TM

AFT xStream
Quick Start Guide
English Units

AFT xStream Version 2

Gas Transient Modeling in Piping Systems

Dynamic solutions for a fluid world ™

CAUTION!
AFT xStream is a sophisticated gas transient modeling program
designed for qualified engineers with experience in transient analysis
and should not be used by untrained individuals. AFT xStream is
intended solely as an aide for pipe flow analysis engineers and not as a
replacement for other design and analysis methods, including hand
calculations and sound engineering judgment. All data generated by
AFT xStream should be independently verified with other engineering
methods.
AFT xStream is designed to be used only by persons who possess a
level of knowledge consistent with that obtained in an undergraduate
engineering course in the analysis of pipe system fluid mechanics and is
familiar with standard industry practice in transient analysis.
AFT xStream is intended to be used only within the boundaries of its
engineering assumptions. The user should consult the AFT xStream
Help System for a discussion of all engineering assumptions made by
AFT xStream.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this Quick
Start Guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Applied Flow
Technology.

© 2022 Applied Flow Technology Corporation. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.
First printing.

"AFT xStream", "AFT Arrow", "Applied Flow Technology", "Dynamic solutions for a
fluid world", "Pulsation Frequency Analysis", and the AFT logo are trademarks of
Applied Flow Technology Corporation.
Excel and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Chempak is a trademark
of Madison Technical Software, Inc. CAESAR II, Smartplant, CADWorx, and PDS are
trademarks of Intergraph Corporation. ROHR2 is a trademark of SIGMA
Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH. AutoCAD Plant 3D is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc.
Contents Contents

1. Introducing AFT xStream 1

Modeling capabilities 1
Add-on module capabilities (optional) 2
The steady-state solver 2
The transient solver 2
Thermophysical property data 3
Engineering assumptions in AFT xStream 3
AFT xStream Primary Windows 3
Input windows 4
Output windows 4

2. Tank Blowdown Example 7

Topics covered 7
Required knowledge 7
Model file 8
Problem statement 8
Step 1. Start AFT xStream 8
The Workspace window 12
Unpinning the Quick Access Panel 13
Step 2. Lay out the model 13
A. Place the Tank junction 13
Objects and ID numbers 13
Editing on the Workspace 14
B. Place the other junctions 14
C. Draw a pipe between J1 and J2 15
D. Add the remaining pipe 17
Reference positive flow direction 18
Step 3. Define the model components 19
Object status 19
ii AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Showing undefined objects 19
A. Enter data for the Tank 20
Using the tabs in the Properties windows 22
The Inspection feature 23
B. Enter Valve data 24
C. Enter Assigned Pressure data 27
D. Enter pipe data for P1 28
The Pipe Properties window 29
E. Enter pipe data for P2 30
F. Review model data 30
Reviewing input in the Model Data window 30
Step 4. Specify Analysis Setup 31
A. Specify the Modules group 32
B. Specify the Fluid Properties group 33
C. Inspect the Pipes and Junctions group 34
Running models in steady-state 34
D. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output group 34
E. Specify the Transient Control group 36
Step 5. Run the solver 37
The two solvers 38
The transient output file 39
Step 6. Review the Output window 40
Step 7. View the Graph Results 44
Further review 48
Step 8. View the Visual Report 51
Step 9. Examine the effect of sectioning 53
Conclusion 56

3. Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 57

Topics covered 57
Required knowledge 57
Model file 58
Problem statement 58
 Table of Contents iii
Step 1. Start AFT xStream 58
Step 2. Build the model 58
A. Place the pipes and junctions 58
B. Enter the pipe and junction data 59
J1 - Assigned Flow 63
J2 - Heat Exchanger 63
J3 - Valve 63
J4 and J7 - Tee 63
J5 - Valve 63
J6, J9 and J12 - Assigned Pressure 63
J8 - Valve 65
J10 - Branch 66
J11 - Valve 66
C. Check if the pipe and junction data is complete 66
Step 3. Specify Analysis Setup 66
A. Specify the Fluid panel 66
B. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel 67
C. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel 67
Step 4. Create scenarios to model different sectioning setups 67
A. Create scenarios 67
B. Set up scenarios 69
4 Sections Minimum Per Pipe 69
2 Sections Minimum Per Pipe 70
Step 5. Run the first scenario 70
Step 6. Review the results 70
Step 7. Adjust the Pipe Sectioning panel 71
Step 8. Re-run the model and review results 72
Step 9. Graph the results 72
Step 10. Animate the results 74
Step 11. Run the other scenarios and graph the results 77
Conclusion 77
iv AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

4. High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models

Example 79
Topics covered 79
Required knowledge 79
Model file 79
Problem statement 80
Step 1. Start AFT xStream 80
Step 2. Build the model 80
A. Place the pipes and junctions 80
Isometric Drawing Mode 80
B. Enter the pipe and junction data 82
J1 - Assigned Pressure 84
J2 - Area Change 84
J3, J4, and J7 - Branch 84
J5 and J6 - Assigned Flow 84
J8 - Dead End 84
J9 - Bend 85
J10 and J12 - Bend 85
J11 - Valve 85
J13 - Assigned Pressure 85
C. Check if the pipes and junctions are specified 85
Step 3. Specify Analysis Setup 86
A. Specify Fluid panel 86
B. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel 86
C. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel 86
Step 4. Run the model 86
Step 5. Graph the results 86
Step 6. Evaluate the effects of changing fluid property models 93
A. Review the results of other libraries 93
B. Advice for preliminary runs 94
Step 1: Run the steady-state model 94
Step 2: Complete a transient run using an AFT Standard fluid
with minimal sectioning 95
 Table of Contents v
C. Selection of fluid property model for final runs 95
Conclusions 96

5. High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 97

Topics covered 97
Required knowledge 97
Model file 98
Problem statement 98
Step 1. Start AFT xStream 98
Step 2. Open model file 98
Step 3. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel 99
Step 4. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel 99
Step 5. Specify Force Sets 99
Step 6. Add child scenarios using Scenario Manager 103
A. Create scenarios 103
B. Define the child scenarios 104
Step 7. Compare child scenarios using the Scenario Comparison
Tool 105
Step 8. Run the first scenario 106
Step 9. View the results 107
A. Open the Forces tab 107
B. Graph the force results 107
Step 10. Run the other child scenarios 110
Factors affecting the timing and magnitude of forces 112
Step 11. Export CAESAR II Force file 115
Conclusion 116

6. AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 117

Topics covered 117
Required knowledge 117
Model file 117
Problem statement 118
Step 1. Start AFT xStream 118
vi AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Step 2. Build the model 118
A. Place the pipes and junctions 118
B. Enter the pipe and junction data 119
J1 - Assigned Flow 119
J2 - Valve 120
J3 - Branch 120
J4 - Valve 120
J5 - Assigned Pressure 120
J6 - Dead End 120
C. Check if the pipe and junction data is complete 120
Step 3. Specify Analysis Setup 121
A. Specify the Fluid panel 121
B. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel 121
C. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel 121
D. Specify the Pulse Setup panel 121
Step 4. Run the model 123
Step 5. Review the frequency results 123
Identify excitation frequencies to study 125
Step 6. Determine the pressure response for API-618 126
Conclusion 131

7. Other AFT xStream Capabilities 133

Index 137
CHAPTER 1

Introducing AFT xStream

Welcome to AFT xStream™, Applied Flow Technology's powerful gas

transient modeling tool. With AFT xStream you can model transients
caused by a wide range of pipe system behavior. This tool will allow
you to understand transient pressure extremes.
AFT xStream includes a steady-state solution engine which solves for
the system's initial conditions. These results are used to assist with
initializing the transient model. The engineer accesses these capabilities
through an advanced graphical interface, which includes built-in
expertise to guide the engineer through the modeling process.
AFT xStream has one available add-on module which extends AFT
xStream's modeling capabilities into new areas.
l The Pulsation Frequency Analysis (PFA) module allows the
engineer to determine resonant frequencies that can result in
excessive vibration and damage to systems.

Modeling capabilities
AFT xStream provides a broad array of features to model pipe system
transients. These include:
l Transients in open and closed (recirculating) systems
l Network systems that branch or loop
l Systems with valve transients
l Systems with compressor transients
2 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
l Systems that experience sonic choking, including multiple sonic
choking points and transient sonic choking
l Multiple design cases in a single model file

Add-on module capabilities (optional)

l Identification of natural acoustic frequencies (PFA module)
l Evaluation of pressure results with API-618

The steady-state solver

Before a transient model can be run, the initial steady-state conditions
are required. AFT xStream obtains the steady-state solution using
multiple stages. First, the solver from AFT Arrow™, AFT’s steady state
compressible flow modeling software, is used to calculate the steady
solution to initialize the second stage.
Second, the transient solver is run with user-specified transients
disabled. The AFT Arrow solver will typically have slight differences
from the transient solver, and the transient solver must be run to find a
new steady solution to avoid introducing artificial transients into the
transient analysis. This solution is run in a series of time step blocks.
After each block, the velocity results from the beginning and end of the
block are compared to determine if the results are sufficiently steady.
If desired, AFT xStream can be run in “AFT Arrow Steady” mode
where only the steady flow pipe pneumatics are modeled. When run in
"Transient” mode, the steady flow solution is used to assist with
initializing the transient solution. This convenience helps the user avoid
the often error-prone process of manually setting up the initial
conditions, ensures the solution is steady before the transients are run,
and allows the user to quickly and safely modify and rerun the model as
needed.

The transient solver

AFT xStream employs the Method of Characteristics (MOC) to solve
the transient equations of gas flow. The fundamental mass, momentum,
and energy equations are solved at all computing stations in each pipe to
 Chapter 1 Introducing AFT xStream 3
accurately represent the propagation of transient waves throughout the
system.
The MOC is an explicit solution technique, where the transient solver
marches in time for a duration specified by the user.

Thermophysical property data

AFT xStream derives physical properties from one of four sources. The
first is the standard AFT xStream set of compressible fluids which
contains data for 28 common fluids (called the AFT Standard library).
The second is steam data from the ASME Steam Tables library.
The third is the NIST REFPROP library. REFPROP is licensed from the
National Institute of Standards. REFPROP has a library of
approximately 150 fluids and supports user specified fluid mixtures.
The fourth is the Chempak™ library. Chempak is licensed from
Madison Technical Software and is offered as an optional add-on to
AFT xStream. Chempak has a library of approximately 584 gasses and
supports user specified fluid mixtures. AFT xStream is restricted to non-
reacting mixture calculations.

Engineering assumptions in AFT xStream

AFT xStream is based on the following fundamental fluid mechanics
assumptions:
l Superheated gas flow only (no two-phase flow)
l One-dimensional flow
l No chemical reactions
l The pipes are rigid

AFT xStream Primary Windows

AFT xStream has five windows that work in an integrated fashion. Each
is located on a separate, movable tab. You work exclusively from one of
4 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
these windows at all times. For this reason, they are referred to as
Primary Windows.
Of the five Primary Windows, two are input windows, two are output
windows, and one displays both input and output information. Figure 1.1
shows the relationships between the Primary Windows.

