may be considered as an
alternative method to the API standard.
( ( )
Q = Atotal × ε f × ε v × k (T f + 273.15 ) − (TV + 273.15 ) + outsideU × (Tamb − TV )
4 4
)
where:
A total = total wetted surface area
εf = flame emissivity generally ranges from 0.2 to 0.5 (for burning heavy HCs)
εv = vessel emissivity generally ranges from 0.5 to 1 (for polished metal)
k = Boltzman constant equals 5.67*10 - 8 W/m2 K4
Tf = flame temperature 1500 K and upwards
Tv = vessel temperature
outside U = convective heat transfer between vessel and air
Tamb = ambient air temp

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• Adiabatic Mode can be used to model the gas blowdown of pressure vessels or piping. No
external heat is applied so no parameters need to be entered in this section. Heat flux between the
vessel wall and the fluid is modelled as the fluid temperature drops due to the depressurisation.
Typical use of this mode is the depressuring of compressor loops on emergency shutdown.

• Use Spreadsheet is an option that allows the user access to the spreadsheet used by the
depressuring utility. Values can be altered in this spreadsheet and additional equations substituted
for calculation of the heat flux. It is recommended that this option only be used by advanced users.

Heat Loss Parameters

There are three types of Heat Loss models available:

1. None: does not account for any heat loss

2. Simple: allows the user to either specify the heat loss directly or have it calculated from specified
values

3. Detailed: allows the user to specify a more detailed set of heat loss parameters

Simple Model

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• An overall U value can be specified in this section.

• Heat Transfer Area is the cylindrical area of the vessel with no allowance for head area. This value is
calculated using the vessel dimensions specified on the "Connections" page.

• Using the Simple Heat Loss Model, heat loss from the vessel is calculated using the following
formula:
Q = UA(T fluid − Tambient )

Detailed Model
The duty can be applied to the vessel wall or directly to the fluid. The former would be used to model a
fire and the latter to model a heater. There are four portions of the model to be set up. They are General,
Conduction, Convection and Correlation Constants.

General

The General section allows the user to manipulate Recycle Efficiencies and the ambient temperature.

The default value for all three Recycle Efficiencies is 100%. This means that all material in the vessel has
been flashed together and is in thermodynamic equilibrium. If the Recycle Efficiencies were to be reduced
a portion of the material would by-pass the flash calculation and the vapour and liquid would no longer

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 8

instantaneously reach equilibrium. In this case, the phases may have different temperatures.
Unfortunately, there is no single typical number suggested for these parameters. The best option would
be to try various scenarios and observe the results.

Conduction

The Conduction parameters allow the user to manipulate the conductive properties of the wall and
insulation.

The metal wall thickness must always have a finite value (i.e.: it cannot be <empty>). To model a vessel
without insulation, the insulation value thickness should be zero. Users are also required to enter the
specific heat capacity of the material(s), the density of the material(s) and the conductivity of the
material(s).

Some typical values for metals are:

Metal Density Specific Heat Thermal Conductivity

3
kg/m kJ/kg K W/m K
Mild steel 7860 0.420 63
Stainless steel 7930 0.510 150
Aluminium 2710 0.913 201
Titanium 4540 0.523 23
Copper 8930 0.385 385
Brass 8500 0.370 110

Convection

The Convection view allows users to manipulate the heat transfer coefficient for inside and outside the
vessel as well as between vapour and liquid material inside the vessel.

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To use a set of fixed U values, the "Use Fixed U" option should be selected. If the U values are unknown,
the user can press the "Estimate Coefficients Now" button and have HYSYS determine the U values. In
order to have HYSYS vary the U values throughout the depressuring scenario, select the "Continually
Update U" value.

Correlation Coefficients

This feature gives users the opportunity to manipulate the coefficients used in the heat transfer
correlation. By selecting "Use Specified Constants", the user may manually enter the constants used in
the heat transfer correlations.

The equation which determines the outside heat transfer coefficient for air is:

m
 ∆T 
h = C ×  
 length 
The equation used for the other three correlations is:

Nu = C × (Gr × Pr )
m

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 10

Where: Nu = Nusselt Number
Gr = Grashof Number
Pr = Prandtl Number

Valve Parameters

The Valve Parameters page allows users to select the type of valves to be used for both vapour and
liquid service. In most cases, either the Fisher or the Relief valve should be used for valve sizing. Their
equations are more advanced than some of the others and can automatically handle choked conditions.
Furthermore, these two valve types support other options that can be accessed through the valve
property view accessible through the Depressuring sub-flowsheet. The seven available valve types are
described in the sections that follow.

Fisher

The Fisher option uses the standard valve option in HYSYS. It allows the user to specify both valve Cv
and percent opening. By pressing the "Size Valve", the valve can be sized for a given flow rate.

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 Once the appropriate
Sizing Conditions have
been entered, press the
"Size Valve" button to
have HYSYS determine
the valve Cv.

Relief Valve

The relief valve option uses the standard HYSYS relief valve. The user can specify orifice area (or
diameter), relief pressure and full open pressure. The user is required also to specify an orifice discharge
coefficient. To have the relief valve open at all times, enter a full open pressure that is lower than the final
expected vessel pressure and a set pressure that is only slightly lower than the full open pressure.

Supersonic

The supersonic valve equation can be used for modelling systems when no detailed information on the
valve is available. The discharge coefficient (Cd) should be a value between 0 and 1. The area (A) should
be a value between 0.7 and 1. P1 refers to the upstream pressure and ρ1 the density.
F = C d × A × (P1 × ρ 1 )
0.5

Subsonic

The subsonic valve equation can also be used for modelling systems when no detailed information on the
valve is available but the flow is sub-critical. This can occur when the upstream pressure is less than

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twice the backpressure. The discharge coefficient (Cd) should be a value between 0 and 1. The area (A)
should be a value between 0.7 and 1. P1 refers to the upstream pressure and ρ1 the density.

 (P + P )× (P1 − Pback ) 
0.5

F = Cd × A ×  1 back ρ1 
 P1 

Pback refers
Back Pressure

It is possible to have the depressuring scenario cycle between pressure build-up and relief. To perform
this analysis, ensure a reasonable pressure differential and increase the number of pressure steps.

Masoneilan

This equation was taken from the Masoneilan catalogue. It can be used for general depressuring valves
to flare. When this option is selected, the user must specify Cv and Cf. The remaining parameters in the
equation are set by the Depressuring utility.

F = C1 × Cv × C f × Y f × (P1 × ρ1 )
0.5

where:

C1 = 1.6663 (SI Units)

= 38.86 (Field Units)
Cv = valve coefficient (often known from vendor data)
Cf = critical flow factor
Yf = y - 0.148y3
y = expansion factor
P1 = upstream pressure
ρ1 = upstream density

General

The General valve equation is based on the equation used to calculate critical flow through a nozzle as
shown in Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook 1. It should be used when the valve throat area is
known. Note that this equation makes certain limiting assumptions concerning the characteristics of the
orifice.

F = Cd × Av × K term × (g c × P1 × ρ1 × k )
0.5

where:

Cd = discharge coefficient
Av = throat cross sectional area
k +1
Kterm =  2  2( k +1 )
 
 k + 1

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 k = ratio of specific heats (Cp/Cv)
P1 = upstream pressure
ρ1 = upstream density
1
Page 5-14, Equation 5.20 (6th Edition) & Page 10-15, Equation 10.26 (7th Edition)

No Flow

This option indicates that there is no flow through the valve.

Use Spreadsheet

Recommended only for advanced users, this option allows the user to customise a valve equation by
editing the valve spreadsheet found inside the Depressuring sub-flowsheet.

Pressing the "View

Spreadsheet…"
button will open the
spreadsheet.

Discharge Coefficient

When the relief, supersonic, subsonic or general valve is selected, the user is required to specify a
discharge coefficient. This correction factor accounts for the vena contracta effect. Values ranging from
0.6 to 0.7 are typically used. In order to disregard this effect, set the discharge coefficient equal to 1.

Options

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 14

"PV Work Term Contribution" refers to the isentropic efficiency of the process. A reversible process
should have a value of 100% and an isenthalpic process should have a value of 0%. For gas-filled
systems, values range from 87% to 98%. For liquid filled systems the number ranges from 40% to 70%. A
higher isentropic efficiency results in a lower final temperature.

Operating Conditions
Operating Parameters

Operating pressure refers to the initial vessel pressure. By default, this value is the pressure of the inlet
stream. The time step size refers to the integration step size. It may be a good idea to reduce the step
size if the flow rate is significantly larger than the volume or if the vessel depressurises in a relatively
short amount of time (~3s).

Vapour Outlet Solving Option

Either the Dynamic Depressuring utility can solve for the final pressure or the Cv/Area required to achieve
a specified final pressure.

The "Calculate Pressure" option uses the specified area/Cv to determine the final pressure.

The final pressure

is given when the
Depressuring Time
has elapsed.

"Calculate Area" is available for Relief, Supersonic, Subsonic and General valves. "Calculate Cv" is
available for Fisher and Masoneilan valves. The two options differ only in the type of value calculated.

Based on API, it is normal to depressure to 50% of the staring pressure or to 100 psig. Before the
calculations start, the user must specify an initial Cv or area. If the depressuring time is reached before

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 15

the final pressure is achieved, then the calculations stop and a new Cv or area is calculated using the
final pressure. The calculations are repeated until the final pressure is reached in the given amount of
depressuring time. The user may specify a maximum number of iterations and a pressure tolerance to
improve convergence. If the user wishes to stop the calculations at any time, the <CTRL> <BREAK> keys
can be used.

When the utility has

stopped running, the
final calculated value
is displayed here.

This is the desired

final pressure.

Performance
Once all the required information has been submitted, a yellow bar that reads "Ready To Calculate" will
appear at the button of the Depressuring view.

Press the "Run" button

to start the calculations.

Once the utility has run, users can go to the "Performance" ! "Summary" page to view the results.

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 16

1.0 Example Problem

Simple Fire Depressuring

In the exercise, the required valve size for depressuring a vertical vessel to 50% of its operating pressure
in a Fire Wetted case will be calculated.

Select the Peng-Robinson equation of state, add the required components and then add a stream with
the following properties and molar flows:

Stream Name Feed

Temperature 108 C (226.4 F)
Pressure 1000 kPa (145.04 psia)

Component Molar Flow

Methane 30.0 kmol/h (66.138 lbmol/h)
Ethane 30.0 kmol/h (66.138 lbmol/h)
Propane 30.0 kmol/h (66.138 lbmol/h)
i-Butane 30.0 kmol/h (66.138 lbmol/h)
n-Butane 30.0 kmol/h (66.138 lbmol/h)
i-Pentane 30.0 kmol/h (66.138 lbmol/h)
n-Pentane 325.0 kmol/h (716.495 lbmol/h)
n-Hexane 30.0 kmol/h (66.138 lbmol/h)

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 17

To attach the Dynamic Depressuring utility to the stream, open the stream property view, go to
"Attachments" ! "Utilities" and press "Create…". Select "Dynamic Depressuring" from the list of available
utilities. Press the "Add Utility" button.

3) Select "Dynamic Depressuring"

4) Press "Add Utility"

2) Press "Create…"

1) Go to "Attachments" ! "Utilities"

Enter the following vessel information on the "Design" ! "Connections" page:

Variable Name SI Units Field Units

Height 4.50 m 14.76 ft
Diameter 1.25 m 4.101 ft
Initial Liquid Volume 1.45 m3 51.21 ft3

Enter the following information on the "Heat Flux Parameters" section of the "Heat Flux" page:

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 18

Variable Name Value
Operating Mode Fire Wetted
Equation Units kJ/h
C1 0.1394
C2 0.8200
C3 0.0000
Initial Wetted Area 4.5 m2 (48.44 ft2)

Enter the following information on the "Valve Parameters" page:

Variable Name Value

Vapour Flow Equation Fisher
Cv 10 USGPM
% Opening 70%

On the "Options" page, enter a PV Work Term of 90%. On the "Operating Conditions" page, select
"Calculate Cv" and enter a final pressure of 500 kPa (72.52 psia).

Once you have submitted the required information, press the "Run" button to execute the calculations.
Explore the strip charts, analyse the results and answer the following questions:

What size valve was required to achieve the depressurisation?

