Title: A multi-platform, multi-language environment for process modelling, simulation and optimisation

Authors: N. Bhutani, A. Tarafder, G.P. Rangaiah, Ajay K. Ray

Addresses: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 4, 117576 Singapore. ' Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 4, 117576 Singapore. ' Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 4, 117576 Singapore. ' Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 4, 117576 Singapore

Abstract: Process simulators like ASPEN PLUS and HYSYS are coming with the option of integrating their functions with special purpose programs for simulation and/or optimisation. However, a comprehensive account of how to do such integration is unavailable in the open literature. The broad objective of this paper is to describe such integration and discuss the benefits through a realistic example. The first part of this paper presents a detailed directive of building an integrated platform of programming languages like Visual Basic, C++ and FORTRAN to tap the functions of HYSYS and special purpose programs. The second part describes simulating a styrene plant in HYSYS followed by its multi-objective optimisation using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm program in C++.

Keywords: integration; simulators; genetic algorithms; automation; extensibility; multi-objective optimisation; styrene plant; process modelling; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2007.015718

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2007 Vol.30 No.3, pp.197 - 214

Published online: 10 Nov 2007 *

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