Figure 1.1 Primary Window workflow in AFT xStream

Input windows
The two windows that primarily function as input windows are the
Workspace window and the Model Data window. These two windows,
one graphical and the other text based, work together to process model
input data with immense flexibility. The tools provided in these two
windows allow you to model a large variety of pipe networks.
The Visual Report window can function in support of both input and
output data. As an input window, it allows you to see the input data
superimposed on the pipe system schematic created on the Workspace.

Output windows
The two windows that function exclusively as output windows are the
Output window (text based) and the Graph Results window. These two
windows offer a powerful and diverse range of features for reviewing
analysis results for modeling errors, gaining a deeper understanding of
the pipe system's flow behavior, and preparing the results for
documentation.
As an output window, Visual Report allows you to see the output results
superimposed on the pipe system schematic created on the Workspace.
 Chapter 1 Introducing AFT xStream 5

Note: AFT xStream supports multiple monitors. You can click and drag
any of the five Primary Window tabs off of the main AFT xStream
window. Once you drag one of the Primary Windows off of the AFT
xStream window, you can move it anywhere you like on your screen,
including onto a second monitor in a dual monitor configuration. To add
the Primary Window back to the main AFT xStream Primary Window
tab bar, simply click the X button in the upper right of the Primary
Window.
6 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
CHAPTER 2

Tank Blowdown Example

This chapter will give you the big picture of AFT xStream's layout and
structure. To accomplish this purpose, a model with two pipes and three
junctions will be built to capture the system effects when a valve is
opened.
A number of other example model discussions are included on the AFT
help site. It can be opened from the Help Menu by choosing "Show
Examples" and selecting "English Units....".

Topics covered
l Model building basics
l Entering pipe and junction data
l Entering transient data
l Graphing output results

Required knowledge

No prior knowledge is required for this example.

8 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Model file

The file listed below contains a completed version of this example and
can be located in the Examples folder as part of the AFT xStream
installation. This file can also be downloaded from the AFT xStream
help site from the Tank Blowdown Example page:
l US - Tank Blowdown.xtr
This example is also provided in metric units under the Metric Units file
name, Metric - Tank Blowdown.xtr.
This example will require you to build the model from scratch to help
familiarize yourself with the steps required to build a complete model in
AFT xStream. Therefore, use this example model file as a reference
only.

Problem statement

This problem evaluates the initial design for a tank that undergoes a
blowdown. Nitrogen flows out of a supply tank into a 2 inch line as a
part of the blowdown. The flow is controlled by opening and closing a
valve in the 2 inch line.
This model will simulate opening a valve in 0.1 seconds. The valve will
remain open for the remainder of the simulation.
Graph the pressure and temperature of the tank to observe how both
parameters change with time. Also, graph the Mach number,
temperature, and velocity at the discharge of the second pipe to
understand how the flow properties change as the blowdown progresses.

Step 1. Start AFT xStream

Ø To start AFT xStream, click Start on the Windows taskbar and open
AFT xStream. (This refers to the standard menu items created by setup.
You may have chosen to specify a different menu item).
After AFT xStream starts, the Startup window, as shown in Figure 2.2,
appears. This window provides you with several options before you start
building a model:
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 9

Figure 2.1 Startup window with Modeling Preferences expanded

Some of the actions available from the AFT xStream Startup window
are:
l Open a previous model, browse to a model, or browse to an
Example
l Activate an Add-on Module
l Select "AFT Standard "Air" " or a recently used fluid to be the
Working Fluid
l Review or modify Modeling Preferences
l Select a Unit System
l Filter units to include Common Only or Common Plus Selected
Industries
10 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
l Choose a Grid Style
l Select a Default Pipe Material
l Access Resources, such as Quick Start Guides, Help Files, and
Video Tutorials
If this is the first time that you have started AFT xStream, Modeling
Preferences will be expanded in the middle section of the Startup
Window, as shown by Figure 2.1. If this is not the first time that you
have started AFT xStream, the Startup Window will appear with
Modeling Preferences Collapsed, as shown in Figure 2.2.
When collapsed, you can view your current Modeling Preferences at the
bottom of Start a New Model. To further review or adjust your
preferences, click the "Modify >>" button (Figure 2.2).

Figure 2.2 AFT xStream Startup window

 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 11
With Modeling Preference expanded, as in Figure 2.1, select "Both with
US Defaults" under Unit System. Select "Common Only" under Filter to
show only commonly used units, instead of "All Units."
You can "Show Sample Units" to see which units will be included based
on your selections, as shown in Figure 2.3.

Figure 2.3 "Show Sample Units" with "Common Only" selected

Ø Click "Start Building Model".

The Workspace window is initially the active window, as seen in Figure
2.4.
12 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
The Workspace window
The Workspace window is the primary interface for building your
model. This window has three main areas: the Toolbox, the Quick
Access Panel, and the Workspace itself. The Toolbox is the bundle of
tools on the far left. The Quick Access Panel is displayed on the far
right. It is possible to collapse the Quick Access Panel by clicking on
the thumbtack pin in the upper right of the Quick Access Panel in order
to allow for greater Workspace area. The Workspace takes up the rest of
the window.

Figure 2.4 The Workspace window is where the model is built.

The Status Bar shows the model status.

You will build your pipe flow model on the Workspace using the
Toolbox tools. The Pipe Drawing tool, on the upper left, is used to draw
new pipes on the Workspace. The Annotation tool allows you to create
annotations and auxiliary graphics.
Below the two drawing tools are icons that represent the different types
of junctions available in AFT xStream. Junctions are components that
connect pipes and also influence the pressure or flow behavior of the
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 13
pipe system. The junction icons can be dragged from the Toolbox and
dropped onto the Workspace.
When you pass your mouse pointer over any of the Toolbox tools, a
tooltip identifies the junction's function.

Unpinning the Quick Access Panel

By default, the Quick Access Panel is pinned to the Workspace window
so that it is constantly displayed. The Quick Access Panel can be
unpinned so it is only displayed when the mouse is hovered over the tab
displayed on the right edge of the Workspace window. You can unpin
the Quick Access Panel by clicking on the pin icon displayed in the top
right corner of the Quick Access Panel (Figure 2.4).

Step 2. Lay out the model

To lay out the tank blowdown model, you will place a Tank junction, a
Valve junction, and an Assigned Pressure junction on the Workspace.
Then you will connect the junctions with pipes.

A. Place the Tank junction

Ø To start, click and drag a Tank junction from the Toolbox and drop
it on the Workspace. Figure 2.5a shows the Workspace with one Tank.

Objects and ID numbers

Items placed on the Workspace are called objects. All objects are
derived directly or indirectly from the Toolbox. AFT xStream uses three
types of objects: pipes, junctions and annotations.
All pipe and junction objects on the Workspace have an associated ID
number. For junctions, this number is, by default, placed directly above
the junction and prefixed with the letter "J". Pipe ID numbers are
prefixed with the letter "P". You can optionally choose to display either
or both the ID number and the name of a pipe or junction. You also can
drag the ID number/name text to a different location to improve
visibility.
The Tank you have created on the Workspace will take on the default
ID number of one. You can change this to any desired number greater
than zero, but less than 100,000.
14 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Editing on the Workspace
Once on the Workspace, junctions can be moved to new locations and
edited using the features on the Edit menu. Cutting, copying, and pasting
are all supported. Undo is available for most formatting and arrangement
actions on the Workspace.

Figure 2.5a Tank junction placed

B. Place the other junctions

Drag a Valve and an Assigned Pressure junction from the Toolbox and
drop them on the Workspace so that your model appears similar to
Figure 2.5b.
If the icons do not line up exactly, the calculations will not be affected.
You can align the icons by using the Align feature selected from the
Arrange menu.
Note: The relative location of objects in AFT xStream is not important.
Distances and heights are defined through Property window dialog
boxes. The relative locations on the Workspace establish the
connectivity of the objects but have no bearing on the actual length or
elevation relationships.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 15

Figure 2.5b All junctions placed

Ø Before continuing, save the work you have done so far with "Save
As" from the File menu. Choose "Save As" from the File menu and
enter a file name (Tank Blowdown, perhaps) and AFT xStream will
append the ".xtr" extension to the file name.

C. Draw a pipe between J1 and J2

Now that you have all of the junctions, you need to connect them with
pipes.
Ø To create a pipe, click the Pipe Drawing Tool icon on the Toolbox.
The pointer will change to a crosshair when you move it over the
Workspace. Draw a pipe above the junctions by clicking and dragging
the mouse, similar to that shown in Figure 2.5c.
The pipe object on the Workspace has an ID number (P1) that is shown
near the center of the pipe.
16 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.5c First pipe drawn

Ø To place the pipe between J1 and J2, use the mouse to grab the pipe
in the center and drag it so that the left endpoint falls within the J1 Tank
icon, then drop it there (see Figure 2.5d). Next, grab the right endpoint
of the pipe and stretch the pipe, dragging it until the endpoint terminates
within the J2 Valve icon (see Figure 2.5e).
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 17

Figure 2.5d First pipe partially connected

Figure 2.5e First pipe fully connected

D. Add the remaining pipe

A faster way to add a pipe is to draw it directly between the desired
junctions.
Ø Activate the Pipe Drawing Tool again. Position the cursor on the J2
Valve, then press and hold the left mouse button. Stretch the pipe across
18 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
to the J3 Assigned Pressure junction, then release the mouse button. All
objects in the model should now be graphically connected as they are in
Figure 2.5f.
Save the model by selecting "Save" in the File menu, by clicking the
"Save" icon on the Toolbar, or by entering Ctrl+S.

Figure 2.5f All pipes and junctions placed

Reference positive flow direction

There is an arrow on each pipe that indicates the reference positive flow
direction for the pipe. AFT xStream assigns a flow direction
corresponding to the direction in which the pipe is drawn.
You can reverse the reference positive flow direction by choosing
"Reverse Direction" from the Arrange menu or selecting the Reverse
Pipe Direction button on the Workspace Toolbar.
The reference positive flow direction is used for reference purposes only
and need not be the actual flow direction. If the reference positive flow
direction is the opposite of that obtained by the solver, the output will
show the flow rate as a negative number. However, when used with
compressors and certain other junction types the pipes must be in the
appropriate forward flow direction because that is how AFT xStream
determines which side is suction and which is discharge.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 19

Note: Some users find it desirable to lock objects to the Workspace

once they have been placed. This prevents accidental movement and
disruption of the connections. Locking also helps prevent accidental
deletion of your output once a solution has been reached. You can lock
all the objects by choosing "Select All" from the Edit menu, then
selecting "Lock Object" from the Arrange menu. The Lock Object
button on the Workspace Toolbar will appear depressed indicating it is
in an enabled state, and will remain so as long as any selected object is
locked.

Step 3. Define the model components

The model must have all pipes and junctions defined in order for it to
run. This step encompasses the proper input data and connectivity for all
pipes and junctions.