What is the peak flow through the valve? kg/h

Using the default values provided, try the "Simple" heat loss model.
What Cv is calculated?
What is the peak flow? kg/h

Using the default values provided, try the "Detailed" heat loss model.
What Cv is calculated?
What is peak flow? kg/h

Hyprotech Technical Support Knowledge Base Article 19

 Compressor and Pump Curves 1

Compressor and Pump Curves

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA1000.32.02
09 Compressor and Pump Curves
2 Compressor and Pump Curves

Workshop
In this module, compressor and pump curves will be used to model the
behaviour of simulated compressors and pumps. Using curves to model
these unit operations allows HYSYS to accurately simulate actual plant
equipment.

Learning Objectives
Once you have completed this module, you will be able to:

• Specify and attach head and efficiency curves to compressors

• Use single and multiple curves to model compressors
• Attach head curves to pumps
• Accurately model existing plant equipment with HYSYS

Prerequisites
Before beginning this module, you should have a reasonable
understanding of the HYSYS program, and be familiar with adding and
basic configuration of Pumps and Compressors.

2
 Compressor and Pump Curves 3

Compressor Curves
Using compressor curves in your HYSYS simulation allows you to
Don’t worry if you haven’t
built the case mentioned. accurately model existing plant equipment. You can determine if an
existing compressor is able to meet the specifications of your process.
The Using compressor curves allows HYSYS to calculate heads and
“ADV6_AdvancedRecycles_ efficiencies that are dependant on the flow rate. If the flow rate through
Soln.hsc” file contains this
case. the compressor is known to be constant, a single pressure rise and
efficiency can be supplied. If, however, the flow rate is expected to
change, using a compressor curve will allow HYSYS to calculate new
heads and efficiencies based on the current flow rate.

This results in greater accuracy in the simulation, and allows HYSYS to

more closely model actual plant equipment.

Workshop
In this workshop, you will add a set of multiple curves to the K-stage 2
compressor in the Advanced Recycle Module simulation.

1. On the Parameters page, ensure that the Polytropic and Adiabatic

Efficiency boxes both read <empty>.

These values must read <empty> because the efficiencies will be

calculated from the compressor curves, and defining the same value in
two places will always result in a consistency error.

3
4 Compressor and Pump Curves

Figure 1

2. Ignore the Adjust that controls the outlet pressure of the 1st stage
(ADJ-1).
3. On the Curves page (on the Rating tab), select the Adiabatic radio
button in the Efficiency group. Click the Add Curve button, and
enter the data as shown here:

Figure 2

Make sure you use the

correct units for the
variables, and that you set
the units before entering the
curve data.

4
 Compressor and Pump Curves 5

Instead of manually typing the data you can paste it in from the Excel
file 'Compressor Data.xls'. Before the compressor curve window will
accept a table of pasted data it must first be set to have the correct
number of rows. This can be accomplished by typing dummy data
points into the left-hand column to give the required number of rows.

Figure 3

Figure 4

5
6 Compressor and Pump Curves

Figure 5

4. Activate the individual curves on the Curves page and ensure that
the Enable Curves box is checked.

The pressure downstream of E-Stage 2 is fixed at 70 bar, so in this case

the calculated variable on the compressor is the speed. As an alternative
the speed could be specified and the downstream pressure calculated.

What is the speed of the machine?

What is the Adiabatic Efficiency?

and the Polytropic Efficiency?

6
 Compressor and Pump Curves 7

5. Click the Plot Curves button. A graphical view of the curves and
operating point is shown.

Figure 6

Operating
Point

Save your case!

Optional Exercise
It is desired to have an outlet pressure of 7850 kPa at the battery limits to
the facility (i.e. stream New Export Gas). How can you achieve this?

In a normal compressor installation, how would the unit be controlled?

What would be set? What would be adjusted?

Can you think of a way to simulate this on the present flowsheet?

7
8 Compressor and Pump Curves

Pump Curves
As with compressor curves, pump curves are used to allow HYSYS to
accurately model existing pumps. Pump curves allow the pressure rise
across the pump to be dependent on the flow rate of liquid. The pump
curves are entered into HYSYS using a form different to that used for
compressor curves. With pump curves the coefficients of an expression,
up to the fifth order, are entered into HYSYS rather than the actual data
points.

Add a pump to the main flowsheet with the following information:

Figure 7

8
 Compressor and Pump Curves 9

6. Ensure the Activate Curves box is ticked.

Figure 8

The coefficients can be

obtained from a
spreadsheet program
capable of nonlinear
regression, such as EXCEL
or may be supplied by the
pump’s manufacturer.

What is the outlet pressure of the pump?

9
10 Compressor and Pump Curves

10
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

© 2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

1
Using Neural Networks in HYSYS.pdf
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Introduction
HYSYS includes a Neural Network calculation tool that can be used to
approximate part (or all) of a HYSYS model. It can be trained to replace either
the first principles calculations usually done by HYSYS, or to simulate a unit
operation that cannot be modeled using first principles.
Using a Neural Network solver offers a number of advantages:
It is significantly faster than a first principles solution.
It offers increased robustness so that a result will always be possible.
When using a Neural Network, always be aware that results are valid only
within the range over which the Neural network was trained.

Workshop
In this module HYSYS’ Neural Network capability will be used to replace the
standard HYSYS solver for the Turbo Expander plant that has been constructed
in this course.
Additionally an Exercise is included where the Parametric Unit Operation is
trained with tabular input data.

Learning Objectives
After completion of this module, you will be able to:
Use the Parametric Utility to incorporate a Neural Network into a HYSYS
model.
Use the Parametric Unit Operation with tabular data to model a unit
operation as a ‘black box’.

Prerequisites
Before starting this module you should be familiar with the HYSYS interface
and be able to add and configure streams, operations, utilities and case studies.

2
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Neural Networks

What is a Neural Network?

A Neural Network (strictly an ‘Artificial Neural Network’ as opposed to a
‘Biological Neural Network’) is a mathematical system with a structure based
on that of the brains of mammals. The Artificial Neural Network is split into
many basic elements (equivalent to neurons in biological systems), which are
linked by synapses.
Neural Networks model the relationship between input and output data. They
are particularly suited to the kind of problems that are too complex for
traditional algorithm based modeling techniques, for example pattern
recognition and data forecasting. There are a number of types of Neural
Networks, but HYSYS uses a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) type model.
The Neural Network is trained through a learning process where synaptic
connections between neurons are constructed and weighted. The Neural
Network is trained in an iterative manner. A set of input data and desired
output data is repeatedly supplied and based on the errors between the Neural
Network calculated outputs and the desired outputs, the connections are
adjusted for the next iteration.

Neural Networks in HYSYS

The HYSYS Neural Network implementation allows part (or all) of the HYSYS
flowsheet to be approximated by a Neural Network solver.
The Neural Network can either be trained with the results from the standard
(first principles) solver, or can be supplied with tabular training data. In this
way, it can be used as a ‘black box’ calculation engine based on experimental or
plant data.
There are two parts to the HYSYS Neural Network implementation:
Parametric Utility. This is where the Neural Network is configured, and
trained.
Parametric Unit Operation (Optional). This allows the Neural Network to
appear as a unit operation on the flowsheet, and is typically used when
taking a ’black box’ approach.

3
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS
Process Overview

4
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Steps for using Neural Networks in HYSYS

The procedure for using Neural Networks in HYSYS is as follows:
1. Select scope: determine which streams/operations will be calculated by the
Neural Network.
2. Select and configure input and output variables.
3. Supply training data: either tabular data or data generated by the normal
HYSYS solver.
4. Train the Neural Network.
5. Validate the Neural Network. This is optional, but recommended.

Workshop

Process Description
In this module HYSYS’ Neural Network capability will be used to replace the
standard HYSYS solver for the Turbo Expander plant that has been constructed
in this course.
1. Open the Turbo Expander plant case if it is not already open.
This module assumes that the case has had at least the changes from the
‘Templates and Sub-flowsheets’ and ‘Spreadsheets and Case Studies’
Don’t worry if you
modules made to it.
haven’t built the Turbo The main process variables that will be manipulated are the cooler outlet
Expander plant case. temperature (stream 2) and the Turbo Expander outlet pressure (stream 5).
The file If you have completed the Advanced Recycles module and have added the
‘ADV5_Spreads&CaseS multi-stage compression sub flowsheet to your Turbo Expander plant, it is a
tud_Soln.hsc’ contains good idea to ignore the Adjust operations to reduce the calculation time.
this case.

5
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Adding the Parametric Utility

2. From the Tools-Utilities menu, add a Parametric Utility. Name the utility
‘Whole FS NN’.

Setting the Scope

The first step in configuring the Parametric utility is to select the scope (i.e.,
how much of the flowsheet will be calculated using the Neural Network). In this
case, the Neural Network will be applied to the whole flowsheet.
3. On the Configuration tab, ensure Case (Main) is selected in the left list box.
Click the Add All button.
4. Click Accept List.

Notice that now the Next> button is enabled to move the view to the next
tab.
It is possible to only model a subset of operations in the flowsheet. Operations
can be added and removed using the buttons marked >>>>> and <<<<<.

6
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Selecting and Configuring Variables

The variables that the Neural Network will use must now be configured. There
are two important classes of variables:
Manipulated
A Validation tool is Observable
included to check the The Neural Network solver will respond to changes in the Manipulated
quality of the Neural variables and calculate new values for the Observable variables based on the
Network calculations. supplied training data.
The quality of the Observable values calculated by the Neural Network solver is
dependent on the quality of the data used to train it. A Neural Network model is
only as good as its training data. Going outside the range of the Manipulated
variables used for training can lead to large errors.
In the Turbo Expander case the Manipulated variables are the temperature of
stream 2 and the pressure of stream 5, while the Observable variables are the
properties of all the streams in the flowsheet.
The Name column can
be expanded by 5. On the Select Variables tab, generate a list of all possible Manipulated and
clicking and dragging Observable variables by clicking the Build Flashable Streams button.
between the two 6. With the Manipulated radio button selected, click the Un-Select All button.
columns in the header.
7. In the Selected Mvar column check the items:
• 5\Pressure
• 2\Temperature
8. Click the Remove Unselected button to display only these two variables.
Now you need to set the range of manipulated variables for training the Neural
Network.
Changing the Range 9. Change the Low and High limits as follows:
parameter above the table 5\Pressure 20 to 40 bar
sets all the Low and High 2\Temperature -65 to -45 °C
values to a given fraction
above and below the Initial 10. Click the Accept Configuration button.
(Current) value.

7
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

The utility should now appear as follows:

11. Choose the Observable radio button and review the variables that will be
calculated by the Neural Network.

Generating a Training Dataset

Now data must be generated to train the Neural Network. This involves
supplying a set of values for each of the Manipulated variables, then running
When supplying training HYSYS to calculate the values of the observable variables for each of these sets.
data, it is important to
Values for the Manipulated variables can either be supplied manually, read
provide a good
representation of the from a *.csv file, or may be generated using the Build Random dataset tool.
region in which the 12. On the Data tab ensure the Create as New option is selected and supply the
Neural Network will be Output File Head Name ‘TurboExpander’.
operating.
13. Set the Size of the Manipulated Data Set to 32. This will give the Neural
By default the neural Network more data to train from. Often 8 is too low for accurate results.
network output files go
in the \Support 14. Click the Build Random Dataset button to populate the table with training
subdirectory of the data.
HYSYS installation. If 15. Click the Generate Data button. HYSYS will run and solve for each of the
required specify a datasets supplied and generate all the resulting training data.
different directory name.
If HYSYS displays any column errors or messages about empty values in the
dataset simply OK them. HYSYS will offer to remove any empty training data
before training the Neural Network.
For more complicated systems, the generation of training data can take a
significant length of time. In this case, it should take less than a minute
depending on computer speed.

8
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Training the Neural Network

The next step is to train the Neural Network using the training dataset just
The Init/Rest button generated.
should be used before 16. Select the Training tab and click the Init/Reset button.
the Neural Network is
trained for the first If prompted, choose the option to remove empty values from the dataset.
time and whenever it 17. Click the Train button to train the Neural Network with the data generated.
needs to be retrained.
In this case, the training process should only take a few seconds. When it has
completed, you can view a comparison between the output of the parametric
utility and the calculations from HYSYS by using the View Table and View
Graph buttons and choosing the Output radio button.

