Build 133 Release Notes

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Navigation: User Guide -> Revision History

• Build 133 is the third major release for SysCAD 9.2, first released on 24^th January 2011.
• See Revision History for a list of improvements and fixes after the first release of Build 133.
• For notes on upgrading SysCAD projects from 9.1 to 9.2 see Upgrade to SysCAD 9.2.
• See SysCAD 9.2 Release Notes for a list of new features and changes from SysCAD 9.1 to SysCAD 9.2 Build 131.
• See Build 132 Release Notes for a list of new features and changes from Build 131 to Build 132.

New (or significantly changed) Functionality

New Sub-Model: Evaporation Block

This new sub-model has a number of simple methods to calculate Evaporation from a unit. The user can specify how much material (mass or fraction) to evaporate. There are additional options for SysCAD to determine how much water to evaporate. Currently this sub-model is available for use in the Pipe, Pipe - Dynamic Mode, Tie, Tank, Tank - Dynamic Mode and Thickener models.

Model Procedures

Users can write their own model procedures (MP) to be evaluated as part of some unit models. It is like having a PGM inside a Tank, Tie or Pipe model where the code is executed in place as part of the model evaluation (unlike a general controller PGM which executes at the end of an iteration). A model procedure file (.mp) is reusable as a template for multiple units. There are two main uses:

1. Adding custom fields and side calculations for display in units or pipes.
2. Customising a unit operation behaviour, for example manipulating a Tie to operate as some specific equipment.

PSD Option in Precipitator3 Model

Size Distribution (PSD) option added to Precipitation3 model.

The Precipitator unit now offers full PSD capability, yet remains backwardly compatible with the earlier model so that all the options for cooling and evaporation are still available. Growth, nucleation and agglomeration processes are implemented, with the growth rates calculated using the existing Yield and White type equations. Agglomeration and Nucleation are implemented using open literature correlations - the Misra nucleation model, and Ilyevski size independent agglomeration kernel.

A new stable robust solver calculates particle numbers directly with only a small performance penalty compared to the simple yield SSA model. Other enhancements include self seeding, so that a circuit with recycle through classifiers and cyclones can be started with no solids initially present.

Refer to Alumina3 Precip - Full PSD for more information.

Size Distribution (PSD) Improvements

1. New Size Distribution Definition calculator - This allows the user to define the Size Distribution for the solids in the unit in a number of ways on a new DSz tab page.
2. Improvements to management of qualities (see Qualities Models), including new command to Remove Qualities.

Species Database and Properties

1. Import from HSC
2. Various improvements when Editing User Species Database 9.2, including improved display of multiple Cp equations for temperature ranges.
3. New Species Properties Reports: From the dialog the user can select functions, species and data ranges to copy reports to clipboard for Excel. Ideal for generating charts of individual species properties.
4. View Species Properties ($SDB) page: Rearranged tab pages and new fields added including BPE, Standard Species and Cp/Cv.
5. New menu option to Copy Species Database Data to clipboard for reporting.

Conversions

An overhaul of how conversions are managed and used, improving usability significantly:

1. Can now choose to use a Metric or American set of conversion units. Unwanted units are then hidden making selection of units easier.
2. The management of display units has been improved significantly. The user can now define and change the default conversion units to be used, and then if required use specifically chosen unit for a particular tag. (see Right click on Access Window variables)
3. A large number of conversion units are now hardwired (reducing inconsistencies). Users can still add more conversion units or hide unwanted conversion units.

New Tailings Dam Model (dynamic)

A model for a dam with two layers, a solids bed and a clarified liquor layer. The user can specify required outlet flows from each layer as well as seepage and evaporation.

New Valve2, Pump2 and Piping System Model (dynamic)

1. These models are mainly used in dynamic projects with Transfer mode and are intended for slurry streams (i.e. not for vapour streams).
2. The Valve2 and Pump2 models allow users to set the valve openings and pump speeds/pressure boosts. In transfer mode, the models will not control the flow, but the user can use the pressure results to control flows.
3. The Piping System Model is can contain any number of sub-units including Head, Pipe, Pump2 and Valve2. It will calculate the pressure profile and the resulting flow, which can then be used to set the entry flow to the piping system. This is significantly more convenient and faster than inserting all the individual pieces of equipment.

Usability Improvements

Message Window

1. Multiple tabs instead of single window.
2. Separate tab page for Range Checks list. Separated these from the conditions messages, making it easier to follow the important solver condition warnings.
3. Improved columns and right click, etc. actions.

Quick View Improvements

1. Can now insert headings in the Quick View for improved display.
2. Copy to clipboard (for quick Excel report templates based on the Quick View)
3. Other general improvements such as the histograms option.