Object status
Each pipe and junction has an object status. The object status tells you
whether the object is defined according to AFT xStream's requirements.
To see the status of the objects in your model, click the light bulb icon
on the Workspace Toolbar (alternatively, you could choose "Show
Object Status" from the View menu). Each time you click the light bulb,
"Show Object Status" is toggled on or off.
When "Show Object Status" is on, the ID numbers for all undefined
pipes and junctions are displayed in red on the Workspace. Objects that
are completely defined have their ID numbers displayed in black. (These
colors are configurable through User Options from the Tools menu.)
Because you have not yet defined the pipes and junctions in this model,
all the objects' ID numbers will change to red when you turn on "Show
Object Status."

Showing undefined objects

Another useful feature is the List Undefined Objects window (Figure
2.6). This can be opened from the View menu by clicking on "List
Undefined Objects", or by clicking the List Undefined Objects icon on
the Workspace toolbar. All objects with incomplete information are
listed. Click on an undefined pipe or junction to display the property
20 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
data that is missing. Click the close button on the bottom right to stop
showing this window.

Figure 2.6 The List Undefined Objects window lets you see the
undefined properties for each undefined object

A. Enter data for the Tank

As shown in Figure 2.5f, the J1 junction is a Tank junction.
Ø To define the first tank, open the J1 Tank Properties window (Figure
2.7) by double-clicking on the J1 junction
Note: You can also open an object's Properties window by selecting the
object (clicking on it) and then either pressing the Enter key or clicking
the Open Pipe/Junction Window icon on the Workspace Toolbar.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 21
Ø Enter the following properties into the J1 Tank Properties window:
1. Enter 0 feet for Elevation
2. Set the Tank Model to "Finite"
3. Set 600 psia for Pressure
4. Set the Temperature to 300 deg. F
5. Set the Volume to 300 feet3
6. Set the Initial Conditions to "Known"
7. Set the Thermodynamic Process to "Adiabatic"
Note: You can specify default units for many parameters (such as feet
for length) in the User Options window, accessed from the Tools menu
under Preferred Units.

The highlight feature displays all the required information in the

Properties window in light blue. The highlight feature is on by default.
You can toggle the highlight off and on by double-clicking the top part
of the window or by pressing the F2 key. The highlight feature can also
be turned on or off in the User Options window, or accessed from the
View menu by selecting the "Highlight in Pipe and Jct Windows"
option.
By default, the junction's name is the junction type. The name can be
updated by entering it in the Name field at the top of the window. In
Figure 2.7, the name of Tank J1 is "Supply Tank." The name can be
displayed on the Workspace, Visual Report, or in the Output.
Most junction types can be entered into a custom Junction Library
allowing the junction to be used multiple times or shared between users.
To select a junction from the custom library, choose the desired junction
from the Library List in the junction's Properties window. The current
junction will get the properties from the library component.
22 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.7 Properties window for Tank J1

The "Copy Data From Jct..." list will show all the junctions of the same
type in the model. This will copy desired parameters from an existing
junction in the model to the current junction.

Using the tabs in the Properties windows

The information in the Properties windows is grouped into several
categories and placed on separate tabs. Click the tab to bring its
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 23
information forward. Figure 2.7 is an example of a Tank's Properties
window.
The Tank Model tab is the tab that appears first when the Tank junction
is opened and contains all of the inputs required to define the Tank in
steady-state. While the Tank Model tab is specific to the Tank junction,
the first tab opened for any junction will contain all inputs required for
that junction to be defined.
The Optional tab allows you to enter different types of optional data.
You can select whether the junction number, name, or both are
displayed on the Workspace. Some junction types also allow you to
provide a guess for initial pressure as well as other junction specific
data.
Each junction has a tab for notes, allowing you to enter text describing
the junction or documenting any assumptions.
The Status tab will state whether all required input data is present for a
given junction. If not, it will list all inputs that are incomplete.
Ø Click OK. If "Show Object Status" is turned on, you should see the J1
ID number turn black again, telling you that J1 is now completely
defined.

The Inspection feature

You can check the input parameters for J1 quickly, in read-only fashion,
by using the Inspection feature. Position the cursor on the Tank J1
junction and hold down the right mouse button. An information box
appears, as shown in Figure 2.8.
Inspecting is a faster way of examining the input (and output, if output
results are available) than opening the Properties window.
24 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.8 Inspect junction properties from the Workspace by

clicking and holding the right mouse button

B. Enter Valve data

The J2 Junction is a Valve junction. This junction will be the initiator of
the transient.
Ø Double-click the J2 junction icon to open the Valve Properties window
(Figure 2.9).
1. Verify the Elevation is 0 feet
Note: This value by default will be equal to the last elevation used.

2. Choose the loss model as Cv and enter a Cv value of 60. This

typically represents the valve's Cv during steady-state.
3. Enter an Xt of 0.7
4. Click the Optional tab and click the radio button labeled "Closed"
under Special Condition. This will set the steady state Cv equal to
0.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 25

Figure 2.9 Input data for Valve junction J2

5. Click the Transient tab and select "Time" under "Initiation of

Transient" to indicate that the valve closure will be initiated at the
time you specify, then enter the following Cv vs. Time data (Figure
2.10).
Time (seconds) Cv Xt
0 0 0.7
0.1 60 0.7
240 60 0.7
The first data point of the table must match the steady-state value
of the junction. In this case, the valve is closed in the initial steady-
26 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
state due to the Special Condition specified in Step 4. Therefore,
the initial transient data point automatically populates the valve as
being closed (Cv of zero means the valve is closed). The valve then
fully opens over a period of 0.1 seconds. It remains in this position
for the rest of the simulation.

Figure 2.10 Transient input data for Valve junction J2

6. Click the OK button. There should now be a "T" symbol next to

the Valve junction in the Workspace, indicating that transient data
is entered for the junction. The Valve junction in the Workspace
will additionally have a red "X" next to it indicating that the
junction contains a special condition.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 27

C. Enter Assigned Pressure data

The J3 Junction is an Assigned Pressure junction.
Ø Double-click the J3 junction icon to open the Assigned Pressure
Properties window (Figure 2.11).
1. Verify the Elevation is 0 feet
2. Verify the Stagnation radio button is selected for "Boundary
Specification"
3. Enter a Stagnation Pressure of 14.7 psia
4. Verify the Temperature radio button is selected and enter a value of
70 deg. F
5. Click the OK button. The Assigned Pressure junction should be
fully defined.
28 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.11 Input data for Assigned Pressure junction J3

D. Enter pipe data for P1

Data for pipes and junctions can be entered in any order. In this
example, the junctions were done first. The next step is to define all the
pipes. Double-click the pipe object on the Workspace.
Ø First, open the Pipe Properties window for Pipe P1. The Pipe Model
tab opens by default (Figure 2.12).
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 29
1. In the Pipe Material field, choose "Steel - ANSI"
2. In the Size field, select "2 inch"
3. In the Type field, select "STD (schedule 40)"
4. Specify the Length as 20 feet
5. For the Friction Model field, verify "Standard" is selected

Figure 2.12 Properties window for Pipe P1

The Pipe Properties window

The Pipe Properties window offers control over all important flow
system parameters that are related to pipes.
The Inspect feature can be accessed not only from pipes and junctions
located on the Workspace, but also from within the Properties window
of each pipe (and certain junctions). This is helpful when you want to
quickly check the properties of objects that connect to a pipe or junction
whose Properties window you already have open.
30 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
To inspect a junction connected to a given pipe, position the mouse
cursor on the connected junction's ID number in that pipe's Properties
window (located at the top right of the Pipe Properties window) and
hold down the right mouse button. This process can be repeated for any
junctions that state the upstream and downstream pipe in the junction's
Properties window by holding the right mouse button on the pipe's ID
number.
By double-clicking the connected junction number, you can jump
directly to the junction's Properties window, or you can click the Jump
button to jump to any other part of your model.
Click OK to finish defining P1.

E. Enter pipe data for P2

Similar to Pipe P1, enter the following data for pipe P2:
1. In the Pipe Material field, select "Steel - ANSI"
2. In the Size field, verify "2 inch" is selected
3. In the Type field, verify "STD (schedule 40)" is selected
4. Specify the Length as 1500 feet
5. For the Friction Model field, verify "Standard" is selected
6. Click OK to finish defining P2
Ø Check if all the pipes and junctions are defined by clicking on the
List Undefined Objects button. If all data is entered, no items should
appear in the Undefined Objects window. If items are present, open the
corresponding Properties windows for the incomplete items from the
workspace. The Status tab on each Properties window will indicate what
information is missing.

F. Review model data

Ø Save the model. It is also a good idea to review the input using the
Model Data window.

Reviewing input in the Model Data window

The Model Data window is shown in Figure 2.13. To change to this
window, you can select it from the Window menu, you can click on the
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 31
Model Data tab, or you can press Ctrl+M. The Model Data window
gives you a text based perspective of your model. Selections can be
copied to the clipboard and transferred into other Windows programs,
exported into Excel, saved to a formatted file, printed to an Adobe™
PDF, or printed out for review.
Data is displayed in three general areas. The top is called the General
data section, the middle is the Pipe data section and the bottom is the
Junction data section. Each section is collapsible using the button at the
top left of the section. Further, each section can be resized.
The Model Data window allows access to all Properties windows by
double-clicking on any input parameter column in the row of the pipe or
junction you want to access.

Figure 2.13 The Model Data window displays all input in text form

Step 4. Specify Analysis Setup

Ø Next, click Analysis Setup on the Main Toolbar to open the Analysis
Setup window (see Figure 2.14). The Analysis Setup window contains
32 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
six or more groups depending on which modules you may be using.
Each group has one or more items. A fully defined group has every item
within it defined with all required inputs. Complete every group to run
the Solver. A group or item that needs more information will have a red
exclamation point to the left of the group or item name. After
completing a group, the group icon shows a green circle with a
checkmark. After defining all groups, thus completing the Analysis
Setup, the Model Status light in the lower right corner of the Workspace
turns from red to green.
The Analysis Setup window can also be opened by clicking on the
Model Status Light on the Status Bar at the bottom right corner of the
AFT xStream window (Figure 2.4).

Figure 2.14 The Analysis Setup window tracks the defined and
undefined model input

A. Specify the Modules group

Under the Modules group, click on the Modules item to open the
Modules panel, shown in Figure 2.14. Here you can enable and disable
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 33
the Pulsation Frequency Analysis add-on module. By default, the model
will have all modules disabled. Therefore, make no changes to this panel
for this example.

B. Specify the Fluid Properties group

Ø Select the Fluid item to open the Fluid panel (Figure 2.15).
This panel allows you to specify the fluid used in the model.
You can select a fluid from the standard AFT xStream fluid library
(AFT Standard), or select ASME Steam Tables. Additionally, you can
select multiple fluids and/or create mixtures using the included NIST
REFPROP library or optional add-on Chempak library. Users can also
add their own custom fluids to the AFT Standard library.
Ø Select the AFT Standard fluid option, then choose "Nitrogen (GN2)"
from the list and click the "Add to Model" button.