Validating the Neural Network Results

The final step before using the Neural Network is to validate the results. In the
validation process, a new set of input data is given to both the HYSYS model
and the Neural Network and the results are compared.
18. Select the Validation tab. Click the Validation Setup button to configure the
Validation is optional validation runs. Select OK to accept the defaults.
but recommended.
19. Click the PM Runs buttons to run the Parametric model (i.e., Neural
Network). This runs quickly so it may seem that nothing happened. But if
you look at the Trace window (the bottom right white panel), it shows that
the PM calculation was successful.
20. Click the HYSYS Runs button to run the traditional HYSYS model with the
validation input.
The Trace window displays a comparison of the time taken by the Parametric
utility and the standard HYSYS solver.

21. By clicking the View Graph or View Table buttons, the results from the
HYSYS model can be compared to those from the Neural Network model.
In this case, the error should be negligible for all of the variables.

9
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Embed the Neural Network into the HYSYS Flowsheet

Now the Parametric utility is ready to use to replace the main HYSYS solver.
22. Return to the Configuration tab and check the Embedded into HYSYS
If the Build Streams
button was clicked
Flowsheet checkbox.
instead of the Build
Flashable Streams
button, then at this point
HYSYS will display
warning messages as it
removes all observed
variables that would lead
to an over specification.

A Trace window message (‘Using Whole FS NN for calculation’) will appear.

HYSYS is now using the Neural Network instead of the normal HYSYS solver.

Experiment with the Model

To compare the speed of the Neural Network with that of the standard solver a
Case Study will be used. Use the same Case Study that was set up in the
Spreadsheets and Case Studies module (called ‘Operating Analysis’). This
Find the case study on
the Case Studies tab of
varies the pressure and temperature over the same range as the Neural Network
the Databook (Tools- is trained for, and records the value of the Overall Profit from the spreadsheet.
Databook menu). 1. With the Neural Network activated, start the Case Study. Keep track of how
long it takes to run.
2. Switch the Neural Network solver off using the Embedded into HYSYS
Flowsheet checkbox, and rerun the case study.

How much faster is the Neural Network solver in this case?

______________________________________
(Typically the Neural Network takes a 1/10th the time of the standard
solver for this model.)

10
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Other Possible Investigations

Try changing one of the manipulated variables outside the training range.
What happens?
If the Neural Network is switched on, what happens when a variable which is
not a manipulated variable is changed? For example, change the temperature
or composition of the Feed Gas stream.
With the Neural Network switched on, try setting an unfeasible value in one of
the streams (for example, set 55 bar for stream 5’s pressure). Compare the
response of the model when the Neural Network is enabled and disabled.

Conclusions
Neural Networks can be significantly faster than a first principles solution.
The Neural Network part of the calculation is typically about 1000 times
faster than the standard solver, however HYSYS needs to do many other
tasks as well (data storage, interface updates, etc.) that can reduce the
actual speed increase seen.
Robustness is increased; a result will always be possible. Whereas the
standard solver may fail in certain circumstances.
Neural Networks are only as good as the data they were trained with. If a
parameter is changed so that it is outside the training range then the results
may not be valid, and could include large errors.
Neural Networks will not predict the effect of changes in variables not
included in the training data.

11
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

Exercise

Using the Parametric Unit Operation

The Parametric Unit Operation allows the Neural Network to appear as a unit
operation on the flowsheet, and is typically used when taking a ’black box’
approach to modeling an operation. In this case the Neural Network can be
trained with tabular data from lab experiments or plant measurements, so a
It is also possible to
link the Parametric system can be represented that may not necessarily be able to be modeled
Unit Operation to a using a first principles approach.
Parametric Utility. In this exercise, a Parametric Unit Operation will be used to model an operation
based on supplied tabular data.
1. Open the supplied HYSYS case Parametric Unit Op Starter.hsc.
The shortcut key for the 2. Add a Parametric Unit Operation. (The Parametric unit operation does not
Flowsheet-Add appear on the object palette so it must be added using the Flowsheet-Add
Operation menu is Operation menu). The Parametric Unit Operation is in the Logicals
F12.
category.

3. Click Add.

12
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

4. Select the Inputs from a data file option and choose the Column data
format option. Set the Number of Inputs to 3 and the Number of Outputs
to 3 as shown.

5. Click the Browse button to navigate to the Parametric Unit Op Data.csv

data file and select it. The file filter needs to be changed to show csv files.
(Ignore the warning message about the lack of attached streams.)
6. Attach the Fuel and Exhaust streams as Input and Output respectively.
The ‘Parametric Unit Op Data.csv’ data file contains the following data (in a
comma separated value format). The table below shows the variables that are
being read by HYSYS.
Input Input Input Mass Output Output Output
Note that C, kPa and Temperature Pressure Flow Temperature Pressure Mass Flow
kg/h are the units used (C) (kPa) (kg/h) (C) (kPa) (kg/h)
in the SI unit set, as
selected in the Input 15 200 100 20 175 100
Units From Data File 18 225 125 23 190 125
drop-down list. 20 250 150 27 210 150
22 275 175 32 225 175
24 300 200 37 240 200
26 325 225 45 250 225
28 350 250 52 260 250

By clicking the View Data button, the contents of the data file can be displayed.
7. On the Setup page, map the Input 1, 2, 3 variables to the Fuel Temperature,
Pressure and Mass Flow respectively. Similarly, map the Output Variables
to Exhaust Temperature, Pressure, and Mass Flow.

The red cross in the Bad Data column means the data is OK. If
the data is bad, a green checkmark appears.

13
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

8. On the Training tab, click the Train button.

14
 Using Neural Networks in HYSYS

9. Go to the WorkSheet tab and specify the Fuel stream as follows:

Temperature 35 ºC
Pressure 300 kPa
Mass flow rate 200 kg/hr

The unit operation should now solve fully.

10. Experiment with changing the Temperature, Pressure and flow both inside
and outside the range of the training data.

15
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Modeling Real Separators in HYSYS

© 2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

1
Modeling Real Separators in HYSYS.pdf
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Introduction
The HYSYS Separator unit operation normally assumes perfect phase
separation, but it can also be configured to model imperfect separation by
using the HYSYS Real Separator capabilities.
The real separator offers the user a number of advantages:
Includes carryover so that your model matches your process mass
balance or separator design specifications.
Predicts the effect of exit devices on mitigating carryover.
This workshop will introduce the user to the concepts needed to use these
real separator features. The workshop will then step the user through a
typical real separator application.

Workshop
The workshop will focus on using the HYSYS Real Separator capabilities to
model imperfect separation in a 3-phase oil-water-gas separator.
An exercise is included where a demister pad is added to the model as a
secondary separation device to reduce liquid carryover into the gas.
Additionally, a demonstration is given of the carryover feature in a dynamic
model.

Learning Objectives
After completion of this module, you will be able to:
Account for carryover in process design problems.
Calculate carryover based on vessel geometry and inlet conditions using
several basic correlations.
Model an exit device to reduce carryover in the vapour product.
Understand how carryover effects are accounted for in a dynamic
model of a separator.

Prerequisites
Before starting this module you should be familiar with the HYSYS interface
and be able to add and configure streams, operations, utilities, and case
studies.

2
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Modeling Separators

Real World Considerations

In real world separators, separation is not perfect: liquid can become
entrained in the gas phase and each liquid phase may include entrained gas
or entrained droplets of the other liquid phase.
Recent years have seen increasing use of vessel internals (e.g., mesh pads,
vane packs, weirs) to reduce the carryover of entrained liquids or gases.

Real Separators in HYSYS

Carryover Option
As with many other unit operations, HYSYS allows you to increase the
fidelity of your separator model to account for non-ideal effects. HYSYS 3.2
introduces Real Separator capabilities like the carryover option. This option
can be used to model imperfect separation in both steady state and
dynamic simulation. Gas and liquid carryover can be specified or
calculated (three different correlations are available for this purpose).

Vessel Internals
Internals used to reduce carryover can be included in your separator model
with some of the provided carryover correlations.
Internals used to reduce liquid carryover in the gas product are termed “exit
devices”. Weirs are used to improve heavy liquid - light liquid separation in
horizontal vessels.

Nozzle Calculations
Included with the carryover correlations are calculation methods for inlet
and outlet nozzle pressure drop. Inlet and outlet devices can be included in
these calculations. The user can also specify pressure drop if the carryover
option is not in use.

3
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Dynamic Models of Real Separators

The dynamic model of a separator must account for changing pressure and
flow due to liquid levels, nozzle pressure drop, and heat effects. As such,
vessel geometry, including internals and nozzle geometry, and heat loss
parameters need to be specified. Modeling imperfect separation with the
carryover option and a specifiable PV work term are also available. Level
taps can also be set for monitoring the relative levels of the different liquid
phases. All of these items can be set up via the Rating tab.

Limitations of the carryover option:

As droplet distribution is not a stream property, this information is not
passed onto the product streams. While droplet distribution is not
passed on, product streams containing carryover will contain multiple
phases with the phase flow rates equal to that predicted by the
carryover calculations.

Specifying Carryover
The HYSYS separator allows the user to directly specify what fraction of
each of the feed phases is entrained in the other phases. Product-based
specifications are also allowed. This gives you a simple method to match
your material balance to your design assumptions or your real world
separator.

Calculating Carryover & Related Properties

There are also three sets of correlations available to calculate phase
dispersion and carryover. A detailed description of each method is given in
the next section. All three follow the same basic calculation sequence:
1. Calculate the initial phase dispersion based on the inlet feed. All three
methods assume the dispersion follows a Rossin Rammler distribution.
2. Calculate the carryover after the primary separation (gravity settling) of
each phase in every other phase; specifically:
Light Liquid entrained in Gas
Heavy Liquid entrained in Gas
Gas entrained in Light Liquid
Gas entrained in Heavy Liquid
Light Liquid entrained in Heavy Liquid
Heavy Liquid entrained in Light Liquid
3. Based on the exit dispersion from step 2, calculate the affect of any
installed secondary separation device (e.g., demister pad or vanes) on
the liquid carryover into the vapour product. (This is not applicable to
the Generic correlations.)

4
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Correlation Details
Three different correlation models are provided: Generic, Horizontal Vessel
and ProSeparatorTM.
Generic Correlations
The generic correlations should be used when your only criterion for
separation is specifying a critical droplet size. Inlet phase dispersion is
calculated using a generic method that ignores vessel geometry — the user
specifies inlet splits and Rossin Rammler parameters and these are used to
calculate the inlet dispersion. Carryover is calculated by assuming that all
droplets smaller than a user-specified critical droplet size are carried over.
Horizontal Vessel Correlations
The Horizontal Vessel correlations are designed with the horizontal 3-phase
Separator in mind. Inlet phase dispersion is calculated using inlet device
efficiency (rather than specified splits) and user-supplied Rossin Rammler
parameters. Primary separation is calculated based on settling velocities
rather than critical drop size. Each phase has a residence time in the vessel.
A droplet will be carried over if it does not travel far enough (back to its
parent bulk phase) in the time allowed.
ProSeparator Correlations
The ProSeparator correlations are rigorous but are limited to calculating
liquid carryover into gas. Both light liquid and heavy liquid entrainment are
calculated, so 3-phase Separators are also supported, but no carryover
calculations are done for the liquid phases. Inlet phase dispersion is
calculated based on inlet flow conditions and inlet pipe size. (ProSeparator
calculates its own Rossin Rammler parameters using this information.)
Primary separation is based on critical droplet size; however, the critical
droplet size is not user-specified but calculated using gas velocity through
the vessel.
Exit Devices & Other Calculations
Secondary separations accomplished by exit devices (e.g., demisting pad)
can be calculated by specifying a critical drop size (Horizontal Vessel) or
through the use of device specific correlations (ProSeparator).
Inlet flow regime, Nozzle Pressure Drop, Exit Device Sizing can also be
calculated using one of the various Horizontal Vessel correlations.
Rossin Rammler Parameters
Rossin Rammler distributions are defined by:

F = exp(-d/dm)x)

Where:
F = fraction of droplets larger than d
dm is related to d95
x = RR index
d95 = 95% of droplets are smaller than this diameter for the specified
dispersion
RR Index = exponent used in the RR equation (also known as the “spread
parameter”)

5
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Using Sub-calculations
If desired, the user can use a different correlation for each of the calculation
steps. In this case, a correlation is specified for each sub-calculation, rather
than specifying an overall correlation. Only those parts of the correlation
that apply to the particular sub-calculation will be used.

