Getting Started 1

Getting Started

Curso de Aspen Hysys 9.0

27-01-2018
Prof. Edgar Chacón - UCV
2 Getting Started

Workshop
The Getting Started module introduces you to some of the basic concepts necessary
for creating simulations in Aspen HYSYS. You will use Aspen HYSYS to define
three gas streams to be used as feeds to a gas plant. In addition, you will learn how to
determine properties of these streams by using the Phase Envelope and the Property
Table utilities.

Learning Objectives
After you have completed this module, you will be able to:

 Define a fluid package (property package, components, hypotheticals)

 Add streams
 Understand flash calculations
 Attach stream utilities
 Customize the Workbook

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 Getting Started 3

Simulation Basis Manager

Aspen HYSYS uses the concept of the fluid package to contain all necessary
information for performing flash and physical property calculations. This approach
allows you to define all information (property package, components, hypothetical
components, interaction parameters, reactions, tabular data, etc.) inside a single
entity.

There are four key advantages to this approach:

 All associated information is defined in a single location, allowing for easy

creation and modification of the information.
 Fluid packages can be stored as completely defined entities for use in any
simulation.
 Component lists can be stored out separately from the Fluid Packages as
completely defined entities for use in any simulation.
 Multiple Fluid Packages can be used in the same simulation. However, they
are all defined inside the common Basis Manager.

The Simulation Basis Manager is a property view that allows you to create and
manipulate multiple fluid packages or component lists in the simulation. To re-enter
Basis Environment icon the Simulation Basis Manager from any point in the simulation, use the Ctrl+B hot
key or click the Basis Environment icon from the tool bar.

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4 Getting Started

The opening tab of the Simulation Basis Manager is the Components tab. Here, you
can create component lists that are independent of (but can be associated with) the
individual fluid packages in the case.
Figure 1

The following table describes the various buttons available for the Component Lists:
Button Description
View Allows you to access the property view for the selected Component
List.
Add Allows you to create a Component List.
Note: Component Lists can be added using the Fluid Package
property view.
Delete Removes the selected Component List from the simulation.
Copy Makes a copy of the selected Component List.
Import Allows you to import a predefined Component List from disk.
Component Lists have the file extension .cml.
Export Allows you to export the selected Component List to disk. The
exported Component List can be retrieved into another case by using
the Import function.
Refresh Updates the pure component properties from the database. If you
have a case from an older version of Aspen HYSYS, this will update
component data to the latest version.

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 Getting Started 5

The second tab of the Simulation Basis Manager is the Fluid Pkgs tab.
Figure 2

The following table describes the various buttons available for the Current Fluid
Packages group.
Button Description
View Allows you to view the property view for the selected fluid package.
This is only active when a fluid package exists in the case.
Add Allows you to create and install a fluid package in the simulation.
Delete Removes the selected Fluid Package from the simulation.
Copy Makes a copy of the selected fluid package. Everything is identical in
the copied version except the name. This is useful for modifying fluid
packages.
Import Allows you to import a predefined fluid package from disk. Fluid
packages have the file extension (.fpk).
Export Allows you to export the selected fluid package to a disk. The exported
fluid package can be retrieved into another case by using the Import
function.

The Fluid Pkgs tab allows you access to the fluid packages/flowsheet associations
list as well as the fluid package definition. As with older versions, you can use
multiple fluid packages within a single simulation by associating the fluid packages
with various flowsheets and linking the flowsheets together. However, beginning
with Aspen HYSYS version 3.0, you no longer need to use flowsheets to employ
multiple fluid packages within a single simulation. You can now use the Stream
Cutter operation to incorporate multiple fluid packages into a single flowsheet.

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6 Getting Started

Defining the Simulation Basis

Add a Property Package
1. Start a new case by selecting the New Case icon.
New Case icon
2. Select the Fluid Pkgs tab and create a fluid package by clicking Add.

3. On the Set Up tab, scroll down the Property Package Selection list and select
the Peng-Robinson Equation of State (EOS) model.

Figure 5

4. Change the Name from the default Basis-1 to GasPlant.

5. Click the View button in the Component List Selection section. This will allow
you to add components to the Component List that is now associated with the
GasPlant fluid package.