Figure 2.15 The Fluid panel is where you specify the fluid
34 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

C. Inspect the Pipes and Junctions group

The Pipes and Junctions group in the Analysis Setup window contains
the Pipes and Junctions panel, which is used to show the status of the
pipes and junctions on the workspace. This item is incomplete if there
are any undefined pipes/junctions on the Workspace, or if there are no
pipes/junctions on the Workspace. In this example the objects in the
Workspace are fully defined, so this item is marked as complete.

Running models in steady-state

After fully specifying the pipes and junctions, sufficient information
exists to run the model in steady-state. You can run the model in steady-
state by selecting the Simulation Mode/Duration panel from the
Transient Control group and then choosing "AFT Arrow™ Steady" for
the Time Simulation. If you do this, the other inputs on the Simulation
Mode/Duration panel and the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel will no
longer be required, and the model can be run.
In general, it is a good idea to always run your model in steady-state
before running the full transient analysis to make sure the model is
giving reasonable results. However, in this case the model has no flow
in the steady state, and a steady state run is trivial.

D. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output group

The next panel is the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel in the
corresponding group. The Pipe Sectioning and Output panel divides
pipes into computation sections in a manner which is consistent with the
Method of Characteristics (MOC).
To satisfy the MOC, the following equation must be satisfied:

where Δt is the time step, Δx is the section length, and c is the sonic
velocity.
Ø Enter "1" for the Minimum Number of Sections Per Pipe
The Minimum Number of Sections Per Pipe determines the section
length by taking the quotient of the shortest pipe's length and the
Minimum Number of Sections. Increasing the number of sections in a
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 35
model will always have a positive correlation to the model accuracy as
the error inherent to the Method of Characteristics decreases when the
step size is made smaller. However, the run time of the model increases
quadratically as well, since each added section to the shortest pipe
increases the number of calculations for each time step. This increase in
run time is exacerbated when there is a large disparity between the
minimum pipe length and the length of the longest pipe, such as exists
in this model. The Minimum Number of Sections Per Pipe for this
example will be set to 1 for expediency, but note that it would be wise
to use more computational sections if you are running an AFT xStream
model for real projects.
Ø Define the Estimated Maximum Pipe Temperature During
Transient as 1700 deg. F.
The Estimated Maximum Pipe Temperature During Transient is used to
calculate the maximum sonic velocity. Since all pipes in the network
must be solved together, the time step must be the same for each pipe.
However, the sonic velocity will not be equivalent for all of the pipes.
Therefore, the sonic velocity at the specified maximum temperature is
used to find a uniform time step for the system. Without a uniform time
step, the MOC could fail. Choosing a maximum temperature that is
much higher or much lower than the maximum temperature calculated
during the run can result in additional uncertainty in the MOC solution.
It is generally recommended to choose a conservatively high
temperature for the model initially. The results of the initial run can then
be used to refine the Estimated Maximum Temperature During
Transient for subsequent runs.
The Sectioning Summary underneath the inputs will be partially filled
in. Certain properties, such as total steps and total pipe computations,
need the Simulation Mode/Duration panel completed to be defined.
36 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.16 The Sectioning panel in the Analysis Setup window is

used to calculate the time step of the model

E. Specify the Transient Control group

The Transient Control group has two items, the Simulation
Mode/Duration panel and the Transient Solver Initialization panel. The
Simulation Mode/Duration panel allows you to choose the simulation
type, and to specify the time that the simulation starts and stops.
The Transient Solver Initialization panel contains advanced settings
related to the resolving artificial transients in the model, and typically
should not be changed.
Ø Select the Simulation Mode/Duration panel (Figure 2.17). Enter 0
seconds for Start Time and 240 for Stop Time.
Ø Click OK to accept the current settings. The last Analysis Setup panel
should be completed. The model is ready to be solved.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 37

Figure 2.17 The Simulation Mode/Duration panel is used to

specify the simulation type and the time span for the
transient

Ø Save the model.

Step 5. Run the solver

Ø Choose "Run Model..."from the Analysis menu or click the "Run
Model" button on the Main Toolbar. During execution, the Solution
Progress window displays the state of the simulation (Figure 2.18). You
can use this window to pause or cancel the solver's activity.
Note the run time may take 5-10 minutes for this model, depending on
your computer's speed.
38 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.18 The Solution Progress window displays the state of

the simulation

The two solvers

AFT xStream has two solvers. The first is called the AFT Arrow™
Steady Solver, which as its name suggests, obtains a steady-state
solution to the pipe network. The second solver is called the Transient
Solver and solves the gas transient equations.
The AFT Arrow™ Steady solver and Transient solver use different
sectioning methods, which causes small discrepancies between the
converged AFT Arrow™ Steady solution and the first time step of the
transient solution. To allow artificial waves caused by these
discrepancies to die out, AFT xStream runs the Transient solver for a
period of time before the transient simulation begins. Once the artificial
transients have died out AFT xStream checks the solution with resolved
artificial transients against the AFT Arrow™ Steady solution. If the
mismatch between the beginning and end of the artificial transient
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 39
resolution process is sufficiently small AFT xStream proceeds with the
transient simulation. See the chart in Figure 2.19 as a visual
representation of the process described above.

Figure 2.19 Illustration of the Transient Solver Initialization

process with artificial transient resolution

When the solution is obtained, click the Output button to display the
text-based Output window. The information in the Output window can
be reviewed visually on the screen, saved to a file, exported to a
spreadsheet-ready format, copied to the clipboard, or printed.

The transient output file

When the Transient Solver runs, the transient output data is written to a
file. This file is given the same name as the model itself with a number
appended to the name, and with an ".out" extension appended to the end.
For all transient data processing, graphing, etc., the data is extracted
from this file. The number is appended because AFT xStream allows the
user to build different scenarios all within this model. Each scenario will
have its own output file; therefore, the files need to be distinguishable
from each other.
The output file will remain on disk until the user erases it or the model
input is modified. This means that if you were to close your model right
now and then reopen it, you could proceed directly to the output window
for data review without re-running your model.
40 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Step 6. Review the Output window

Click Output after the solver is finished. The Output window (Figure
2.20) is similar in structure to the Model Data window. Three areas are
shown, and you can minimize or enlarge each section by clicking the
arrow next to the General, Pipes, and All Junctions tabs. The items
displayed in the tabs can be customized with the Output Control window
from the Tools drop-down menu.
The General section will open by default to the Warnings tab if any
Warnings or Cautions were encountered during the simulation. This
model should generate a Caution that the Maximum Transient Pipe
Mach Number is at least 0.2 higher than the steady pipe Mach number,
which occurs since there is no flow in the system at steady state. When
this Caution is present, the effect of pipe sectioning on results can be
significant. The impact of pipe sectioning will be addressed in greater
detail later in Step 10.
The Output window allows you to review both the steady-state and
transient results. The Pipes tab, All Junctions tab, and any specific
junction tabs in the Junction section (such as Branch, Tank, Valve, etc.)
show the steady-state results. A summary of the maximum and
minimum transient results for each pipe is given on the Transient
Max/Min tab in the Pipe section and is the active tab displayed in Figure
2.20.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 41

Figure 2.20 The Output window displays steady and transient

output in text form

Figure 2.21 The Output window displays the values of steady-

state parameters in the pipes tab

You can also review the solutions for each time step (i.e., a time history)
for which data was written to file on the Transient Output tab in the Pipe
section (Figure 2.22). Moving the slider along the bottom will change
the time step shown in the table.
42 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.22 The Output window displays transient data for each
time step in the Transient Output tab

The Event Messages By Time tab in the General section (Figure

2.23) allows you to review changes of states at junctions, such as the
onset of choking or the initiation of transient events. This is important in
gas transients as sonic choking changes the computational method used
by the solver. Therefore, knowing where choked flow occurs can
provide important insights about how the final results were tabulated.

Figure 2.23 The Output window displays event messages about

system behavior in the Event Messages by Time tab

The Output Control window can be accessed from either the Tools menu
or from the Output window Toolbar (Figure 2.24). The Output Control
window allows you to select the specific output parameters you want to
display in the Output window. You also can choose the units. If you do
not change any of the Output Control settings, the default Output
Control parameters are assigned.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 43

Figure 2.24 The Output Control window lets you customize the
output

Units for each column in the Output window can also be changed by
double-clicking the column header. This will open a window in which
you can select the units you prefer (Figure 2.25). These changes are
extended to the Output Control parameter data that is set.
44 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.25 The Change Units window is opened from the Output
window tabs by double-clicking the column header

Step 7. View the Graph Results

For transient analysis, the Graph Results window will usually be more
helpful than the Output window because of the more voluminous data.
Ø Open the Graph Results window by choosing it from the Windows
menu, clicking the Graph Results tab, by clicking "Graph Results" from
the Solution Progress window after running the model, or by pressing
Ctrl+G.
AFT xStream's Graph Guide feature, accessed by clicking on the "What
Would You Like to Do?" button located at the top right of the Graph
Results window, provides assistance by guiding you through the creation
of a "Quick and Simple" graph, or an "Advanced" graph (Figure 2.26).
You can create a graph by following the prompts on the Graph Guide, or
by manually specifying the graphing parameters on the Graph Control
tab on the Quick Access Panel, or from the "Select Graph Parameters"
icon located in the top left corner of the Graph Results Toolbar. For the
remainder of this Quick Start Guide, the Graph Guide will be hidden,
but keep in mind you can use it whenever you would like assistance in
creating a graph.
Figure 2.27 shows the Graph Results window with the Graph Control
tab selected on the Quick Access Panel.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 45

Figure 2.26 The Graph Guide

Figure 2.27 The Graph Results window and Quick Access Panel
Graph Control tab is where various system
parameters (both steady-state and transient) can be
graphed

AFT xStream gives you the ability to create "stacked graphs". These are
graphs that are vertically aligned with each other that use the same x-
axis but with different parameters on the y-axis of each graph. This
feature is helpful when you want to look at how different parameters
46 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
vary with time at a given position without having to create separate
graphs.
In this example, you will create stacked graphs of the Temperature
Static, Velocity, and Mach number at the exit of pipe P2 to see how
these parameters change as the blowdown proceeds.
Ø Access the graphing parameters by opening the Graph Control tab
on the Quick Access Panel (this tab is automatically selected when
the Graph Results window is opened). Because we are interested in
seeing how the pressures and flows in specific pipe sections respond
over time, ensure that the Transient Pipe tab is selected in the
Parameters/Formatting area on the Quick Access Panel. Alternatively,
you can open the Select Graph Parameters window by clicking on the
corresponding icon on the Graph Results Toolbar (Figure 2.27).
Ø Under "Select Pipe Stations" on the Transient Pipe tab, expand the
P2 pipe stations and double-click on Outlet, which is the pipe
computing station at the discharge of the blowdown pipe. Alternatively,
you can click on the right arrow button after selecting the pipe station
you want to graph to add it to the "Graph These Pipes/Stations" list.
Ø Verify "seconds" is selected for the Time Units and "All Times" is
selected for the Time Frame.
Ø In the Parameters definition area, select "Temperature Static" and
under "Units" select "deg. F" in the dropdown box to graph the
static temperature in deg. F at the pipe discharge over time.
Ø In order to add the stacked graphs under the static temperature
graph showing the velocity and Mach number at the outlet of pipe
P2, click the "Add" button twice, which is the green "+" icon next to
"Select Parameter". Two new rows will appear under the Parameter
definition area (Figure 2.28).
Ø Choose "Velocity" in the first new parameter row and select units of
"feet/s". Choose "Mach Number" for the second row.
Figure 2.28 shows the input in the Parameters/Formatting area on the
Quick Access Panel.
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 47

Figure 2.28 The Graph Control tab on the Quick Access Panel
allows you to specify the graph parameters you want
to graph in the Parameters/Formatting area

Ø Click Generate at the bottom of the Quick Access Panel to create the
static temperature, velocity, and Mach number graphs at the pipe
discharge over the duration of the simulation.
Ø To format the legend font size, right-click on each legend and use
the scroll bar to decrease the font size to 14 for all three graphs. Drag
the legend to the bottom right corner of the graph
Ø To format each axis font size, right-click on each axis title and use
the scroll bar to decrease the size until the font size on each axis
appears as you want it.
Figure 2.29 shows the stacked graphs detailing the static temperature,
velocity, and the Mach number at Pipe P2 outlet over the course of 240
seconds. Here you can see that the maximum temperature at the
discharge is about 1400 deg. F. Also note that the maximum temperature
in Figure 2.29 does not approach the value indicated in the Transient
Max/Min tab. This is because the Transient Pipe graph shows only the
outlet station (station 75), while the maximum temperature in pipe 2 is
reached at station 65.
48 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Note: The axis titles in the stacked graphs in Figure 2.29 have been
modified for clarity.