Sub-calculations will not used in this workshop.

Example
If the Generic correlation is used for the Inlet device and ProSeparator is
used for primary L-L and G-L separation calculations, then the user-
supplied data for the generic inlet calculations (i.e., inlet split and Rossin
Rammler parameters) will be used to generate the inlet droplet dispersion.
The ProSeparation primary separation calculations will then be performed
using this inlet dispersion. As ProSeparator correlations will not be used to
calculate the inlet conditions, any ProSeparator inlet setup data is
ignored. Likewise, any critical droplet sizes entered in the Generic
correlation will be ignored as the ProSeparator is being used for the primary
separation calculations.

6
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Process Overview

7
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Workshop

Process Description
In this workshop, a 3-phase Separator is used to separate an oil/water/gas
mixture. Entrained liquids in the gas product have been identified as a
potential process issue. The HYSYS Real Separator will be used to account
for liquid entrainment in the model.
Carryover of liquids can be troublesome, especially if the gas is then passed
through a turbine/compressor where liquid droplets can cause major
damage to the internals of the machine. We will determine if a demisting
pad is appropriate to prevent carryover and how to size it appropriately.
The separator considered in this workshop is based on the LP Separator
used in the two-stage compression module of the Turbo Expander plant
constructed in the Process Modeling Using HYSYS course.
You will begin building the case by creating a copy of the existing separator.
This means that while experimenting with the parameters of the separator,
the rest of the Turbo Expander plant (recycles, adjust, … etc.) does not have
to solve each time.
An exercise later will be to incorporate the rigorous separator into the full
model.

Build an Ideal Separator

1. Open the two-stage compression case of Turbo Expander plant case.
2. Create a material stream called To LP Sep Clone.
Don’t worry if you have 3. Double-click on the To LP Sep Clone stream.
not built the Turbo 4. The stream property view appears. Click on the Define from Other
Expander plant case. Stream button.
The file 5. In the Available Streams list, select To LP Sep.
‘ADV6_AdvancedRecyc
les_Soln.hsc’ contains 6. In the Copy Stream Conditions group, check all the available conditions
this case. and click OK.
7. Create a stream called Water, and specify its temperature and pressure
to be the same as To LP Sep Clone with a flowrate of 4000 kg/h.
8. Add a Mixer and provide the following information:
In this cell… Enter…
Connections
Name MIX-100
Inlets To LP Sep Clone
Water
Outlet Feed
Parameters
Automatic Pressure Assignment Set Outlet to Lowest Inlet

8
 Real Separators in HYSYS

9. Add a 3-phase Separator and specify it with the following information:

In this cell… Enter…
Connections
Name V-101
Inlets Feed
Vapour Vapour
Light Liquid LLiquid
Heavy Liquid HLiquid

10. Open the separator unit operation and select the Worksheet tab.
What is the vapour fraction and molar flow of the product stream?
Vapour ______________________
Light Liquid ______________________
Heavy Liquid ______________________

Add Carryover Effects

Let us say that we know (from a plant mass balance or as a design
assumption) that approximately 800 kg/h of liquid is entrained in the
vapour stream. How do we specify this in our model and ensure an accurate
mass balance?
1. Select the Rating tab. Click on the C.Over Setup page to bring up the
carryover models, and choose Product Basis as the active model.
2. Enter the entrainment data. Select Specification By: Flow and choose
Basis = Mass. Enter 800 kg/h for Light liquid in gas.

3. Examine the product streams and the C.Over Results page and
compare to the ideal separation case.

9
 Real Separators in HYSYS

What is the vapour fraction of the vapour product stream? ______________

What is the rate of liquid carryover (kgmole/h)? ________________________

Using the Carryover Correlations

As an alternative to specifying the carryover, we can use correlations to
predict the carryover:
1. Return to the C.Over Setup page and change the model selection to
The Setup and Results Correlation Based. For steps 2 – 4 select the appropriate radio button.
views will be different 2. Correlation Setup (radio button):
depending on which
a) Select Overall Correlation and choose the “ProSeparator”
correlation is used.
correlation.
Refer to page 5 for a
detailed description of b) Click the View Correlation button to enter inlet and separation
each correlation and parameters.
its required In this case, the Inlet setup page can be left as is. The ProSeparator
parameters. correlations will calculate the inlet dispersion without the need for
further information.
Since we do not have an exit device, we need to set this for the
ProSeparator correlation: select the Vap. Exit Device page; select
Mesh Pad; enter thickness = 0.0.
Close the View Correlation window.
Vessel dimensions can
3. Dimensions Setup (radio button): Enter the vessel dimensions as
also be entered on the
Sizing page of the length 8.0 m, diameter 3.0 m, light liquid level 1.5 m.
Rating tab. Data on
these two pages is
linked.

4. DP / Nozzle Setup (radio button): Enter the following values for nozzle
location (this is the horizontal or radial distance from the feed location):
Feed 0.0 m, Vapour 6.0 m. Keep the default values for nozzle diameter
and height.

10
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Analyze the Results

There are several pages where useful results are displayed:
a) Open the Worksheet tab.

What is the vapour fraction in the Vapour stream? ___________

b) Open the Rating tab and select the C.Over Results page. To view
the carryover details, click the View Dispersion Results button. You
should see results similar to this:

We need to eliminate all droplets larger than 50 microns (0.05

mm). Do we need an exit device to do secondary separation? _____

Open the Rating tab and select the C.Over Setup page. Click the View
Correlation button and open the Results tab.

11
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Adding a Secondary Separation Device

1. Open the Rating tab and select the C.Over Setup page.
2. Click the View Correlation button and open the Setup tab.
3. Select the Vap. Exit Device page; select Mesh Pad and enter a thickness
of 150.0 mm.

What effect does this have on the carryover? __________________

Exercise 1
It is expected that the inlet hydrocarbon flow to the separator may vary by
up to 25%. Anticipating that the separator may not be able to handle this
increased flow, the engineer decides to model the new conditions in the
separator and design a demister pad to remove the larger droplets.
1. Increase the flowrate of the To LP Sep Clone stream by 25%.
2. Select the C.Over Results page, then click the View Dispersion Results
button.

What is the Total Carryover with no mesh? With 150mm of mesh?

_______________________________________________________
What is the removal efficiency of 50 micron droplets?
________________________________________________________

Based on this predicted dispersion, the engineer decides to install a thicker

mesh pad. How would you suggest the engineer use HYSYS to determine
the correct thickness?

Perform the analysis yourself; how thick should the mesh pad be?
_______________________________________________________
Now what is the vapour fraction of the Vapour product stream?
________________________________________________________

12
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Exercise 2
Connect the real separator into the two-stage compression loop to replace
the ideal separator that is currently in use. Keep the Water feed stream
connected. Is the real separator still capable of stopping 50 micron drops
reaching the compressor suction?

Carryover in Dynamic Models

Please open sample case “Dynamic Real Separator.hsc”. This case is based
on the one you have been working on, but dynamic specifications,
controllers and strip charts have been added as needed.
Specifically, the following changes were made to the model:
1. Valves were added to all boundary streams (e.g. Feed0 and VLV-100
were connected to the Feed stream).
2. Pressure-flow specifications were set on all boundary streams (you will
find these specifications on the Dynamics tab of each boundary stream,
e.g. Feed0 has a pressure specification of 30.05 kPa).

3. Dynamic specifications were set on the separator:

All dynamic specifications used in this example or the separator were
already entered on the Rating tab.
a. Sizing & carry over data were left the same.
b. Heat loss left at none
c. Level taps and PV Work term options were not used
4. Strip charts were created for 2 sets of variables (open the databook tabs
titled Variables to see the list of variables and Stripcharts to view the
strip chart configurations):
The Vessel Conditions strip chart tracks vessel pressure, temperature,
and liquid level. The Carry Over strip chart monitors liquid phase flow
out of the vapour nozzle, as well as inlet flow rate to the vessel.
5. Finally controllers were added to the alternate sample case called
Controlled Dynamic Real Separator.hsc.

13
 Real Separators in HYSYS

Demonstration
1. Open Dynamic Real Separator.hsc.
2. Click on the strip charts to bring them to the foreground.
3. Click the Dynamic Mode button.
4. Start the Integrator. When the liquid carryover flow achieves a steady
value, stop the integrator.
5. Change the position of VLV-100 to 25% open. Re-start the integrator.
When the liquid carryover flow achieves a steady value stop the
integrator.
6. Change the position of VLV-100 to 75% open. Re-start the integrator.
When the liquid carryover flow achieves a steady value stop the
integrator.
Is the mesh pad thick enough to account for all process conditions?
_________________________________________________________________
A thick pad creates more pressure drop; are there other mitigations to
consider?________________________________________________________

7. Open Controlled Dynamic Real Separator.hsc; repeat the same

exercise.
What effect does controlling the liquid level have?
________________________________________________________________

14
 Reactions 1

Reactions

© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.

EA1000.32.02
10 Reactions
2 Reactions

Workshop
In this module, you will simulate a Synthesis Gas Production facility.
This will introduce you to the powerful reaction modelling capability of
HYSYS.

The production of synthesis gas is an important step in the production

of ammonia. Synthesis gas is comprised of hydrogen and nitrogen at a
molar ratio of 3:1. The main role of the synthesis gas plant is to convert
natural gas, primarily methane, into hydrogen.

In most synthesis gas plants, four reactors are used. However, in our
simulation five reactors will be used to model this process. This is
because the combustor, a single vessel, will be modelled as two reactors
in series, with two different reaction types. The first reactor is a
Conversion reactor and the second is an Equilibrium reactor.

Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to:

• Simulate reactors and reactions in HYSYS

• Use Set and Adjust Operations to modify a HYSYS simulation

Prerequisites
Before beginning this module, you need to know how to:

• Navigate the PFD

• Add Streams in the PFD or the Workbook
• Add and connect Unit Operations

2
 Reactions 3

Reactions and Reactors

There are five different reactor types in HYSYS, by using combinations of
these five operations, virtually any real reactor can be modelled.
The five reactor types are:

• Conversion. Given the stoichiometry of all the reactions

occurring and the conversion of the base component, calculates
the composition of the outlet stream.
• Equilibrium. Determines the composition of the outlet stream
given the stoichiometry of all reactions occurring and the value of
the equilibrium constant (or the temperature dependant
parameters that govern the equilibrium constant) for each
reaction.
• Gibbs. Evaluates the equilibrium composition of the outlet stream
by minimizing the total Gibbs free energy of the effluent mixture.
• CSTR. Assumes that the reactor contents are completely mixed
in computing the outlet stream conditions, given the stoichiometry
for all the reactions that are occurring and the kinetic rate
constant (or the temperature dependence parameters for
determining the kinetic constant) for each reaction.
• PFR. Assumes that the reaction stream passes through the
reactor in plug flow in computing the outlet stream composition,
given the stoichiometry of all the reactions occurring and a kinetic
Note that Kinetic, Kinetic (Rev rate constant for each reaction.
Eqb), and Langmuir-
Hinshelwood reactions can be Note that the required input is different depending on the type of
modelled in the CSTR, PFR
and Separator. reactor that is chosen. The last two types (CSTR and PFR) must have
kinetic rate constants (or the formula to determine the kinetic rate
constant) as inputs, as well as the stoichiometry of the reactions. All of
the reactor types, except for the Gibbs type, must have the reaction
stoichiometry as inputs.

The Tank, Separator, Three Phase Separator, and Column Unit

Operations can also process reactions if a reaction set is attached.

The process for entering the reaction stoichiometry is discussed in this

module, as is the process for adding reactor Unit Operations to a HYSYS
simulation.

