System Description

Many engineering systems have the structure of a network of discrete components that are connected appropriately. Such a network may represent, for example, a power plant or a network of heat exchangers. It may also represent equipment that is split into smaller elements. Mathematically, these networks are represented by systems of equations. IPSEpro is a powerful environment that allows to set up models of such networks graphically and to solve them.

The sophisticated and yet intuitive modeling concept is the foundation of IPSEpro’s power.

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IPSEpro is based on the concept of “standardized” components that are used to build the model of a complete process. Each model is mathematically represented by a set of equations and variables. To build the mathematical model of a process means to join all equations of the component models into a single system of equations.

IPSEpro provides efficient data management, powerful mathematical methods, and an intuitive graphic interface (based on Windows) so that the user can fully concentrate on the technical aspects of his problems.

APP_Lib: Advanced Power Plant Library

The key to IPSEpro’s flexibility is its concept of model libraries: IPSEpro is adjusted to a specific area by loading an appropriate model library. Since the user can create his own libraries, there are virtually no limits to the application of IPSEpro. Thus, IPSEpro allows flexibility at two levels: at the component level and at the process level.

Component Level Flexibility

IPSEpro provides unlimited flexibility in defining the characteristics of the component models that are used for modeling processes. This allows the user to build component model libraries that exactly match his application requirements.

The component model building process is easy and interactive. The user designs his models mathematically and graphically within MDK, IPSEpro’s Model Development Kit.

The user can also modify and customize existing component models from standard model libraries, using MDK, if required.

Process Level Flexibility

IPSEpro allows complete freedom in arranging the available components in order to represent a process scheme. A graphical user interface facilitates and accelerates substantially the development of process schemes, and the presentation of the results of calculations.

To set up a process model, the user chooses component icons from a library menu, places and connects them appropriately in the project window of PSE, IPSEpro’s Process Simulation Environment. Numerical data and results of process calculations are entered and displayed directly in the project window.

IPSEpro allows the user to simulate the behavior of single elements of processes, of parts of a process and of models of complete plants. IPSEpro provides efficient data management, and uses robust algorithms that devise extremely short calculation time.

IPSEpro's Structure

The structure of IPSEpro with its main modules MDK and PSE has the advantage that the flow of data is well defined.

In a production environment, the models in a library typically represent an established modeling standard . Modifications of the models in library may have far reaching consequences. Changes should therefore only be made by authorized and qualified users. This is achieved by restricting the usage of MDK to these authorized users.

Frequently the author of a model library is different from the actual user of the library. The user of the library will then only use PSE, so that accidental changes of the library are not possible.

It is possible to compare a model library with a program written in a traditional programming language. Only one or few qualified persons have access to the source code, while a much larger number of persons are using the executable code.

In research and development, model libraries are considerably more dynamic. Therefore users should have full access to both PSE and MDK.

Major Configurations

IPSEpro has a modular structure, so that the requirements of a specific configuration can easily be taken into account. With its two major configurations: the Design Suite and the Plant Operation Suite, IPSEpro covers the entire lifecycle of a process plant.
IPSEpro Design Suite allows you to create process model graphically by appropriately connecting component models from a library. Customized component models can be easily built using IPSEpro's Model Development Kit, to integrate the model library used by your application project. IPSEpro provides efficient data management, powerful mathematical methods and an intuitive graphic user interface, so that you can fully concentrate on the technical aspects of your models.  With virtually unlimited flexibility, IPSEpro Design Suite allows you to modify existing component models or to create your own customized ones in order to meet exactly your modeling requirements.

Major Modules of Design Suite include:
  • PSE
  • MDK
  • PSOptimize
  • PSXLink