Figure 2.29 The Graph Results window offers full-featured plot

generation. The static temperature, velocity, and Mach
number of Pipe P2 outlet are shown.

Further review
Further review of the graph results in Figure 2.29 shows that sonic
choking occurs after several seconds and continues for the next 115
seconds. Also note that the temperature, velocity and Mach number all
rise sharply shortly after the valve opens, with the Mach number rapidly
reaching one. After the initial rise, the temperature and velocity both
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 49
decay while the Mach number remains at one. The velocity drops
because sonic velocity has a positive correlation with temperature, so as
the temperature decays, the velocity required for choked flow also
decreases. This relationship is important to understand when looking at
systems that encounter choking.
For the purpose of this analysis, it is also helpful to look at the
temperature and pressure of the tank over time.
Ø Create a new graph tab by clicking the "New Tab" button which is the
green plus icon located on the bottom right, immediately below the
graph area (Figure 2.27).
Ø Open the "Transient Jct" tab on the Graph Control tab of the Quick
Access Panel (Figure 2.30). Add the J1 (Supply Tank) Junction.
Ø Verify "seconds" is selected in the Time Units section and "All
Times" is selected in the Time Frame section to graph the Tank
Temperature and Pressure Stagnation over the entire simulation
duration.
Ø Click the "Add" button to add a new row under the Parameter
definition area.
Ø Select "Tank Temperature Stagnation" and specify the units as deg.
F. For the second row, select "Tank Pressure Stagnation" and specify the
units as psia.
Ø Click Generate at the bottom of the Quick Access Panel to display the
graph. These graphs show the tank pressure and temperature initially
decrease quickly, then decrease more slowly as time progresses. This
change in slope is due to a decreasing pressure gradient between the
tank and the atmosphere as the tank is emptied, which slows the mass
flow rate out of the tank (Figure 2.31).
Note: AFT xStream assumes all pipes are adiabatic (perfectly insulated).
Over a 240 second run time this assumption may not be accurate.
Consider this when evaluating simulation results over longer times.
50 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.30 Graph Parameters window for the Transient Junction

graph
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 51

Figure 2.31 The Transient Junction graph shows how variables

within a junction change over time. The temperature
and pressure of Tank J1 over time are plotted.

Step 8. View the Visual Report

The Visual Report allows you to show text output alongside the model
schematic. This is useful to quickly show pertinent information in
relation to location in the model. The Visual Report can also animate the
transient pipe results in a color animation overlaid on the model.
Ø Change to the Visual Report window by choosing it from the Window
menu, clicking the Visual Report tab or by pressing Ctrl+I. The Visual
Report window allows you to integrate your text results with the graphic
layout of your pipe network. The Visual Report Control window should
open automatically when accessing the Visual Report window for the
first time. The Visual Report Control window can also be opened from
the Visual Report Toolbar or the Tools menu. Note that the parameters
52 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
present in Visual Report Control are determined by the parameters
selected in Output Control.
Ø Select "Max Temperature Static" and "Min Temperature Static" in
the Pipe Transient Output area of the Visual Report Window as shown
in Figure 2.32. Click the Show button. This will generate the Visual
Report window graphic seen in Figure 2.33.

Figure 2.32 The Visual Report Control window selects content for
the Visual Report window

It is common for the text in the Visual Report window to overlap when
first generated. You can change this by dragging the text to a new area
to increase clarity. You can also use the Visual Report Control window
to display units in a legend to increase the clarity of the display. These
adjustments have been made in Figure 2.33. This window can be printed
 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 53
or copied to the clipboard for import into other Windows graphics
programs, saved to a file, or printed to an Adobe PDF file.

Figure 2.33 The Visual Report integrates results with model layout

Step 9. Examine the effect of sectioning

In AFT xStream, sectioning plays an important role in model accuracy.
Due to how the MOC operates, accuracy increases with the number of
sections you have in the model. To illustrate this, the model was re-run
with a Minimum Number of Sections Per Pipe of 6. Comparing Figure
2.31 to Figure 2.36, values such as the tank temperature and pressure for
Tank J1 remain similar with the increase in the number of sections.
However, values such as the maximum temperature reached in Pipe 2
(Figure 2.20 and Figure 2.34), changed substantially. This value
increased from 1613 deg. F to 2097 deg. F. This change in the
maximum temperature indicates that the difference in sectioning has
significant implications if your interest is in the conditions in the
blowdown pipe. It should be noted that changing the Minimum Number
of Sections Per Pipe from one to six caused the computation time of the
model to increase from 5-6 minutes to 3.5 hours. Therefore, it is of
54 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
critical importance to balance accuracy and computation time when
using AFT xStream.

Figure 2.34 Transient Min/Max window for modified sectioning

 Chapter 2 Tank Blowdown Example 55

Figure 2.35 Temperature, velocity, and Mach number for the

discharge of Pipe P2 with 6 sections minimum per
pipe
56 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 2.36 Temperature and pressure stagnation for Tank J1 with

6 sections minimum per pipe

Conclusion
You have now used AFT xStream's five Primary Windows to build and
analyze a simple gas transient model.
CHAPTER 3

Gas Turbine Fuel System Example

This example looks at an instantaneous valve closure in front of the

combustion baskets in a natural gas fuel system. The objective is to
determine the maximum fluid temperature reached during the transient.

Topics covered

This example will cover the following topics:

l Modeling a valve closure as a transient event
l Modeling a heat exchanger
l Using the Scenario Manager in AFT xStream
l Indicating the importance of the Estimated Maximum Temperature
During Transient
l Creating animated profile graphs

Required knowledge

This example assumes that the user has some familiarity with AFT
xStream such as placing junctions, connecting pipes, entering pipe and
junction properties, and entering transient data. Refer to the Tank
Blowdown Example in Chapter 2 for more information on these topics.
58 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Model file

The file listed below contains a completed version of this example and
can be located in the Examples folder as part of the AFT xStream
installation. This file can also be downloaded from the AFT xStream
help site from the Gas Turbine Fuel Example page:
l US - Gas Turbine Fuel System.xtr

Problem statement

The objective of this example is to evaluate the maximum temperature

that the natural gas in a turbine fuel system will reach if one of three
control valves were to instantaneously shut. The natural gas is preheated
by a heat exchanger before passing through the three control valves,
with each feeding a separate combustion basket.
As the design engineer, you are also responsible for evaluating the
sensitivity of the results to the Minimum Number of Sections Per Pipe
parameter.

Step 1. Start AFT xStream

Open AFT xStream. Click "Start Building Model".

Step 2. Build the model

A. Place the pipes and junctions
The first step is to define the pipes and junctions. In the Workspace
window, assemble the model as shown in Figure 3.1.
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 59

Figure 3.1 Layout of gas turbine fuel system

B. Enter the pipe and junction data

The system is in place but now the input data for the pipes and junctions
needs to be entered. Enter the following data in each Pipe and Junction
Properties window.
All Pipes are Stainless Steel - ANSI, Schedule 10S, and have standard
roughness. The rest of the pipe information is as follows:
60 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Pipe # Size (inches) Length (feet)

1 8 75
2 8 25
3 8 5
4 5 5
5 5 5
6 8 5
7 5 5
8 5 5
9 8 5
10 5 5
11 5 5
Because several of the pipes are the same, you can use the Global Pipe
Editing tool to speed up the process of entering the data. The Global
Pipe Editing tool allows you to apply changes to multiple pipes at the
same time. Select Global Pipe Edit either from the Edit Menu, or by
selecting the "Global Edit" dropdown on the toolbar and selecting the
"Global Pipe Edit" option. This will open the Global Pipe Edit window.
Select pipes P4, P5, P7, P8, P10, and P11 from the list of pipes as
shown in Figure 3.2.
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 61

Figure 3.2 Global Pipe Edit window

After selecting the pipes, click the "Select Pipe Data" button. This will
open a template Pipe Properties window for entering the data to be
applied to all of the selected pipes. Fill out the data for the selected
pipes. When you have entered all of the data for the pipes, close the
Pipe Properties window by selecting OK. The Global Pipe Edit window
will now display a list of all of the parameters that may be applied to the
selected pipes. The parameters are categorized as they are displayed on
the tabs in the Pipe Properties window. For this example, you want all
of the parameters for all of the selected pipes to be updated to the
specified values. This can be accomplished by selecting the "All" button
above the list of parameters. The Global Pipe Edit window should now
appear as shown in Figure 3.3.
62 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 3.3 Global Pipe Edit window with all pipe parameters
selected for updating

Apply the changes to the selected pipes by clicking the "Apply

Selections" button. AFT xStream will notify you that the changes have
been completed. Select OK. At this point, all of the changes have been
applied but not saved. If you wish to cancel all of the changes you just
implemented, you may do so by clicking Cancel on the Global Pipe Edit
window. Save the applied changes by clicking OK.
Notes: The "Guide >>" button in the Global Edit windows may be used
as a reminder of the required steps for the global edit process if needed.
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 63
J1 - Assigned Flow
1. Name = PD Compressor
2. Elevation = 0 feet
3. Mass Flow Rate = 90000 lbm/hr
4. Temperature = 70 deg. F

J2 - Heat Exchanger
In the Loss Model tab enter the following:
1. Name = Natural Gas Heater
2. Elevation = 0 feet
3. K = 6.6
In the Thermal Data tab enter the following:
Steady Heat Rate = 3535200 Btu/hr

J3 - Valve
1. Elevation = 0 feet
2. Cv = 10000
3. Xt = 0.3

J4 and J7 - Tee
Elevation = 0 feet

J5 - Valve
1. Name = Diffusion Gas FCV
2. Elevation = 0 feet
3. Cv = 95
4. Xt = 0.7