3
Process Overview
 Reactions 5

Building the Simulation

The first step in simulating a synthesis gas plant is choosing an
appropriate fluid package. We will be using the Peng Robinson (PR) EOS
in this simulation.

Add the following components to the simulation: CH4, H2O, CO, CO2,
H2, N2, and O2.

Adding the Reactions

Reactions in HYSYS are added in a manner very similar to the method
used to add components to the simulation:

1. Click on the Reactions tab in the Simulation Basis Manager view.

Note that all of the Components are shown in the Rxn Components
list.

Figure 1

5
6 Reactions

2. Click the Add Rxn button, and choose Conversion as the type from
the displayed list. Enter the necessary information as shown:

Figure 2

When entering the values for

the Stoichiometeric
Coefficients, it is important to
remember that "Products are
positive and Reactants are
negative."

3. Move to the Basis tab and enter the information as shown:

Figure 3

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for two more Conversion reactions. Use the
following data.

Base
Name Reaction Co
Component
Rxn-2 CH4 + 2H2O → CO2 + Methane 65
4H2
Rxn-3 CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + Methane 100
2H2O

6
 Reactions 7

5. Add an Equilibrium reaction by selecting the reaction type as

Equilibrium rather than Conversion. Under the Library tab,
highlight the reaction with the form CO + H2O1 ←
→ CO2 + H2. Click
the Add Library Rxn button. This adds the reaction and all of the
reaction’s data to the simulation.

Adding the Reaction Sets

Once all four reactions are entered and defined, you can create reaction
sets for each type of reactor.

1. Still on the Reactions tab, Click the Add Set button. Call the first set
Reformer Rxn Set, and add Rxn-1 and Rxn-2. Reactions are added
by highlighting the <empty> field in the Active List group, and
selecting the desired reaction from the drop down list. The view
should look like this after you are finished:

Figure 4

Only reactions of the same

type can be included in a
reaction set. For example,
Equilibrium and Conversion
reactions can not be grouped
into the same reaction set.

2. Create two more reaction sets with the following information:

Reaction Set Name Active Reactions

Combustor Rxn Set Rxn-1, Rxn-2, Rxn-3
Shift Rxn Set Rxn-4

Attaching Reaction Sets to the Fluid Package

After the three reaction sets have been created, they must be added to
the current fluid package in order for HYSYS to use them.

7
8 Reactions

1. Highlight the desired Reaction Set and press Add to FP.

2. Select the only available Fluid Package and press the Add Set to
Fluid Package button.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to add all three reaction sets (Reformer,
Combustor, and Shift).
4. If desired, you can save the Fluid Package with the attached reaction
sets. This will allow you to use this Fluid Package in any number of
HYSYS simulations.

Once all three reaction sets are added to the Fluid Package, you can
enter the Simulation Environment and begin construction of the
simulation.

Installing the Material Streams

Create four new material streams with the following information:

Reformer Combustor
Name Natural Gas Air
Steam Steam
Temp., 370 (700) 250 (475) 16 (60) 250 (475)
°
C (°F)
Pressure, kPa 3500 (500) <empty> <empty> <empty>
(psia)
Molar Flow, 90 (200) 240 (520) 90 (200) 140 (300)
kgmole/hr
(lbmole/hr)
Molar 100% - CH4 100% - H2O 79% - N2 100% - H2O
Composition 21% - O2

8
 Reactions 9

Adding the Conversion Reactors

The first reactor in the synthesis gas plant is the Reformer. This reactor
Conversion Reactor icon
will be modelled as a Conversion Reactor.

1. From the Object Palette, click General Reactors. Another palette

appears with three reactor types: Gibbs, Equilibrium and
Conversion. Select the Conversion Reactor, and enter it into the
PFD.
General Reactors icon 2. Name this reactor Reformer and attach Natural Gas and Reformer
Steam as feeds. Name the vapour outlet Combustor Feed and the
energy stream as Reformer Q. Even though the liquid product from
this reactor will be zero, we still must name the stream. Name the
liquid product stream as Reformer LP.
3. On the Parameters page, choose the duty as Heating.
4. On the Details page of the Reactions tab, select Reformer Rxn Set as
the reaction set. This will automatically connect the proper
reactions to this reactor.
5. Once the reaction set is attached, select the Conversion% radio
button. Change the Co value for Rxn-1 to be 40%, and for Rxn-2 to
30%.
6. On the Worksheet tab, enter a temperature of 930 oC (1700 oF) for
the outlet stream Combustor Feed.

At this stage the reactor will not yet be fully solved.

The second reactor in a synthesis gas plant is the Combustor. The

Combustor will be modelled as a Conversion reactor and an Equilibrium
reactor in series. This is because Conversion reactions and Equilibrium
reactions cannot occur in reactors of the opposite type, i.e. conversion
reactions cannot be associated with equilibrium reactors, and vice
versa.

9
10 Reactions

7. Add another Conversion Reactor with the following data:

In This Cell... Enter...

Name Combustor
Feeds Combustor Feed, Air,
Combustor Steam
Vapour Product Mid Combust
Liquid Product Combustor LP
Reaction Set Combustor Rxn Set
Rxn-1 Conversion 35% (Default Value)
Rxn-2 Conversion 65% (Default Value)
Rxn-3 Conversion 100% (Default Value)

Adding the Set Operations

Recall that we did not enter any pressures, except for the natural gas,
when we added the material streams to the PFD. This is so that we could
now add Set Operations to the PFD to set the pressures of the remaining
streams.

1. Select the Set Operation button from the Object Palette.

2. Enter Reformer Steam Pressure as the Target Variable, and Natural
Gas as the Source Variable. This process links the Target Variable to
Set Operation icon
the Source Variable, so that if the Natural Gas Pressure were to
change, the Reformer Steam Pressure pressure would match it.

The completed view is shown here:

Figure 5

10
 Reactions 11

3. On the Parameters tab, set the Multiplier at 1 and the Offset at 0. For
this operation we want a y=x (1:1) relationship. A multiplier of 1 and
an offset of 0 will result in this type of relationship.

Figure 6

HYSYS knows to use the

pressure value of Natural Gas
as the source because a
pressure value was selected
as the Target Variable.

4. Repeat Steps 1, 2, and 3 with Combustor Steam Pressure, and Air

Pressure as Target Variables, and Natural Gas as the Source Variable
in both cases. The parameters will be 1 and 0 for these Set
operations, as well.

Adding the Shift Reactors

As mentioned before, the Combustor is to be modelled as a Conversion
reactor followed by an Equilibrium reactor. The Shift Reactors will also
be modelled as Equilibrium Reactors. Therefore, a total of three
equilibrium reactors must be added to the PFD.

1. Add an Equilibrium Reactor with the following information:

Equilibrium Reactor icon
In This Cell... Enter...
Name Combustor Shift
Feed Mid Combust
Vapour Product Shift1 Feed
Liquid Product Combustor Shift LP
Reaction Set Shift Rxn Set

11
12 Reactions

2. Enter another Equilibrium Reactor with the following information:

In This Cell... Enter...

Name Shifter 1
Feed Shift1 Feed
Vapour Product Shift2 Feed
Remember: Set temperature Liquid Product Shifter 1 LP
values on the Work Sheet
page. Energy Stream Shift1 Q
Duty Cooling
Shift2 Feed Temperature 450°C (850°F)
Reaction Set Shift Rxn Set

3. Enter the third Equilibrium Reactor with the following information:

In This Cell... Enter...

Name Shifter 2
Feed Shift2 Feed
Vapour Product Synthesis Gas
Liquid Product Shifter 2 LP
Energy Stream Shift2 Q
Duty Cooling
Synthesis Gas Temperature 400°C (750°F)
Reaction Set Shift Rxn Set

What is the mole fraction of Hydrogen in the Synthesis Gas stream?

What is the mole fraction of Nitrogen in the Synthesis Gas stream?
What is the ratio of H2 / N2 in the Synthesis Gas stream?__________________

Save your case!

12
 Reactions 13

Adding the Adjust Operations

In order to control the temperature of the product stream leaving the
Combustor (the second Conversion reactor), the flow rate of steam to
this reactor is controlled. It is desired to have an outlet temperature
from the first shift reactor of 930°C (1700°F). The steam flow can be
adjusted manually until the desired temperature is achieved; however,
this takes a lot of time and will not be automatically updated if
something were to change. HYSYS contains an adjust function that
instructs the solver to adjust one variable until the desired condition is
met.

1. Select the Adjust Operation button from the Object Palette, and
enter it into the PFD.
Adjust Operation icon 2. Enter the information as shown:

Figure 7

13
14 Reactions

3. On the Parameters tab, enter the information as shown below. The

step size in field units will be 44.092 lbmole/h.

Figure 8

You don’t have to be on the 4. Move to the Monitor tab, and click the Start button. HYSYS will
Monitor page to start the adjust the steam flow rate until the desired condition is met.
Adjust Operation, but it shows
you the values that HYSYS is
using in the calculations.
A second Adjust Operation will be used to control the Air Flow rate. The
Air Flow rate determines the ratio of H2 to N2 in the synthesis gas
product. We want this value to be set at 3.05.

1. Add a Spreadsheet operation to the PFD. (The Spreadsheet is added

in the same manner as other unit operations).
Spreadsheet icon
2. Import Synthesis Gas Comp Molar Flow [Hydrogen] and Synthesis
Gas Comp Molar Flow [Nitrogen] into the Spreadsheet.
3. Add a ratio formula to an empty cell in the Spreadsheet, e.g. =A1/A2.

14
 Reactions 15

4. Add another Adjust operation. Select Air - Molar Flow as the

Adjusted Variable, and SPRDSHT-1- B3 (where “B3” is the cell that
contains the result of the ratio calculation) as the Target Variable,
with a Specified Target Value of 3.05.

Figure 9

5. On the Parameters page, choose a tolerance of 0.001 and a step size

of 20 kgmole/hr (44.092 lbmole/hr).

In this case the two Adjust operations may interfere with each other
while they are solving. This is because changing either adjusted variable
effects both target variables. To prevent this interference the Adjusts can
be set to solve simultaneously. This uses a different solution algorithm,
which makes the Adjusts solve cooperatively at the end of each
flowsheet calculation step.

15
16 Reactions

6. On the Parameters tab of the ADJ-1 operation, check the

Simultaneous Solution checkbox, as shown below.

Figure 10

Press the Sim Adj Manager

button to bring up the
Simultaneous Adjust
Manager. Here all the
Simultaneous Adjusts can be
controlled in one place.

7. Repeat step 6 for the second Adjust operation.

8. Start the simultaneous Adjusts solving by using the Start button on
the Adjust or in the Simultaneous Adjust Manager.

What is the required Air Flow rate? ____________________________________

What is the molar flow rate of Synthesis Gas product? ___________________

Save your case!

16
 Rating Heat Exchangers 1

Rating Heat Exchangers

© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.

EA1000.32.02
11 Rating Heat Exchangers
2 Rating Heat Exchangers

Workshop
A heat exchanger is a vessel that transfers heat energy from one process
stream to another. A common physical configuration for heat
exchangers is a shell and tube exchanger, where a bundle of tubes sits
inside a shell. There is no mixing of fluid between the shell and the
tubes.

Learning Objectives
In this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Use the Heat Exchanger Dynamic Rating Method in HYSYS for

heat exchanger design
• Determine if an existing heat exchanger will meet the process
specifications

Prerequisites
Before beginning this workshop, you need to:

• know how to install and converge simple Heat Exchangers

• understand the principles of Heat Exchanger design

2
Process Overview
4 Rating Heat Exchangers

Modelling Heat Exchangers

In this workshop, we will examine a gas to gas heat exchanger from a
Refrigerated Gas Plant. Heat exchangers are modelled in HYSYS using
one of three configurations:

• Shell and Tube

• Cooler/Heater
• Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) exchanger

The Cooler/Heater operations are single-sided unit operations where

only one process stream passes through the operation. The LNG
Exchanger allows for multiple (more than two) process streams.

A shell and tube heat exchanger is a two-sided unit operation that

permits two process streams to exchange heat.

In this module, a shell and tube exchanger of given dimensions will be

rated to see if it will meet the requirements of the process.

Heat Exchanger Calculations

The calculations performed by the Heat Exchanger are based on energy
balances for the hot and cold fluids. The following general relation
defines the heat balance of an exchanger.