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 Getting Started 7

Add Components
You can select components for your simulation using several different methods.
To use... Do this...
Match Cell 1. Choose one of the three name formats by selecting the
corresponding option:
 SimName
 Full Name/Synonym
 Formula
2. Enter the name of the component in the Match input field.
As you type, the list will change to match what you have
You can add a range of entered.
components by highlighting 3. When the desired component is highlighted, either:
the entire range and
clicking the Add Pure  Press Enter.
button.
 Click the Add Pure button.
 Double-click the component to add it to your simulation.
Component List 1. Using the scroll bar for the main component list, scroll
through the list until you find the desired component.
2. To add the component, either:
 Press Enter.
 Click the Add Pure button.
 Double-click the component to add it to your simulation.
Filter 1. Ensure the Match cell is empty, and click View Filter.
2. Select the Use Filter check box to display the various
family filters.
3. Select the desired family (Hydrocarbons) from the list of
Family Filters to display only that type of component.
4. Use either of the two previous methods to select the
desired component.

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8 Getting Started

6. Select the following library components by clicking each component then

clicking Add Pure.

 Nitrogen  i-Butane
 H2S  n-Butane
 CO2  i-Pentane
 Methane  n-Pentane
 Ethane  n-Hexane
 Propane  H2O

Figure 6

7. Click the Hypothetical menu item in the Add Component box.

Figure 7

When you click Quick

Create a Hypo
Component, Aspen
HYSYS adds a
hydrocarbon class hypo by
default.
If you want to add a hypo
from another class, click
Hypo Manager and then in
the view that displays, click
View Group. This will open
the Tabular Hypothetical
Input where you can add
non-hydrocarbon class
hypotheticals.

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 Getting Started 9

8. Click Quick Create a Hypo Component to create a hypothetical component.

A hypothetical component can be used to model non-library components, defined

mixtures, undefined mixtures, or solids. You will be using a hypothetical component
to model the components in the gas mixture heavier than hexane.

9. In the view for the hypo component you are creating, click the ID tab and in the
Component Name cell type C7+.
Figure 8

Aspen HYSYS always

places an asterisk (*) after
a hypo name so it can be
distinguished from library
components.

Since you do not know the structure of the hypothetical component and you are
modeling a mixture, the Structure Builder will not be used.

10. Select the Critical tab. The only property supplied by the lab for the C7+
component is the Normal Boiling Pt. Enter a value of 110°C (230°F).

11. Click Estimate Unknown Props to estimate all the other properties and fully
define the hypothetical component.

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10 Getting Started

Figure 9

The minimum information

required for defining a hypo
is the Normal Boiling Pt or
the Molecular Weight and
Ideal Liq Density.

12. When the hypo component has been defined, return to the fluid package by
closing the hypo component C7+* view.

13. Add the hypo component to the Selected Components list by selecting it in the
Available Hypo Components list and then clicking the Add Hypo button.

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 Getting Started 11

Figure 10

You can use the Sort List

button to order the
Component List.

Every hypo you create is part of a Hypo Group. By default, this hypo is placed in
HypoGroup1. You can add additional groups and move hypo components between
groups. This is done on the Hypotheticals tab of the Simulation Basis Manager.

Compare the properties of C7+ with C7 and C8.

C7+ C7 C8
Normal Boiling Point (°C) 110 98.43 125.67

You will need to add

Ideal Liquid Density (kg/m3) 736.5 686.82 705.38
components C7 and C8 to Molecular Weight 105.3 100.21 114.23
the component list in order
to view their properties.
You have now finished defining the fluid package. You can view the Peng-
Ensure that you delete
them once this exercise is Robinson binary coefficients for your selected components by selecting the Binary
finished. Coeffs tab on the Fluid Package view.

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12 Getting Started

Exporting Fluid Packages

In Aspen HYSYS, you can export fluid packages for use in other simulations,
creating a single common fluid package that you can use in multiple cases.