J6, J9 and J12 - Assigned Pressure

Because all of the Assigned Pressures have similar input data, the
Global Junction Edit tool could be used to input the data for all of the
64 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
junctions at the same time. The Global Junction Edit tool works in much
the same way as the Global Pipe Edit tool.
Another tool that can be used to speed up data entry for items with the
same input data is the Copy Data From Junction tool. Enter the data for
Assigned Pressure junction J6, as listed below, by double clicking the
junction icon on the Workspace.
1. J6 Name = Combustion Basket #1
2. Elevation = 0 feet
3. Stagnation Pressure = 15.5 atm
4. Temperature = 140 deg. F
Click OK to close the junction J6 Properties window. Open the junction
J9 Properties window. Near the top of the Properties window is a drop-
down box labeled "Copy Data From Jct". This box lists all of the
Assigned Pressure junctions on the Workspace. Select junction J6 from
the list. This will open the Copy Data From Junction window, which
shows a list of all of the parameters for junction J6, and their values. By
checking the box beside a parameter, the current junction will copy the
parameter value from J6. In this case, you want all of the parameters for
J9 to be the same as J6 except for the name. Select the All button at the
top of the list to select all of the parameters, then uncheck the name
parameter, as shown in Figure 3.4.
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 65

Figure 3.4 The Copy Data From Junction window

After clicking the OK button in the Copy Data From Junction window,
all of the junction J9 parameters are updated to the selected J6 parameter
values. Set the name of junction J9 to "Combustion Basket #2" and click
OK. Repeat this process for J12, giving junction J12 the name
"Combustion Basket #3".

J8 - Valve
1. Name = Premix Gas FCV #1
2. Elevation = 0 feet
66 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
3. Cv = 195
4. Xt = 0.7

J10 - Branch
Elevation = 0 feet

J11 - Valve
1. Name = Premix Gas FCV #2
2. Elevation = 0 feet
3. Cv = 195
4. Xt = 0.7
5. On the Transient tab, enter the following data:

Time (seconds) Cv Xt
0 195 0.7
0.01 0 0.7
2 0 0.7

C. Check if the pipe and junction data is complete

Ø Open the List Undefined Objects window from the View Menu or the
Workspace Toolbar to verify if all pipes and junctions are specified. If
not, the incomplete pipes or junctions will be listed. If undefined objects
are present, go back to the incomplete pipes or junctions and enter the
missing data.

Step 3. Specify Analysis Setup

A. Specify the Fluid panel
Ø Open the Analysis Setup window by clicking Analysis Setup on the
Main Toolbar. Under the "AFT Standard" fluid option, select "Methane"
from the list and click the "Add to Model" button. Click OK.
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 67

Note: Methane is used to model natural gas in order to minimize the run
time. If you need to model a real natural gas mixture, then instead of
using the AFT Standard fluid library, it would be better to use the NIST
REFPROP library or the optional Chempak add-on.

B. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel

Ø Open the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel. Set the Minimum
Number of Sections Per Pipe to 8 sections and the Estimated Maximum
Pipe Temperature During Transient to 140 deg. F.
Note: If following along in the completed model file, the Estimated
Maximum Pipe Temperature During Transient will have a different
value. This will be discussed in Steps 8 and 9.

C. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel

Ø Open the Simulation Mode/Duration panel from the Transient
Control group. Enter the Stop Time as 2 seconds. Verify the Time
Simulation is set to Transient. Click the OK button.

Step 4. Create scenarios to model different sectioning setups

A. Create scenarios
In this model, the following three types of Sectioning cases for the
system are to be evaluated:
1. 8 Sections Minimum per Pipe
2. 4 Sections Minimum per Pipe
3. 2 Sections Minimum per Pipe
To evaluate the three cases, we will utilize the Scenario Manager to
create three scenarios for the three cases.
The Scenario Manager is a powerful tool for managing variations of a
model, referred to as scenarios. The Scenario Manager allows you to:
l Create, name, and organize scenarios
l Select the scenario to appear in the Workspace (the current scenario)
l Delete, copy, and rename scenarios
68 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
l Duplicate scenarios and save them as separate models
l Review the source of a scenario's properties
l Pass changes from a scenario to its children
You will create three scenarios to model these cases. Scenarios are
created using the Scenario Manager from the Tools menu or the
Scenario Manager on the Quick Access Panel. The Quick Access Panel,
located on the right side of the Workspace area, contains the Scenario
Manager on the Scenario tab. A scenario tree displays all model
scenarios.
Ø Click the "Create Child" button on the Scenario Manager on the
Quick Access Panel. Name the child "8 Sections Minimum Per Pipe". A
new scenario will appear below the Base Scenario in the scenario tree.
Select the Base Scenario, create another child, and call it "4 Sections
Minimum Per Pipe". Finally, select the Base Scenario again and create a
third child called "2 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" (see Figure 3.5). Note
that the new child scenario is loaded when it is created using the
Scenario Manager on the Quick Access Panel.
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 69

Figure 3.5 The Scenario Manager on the Quick Access Panel

displays the scenario tree which allows you to create
scenarios and keep them organized within the same
model file

B. Set up scenarios
Child scenarios "inherit" data from their ancestor scenarios. As long as
the data has not been modified in a child scenario, data parameters in the
child scenario will have the same value as their parent. Since the Base
Scenario already has been setup with 8 Minimum Sections Per Pipe, the
"8 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" child does not need to be modified.

4 Sections Minimum Per Pipe

Double-click the "4 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" scenario in the
scenario tree of the Scenario Manager on the Quick Access Panel. This
70 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
will load the "4 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" scenario onto the
Workspace as the current scenario. The currently loaded scenario is
indicated in the scenario tree with a green circle with a checkmark
(Figure 3.5).
Ø Open the Analysis Setup window from the Main Toolbar. Click on the
Pipe Sectioning and Output panel and change the Minimum Number of
Sections Per Pipe to 4 then click OK. The required input for this
scenario is now complete.

2 Sections Minimum Per Pipe

Double-click the "2 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" scenario from the
scenario tree in the Scenario Manager on the Quick Access Panel. This
will load the "2 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" scenario onto the
Workspace as the current scenario. This step can also be accomplished
by opening the Scenario Manager from the Tools menu, selecting the "2
Sections Minimum Per Pipe" scenario and clicking the "Load As
Current Scenario" button.
Ø Open the Analysis Setup window from the Main Toolbar. Open the
Pipe Sectioning and Output panel and change the Minimum Number of
Sections Per Pipe to 2 then click OK. The required input for this
scenario is now complete.

Step 5. Run the first scenario

Ø Double-click the "2 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" scenario in the
Scenario Manager. Select "Run Model" on the toolbar. AFT xStream
will prompt you to save, then will open the Solution Progress window.
This model is estimated to run in approximately one minute, but the run
time is dependent on the speed of your computer.

Step 6. Review the results

Ø Click the Output button. This will take you to the Output window,
which will display any warnings if they exist. There should be a warning
indicating that the maximum transient pipe temperature was higher than
the estimate as well as a caution that the maximum transient pipe mach
number was significantly lower than the estimate (see Figure 3.6). The
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 71
Estimated Maximum Pipe Temperature During Transient is critical to
the calculation of transient conditions due to its necessity in the Method
of Characteristics.
The Estimated Maximum Pipe Temperature During Transient is used to
calculate the sonic velocity of the fluid, which is then used to create the
upper boundary of the characteristic grid. If the maximum temperature
during the transient exceeds the specified Estimated Maximum Pipe
Temperature During Transient and the flow is sonic, the Method of
Characteristics may have to extrapolate data, which can lead to
instability and will stop the transient solver. In this model, sonic velocity
was not reached when the temperature was higher than the estimated
maximum. However, to ensure that this model can handle sonic flow,
we will re-run the model with a higher Estimated Maximum Pipe
Temperature During Transient.
The Maximum Transient Pipe Mach Number error indicates that error
could be introduced through having a Mach Number substantially lower
than the Maximum Transient Pipe Mach Number used for the
calculation (in this case, the xStream default value of one). This caution
will be ignored in this example for simplicity.

Figure 3.6 The maximum transient pipe temperature exceeds

estimated maximum temperature warning indicates
that the model is at risk of instability if changes are
made

Step 7. Adjust the Pipe Sectioning panel

Ø Double-click "Base Scenario" in the Scenario Manager. Open the
Analysis Setup window from the Main Toolbar and select the Pipe
Sectioning and Output panel. Change the Estimated Maximum Pipe
Temperature During Transient to 180 deg. F. Click OK.
72 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Note: It is essential that this change is made in the Base Scenario so all
scenarios are updated.

Step 8. Re-run the model and review results

Ø Double-click the "8 Sections Minimum Per Pipe" scenario. Select
"Run Model" from the Analysis menu, then proceed to the Output
window. There should be a caution indicating that the maximum
transient pipe mach number was significantly lower than the estimate.
Disregard this error as discussed previously. Select the Transient
Max/Min tab (Figure 3.7). Here we can see that the maximum
temperature in the inlet lines (P5, P8, & P11) to the combustion baskets
is 163.6 deg. F and occurs in the inlet line to combustion basket 1.

Figure 3.7 Transient Max/Min tab in the Output window

Step 9. Graph the results

Go to the Graph Results window by clicking on the Graph Results tab or
pressing Ctrl+G on the keyboard.
Create a graph that shows the temperature over time at the entrance to
Combustion Basket #1 using the following steps:
1. From the Graph Control tab on the Quick Access Panel, select the
Transient Pipe tab
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 73
2. Select Pipe P5 and add the outlet station
3. Verify that the time units are set to seconds
4. In the Parameters definition area, select "Temperature Static" and
specify "deg. F" in the dropdown box under "Units"
5. Click the Generate button
The results (see Figure 3.8) show a maximum temperature of 162.9 deg.
F at the entrance to combustion basket #1. Note this temperature is
lower than the temperature shown on the Transient Max/min tab because
this graph is showing the outlet of pipe P5,while the maximum
temperature in pipe P5 occurs at the inlet of the pipe. The maximum
temperature for the outlet of P5 occurs at about 0.6 seconds before
returning to the previous steady state temperature of 140 deg. F after the
flow has normalized.

Figure 3.8 Inlet to combustion basket #1 Temperature Static vs

Time
74 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
To easily recreate this graph in the other scenarios or in the future, it can
be added into the Graph List Manager on the Quick Access Panel. After
generating the graph, click the "Add Graph to List" icon on the Graph
Results Toolbar (or simply right-click the graph itself and choose "Add
Graph to List"). Give the graph a name, such as "Combustion Basket #1
Temperature vs Time", then click OK. The graph will be added to the
currently selected folder in the Graph List Manager. Note that graphs
added to the Graph List Manager are not permanently saved until the
model is saved again. Also be aware that only the graph templates are
saved as opposed to the graph data.