M (H –H ) –Q  – M (H – H ) –Q  = BalanceError (1)
 cold out in cold leak  hot in out hot loss

where: M = Fluid mass flow rate

H = Enthalpy

Qleak = Heat Leak

Qloss = Heat Loss

The Balance Error is a Heat Exchanger Specification which, for most

applications, will equal zero. The subscripts “hot” and “cold” designate
the hot and cold fluids, while “in” and “out” refer to the inlet and outlet.

4
 Rating Heat Exchangers 5

The Heat Exchanger duty may also be defined in terms of the overall
heat transfer coefficient, the area available for heat exchange and the log
mean temperature difference:

Q = UA ( LMTD )F = M ( H – H ) –Q = M (H –H ) –Q
(2)
t hot in out hot loss cold out in cold leak

where: U= Overall heat transfer coefficient

A= Surface area available for heat transfer

LMTD = Log mean temperature difference

Ft= LMTD correction factor

Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD)

The LMTD is calculated in terms of the temperature approaches
(terminal temperature differences) in the exchanger using the following
equation:

∆T – ∆T
1 2 (3)
LMTD = ---------------------------------------
-
Ln ( ∆T ⁄ ∆T )
1 2

where: ∆T 1 = T hot,out – T cold,in

∆T 2 = T hot,in – T cold,out

The LMTD can be either terminal or weighted. This means that it can be
calculate over the exchanger as a whole (terminal) or over sections of
the exchanger (weighted). The need for this type of calculation is shown
on the next page.

5
6 Rating Heat Exchangers

The following plot is a heat loss curve for a single phase stream. It
compares the temperatures of the process streams with the heat flow
over the entire length of the exchanger. For single phase streams, these
plots are linear.

Figure 1

The following curve represents a superheated vapour being cooled and

then condensed. Note that it is not linear because of the condensation
that takes places inside the exchanger.

Figure 2

6
 Rating Heat Exchangers 7

If the LMTD is calculated using the hot fluid temperatures at points A

and C, the result would be incorrect because the heat transfer is not
constant over the length of the exchanger. To calculate the weighted
LMTD:

1. Break the heat loss curve into regions at point B.

2. Calculate the terminal LMTD for each region.
3. Sum all of the LMTDs to find the overall LMTD.

HYSYS will do this automatically if the Heat Exchanger model is chosen

as Weighted. Therefore, if condensation or vaporization is expected to
occur in the exchanger, it is important that Weighted is chosen as the
model.

Heat Exchanger Specifications

As with all other unit operations in HYSYS, the Heat Exchanger is
assumed to adequately meet the process requirements. There are
several choices for specifications for the heat exchanger. The choices are
given here:

• Temperature. The temperature of any stream attached to the

Heat Exchanger. The hot or cold inlet equilibrium temperature
may also be defined. The temperature difference between the
inlet and outlet between any two streams attached to the Heat
Exchanger can also be specified.
• Minimum Approach. The minimum temperature difference
Typical specifications for most
between the hot and cold stream at any point in the exchanger,
heat exchangers are Pressure i.e. not necessarily at the inlet or outlet.
Drops, and one of either, • UA. The overall UA can also be specified. This specification can
Temperature, Minimum be used to rate existing exchangers.
Approach, Duty, or UA.
• LMTD. The overall log mean temperature difference.
• Pressure Drops. The pressure drops on both the shell and tube
sides on the exchanger are important specifications that should
not be ignored. If the pressure drops are not known HYSYS may
be able to estimate them.

Care must be taken when choosing specifications because it is possible

to select specifications that are either infeasible or impractical. This may
result in a Heat Exchanger that will not solve.

7
8 Rating Heat Exchangers

Specifications are added on the Specs page of the Heat Exchanger

Property view. Enough specifications must be added to ensure that the
Degrees of Freedom equals 0.

Heat Exchanger Performance

A summary of the Heat Exchanger’s performance can be viewed on the
Details page of the Performance tab:

Typically, heat exchangers are Figure 3

solved using delta T minimum
approach and UA target
values.

Heat exchangers are sometimes compared on the basis of UA values,

i.e., for a fixed surface area, what is the amount of heat (duty) that can be
exchanged?

1. Open the HYSYS case, Gas-Gas.hsc on the disk that was supplied
with this module.
2. Double-click the Gas-Gas heat exchanger, and answer the following
questions.

What is the UA value of the Gas-Gas Exchanger?_________________________

What is the resulting minimum approach temperature if the UA is fixed at
15 000 kJ/C-h (8000 BTU/F-Hr)? _______________________________________
What are the temperatures of streams Gas to Chiller and Sales
Gas?______________________________ and _____________________________

8
 Rating Heat Exchangers 9

Heat Exchanger Rating

The Rating option can be chosen by selecting Dynamic Rating from the
Heat Exchanger Model drop-down menu on the Parameters page on
the Design tab. Delete the Delta P on both the tube and shell side. This is
because with this type of model the required information must be
specified elsewhere.

Dynamic Rating Model

The physical design specifications of an exchanger must be supplied on
the Sizing page of the Rating tab.

1. Firstly, specify the TEMA type to match the desired conditions.

Figure 4

The radio button selection in the Sizing Data group will dictate the type
of information shown at any given moment. Each parameter will be
defined later on in this module.

9
10 Rating Heat Exchangers

The radio buttons in the Sizing Data group include:

• Overall. Required information about the entire exchanger. Most

of the information entered here is used only in dynamic
simulations.
• Shell. Required information concerning the shell side of the
exchanger.
• Tube. Required information concerning the tube side of the
exchanger.

The TEMA Type is selected as part of the Overall sizing data. There are
three drop down lists which allow you to specify the geometry of the
front end stationary head type, the shell type and the rear end head type
for the exchanger. The following tables provide brief descriptions for
each designated TEMA Type letter. Drawings of the various TEMA types
can be found on page 11-4 of Perry’s Chemical Engineers Handbook,
Sixth Edition.

TEMA - Front End Stationary Head Types

TEMA Type Description
A Channel and Removable Cover
B Bonnet (Integral Cover)
C Channel Integral with TubeSheet and Removable Cover
(removable tube bundle only)
N Channel Integral with TubeSheet and Removable Cover
D Special High Pressure Closure

TEMA – Shell Types

TEMA Type Description
E One Pass Shell
F Two Pass Shell with Longitudinal Baffle
G Split Flow
H Double Split Flow
J Divided Flow
K Kettle Type Reboiler
X Cross Flow

10
 Rating Heat Exchangers 11

TEMA - Rear End Head Types

TEMA Type Description
L Fixed TubeSheet like ‘A’ Stationary Head
M Fixed TubeSheet like ‘B’ Stationary Head
N Fixed TubeSheet like ‘N’ Stationary Head
P Outside Packed Floating Head
S Floating Head with Backing Device
T Pull Through Floating Head
U U-Tube Bundle
W Externally Sealed Floating TubeSheet

Rating Parameters
Brief explanations are provided below for each Simple Rating
parameter. The parameters are categorized according to the radio
buttons in the Sizing Data group box. Some of these parameters are
only available when the model on the parameters page is selected as
Detailed.

Overall Information
• Number of shell passes
• Number of shells in series
• Number of shell in parallel
• Tube passes per shell
• Exchanger orientation. The orientation of the exchanger, used
only in dynamic simulations.
• First tube pass flow direction
• Elevation. The height of the base of the exchanger, used only in
dynamic simulations.
• TEMA. Described earlier.

Shell Side Required Information

• Shell Diameter. Can be specified or calculated from inputted
geometry.
• Number of Tubes per Shell

11
12 Rating Heat Exchangers

• Tube Pitch. The shortest centre to centre distance between 2

tubes.
• Tube Layout Angle. A choice between four different
configurations.
• Shell Fouling. The fouling factor on the shell side.
• Baffle Type. A choice of single, double, triple, NTIW or grid.
• Baffle Orientation. A choice between horizontal or vertical.
• Baffle Cut (% Area). The percent of the cross-sectional profile
unobstructed by the baffle.
• Baffle Spacing. The distance between adjacent baffles.

Tube Side Required Information

• Tube OD. The outside diameter of the tubes.
• Tube ID. The inside diameter of the tubes.
• Tube Thickness. Usually calculated from the two numbers
inputted above.
• Tube Length. The tube length per shell (one side for a U-tube).
• Tube Fouling. The tube side fouling factor.
• Tube Thermal Conductivity. The thermal conductivity of the
tubes, used in determined the overall heat transfer coefficient, U.
• Tube Wall Cp, and Tube Wall Density. Two physical properties
of the tube material, used only in dynamics.

If you want HYSYS to use general correlations to determine the shell and
tube side pressure drops and heat transfer coefficients, select the
Detailed model on the Parameters page. This will allow HYSYS to
calculate the desired terms.

The Rating model in HYSYS uses generalized correlations for heat

transfer coefficients and pressure drop. These correlations are suitable
for approximate results in most cases but may not be valid for every
exchanger. For more accuracy, a rigorous model may be required.
Please contact your Hyprotech representative for a list of available third
party heat exchanger packages that are compatible with HYSYS through
OLE Extensibility.

12
 Rating Heat Exchangers 13

Exploring with the Simulation

You are asked to find a heat exchanger that will serve as the Gas-Gas
exchanger. However, since you are on a very strict budget, you can only
consider used equipment. A heat exchanger has been found in the
surplus supply of a nearby plant. If the critical process parameter is to
maintain a Sales Gas temperature of at least 10 °C (50 °F), can this heat
exchanger be used for the Gas-Gas service? The surplus exchanger has
been thoroughly cleaned. The TEMA definition of this exchanger is
A,E,L. The pressure drops on both sides of the exchanger should be
deleted; this will allow HYSYS to calculate these parameters.

The dimensions of the exchanger are given here:

• Tube Length = 1.5 m

• Number of tubes = 300
• Tube Pitch = 30 mm
• Baffle Type = Double
• Baffle Orientation = Vertical
• Baffle Cut (% Area) = 15%
• Baffle spacing = 100 mm
• All other parameters are the HYSYS default values

Use the Dynamic Rating mode to determine if the exchanger is suitable;

on the Rating tab, Parameters page, use the Detailed Model in HYSYS.

What is the temperature of the Sales Gas using this exchanger? ___________

Previous experience has shown you that after about six months in
operation, the exchanger becomes fouled and the fouling factor for both
shell-side and tube-side is 0.0001 °C-h-m2/kJ.

What will the temperature of the Sales Gas be after 6 months of service?
____________________________________________________________________
Will this exchanger be adequate after 6 months of service? ______________

Save your case!

13
14 Rating Heat Exchangers

Challenge
Why was the Recycle needed in this Flowsheet?
For an interesting challenge, disconnect the recycle operation and
stream 1. Connect the stream LTS Vap in place of stream 1.

What one piece of information is stopping the Exchanger from solving

? _____________________________________
Apart from putting back the Recycle, how else could this be resolved
____________________________________________________________________

14
 Automation Introduction 1

Automation Introduction

1
© 2004 AspenTech - All Rights Reserved.
EA1000.32.02
12 Automation Introduction
2 Automation Introduction

Introduction
Automation is the ability to programmatically interact with an
application through objects exposed by that application.

By using an Automation client like Microsoft Excel, or Visual Basic, the

end user can write code to access these objects and interact with HYSYS.
Code can also be written in HYSYS itself in the form of User Variables or
Macro Language Editor (MLE) macros. The available objects are the
same.

The exposed objects make it possible to programmatically perform

nearly any action that can be accomplished through the HYSYS
graphical user interface.

Workshop
In this module you will review and begin to understand an Automation
front-end to the Turbo Expander case using Microsoft Excel.
Additionally a simple HYSYS User Variable will be created.

Learning Objectives
In this module, you will gain an understanding of the possibilities that
Automation access to HYSYS can bring. The examples given should give
a starting point for any further learning.

If you want to learn more about Automation programming with HYSYS,

AspenTech offers another course that will meet your needs. Ask the
instructor for more information.

2
 Automation Introduction 3

Prerequisites
No prior programming experience is assumed. However before
beginning this module, you should have a reasonable understanding of
the HYSYS program.