1. On the Fluid Pkgs tab, highlight the GasPlant fluid package.

Figure 11

2. Click the Export button.

3. Enter a unique name (GasPlant) for the fluid package and click Save.
Aspen HYSYS will
automatically add the file Figure 12
extension .fpk when it
saves your fluid package.
The file is automatically
saved to the \HYSYS\paks
folder.

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 Getting Started 13

Now that the fluid package has been defined, you can start building the simulation.
Click the Enter Simulation Environment button to begin building the simulation.

Building the Simulation

When you build the simulation, you will:

 Add streams
 Select a unit
 Attach utilities

Adding Streams
In Aspen HYSYS, there are two types of streams:

 Material streams have a composition and parameters such as temperature,

pressure, and flowrates. They are used to represent process streams.
 Energy streams have only one parameter: heat flow. They are used to
represent the duty supplied to or by a unit operation.

There are a variety of ways to add streams in Aspen HYSYS.

To use this... Do this...

Menu Bar  From the Flowsheet menu, select Add Stream.
or
 Press the F11 Hot Key.
The Stream property view opens.
Workbook Open the Workbook and go to the Material Streams tab. Type a
stream name into the **New** cell.
Object Palette From the Flowsheet menu, select Open Object Palette, or
press F4 to open the Object Palette. Double-click the Stream
icon.

In this case, you will add three streams to represent three different gas wells. Each
stream will be added using a different method of installation.

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14 Getting Started

Adding a Stream from the Menu Bar

To add a stream using the F11 hot key:

1. Press F11. The stream property view displays. If the stream property view is not
displayed, double-click the newly created stream (from the PFD) to bring up the
property view.

Figure 13

2. Highlight the Stream Name cell. Change the stream name to GasWell 1.

3. Press Enter.

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 Getting Started 15

Entering Stream Compositions

There are two different pages for entering stream composition:

On this page... Do this...

Conditions  Double-click the Molar Flow cell to enter mole
fractions.
or
 Double-click the Mass Flow cell to enter mass
fractions.
or
 Double-click the Std Ideal Liquid Volume Flow cell to
enter volume fractions.
The Input Composition for Stream view displays.
Composition Click the Edit button.
The Input Composition for Stream view displays.

1. If the Input Composition for Stream view is not already open, double-click the
Mass Flow cell.
Figure 14

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16 Getting Started

2. Select the Mole Fractions option in the Composition Basis group to change the
basis from mass to mole fractions.

3. Enter the following compositions.

For this component... Enter this mole fraction...

Nitrogen 0.0002
H2S 0.0405
CO2 0.0151
Methane 0.7250
Ethane 0.0815
Propane 0.0455
i-Butane 0.0150
n-Butane 0.0180
i-Pentane 0.0120
n-Pentane 0.0130
n-Hexane 0.0090
H2O 0.0000
C7+ 0.0252

If there are <empty> values

either enter 0 or click
Normalize. The stream is 4. Click OK when all the mole fractions have been entered.
not fully defined until all
composition values have a 5. Close the Stream property view.
numerical input.

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 Getting Started 17

Adding a Stream from the Workbook

To open the Workbook, click the Workbook icon on the tool bar.
Workbook icon
1. Enter the stream name GasWell 2 in the **New** cell.

2. Double-click the Molar Flow cell and enter the following compositions:

For this component... Enter this mole fraction...

Nitrogen 0.0025
H2S 0.0237
CO2 0.0048
Methane 0.6800
Ethane 0.1920
Propane 0.0710
i-Butane 0.0115
n-Butane 0.0085
i-Pentane 0.0036
n-Pentane 0.0021
n-Hexane 0.0003
H2O 0.0000
C7+ 0.0000

3. Click the OK button to close the Input Composition for Stream view.

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18 Getting Started

Adding a Stream from the Object Palette

1. If the Object Palette is not open on the Desktop, press F4 to open it.
Material Stream icon (Blue)
2. Double-click the Material Stream icon. The Stream property view displays.

3. Change the name of the stream to GasWell 3.

4. Double-click Molar Flow.

5. Enter the following stream compositions:

For this component... Enter this mole fraction...