Step 10. Animate the results

AFT xStream can animate output along pipeline paths in your model in
the Graph Results window. This feature can help you understand how
your system will respond when a transient event occurs. You can also
animate multiple graphs at the same time.
Here, you will animate the temperature static, pressure static, and
velocity along the flow path between the positive displacement
compressor and Combustion Basket #1 in order to gain an understanding
of how these hydraulic parameters respond as the control valve closes.
To animate these parameters:
1. Create a new graph tab by clicking the "New Tab" button
2. Select the Profile tab under the Graph Control tab in the Quick
Access Panel. Alternatively, you can access the Select Graph
Parameters window by clicking on the "Select Graph Parameters"
icon located at the top left of the Graph Results window.
3. Select pipes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
4. Add two additional parameters in the Parameters definition area.
Specify the three parameters as "Temperature Static", "Pressure
Static", and "Velocity"
5. Verify the Length Units are feet
6. Next to Animate Using, select "Output", and verify "seconds" is
selected next to Animation Time Units (see the following
paragraph for an explanation about this option)
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 75
7. Verify the temperature units are "deg. F", the pressure units are
"psia", and velocity units are "feet/sec"
8. Check the Mx and Mn boxes next to the graph parameters to plot
the maximum and minimum values on the graph (see Figure 3.9)
To use the "Animate Using: Output" option for animation, which is done
here, all pipe stations need to be saved in the Pipe Sectioning and
Output panel (this was already verified in Step 5. If All is not selected,
"Output" will be grayed out).

Figure 3.9 Graph Parameters for combustion basket #1 profile

Click the Generate button. Additional animation control features appear

on the Graph Results window (Figure 3.10). Press the Play button and
watch the temperature, pressure, and velocity responses move between
the maximum and minimum values. This animation can also be recorded
to a file. Click the "Add Graph to List" icon and give it a name, such as
"Combustion Basket #1 Profile".
76 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Note: Figure 3.10 has had the axes titles and scales modified to increase
clarity.

Figure 3.10 Flow to combustion basket #1 profile animation

To view the animated profile

follow this link: https://bit.ly/3NbaokZ
 Chapter 3 Gas Turbine Fuel System Example 77

Step 11. Run the other scenarios and graph the results
Using the Scenario Manager, load the other two scenarios and run them.
Create the same graphs you created for Steps 11 and 12 for each of the
scenarios by double-clicking on the graph names in the Graph List
Manager. This will reveal that the general behavior of the graph is the
same for all 3 scenarios, but that the maximum temperature rises as the
section count is increased.

Conclusion
The overall maximum temperature can be found in the General section
of the Output window of each scenario. The difference between the
three sectioning counts is summarized in Table 3.1. For these cases the
maximum temperatures differ by 4.7 degrees.

Table 3.1 Summary of the maximum Static Temperature for the three
sectioning counts
Scenario Max Transient Temperature (deg. F)
8 Sections 173.2
4 Sections 170.2
2 Sections 168.5
While this example was focused on temperature, it also showed that
values such as pressure and velocity can be tracked by AFT xStream.
Additionally, this example identifies the Estimated Maximum
Temperature During Transient as a critical variable in the tabulation of
the transient results. This value sets the boundary for the characteristic
grid the Method of Characteristics uses. If sonic choking occurs at a
temperature higher than the estimated maximum, the model may not
converge. As such, this value should be conservatively high on early
runs of a model and then refined once the temperature that the transient
approaches is known.
78 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
CHAPTER 4

High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property

Models Example

This example evaluates two turbines in a high pressure steam system

that are simultaneously valved off as a bypass line valve is opened. The
focus will be the transient behavior in the bypass line in response to
simultaneous transient events. Whether or not condensation occurs will
also be evaluated through the use of different Fluid Property Models.

Topics covered
l Using the isometric grid to create a model
l Creating systems with multiple transients
l Evaluating the selection of a fluid property model

Required knowledge

This example assumes that the user has some familiarity with
AFT xStream such as placing junctions, connecting pipes, entering pipe
and junction properties, and entering transient data. Refer to the Tank
Blowdown Example in Chapter 2 for more information on these topics.

Model file

The file listed below contains a completed version of this example and
can be located in the Examples folder as part of the AFT xStream
80 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
installation. This file can also be downloaded from the AFT xStream
help site from the High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models
Example page:
l US - High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models.xtr

Problem statement

In this problem, the inlet valves to two steam turbines in a high pressure
steam system are closed simultaneously while the bypass line is valved
open. Evaluate the maximum pressure at the turbine inlet. Additionally,
quantify the mass flow rate through the bypass valve throughout the
transient. Lastly, perform an analysis on whether two-phase flow occurs
in the bypass line by conducting a sensitivity analysis on the fluid
property model utilized.

Step 1. Start AFT xStream

Open AFT xStream. Click "Start Building Model".

Step 2. Build the model

A. Place the pipes and junctions
The next step is to define the pipes and junctions.

Isometric Drawing Mode

The previous example models were drawn using the default Pipe
Drawing Mode, 2D Freeform. AFT xStream has two additional available
drawing modes, 2D Orthogonal and Isometric. In this model, the
isometric mode is used to visually interpret pipe layout and provide a
better understanding of the system when analyzing calculated forces.

1. From the Arrange menu, select the option to Show Grid

2. Open the Arrange menu again, go to Pipe Drawing Mode, and
select Isometric
3. Place the junctions as shown in Figure 4.1
Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 81
4. Click the Pipe Drawing Tool and draw the pipes in the model as
shown. When drawing segmented pipes such as P5, a red dashed
preview line will show how the pipe will be drawn on the isometric
grid. As you are drawing a pipe, you can change the preview line
by clicking any arrow key on your keyboard or scrolling the scroll
wheel on your mouse.
5. Use the Rotate Icons buttons on the Workspace Toolbar, or right-
click on the junction and select the Auto-rotate option to
automatically align the junction with the connected pipes.
Alternatively, Customize Icon can be selected from the right-click
menu to manually choose an icon/orientation.
6. The grid can be shown or turned off in the Arrange menu, as
shown in Figure 4.2
Note: You can hold the "Alt" key while adjusting a pipe by the endpoint
to add an additional segment. This can be used with the arrow key or
mouse scroll wheel to change between different preview line options.

Figure 4.1 The isometric layout with the grid shown

82 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 4.2 The isometric layout with the grid turned off

B. Enter the pipe and junction data

The system is in place but now the input data for the pipes and junctions
needs to be entered. Double-click each pipe or junction and enter the
following data in the Pipe or Junction Properties window.
All pipe materials are User Specified in this model (see Figure 4.3). Use
the Absolute Roughness of Steel (0.0018 in) as the Friction Model,
along with the following data:
Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 83

Pipe # Inner Diameter (inches) Length (feet)

1 13.25 100
2 12 60
3 12 45
4 12 15
5 12 15
6 6 6
7 4 6
8 6 10
9 6 5
10 6 20
11 19.25 20
12 19.25 5

Figure 4.3 User Specified Pipe Properties window

84 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
J1 - Assigned Pressure
1. Name = High Pressure Steam Inlet
2. Elevation = 0 feet
3. Static Pressure = 2425 psia
4. Static Temperature = 1060 deg. F

J2 - Area Change
1. Elevation = 0 feet
2. Type = "Conical Transition"
3. Angle (µ) = 45 Degrees

J3, J4, and J7 - Branch

Elevation = 0 feet

J5 and J6 - Assigned Flow

1. J5 Name = Turbine 1
2. J6 Name = Turbine 2
3. Elevation = 0 feet
4. Mass Flow Rate = 504000 lbm/hr
5. Static Temperature =1060 deg. F
6. On the Transient tab of both J5 and J6, enter the following data:
Static
Time Mass Flow
Temperature
(seconds) (lbm/hr)
(deg. F)
0 504000 1060
0.25 0 1060
5 0 1060

J8 - Dead End
Elevation = 0 feet
Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 85
J9 - Bend
Elevation = 0 feet
Type = Standard Elbow (knee, threaded)

J10 and J12 - Bend

Elevation = 5 feet
Type = Standard Elbow (knee, threaded)

J11 - Valve
1. Elevation = 5 feet
2. Cv = 3000
3. Xt = 0.7
4. On the Optional tab, under Special Condition, select the radio
button for Closed.
5. On the Transient tab, enter the following data
Time (seconds) Cv Xt
0 0 0.7
2 3000 0.7
5 3000 0.7

J13 - Assigned Pressure

1. Name = Steam Bypass Outlet
2. Elevation = 0 feet
3. Static Pressure = 435 psia
4. Static Temperature = 660 deg. F

C. Check if the pipes and junctions are specified

Ø Click the List Undefined Objects button to see if the model is fully
defined. If it is not, the undefined pipes and junctions window will show
a list of incomplete items. If undefined objects are present, go back to
the incomplete pipes or junctions and enter the missing data.
86 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Step 3. Specify Analysis Setup

A. Specify Fluid panel
Ø Open the Analysis Setup window from the Main Toolbar and open
the Fluid panel. Under the "AFT Standard" fluid option, choose "Steam"
from the list and click the "Add to Model" button. Click OK.

B. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel

Ø Open the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel. Specify the Minimum
Number of Sections Per Pipe as 1 and the Estimated Maximum Pipe
Temperature During Transient to 1100 deg. F.

C. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel

Ø Open the Simulation Mode/Duration panel from the Transient
Control group from the Analysis Setup window. Enter the Stop Time
as 5 seconds. Click the OK button.

Step 4. Run the model

Ø Select "Run Model" from the Main Toolbar. The model has an
estimated run time of 5 minutes, but the run time is dependent on the
speed of your PC.

Step 5. Graph the results

Ø Go to the Graph Results window. The first graph we make will show
the Static Pressure at the entrance to the steam turbines.
1. From the Graph Control tab on the Quick Access Panel, select the
Transient Pipe tab
2. Select the pipe P5 outlet station
3. Ensure that time units are set to seconds
4. In the Parameters definition area, select "Pressure Static" and
Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 87
specify "psia" in the dropdown box under Units
5. Click Generate
This will generate the graph shown in Figure 4.4. The pressure variation
is difficult to see using the default y-axis scale so we will adjust the
scale using the following steps:
1. Right-click the y-axis
2. Uncheck the Auto Scale box
3. Set the Minimum to 2200 psia, the Maximum to 2600 psia, and
Major Val to 100 (see Figure 4.5)
The graph should now match Figure 4.6. When the model contains
multiple transient events, transient pipe graphs allow the user to see the
cumulative impact of the events on system pressure. Note that the first
peak contains an oscillation, which is attributable to the opening of the
bypass valve.
88 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 4.4 Static pressure at steam turbine 2 entrance

Figure 4.5 Axis Modification Window opened by right-clicking

the y-axis
Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 89

Figure 4.6 Static pressure at steam turbine 2 entrance with

modified y-axis

We also will animate the profile of the bypass line temperature and
pressure in order to determine whether condensation occurs.
1. Click the "New Tab" button to create a new graph.
2. From the Graph Control tab on the Quick Access Panel, select the
Profile tab
3. Select pipes 6, 8, 9, and 10
4. Verify the Length unit is set to feet
5. Next to Animate Using, verify "Output" is selected, and verify
"seconds" are the selected Animation Time Units
90 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
6. Add a second parameter in the parameters definition area, then
specify one parameter to be "Pressure Static" and the other to be
"Temperature Static"
7. Change the Pressure Static units to "psig" and the Temperature
Static units to "deg. F"
8. Click the Generate button
9. Click the Play button to review the graph
Note: If you wish to adjust the speed of the transient in the profile, you
can use the Speed Slider in the upper right-hand corner of the Graph
Results window to speed up or slow down the animation.