Why Use HYSYS Automation?

The main reason for using the Automation capabilities of HYSYS is to
improve the efficiency of your work processes. By reducing the amount
of time spent on repetitive, tedious tasks, and hence by reducing the
amount of human errors, more time is left for engineering tasks.

The efficiency of your work processes can be increased by using HYSYS

Automation for:

• Automating manual data entry tasks, for example extract HYSYS

data to an Excel spreadsheet for delivery to a vendor.
• Creating hybrid solutions across applications, for example allow
for seamless data transfer between HYSYS and any other
Automation enabled application.
• Hide the complexity of HYSYS while taking advantage of its full
capabilities, for example build custom front ends for plant
personnel.
• Extend the functionality of HYSYS to meet particular needs, for
example use a User Variable to report custom stream properties.

The benefits that you will see from HYSYS Automation will depend
entirely on what you use HYSYS for. If you find yourself performing the
same task or calculation several times during a project, writing a MLE
macro or a User Variable will save a lot of valuable project time. This will
be especially true if the calculation is complex or requires several
variables simultaneously.

3
4 Automation Introduction

Excel Front-End to the Turbo Expander Plant

A simple front end to the Turbo Expander plant has been constructed
using Microsoft Excel.

Rather than typing a large amount of code into the Excel Visual Basic
Don’t worry if you haven’t Editor, in this Workshop you will review some prewritten code using
built the Turbo Expander
plant case. VBA's debugging tools.
The file
“ADV5_Spreads&CaseStud The instructor may choose that the class does this individually, or as a
_Soln.hsc” contains this group.
case.

Preparation
1. Open the Turbo Expander HYSYS case.
2. Open the Microsoft Excel file: “Adv Automation - Solution.xls”.
3. In order to use VBA macros in Excel you need to tell Excel to Enable
Macros.

Figure 1

In Excel 2000 you may need to change the Security setting to Medium
on the Tools... Macro... Security menu option, before you see this
window on opening the file.

The Excel spreadsheet has already been set up with some labels and
values.

4
 Automation Introduction 5

Figure 2

4. Open the Visual Basic Macro Editor by going to Tools... Macro...

Visual Basic Editor, or by pressing Alt + F11.

5
6 Automation Introduction

The code to link to HYSYS will now appear.

Figure 3

Making a Type Library reference

The first step in accessing HYSYS via VBA is to make a Type Library
reference.

1. In the VBA Editor go to the Tools … References menu option.

2. Ensure the HYSYS 3.0 Type Library entry is checked.

6
 Automation Introduction 7

Figure 4

Don’t worry if the type

library version number
doesn’t correspond to the
HYSYS version being used.
Just check that the Location
is for the correct HYSYS
version.

VBA Basics
The intention of this section is to introduce the very basics of
manipulating VBA code rather than to teach the details of HYSYS VBA
programming.

The techniques described here will be used later when examining the
prewritten code.

Running Macros
To run a macro, place the cursor within the macro in the VBA Editor, and
click the Run Sub / UserForm toolbar button.

7
8 Automation Introduction

Figure 5

Macros can also be run within the VBA Editor, from the Run menu or by
pressing F5.

Additionally it is possible to trigger a macro by clicking a button on the

worksheet. The example spreadsheet has a button to do this. (To set
which macro is triggered, right-click on the button and choose Assign
Macro.)

Simple Debugging - Breakpoints

In this module the example code will be run in Break mode. This allows
Breakpoints cannot be
placed on comment lines or the code to be stepped through one line at a time. This helps to gain
variable declaration lines. understanding of what the code is doing, and is also useful when fixing
Comment lines are those bugs.
starting with ‘ marks, that
appear green in the VBA
editor. These are ignored To make VBA enter Break mode it is first necessary to add a breakpoint.
when the code runs. First select the position in the code at which to add a break point then
either:

• Select Toggle Breakpoint from the Debug menu in the main

menu bar.
• Press the F9 hot key.
• Click in the grey column on the left side of the code window
beside the desired breakpoint location.
• Use the Toggle Breakpoint toolbar icon.

Figure 6

8
 Automation Introduction 9

Next trigger the code as above. When VBA encounters the breakpoint
execution will stop and the code window will appear. The line of code
that is about to be processed is highlighted in yellow.

There are a number of ways to step through the code:

• Select Step Into from the Debug menu.

• Press the F8 hot key.
• Use the Step Into toolbar icon.

Figure 7

HYSYS Automation Basics

Each object within HYSYS, for example: a stream, the flowsheet, a case,
or even the HYSYS application itself has a corresponding Automation
object. It is via these objects that HYSYS can be accessed and controlled
through code.

This example illustrates access to some of the most commonly used

Automation objects within HYSYS.

9
10 Automation Introduction

HYSYS Objects are organised into a tree: The object hierarchy. The
objects that will be accessed in this example are illustrated below:

Figure 8

The first stage of linking to HYSYS is to link in to an object at the top of

the tree. In this example the line of code:

Set hyApp = GetObject(, “HYSYS.Application”)

is used. This sets up the object variable hyApp to refer to the HYSYS
application. The resulting object is of type Application.

10
 Automation Introduction 11

To link to further objects within the tree, dot notation is used. For
example the Turbo Expander Excel interface uses the line:

Set hyCase = hyApp.ActiveDocument

to refer to the currently active simulation. The resulting object is of type

Simulation Case.

i.e. to refer an object on the next layer down in the tree a full stop is
used.

Using the Object Browser

The objects available within HYSYS, and the HYSYS object hierarchy can
be viewed using a VBA tool called the Object Browser. To view the Object
Browser either:

• Select Object Browser from the View menu.

• Press the F2 hot key.
• Use the Object Browser toolbar icon.

Figure 9

The object browser window will appear. By default the object browser
will list the objects available in all the type libraries that are selected in
the References lists (Tools … References). In order to limit it to just
HYSYS objects change the <All Libraries> drop-down at the top left to
HYSYS.

11
12 Automation Introduction

Figure 10

Clicking on an object (or 'Class') in the left hand list then shows all the
members (objects or properties) that are associated with that object.
The Object Browser also allows searching.

Using Watches to monitor Variables

Variables are key to any programming language. They hold values that
can be manipulated by the program as it runs.

It is good practice to declare When accessing HYSYS via Automation, an Object Variable can be used
all variables at the top of the in the code to link to a HYSYS object.
procedure.

12
 Automation Introduction 13

By adding a Watch it is possible to see how the value of a variable

changes as the code executes in Break Mode.

First the Watches window must be shown. Do this by choosing the

Watch Window option in the View menu, or by using the Watch Window
toolbar icon.

Figure 11

The Watches window will then appear.

Figure 12

Secondly select the variable of interest in the code by clicking and

dragging, then either:

• Drag the selected variable onto the Watches window.

• Choose Add Watch… or Quick Watch… from the Debug menu
• Press the SHIFT F9 hot key.

If the variable is an object variable then it will appear with a '+' sign next
to it, clicking this will show any sub-objects and properties within the
object.

The Watches window illustration above shows what happens if the

hyApp object is added to the watch window and the code run in break
mode.

13
14 Automation Introduction

Running the Code in Break Mode

1. First look at the top of the procedure. It is good practice to include a
description of what the procedure does at the beginning. All the
variables are then declared. Note that the variables that will be
linked to HYSYS objects are declared as specific types depending on
the kind of object they are linked to.

Figure 13

14
 Automation Introduction 15

After the variable declarations, there is a VB instruction that sets what

happens when an error occurs. In this case, jump to the label
ErrorHandler at the bottom of the code, and display an error message.

Figure 14

2. Add a breakpoint to the On Error line and start the code running. (If
you need to, you can refer back to page 8 for details of breakpoints,
and making the code run.) Make the Set hyApp … line execute.

Figure 15

3. Add a Watch for the hyApp variable, click the '+' sign next to the
variable to show the properties of this object, note that
ActiveDocument is one of them, and that it's type is SimulationCase.

15
16 Automation Introduction

4. Execute the next line of code, add a Watch for hyCase and note that
it shows the same information as the ActiveDocument property of
the hyApp object.
5. Use the object browser to view the HYSYS Application object. Note
again that the type of the ActiveDocument property is
SimulationCase.

Hence when hyCase was declared, it's type was SimulationCase.

Figure 16

The next section of code checks if there was a case open in HYSYS using
the VB 'Is Nothing' construction.

Figure 17

16
 Automation Introduction 17

Try running the code with no case open. What happens now?

What is the value of the hyCase variable in the Watches window?

Next some values are read in from the Excel spreadsheet.

Figure 18

There are a number of ways to refer to a particular cell in the

spreadsheet:

• Range() with a cell name. e.g. Range(“C15”).Value

• Range() with a named range. e.g. Range(“MyRange”).Value
• Cells() with a row column reference. e.g. Cells(15,4).Value

Try adding a Watch for ActiveSheet.Range(“C15”), what kind of properties

does this have?

What is the type of this variable? Where in the Object Browser could this
object type be found?

17
18 Automation Introduction

6. Run the code down to the Set hyStream = …. line

Figure 19

Here a particular stream within the flowsheet is placed into the

hyStream object variable.

7. Look up SimulationCase in the Object browser and navigate

through to the MaterialStreams property of the Flowsheet object.
Note that it is important to
enclose the stream name in
“quotation marks”. This is a Collection. In programming terms Collections are objects that
hold a group of sub-objects - in this case all the material streams in the
flowsheet. The Item property is used to refer to a specific stream.

8. Add a Watch for the hyStream object. Look at all the properties this
has. Note that the Type of this variable is ProcessStream.
9. Execute the hyCase.Solver.CanSolve = False line. In HYSYS the solver
is now turned off (Red Traffic light).

Now the temperature in the stream can be set using the two values that
were retrieved from the Excel spreadsheet earlier.

Figure 20

10. Execute this line - check that the value in the HYSYS case matches
that entered in Excel.
11. Look up the ProcessStream object in the Object Browser and find
the Temperature property. This is of type RealVariable.

18
 Automation Introduction 19

12. Look up RealVariable in the object browser.

Figure 21

RealVariables are special HYSYS objects that hold numerical values, but
also contain other information that is useful for the programmer.

• IsKnown. Whether the value is known or is <empty>

• CanModify. Whether the value can be changed (i.e. True = a
Blue HYSYS number, False = Black, calculated by something
Method icon in the Object
else)
Browser • CalcBy. Which HYSYS object calculated the value
• UnitConversionType. What kind of unit the value has

RealVariables also have two useful methods: SetValue and GetValue.

These allow numbers to be put into, and retrieved from HYSYS. In
general Methods are used to tell objects to do something.

19
20 Automation Introduction

The SetValue method takes two parameters:

Sub SetValue(val As Double, [unit])

The first parameter is the new value to be set, and the second is the unit
to set the value in. Note that the square brackets mean that the second
parameter is optional. If it is not supplied then HYSYS assumes the value
is being supplied in it's internal units. (°C in the case of temperature.)

Look at the Temperature in the Watch window. What are the values of some
of the properties listed above?

13. Execute the code down to the line just above where the HYSYS solver
is turned back on.

Figure 22

This section of code is similar to the section above where a temperature

is set. However instead of referring directly to a named stream, the
product stream from a given operation is used. The flowsheet object has
another collection called Operations that includes all the operations on
the flowsheet.

14. Add a Watch for the hyExpander object and look at some of the
properties it has.

20
 Automation Introduction 21

15. Reposition the VBA editor window and the HYSYS window so that
both are visible.
16. Execute the line hyCase.Solver.CanSolve = True, and observe that
HYSYS resolves the case.

The next parts of the code retrieve various information from the newly
modified HYSYS case.

Figure 23

Since the “Comp-HP” stream is on a sub flowsheet, it must be accessed

from an object for the sub flowsheet. Like the MaterialStreams
collection, each flowsheet has a collection (called Flowsheets) which
contains objects for all it's sub flowsheets. Hence the Item property is
used on the Flowsheets collection of the main flowsheet, to refer to a
particular sub flowsheet within the collection.

Flowsheets are referred to by their Tag (not their Name). This can be
found on the Connections tab.