Nitrogen 0.0050
H2S 0.0141
CO2 0.0205
Methane 0.5664
Ethane 0.2545
Propane 0.0145
i-Butane 0.0041
n-Butane 0.0075
i-Pentane 0.0038
n-Pentane 0.0037
n-Hexane 0.0060
H2O 0.0909
C7+ 0.0090

6. Click OK to close the Input Composition for Stream: GasWell 3 window.

7. Click the Save icon. Enter a case name.

Save your case often to
avoid losing information.
Save your case!
You can use one of several different methods to save a case in Aspen HYSYS:

 From the File menu, select Save to save your case with the same name.

Save icon  From the File menu, select Save As to save your case in a different location
or with a different name.
 Click the Save icon on the tool bar to save your case with the same name.

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 Getting Started 19

Select a Unit Set

In Aspen HYSYS, it is possible to change the unit set used to display the different
variables.

1. From the Tools menu, choose Preferences.

2. Click the Variables tab.

Figure 15

3. Select the SI unit set.

4. Close this view to return to the simulation.

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20 Getting Started

Changing Units for a Specification

To change the units for a specification, simply type the numerical value of the
specification and press the space bar or click the unit drop-down list. Choose the
units for the value you are providing. Aspen HYSYS will convert the units back to
the default units.

Figure 16

You can scroll through the

unit list by starting to type
the units, by using the
arrow keys, or by using the
scroll bar.

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 Getting Started 21

Flash Calculations
Aspen HYSYS can perform three types of flash calculations on streams:

 P-T
 Vf-P
Only two of these three  Vf-T
stream parameters (Vapour
Fraction, Temperature, or
Pressure) can be supplied. Once the composition of the stream and two of either temperature, pressure or
vapour fraction are known, Aspen HYSYS performs a flash calculation on the
stream, calculating the third parameter.

If you try to supply temperature, pressure, and vapour fraction, a consistency

error will occur.

With the flash capabilities of Aspen HYSYS, it is possible to perform dew and
bubble point calculations. By specifying a vapour fraction of 1.0 and either the
pressure or temperature of the stream, Aspen HYSYS will calculate the dew
temperature or pressure. To calculate the bubble temperature or pressure, a vapour
fraction of 0.0 and either pressure or temperature must be entered.

Perform a P-T flash calculation on the stream GasWell 2. Set the pressure to 7500 kPa and
the temperature to 10°C. What is the vapour fraction?

____________________________________________________________________________

Perform a dew point calculation on the stream GasWell 2. Set the pressure to 7500 kPa.
What is the dew point temperature?

____________________________________________________________________________

Perform a bubble point calculation on the stream GasWell 2. Set the pressure to 7500 kPa.
What is the bubble point temperature?

____________________________________________________________________________

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22 Getting Started

Attaching Utilities
The utilities available in Aspen HYSYS are a set of useful tools that interact with
your process. These tools provide additional information or analysis of streams or
operations. After it is installed, a utility becomes part of the flowsheet, automatically
recalculating when conditions change in the stream or operation to which it is
attached.

As with the majority of objects in Aspen HYSYS, you can attach utilities to streams
in a number of different ways:

To use the... Do this...

Menu Bar  From the Tools menu, select Utilities.
or
 Press Ctrl+U.
The Available Utilities view displays.
Stream Property 1. Open the Stream property view.
View
2. On the Attachments tab, click the Utilities page.
3. Click the Create button.
The Available Utilities view displays.

Next, you will add a utility using each method of installation.

Adding a Utility from the Stream Property View

The Envelope utility (in the Available Utilities list) allows you to examine
relationships between selected parameters for any stream of known composition,
The Envelope can only be including streams with only one component. Vapour-Liquid Envelopes may be
calculated on a dry basis plotted for the following variables:
(any water is ignored).
 Pressure – Temperature
 Pressure – Volume
 Pressure – Enthalpy
 Pressure – Entropy
 Temperature – Volume
 Temperature – Enthalpy
 Temperature – Entropy

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 Getting Started 23

An Envelope utility will be added to the stream Gas Well 2 from the Stream
property view.

