New software for the simulation of heat exchangers

ProSim releases a new software dedicated to heat exchangers simulation: ProSim HEX

Labège, January 25th 2019 – ProSim, provider of software and services in simulation and optimization of industrial processes, announces the launch of a new software for simulating heat exchangers. For now, the new software contains a module for the detailed simulation of plate-and-frame heat exchangers or gasketed plate-type heat exchangers, with or without chemical reactions (CO-ProSim PHE), as well as a module to simulate shell and tube heat exchangers and several modules for a simpler simulation of other heat exchangers regardless of exchange technology. ProSim HEX also provides modules to simulate the auxiliary equipment nearby the heat exchangers (pumps, compressors, turbines, flashes, valves…).

Many industries such as food, chemical and pharmaceutical … use gasketed plate-type heat exchangers because they are compact, efficient and easy to clean. They also allow a great flexibility by easily adjusting the number of plates depending on the expected operating conditions. The simulation of gasketed plate-type heat exchangers, possibly reactive, with a dedicated module (CO-ProSim PHE) will allow the design engineer or the operator to know the characteristics of the two fluids at the outlet of the exchanger according to the characteristics of the exchanger: number and type of plates, dimensions, fouling… Thanks to a realistic modeling of the equipment, CO-ProSim PHE makes it possible to design this type of exchangers, to easily increase their performance or to adapt the heat exchangers to new operating conditions.

Thanks to the software user can simulate the most diverse and complex configurations: single-pass or multi-pass, countercurrent or co-current, single-phase or two-phase heat exchangers (condensation, evaporation).
The CO-ProSim PHE module also makes it possible to take into account chemical reactions in order to simulate compact reactor-exchangers that are used in particular for process intensification.

Moreover, CO-ProSim PHE is independent of any plate manufacturer and allows the solutions of different suppliers to be compared impartially. Calculations of heat transfers and pressure drops will depend on the geometric characteristics of the plates (dimensions, height and angle of the chevrons …) with appropriate correlations.

ProSim HEX software makes it possible to simulate in a detailed way a single exchanger or a network of connected heat exchangers (in series, in parallel…) with possible recycling between the heat exchangers to represent all the complexity of a real installation.

Beyond the simulation of a given heat exchanger, it is possible in the ProSim HEX environment to perform a sensitivity analysis by varying one of the parameters of the exchanger and by analyzing the impact on the heat transfer and pressure drops. The use of specifications on the output fluids will make it possible to automatically add the characteristics of the exchanger to meet the expected process conditions. The design of a heat exchanger capable of achieving a given exchange is then possible.

ProSim HEX is an easy-to-use and open software in which the user can easily add their own exchange correlations, their own materials, their own kinetics models for chemical reactions or enrich the database with new fluids properties.

Besides ProSim HEX, CO-ProSim PHE is also available in other ProSim software environments (ProSimPlus, ProSimPlus Energy, ProSimPlus HNO3). This module can also be accessed from any environment that is CAPE-OPEN compliant