21
22 Automation Introduction

Next a new stream is assigned to the hyStream variable, using the Item
property of the EnergyStreams collection of this new sub flowsheet
object. The EnergyStreams collection contains only the Energy streams
in the flowsheet.
Variables can be reused
when they are finished with. The ProcessStream object type can hold both Material and Energy
There is no need to declare
a different variable for each stream objects, however Energy streams have far fewer accessible
stream or operation that is properties. In this case the HeatFlow property is used.
accessed.
The GetValue method is then used. This is analogous to the SetValue
method except that it takes only one parameter: the required unit.

17. Execute the Set hyStream = … line.

18. Look at the Watch for the hyStream variable now - Note that it now
carries details of the energy stream.

Is there a way to tell whether a ProcessStream object refers to a material or

energy stream?

Hint: Use the object browser to look for properties of the

ProcessStream object starting with 'i'.

Similarly the compressor duty and LPG product mass flow are obtained.
Note that there is no need to obtain an object variable for a stream or
operation before running the GetValue method against one of it's
properties. However if the same object is to be used more than once it
makes sense to create an object variable for it.

Figure 24

22
 Automation Introduction 23

19. Execute the code above.

The next section of the code retrieves some additional values from some
operations on the main flowsheet.

Figure 25

20. Execute this section of the code.

The final sections of the code deal with obtaining component specific
properties.

Figure 26

21. Execute this section of the code.

23
24 Automation Introduction

Note that each time execution reaches the Next IntCount line, it jumps
back up to Set hyCpt = … line. This is the first time a VB loop has been
used in this code. Each time the loop executes the value of the IntCount
variable is increased until it reaches the number of components minus
one.

Why shouldn't the loop count up to hyCpts.Count?

All the HYSYS collections are “zero based” - The first term is at position
zero.

The result of this loop is that if Methane is present in the case then it's
position in the list of components will have been placed into the
IntCH4Idx variable.

Figure 27

24
 Automation Introduction 25

All HYSYS values that contain arrays of data (e.g. component mass
fractions, or mole flows, or tray by tray data in a column) have a special
object type called RealFlexVariable.

22. Look up the ComponentMolarFraction parameter of the

ProcessStream object in the Object Browser and confirm that it is of
type RealFlexVariable.

RealFlexVariables have methods called SetValues and GetValues, which

are analogous to those for RealVariables except that the value passed or
returned is a Variant. This is a special kind of VB variable that can
contain any kind of data. In this case it contains an array of data.

23. Note that at the top of procedure VarHyArray is defined as type

Variant.
24. Run the code above, when the VarHyArray = … line is reached, add a
Note that the CanModify Watch for VarHyArray.
property of the
RealFlexVariables also
returns a Variant array of Figure 28
Boolean (True / False)
values.

What is the value in this array at the position held in the IntCH4Idx
variable? Does this agree with the Methane mole fraction displayed in
HYSYS?

Finally all the component mass fractions in the Product LPG stream are
to be reported.

25
26 Automation Introduction

Figure 29

25. Execute this section of the code.

Here the VarHyArray variant array is first filled with the names of all the
components and then the component mass fractions, and each are
written into the spreadsheet.

Note that instead of using ComponentMassFraction.GetValues() as

above, this time the ComponentMassFractionValue property of the
ProcessStream object is used.

26. Examine the ProcessStream object in the Object Browser. Note that
each of the properties also has a corresponding …Value property.
(e.g. Temperature and TemperatureValue or Pressure and
PressureValue)

What are the types of the …Value properties?

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 Automation Introduction 27

In each case the …Value property simply returns a value of type Double
(in the case of single valued properties like temperature), or Variant (in
the case of component properties), in the HYSYS internal calculation
units.
RealVariables and
RealFlexVariables also have
properties called Value and Rather than use the...Value properties of the ProcessStream object, it is
Values, which return generally better practice to use the.Value(s) property of the
numbers in HYSYS internal Real(Flex)Variable.
units.

The final lines of the main code, clear all the object variables and then
instruct VBA to skip the error handler if no error has occurred.

Figure 30

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28 Automation Introduction

HYSYS User Variables

Introduction
User Variables can be used to add to the internal functionality of HYSYS
objects, such as streams and unit operations, by attaching variables and
code to those objects from within HYSYS itself. User Variables can be
used like the variables built in to HYSYS objects; so can be added to
spreadsheets, targeted by logic controllers, have their values specified by
user input, etc.

Typical uses for User Variables are:

• Calculation of Custom Properties:

• Calculation of a dew point temperature.
• Automation of actions:
• Automatically adding an energy stream each time a pump is
added.
• Adding extra intelligence to the HYSYS model:
• Relating the pressure drop through a heater to the flow rate.

The first two examples can be found in Section 5.7 of the Customization
Guide. In this exercise a User Variable will be implemented that relates
the heater pressure drop to the flow rate in one of the exchangers in the
Turbo Expander Case.

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 Automation Introduction 29

Adding a User Variable

The location of the User Variable information within the HYSYS
property windows, depends on the object they are being added to.

Object Location
Operations (except Logicals) Design tab... User Variables page
Streams Worksheet tab... User Variables page
Logical Operations User Variables tab
Flowsheet Flowsheet menu... Flowsheet User
Variables option
Simulation Case Simulation menu... Simulation Case
User Variables option

When any of these locations is opened the view will be similar. (Below is
the view for a stream).

Figure 31

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30 Automation Introduction

To add a new User Variable, click the Create New User Variable icon. The
Create New User Variable dialog box then appears.

Create New User Variable Figure 32

icon

The only User Variables that

can run in Dynamics are the
DynComp... and DynPres...
User Variables for
operations.

These are called before

each composition / pressure
flow spec respectively.

This window is the same for all types of user variables. The only
difference is the available macro types.

Stream Operation Flowsheet Simulation Case

The only way to close the This choice sets when the code gets called. For Streams, Operations and
window and save any Flowsheets the choices are before and after the object does it's
changes made is to click the
OK button. calculations. Simulation Case user variables are only ever executed
when the user clicks the button on the User Variable window.

Before the User Variable code window can be closed (by clicking OK), a
name must be set for the User Variable.

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 Automation Introduction 31

The Show / Hide Variable Details icon (green triangle) in the top right
corner of this window is used to toggle the display of the User Variable
details tabs.
Show / Hide Variable
Details icon In order to edit an existing User Variable, click the Edit the Selected User
Variable icon on the User Variable page of the HYSYS object, or double-
click the user variable value cell.

Edit the Selected User

Variable icon
Important User Variable Parameters
Two of the most important parameters are:

1. User Variable Type

Changing the combobox values at the top-right allows the user to

choose the type of User Variable.

Figure 33

- Numeric (Real), Text, Code Only...

- Single Value (Scalar), or vectors,
matrices or cubes
- Units of any numeric values
(Temperature, Pressure...)

2. User Variable Activation

Setting the Activation parameters on the Attributes tab, tells HYSYS on

which objects to enable the User Variable. (Automatic = Enabled on all
objects of the same type, User Enabled = Allow the user to pick on which
objects the User Variable should be enabled.)

Figure 34

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32 Automation Introduction

If the User Variable doesn't appear on the User Variables page of an

object on which it is to be enabled it may be necessary to ensure the
Show / Hide Variable Enabling Checkboxes button (the green tick) is
selected.

Figure 35

A more comprehensive description of the User Variable code window

can be found in Section 5 of the HYSYS Customization Guide.

Writing User Variable Code

The HYSYS VB code editing window offers most of the same
functionality of the VBA editor found in Microsoft Excel.

Breakpoints can be added by clicking in the left margin or clicking the

Toggle Break toolbar icon. When running in break mode, Watches can
be set on particular variables.

There is also a built in Object Browser. Since the code is executed from
HYSYS there is no need to make a reference to the HYSYS type library -
this is already set internally.

The code that is written in the User Variable uses almost exactly the
same VBA syntax as when accessing HYSYS from Excel. The only
difference is how to connect into the HYSYS object hierarchy, and how
to interact with the displayed user variable value.

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 Automation Introduction 33

Accessing Top Level Objects

Two built-in objects allow entry into the object hierarchy

1. ActiveObject
• This returns on object for the owner of the code. The type of this
object depends on what kind of User Variable is using it:
• Stream User Variable = Returns a ProcessStream type object for
the stream containing the user variable.
• Operation User Variable = Returns an object for the operation
containing the user variable. (Type of object depends on the type
of operation.)
• Flowsheet User Variables = Flowsheet object for owner
flowsheet.
• Simulation Case User Variables = Not supported - use
ActiveCase object instead.
2. ActiveCase - Always returns a SimulationCase object for the case
containing the User Variable.

Interacting with the User Variable Value

Using the code ActiveVariableWrapper.Variable will return an
object for the User Variable. The type of object depends on the user
variable type.

User Variable... Type ... Dimensions Object Type

Real Scalar RealVariable
Vector, Matrix, Cube RealFlexVariable
Enumeration Scalar RealVariable
Vector RealFlexVariable
Text Scalar TextVariable
Vector TextFlexVariable
Code Only No variable available

Hence the methods GetValue() or SetValue() can then be used as in the

Excel - HYSYS example.

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34 Automation Introduction

Importing/Exporting User Variables

You may import and export User Variables between cases via the Import
User Variables are saved and Export User Variables window. (Access this by going to the
into files with .huv Simulation … Import and Export User Variables option.)
extensions.

Figure 36

Exporting a User Variable

1. Open the Import and Export User Variables view.

A list of User Variables currently attached to the case is displayed in the

User Variables in Case group. The list box on the right displays a list of
variables attached to the object (stream, operation, flowsheet, or
simulation case) selected in the list box on the left.

2. Select the User Variable to export then click the Export button.
3. On the file dialogue that appears set the file name of the required
User Variable export file (This will have a .huv extensions).

Importing a User Variable

1. Open the Import and Export User Variables view.
2. Click the Select File button, then navigate to the location of the .huv
file.
3. Select the variable you wish to import and click the Import button.

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 Automation Introduction 35

Exercise - User Variables

A simple User Variable that relates the pressure drop on a Cooler to the
Don’t worry if you haven’t
built the Turbo Expander mass flow rate will be demonstrated.
plant case.
Again, rather than typing a large amount of code into the User Variable
The file code window, in this Workshop you will review use some prewritten
“ADV5_Spreads&CaseStud
code.
_Soln.hsc” contains this
case.
1. Open the Turbo Expander HYSYS case.
2. Add a User Variable to Cooler E-101 (the Recompressor after cooler)
- See page 28 for guidance on how to do this.
3. Set the following User Variable parameters:

Parameter Value
Name Pressure Drop Calc
(Tag will automatically be set to the
same)
Type Real
Dimensions Scalar
Units Pressure Drop
Execution (Macro tab) PreExecute()
Activation (Attributes tab) User Enabled
Variable... Calculate Only (Security tab) Checked

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36 Automation Introduction

4. Either type the code below into the code window, or paste it from
the supplied text file. (“Adv Automation - UV Code.txt”)

Figure 37

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 Automation Introduction 37

Figure 38

5. Place a breakpoint on the Sub PreExecute() line, then make the code
run by changing the flow rate of the Feed Gas stream.
6. Step through the code and ensure that it is behaving as expected.

Note that the first time the code is called after the change is made, the
mass flow through the cooler is not known hence the code in the If
It’s best to trigger the User hyFeedStrm.MassFlow.IsKnown=True Then … End If section is not
Variable for debugging by executed.
changing a value in the
flowsheet, and hence
making HYSYS call the This is because when the solver performs steady state calculations there
code. are two solve passes which it performs: the forget pass and the calculate
pass. When the value of a variable changes, the solver first does one
If the code is triggered by solve pass with the value marked as unknown. This is the forget pass.
clicking the Start / Resume
toolbar button then any
This allows HYSYS to correctly propagate the effects of any change.
ActiveObject references will
not point to the correct 7. Export the User Variable and import it into another case. (You could
object. try one of the HYSYS sample cases, or one of the solution cases for
this course.)

Challenge
Try using this code in a similar User Variable for a Heater operation or a
Valve. Does it work? What modifications need to be made?

Try adapting the code to base the pressure drop on some other
parameter - for example the molar flow, or the density, or the
composition of a particular component.

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38 Automation Introduction

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