1. Open the Stream property view by double-clicking the stream in either the
Workbook or the PFD.

2. On the Attachments tab, click Utilities.

Figure 17

23
24 Getting Started

3. Click Create. The Available Utilities view displays.

4. Select Envelope. Click Add Utility. The Envelope Utility view displays.

5. The Design tab shows the critical and maxima values for the envelope.

What is the critical temperature and pressure for the stream GasWell 2?

Tc___________________________________ Pc___________________________________

6. Switch to the Performance tab to view the envelope.

Figure 18

7. Click the Table page to view the envelope data in a tabular format.

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 Getting Started 25

Adding a Utility from the Menu Bar

The Property Table utility allows you to examine property trends over a range of
conditions in both tabular and graphical formats. The utility calculates dependent
variables for user-specified, independent variable ranges or values.
Numerical values can be
copied from Aspen HYSYS
to Microsoft Excel using the
A Property Table utility will be added to the stream Gas Well 2.
copy command, Ctrl+C, in
Aspen HYSYS, and then 1. From the Tools menu select Utilities, or press Ctrl+U. The Available Utilities
the paste command, view displays.
Ctrl+V, in Excel.

2. Select Property Table.

3. Click the Add Utility button. The Property Table view displays.

Figure 19

25
26 Getting Started

4. Click the Select Stream button and select the stream GasWell 2.

5. Click OK to return to the Design tab.

6. In the Independent Variable section, select Pressure as the first independent

variable.

7. Use the drop-down menu bar to change the mode to State.

8. In the State Values matrix, enter values of 2500, 5000, 7500, and 9000 kPa. If
you are using field units, the values will be 350, 700, 1050, and 1400 psia.

9. Choose Temperature as the second independent variable. Ensure the mode is

set to Incremental.

10. Change the Lower and Upper Bounds to 0°C (32°F) and 100°C (212°F)
respectively. Leave the # of Increments at the default value of 10.

Figure 20

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 Getting Started 27

11. On the Design tab, click Dep. Prop.

12. On the Dep. Prop. page, click Add.

13. Choose Mass Density from the list. Click OK to accept.

14. Click Add again. Select the Thermal Conductivity and click OK to accept.

15. Click the Calculate button to generate the property table.

16. Examine the property table results in either graphical or tabular format on the
Performance tab.

17. Close the Property Table.

Figure 21

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28 Getting Started

Analyzing the Results

Stream Property View
Within Aspen HYSYS, it is possible to view the properties of the individual phases
for any stream.

1. Open the Stream property view for GasWell 3 by double-clicking GasWell 3 in

the PFD, and view the Conditions page.

2. Add Temperature and Pressure values of -20°C (-4°F) and 5000 kPa (725
psia).

3. Move the mouse arrow to the left or right side of the view until the arrow
changes to the double-headed resizing arrows.

4. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the edge of the view until all the
phases can be seen as shown in the following figure.
Figure 22

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 Getting Started 29

5. Go to the Properties page. This page contains more detailed information about
the stream.

Figure 23

6. Close the worksheet for GasWell 3.

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30 Getting Started

Customizing the Workbook

Aspen HYSYS allows you to customize the Workbook at several different levels.
You can add additional pages, change the variables that are displayed on the current
pages, or change the format of the values.

In this exercise, a new Workbook tab containing stream properties, Cp/Cv, Heat of
Vaporization, and Molar Enthalpy, will be added.

1. Open the Workbook by clicking the Workbook icon on the tool bar, using the
Ctrl + W hot key, or clicking the menu bar under Tools | Workbooks.
Workbook icon

Figure 24

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 Getting Started 31

2. Click View to access to your current workbook.

Figure 25

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32 Getting Started

3. You have two ways to go to the Workbooks Setup Page:

Figure 26

a. On the menu bar, click the Workbooks | Setup (this menu item is only
accessible after you completed step 2)

b. Right-click any tab of your Workbooks to find the Setup option

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 Getting Started 33

4. Under the Workbook Tabs group, click the Add button.

Figure 27

5. The New Object Type view displays, click the Add button.

6. A new Workbook tab, Streams, will be listed in the Workbook Tabs group.
Ensure that this new tab is highlighted.

7. Highlight the Name cell and change the name to Other Prop.

8. In the Variables group, click the Delete button until all the default variables are
removed.

9. Click the Add button to add a new variable to the tab.

10. From the Variable list, select Cp/Cv and click OK.

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34 Getting Started

11. Repeat steps 8 and 9 to add Mass Heat of Vapourization and Molar Enthalpy
as shown in the following figure.

Figure 28

12. Exit the view when you are done to return to the Workbook.

13. The Workbook now contains the Other Prop. tab which shows the values of
Cp/Cv, Mass Heat of Vapourization, and Molar Enthalpy as shown in the
following figure.