Other Usability Improvements

1. "On" option is now in almost all unit models. Improved access window display when a model is "off" (effectively bypassed). Many of the separation models have options when "off" to provide flexibility to direct the inputs to user selected outputs.
2. Significantly improved Excel Reports dialog box. Easier to manage list and edit entries. Plus new options.
3. SysCAD attempts to autodetect installed locations of Reaction Editor and Text editors (e.g. Notepad++) so that the user does not need to configure these in the Tools|Options dialog box general tab page.
4. Various menu, toolbar and dialog box improvements including new Species Commands
5. Additional tags in new Direct table on the Links Tab Page of all models. This gives improved options for reporting and analysis.
6. Some model access window display improvements (tags, layout, comments, visibility, etc)

Other Improvements and New Features

1. New convergence damping solver option "Unstick" that if selected can reduce number of iterations required to converge a recycle. In many projects the overall solve time for a step change can be reduced significantly (because less iterations are required).
2. Optional BPE scale and offset modifier in VLE block. Ideal for minor adjustments to BPE correlations from species model.
3. New OperatingP Method called AutoDetect. If there are any liquids and no vapours in the feed to the unit, then outlet streams will take the highest pressure of the feed. Otherwise, outlet streams will take the lowest pressure of the feeds. This is now the default method for newly inserted units. The OperatingP Method is available in the Tie, Tank and most Mass Separation Models.
4. New option for Water/Steam region warnings, see Plant Model - Settings. This will give range warnings where there is steam or water that is not in a naturally occurring region based on stream temperature or pressure.
5. Added display of pure water viscosity in streams (see Material Flow Section)
6. Option to disable range checks in QFeed (see Material Flow Section). The mixture of incoming streams may be invalid and subsequently corrected by the model, therefore in these cases a warning message is not relevant.
7. Improved reporting (including HoR.Desc field) in reactions with heat of reaction override.
8. New separation option (by individual phase) for Solvent Extraction Unit.
9. Desuperheater improvements - demand logic on both sides. Improved data checks and reporting on steam quality. Faster unit model solve time.
10. New Additional Display Comments in Plant Model - Species to show custom calculation formulas and density correction species.
11. Changes to display of CpCv, Viscosity and Volumes when non-standard specie model used.
12. Updated hardwired standard atomic weights of elements based on latest NIST 2010 tables. Very minor changes in least significant digits of a few elements.
13. With changes to conversions the user settings are now saved in an altered format in a new file "Options.AccessFormats.1.ini".
14. New COM commands to insert "dumb" graphics and text.

Other Dynamic mode only improvements

1. New MixFeeds option in Layered Tank to give choice to mix feeds before addition to tank, or add each stream at connection height. Fixed errors with species model selection for layered tank contents.
2. New Actions|Reset menu option to copy contents to preset image. Ideal for quickly initialising the preset composition and temperature based on current tank contents.
3. Archive Reporter improvements. (Also in recent Build 132)
4. New Maintain Temperature option for dynamic tears (see Dynamic Configuration)
5. Improved reset and empty actions.

Qualities Models

1. Consistent methodology for creating, setting, changing, removing data for different quality types (e.g. SSA, PSD, LockUp, etc).
2. New menu command to Remove Qualities.
3. Improved functionality and ability to clear and/or prevent qualities in sections of the flowsheet where they are not needed.

Custom Calculations

1. Various general improvements for entering Species Calculations and Properties Calculations
2. New functions for retrieving Density and Volume (now based on stream species model). This is in recent Build 132.
3. New functions to retrieve various individual properties of specific species at standard or stream conditions. For example, can now retrieve water density to use as part of a property calculation.

Licensing

All the licensing improvements are in Build 133 and recent releases of Build 132.

1. Improved license information dialog and error messages.
2. Upgrade to use Crypkey 7.3
3. USB License Key for stand-alone licenses. An alternative to the software license.

Notes on upgrading projects from Build 132 to Build 133

See Upgrading Builds for a detailed recommended procedure for upgrading projects between Builds for the same version.

Some changes to lookout for when upgrading to Build 133:

1. Various tag changes.
2. New hardwired conversion and rearrangement of conversion management may effect some tag references where conversion units are not recognised.
3. Do not allow spaces to be included within quoted PGM tag reference string, for example GetTag(" P_001.Qm"). This must be corrected and the project reloaded to not lose the values (state) of the pgm variables.
4. Ties and tanks must now have at least one inlet and one outlet stream. Previous builds allowed only inputs or only outputs.

Changes that may effect results:

1. Very minor update of some standard atomic weights of elements based on latest NIST 2010 tables.