The files (both the ACM and the JSON files) for this tutorial are located in: examples/test_files/Optimization/Model_Files/
Note
- The “SinterConfigGUI” can be launched from FOQUS, via the Create/Edit button found in Session→ Add/Update Model to Turbine or “SinterConfigGUI” may be run on its own by selecting SimSinter → SinterConfigGUI from the Windows Start menu.
The splash window displays, as shown in Figure
SinterConfigGUI Splash Screenfig.sinter.acm.splash
. The user may click the splash screen to proceed, or wait ten seconds for it to close automatically.The SinterConfigGUI Open Simulation window displays (Figure
fig.sinter.acm.openpage
). If “SinterConfigGUI” was opened from FOQUS, the filename text box already contains the correct file. To proceed immediately click Open File and Configure Variables or click Browse to search for the file. For this tutorial, the ACM model (BFBv6.2.acmf
) for a bubbling fluidized bed adsorber (located in theexamples/test_files/Optimization/Model_Files
folder) is selected. Once the file is selected, click Open File and Configure Variables. The user can open a fresh ACM simulation (.acmf file) or an existing SimSinter configuration file. For this example, open a fresh simulation.Note
Opening the simulation may take a few minutes depending on how quickly Aspen Custom Modeler can be opened.
- Aspen Custom Modeler starts in the background. This is so the user can observe things about the simulation while working on the configuration file.
The SinterConfigGUI Simulation Meta-Data window displays. (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Simulation Meta-Data Page Save Name Text Boxfig.sinter.acm.savename
). The first and most important piece of metadata is SimSinter Save Location at the top of the window. This is where the sinter configuration file is saved. The system attempts to locate a reasonable file location and file name; however, the user must confirm the correct file location, since it automatically overwrites whatever file name currently exists.Continue to complete the remaining fields and then click Next (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Simulation Meta-Data Page with Data Completedfig.sinter.acm.metadata
).In the SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page, (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page before Inputfig.sinter.acm.variableempty
) notice that the ACM Selected Input Variables: TimeSeries, Snapshot, RunMode, printlevel and homotopy are already included in the input variables. TimeSeries and Snapshot are for dynamic simulations. RunMode can be either “Steady State” or “Dynamic”. The Dynamic mode requires a dynamic ACM model. For this simulation, the RunMode is Steady State. The homotopy variable can be set to “1” so that homotopy is on by default. Notice that the Dynamic column (the first column) in each row contains a checkbox, enabling the user to select if the input variable in the row is a dynamic variable. Also notice that a Variable Type search box is on the left. This search is exactly the same as Variable Find on the Tools menu in Aspen Custom Modeler. Please refer to the ACM documentation for details on search patterns.A search for everything in the “BFBAdsT” block has been selected. The following Search in Progress dialog is displayed (Figure
Search in Progress Bar Pagefig.sinter.acm.variableprogress
). Sometimes large searches take a while.First, select the “BFBadsT.A1” scalar variable in the Selected Path field (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page BFBadsT.A1 Selectedfig.sinter.acm.variableselected
).If the user double-clicks, presses Enter, or clicks Preview or Lookup, information displays in the Preview Variable section (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page BFBadsT.A1 Previewfig.sinter.acm.variablepreview
). Here, the user can verify the variable choices.“BFBadsT.A1” is the correct variable; therefore, click Make Input. Information displays in the Selected Input Variables section (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page BFBadsT.A1 Made Inputfig.sinter.acm.variableinput
).Change the variable name from “BFBadsT.A1” to something more descriptive (e.g., “WaterA”). Set Name, Description and Min/Max as shown in Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page BFBadsT.A1 Change Namefig.sinter.acm.variablename
.One input variable is now displayed (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page Vector Previewfig.sinter.acm.vectorpreview
). At least one output variable is required. In this example, the vector of calculated bubble sizes is wanted. Scroll down under Search and select “BFBadsT.db.Value,” “BFBadsT.db.Value(0),” “BFBadsT.db.Value(1),” etc. If a name with a number in parenthesis at the end is selected, it is a specific entry in the vector. If a basic name is selected (“BFBadsT.db.Value”), the entire vector is displayed. Select the whole vector and click Preview.Click Make Output if the variable the user wants is selected. Notice that this variable has a unit “m” (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page Vector As Outputfig.sinter.acm.vectoroutput
).Change the Name of the variable to “Diameter.” Bubble size is measured in meters; however, meters should be converted to millimeters (mm). Now, the output from the simulation should present bubble diameter in mm (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page Output Change Unitsfig.sinter.acm.vectorunits
). Internal to the simulation, the unit remains “m.”To add a single item in a vector, select “BFBadsT.Ar.Value(1)” and click Make Input (See Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page Removal Demofig.sinter.acm.vectorremoval
). To remove item that was just added, select it and click Remove Variable.Select the correct variable vector “BFBadsT.Ar.Value” and make it an input (Figure
SinterConfigGUI Variable Configuration Page Read Inputfig.sinter.acm.vectorreadd
). Notice that a Default or Min/Max cannot be set in the GUI for a vector. The correct defaults (from the simulation) are set automatically. To change the Min/Max values, the user must edit the JSON file in a text editor.Click Next to display the SinterConfigGUI Vector Default Initialization window as shown in Figure
SinterConfigGUI Vector Default Initialization Input Pagefig.sinter.acm.vectorinput
. Since the input variable “Value” is a vector, its default values can be modified in the window. In this case there is no need to change the values.- The simulation is now setup. Save the configuration file by clicking Finish. The file is saved to the location specified on the SinterConfigGUI Simulation Meta-Data page. Clicking Finish will close the SinterConfigGUI, but NOT Aspen Custom Modeler. The user must close ACM manually.
- If “SinterConfigGUI” was launched from FOQUS, the path to the configuration file is automatically passed to FOQUS. The next step in FOQUS is to click OK in the Add/Update Turbine Model window. FOQUS may then be used to upload it to TurbineLite or AWS FOQUS Cloud. If “SinterConfigGUI” was not launched from FOQUS (e.g., it was launched from the Start menu), the configuration file name must be entered in FOQUS manually.