Figure 29

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 Getting Started 35

Printing Stream and Workbook Datasheets

In Aspen HYSYS you have the ability to print Datasheets for streams, operations,
and workbooks.

Printing the Workbook Datasheet

1. Open the Workbook.

To print all streams: 2. Right-click (object inspect) the Workbook title bar. The Print Datasheet pop-up
 Customize the menu displays.
Workbook to contain all
the stream data you
want. Figure 30

 Print the Workbook

Specsheet.

3. Select Print Datasheet. The Select Datablock view displays.

35
36 Getting Started

Figure 31

4. From the list, you can choose to print or preview any of the available datasheets.

Printing an Individual Stream Datasheet

To print the datasheet for an individual stream, object inspect the stream property
view title bar and follow the same procedure as with the Workbook.

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 Getting Started 37

Finishing the Simulation

The final step in this section is to add the stream information necessary for the case
to be used in future modules.

Add the following temperature, pressure, and flowrate to the streams:

Temperature Pressure Flowrate

GasWell 1 40°C (105°F) 4135 kPa (600 425 kgmole/h
psia) (935 lbmole/hr)
GasWell 2 45°C (113°F) 3450 kPa (500 375 kgmole/h
psia) (825 lbmole/hr)
GasWell 3 45°C (113°F) 575 kgmole/h
(1270 lbmole/hr)

Save your case!

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38 Getting Started

Exploring the Simulation

Exercise 1: Phase Behavior and Hydrate Prediction
1. Use the Phase Envelope to find the following points:

Critical Point for GasWell 1. ___________________________________________________

Cricondenbar (maximum pressure) for GasWell 1. _________________________________

Bubble Point temperature for GasWell 3 at 6000 kPa. _______________________________

Dew Point temperature for GasWell 1 at 4000 kPa. _________________________________

GasWell 1 temperature for 50% quality at 8000 kPa. ________________________________

Hydrate Formation temperature for GasWell 2 at 7500 kPa. __________________________

2. Use the Workbook to find the following values:

Bubble Point temperature for GasWell 3 at 6000 kPa. _______________________________

Dew Point temperature for GasWell 1 at 4000 kPa. _________________________________

GasWell 1 temperature for 50% quality at 8000 kPa. ________________________________

3. Use the Hydrate Formation Utility to find the hydrate formation temperature for
GasWell 1 and GasWell 2.

Stream Pressure, kPa (psia) Hydrate Temperature

GasWell 1 5000 (725)

GasWell 1 7500 (1090)
GasWell 2 5000 (725)
GasWell 2 7500 (1090)

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 Getting Started 39

Challenge
The phase envelope utility is only capable of performing the flash calculations on a
dry basis; it will always ignore any water present in the stream.

The composition of GasWell 3 contains some water. You have been asked to
perform a number of Dew and Bubble Point calculations on the stream at various
pressures. Knowing that you cannot accurately predict these points on the Phase
Envelope (because of the water), you start to do the calculations in the Workbook.
After about 30 minutes of doing flashes and writing down the pressure- temperature
values, your colleague comes in and tells you the wonders of the Property Table.
After learning about the Property Table, you are done in about five minutes.

Using your colleague’s advice, set up a Property Table to generate a Bubble Point
and Dew Point curve from 100 to 10000 kPa.

Recommended Reading
1. Knowledge Base Solution 109322
How do I plot an envelope on a wet basis?

2. Knowledge Base Solution 109329

What is the difference between the information on the first page and on the
second page of Hydrate Formation utility?

3. Knowledge Base Solution 109332

What are Hydrate Types I and II?

4. Knowledge Base Solution 109812

Calculate a phase envelope using the property table utility

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