Figure 4.7 is useful to determine whether or not condensation occurs in

the system, as well as understanding the cause of condensation.
Condensation can occur by a rise in pressure, a decrease in temperature,
or a combination of both. Saturation line data was added for AFT
Standard fluids in AFT xStream 2. In this model the temperatures stay
well above the saturation line at all times, showing that the steam is not
close to condensing.
It should be noted that the saturation data is limited to predicting the
presence of saturation conditions as opposed to modeling the behavior
of the multi-phase mixture.
Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 91

Figure 4.7 Bypass line animation profile

To view the animated profile, follow this link:

https://bit.ly/38Xiz5F

Lastly, we shall create a graph to show the mass flow rate and the
pressure drop through the bypass valve to gain insight into how the flow
develops in the bypass line.
1. Click the "New Tab"button to add a new graph tab
2. From the Graph Control tab on the Quick Access Panel, select the
Transient Jct tab
3. In the Select Junctions section, select J11 and click the ">" arrow
4. Add a second parameter in the Select Parameters section. Specify
the parameters as "Mass Flow Rate Inlet" and "Pressure Drop
Stagnation Total".
92 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
5. Set the units for Mass Flow Rate Inlet to "lbm/hr" and Pressure
Drop Stagnation Total to "psid"
6. Click Generate
As shown in Figure 4.8, the flow rate increases and the pressure drop
decreases as the valve opens over time. While the observed trends for
mass flow rate and pressure drop are typical for a valve that is opening,
it is still worthwhile to make Transient Jct graphs when multiple
transient events occur in order to fully understand the interactions
between them.
Note: Figure 4.8 has modified axes titles and its legend removed for
clarity.

Figure 4.8 Bypass valve mass flow rate and pressure drop
transient
 Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 93

Step 6. Evaluate the effects of changing fluid property models

A. Review the results of other libraries
In addition to the AFT Standard fluid library, the model built in this
example was run using the Chempak, NIST REFPROP, and ASME
Steam libraries. Similar results to the AFT Standard Fluid run were
obtained for both the bypass valve and the turbine pressure vs time
graph, so these results are not shown below. Nevertheless, it is sensible
to run your system using different fluid property models as they have
been known to impact results. The temperature profile for the bypass
line showed more significant differences, as is shown below comparing
the results using NIST REFPROP to the AFT Standard fluid library.
ASME Steam and Chempak gave nearly identical results to NIST, and
therefore are not shown.
Note that the minimum temperature reached at J11 is 56 degrees
Fahrenheit higher in the AFT Standard fluid library run compared to the
NIST REFPROP run.
Note: The axes of the below graphs were modified for clarity.
94 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 4.9 Bypass line profile obtained using NIST REFPROP

B. Advice for preliminary runs

Obtaining final results from AFT xStream will require multiple
iterations. To effectively work through those iterations, we recommend
the iterative process begins with the following steps:

Step 1: Run the steady-state model

It is recommended that the first runs are completed using a simplified
version of your model in the AFT Arrow™ Steady-State Solver with
each fluid property model before considering transient conditions. This
will allow for larger issues in the model to be caught before having to
commit to Transient runs, which are more time consuming. This also
can inform the types of variables that need to be considered during
refined runs (i.e. if the AFT Arrow™ steady state runs are close to the
saturation temperature, condensation is a phenomenon that should be
monitored in subsequent runs).
Chapter 4 High Pressure Steam - Fluid Property Models Example 95
Step 2: Complete a transient run using an AFT Standard fluid
with minimal sectioning
You should then run your simplified model in the Transient Solver using
an AFT Standard fluid with minimal sectioning. This is not always
possible, such as when mixtures are present, but this step should always
be attempted if allowable. This will allow for larger issues to be caught
before committing to extended run times. Only after you are satisfied
with the model should you attempt increasing the number of sections.

C. Selection of fluid property model for final runs

A number of factors must be taken into consideration while selecting the
fluid property model for an AFT xStream model. If there are no
mixtures, and the compound is present in the AFT Standard library, it is
recommended that the AFT Standard library be the first library used.
AFT Standard has the shortest run times of the four libraries and is an
excellent choice for early runs focused on troubleshooting the model.
However, if there is a need to model mixtures, and simplifying the
system is not possible, initial runs should be conducted with
NIST REFPROP or Chempak.
NIST REFPROP and Chempak both have greater accuracy than
AFT Standard and can represent mixtures. However, both have slower
run times than AFT Standard. Chempak runs faster than NIST
REFPROP with comparable accuracy. However, Chempak is an optional
add-on while the NIST REFPROP library comes standard with
AFT xStream.
Lastly, ASME Steam provides a well-established, trustworthy source of
steam data. ASME Steam has the longest run times of the four, and it is
recommended that a high processing power computer paired with ample
time be used to run your analysis if this library is selected. If either of
those elements is unavailable, it is recommended that one of the three
other libraries be used, with the added note that NIST REFPROP is the
most similar in accuracy to ASME steam. Table 4.1 summarizes this
example's run time with the four different fluid property models. The
run times will be affected by the specifications of your computer as well
as the memory available.
96 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Table 4.1 shows data for runs conducted on the computers at AFT as of
publication. Additionally, Table 4.2 provides a library compatibility
chart to assist with fluid property model selection.

Table 4.1 Comparison of High Pressure Steam System run times

High Pressure Steam System Run Times
Fluid Property Model Run Time
AFT Standard - 1 Section 1 - 2 minutes
Chempak - 1 Section 8 - 10 minutes
NIST REFPROP - 1 Section 0.9 - 1.4 hours
AFT Standard - 10 Sections 1.6 - 2 hours
ASME Steam - 1 Section 3.9 - 4 hours

Table 4.2 Compatibility chart for fluid property model selection for
final runs
Model Requirements
Fluid
Complex User Specified
Library Mixtures
Systems Fluids
AFT Standard P P
NIST
P P
REFPROP
Chempak P P
ASME Steam

Conclusions
The mass flow rate through the bypass line was modeled and the
cumulative effect of multiple transient events was observed.
CHAPTER 5

High Pressure Steam - Forces Example

Two turbines in a high pressure steam system are simultaneously valved

off, which causes the system to experience transient forces. This
example describes how to determine the imbalanced transient force data
for the piping system during the steam flow transient. It also evaluates
the effect of varying the time to close the valves on force magnitude.
Lastly, this example shows how to export the force results to a force file
to use in piping stress software.

Topics covered
l Calculating the forces associated with a transient event
l Using the Scenario Comparison Tool to compare scenarios
l Exporting force sets to CAESAR II®

Required knowledge

This example assumes that the user has some familiarity with AFT
xStream such as placing junctions, connecting pipes, entering pipe and
junction properties, and entering transient data. Refer to the Tank
Blowdown Example in Chapter 2 for more information on these topics.
98 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Model file

This example uses the following file, which is installed in the Examples
folder as part of the AFT xStream installation. This file can also be
downloaded from the High Pressure Steam - Forces Example topic on
the Product Help Site:
l US - High Pressure Steam - Forces Quick Start.xtr

Problem statement

The inlet valves to two steam turbines are shut simultaneously in a high
pressure steam system. As the design engineer, you are tasked with
completing a piping stress analysis and need to capture the magnitude of
the forces caused by the aforementioned steam transient. Additionally,
determine how the valve closure time impacts the forces. Lastly, export
®
the force data to CAESAR II to check for compliance with standards.

Step 1. Start AFT xStream

Open AFT xStream. Click the Start Building Model button.

Step 2. Open model file

For this example, we will be starting from a pre-built model file for
which setup been partially completed to save time. From either the
Startup window or the File menu, browse to the model file name shown
above. The Workspace should appear as shown in Figure 5.1.
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 99

Figure 5.1 Model layout

Step 3. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel

Ø Open the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel in the Analysis Setup
window. Define the Minimum Number of Sections Per Pipe as 1 section
and the Estimated Maximum Pipe Temperature During Transient as
1100 degrees F.

Step 4. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel

Ø Open the Simulation Mode/Duration panel from the Transient
Control group. Enter the Stop Time as 1 second. Click OK to close the
Analysis Setup window.

Step 5. Specify Force Sets

We will first add one Force Set from the Workspace.
100 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Ø On the Workspace, right-click on pipe P2 and from the right-click
menu select "Create a Force Set with Selected Pipe." Select the Use Pipe
Information radio button and uncheck the "Include Appended Text"
option (Figure 5.2). Click Create. This will open the Force Definitions
panel of the Analysis Setup window. The Force Definitions panel should
appear as shown in Figure 5.3.
AFT xStream can only determine axial forces down a pipe in the
direction defined as forward by the force set definition. As such, AFT
xStream has no knowledge of the three-dimensional orientation of a
given force set. For example, a vertical pipe and a horizontal pipe that
both have the same force magnitude would be indistinguishable in AFT
xStream. The force set definition informs the sign of the force, with a
positive value indicating a force pushing from the start location to the
end location, and a negative value indicating the converse.
If a more robust view of the 3D orientation of the pipes is required,
directional information can be entered using the optional Force Unit
Vector columns. The Force Unit Vectors do not impact AFT xStream's
calculations, but may be useful to export the output to piping stress
analysis software as discussed in Step 11.
Note: Only single pipes can be added as a "Difference" force set type
from the Workspace. Also note that difference forces should strictly be
used between two 90 degree angle pipe fittings.
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 101

Figure 5.2 Adding force set from Workspace using the right-click
menu
102 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 5.3 High Pressure Steam System Force input in the

Analysis Setup window

The remaining force sets will be defined inside the Force Definitions
panel.
Ø Define a force set by clicking "New", selecting the Force Type (in this
example, we will be using "Difference"), entering a name, and defining
the starting and ending locations of the force set. Set up the force sets as
shown in Figure 5.4. Click OK to exit the Analysis Setup window.
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 103

Figure 5.4 Completed Forces panel in the Analysis Setup window

Step 6. Add child scenarios using Scenario Manager

A. Create scenarios
In this model, we will evaluate three different valve closure durations
for the system:
1. 0.1 Second Valve Closure
2. 0.25 Second Valve Closure
3. 0.5 Second Valve Closure
We will create three child scenarios to model the three cases.
Ø Go to the Scenario Manager on the Quick Access Panel. Create a
child scenario by either right-clicking on the Base Scenario and then
selecting Create Child. Enter the name "0.1 Second Valve Closure" in
the Create Child Scenario window, and click OK. The new "0.1 Second
104 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Valve Closure" scenario should now appear in the Scenario Manager on
the Quick Access Panel below the Base Scenario.
Ø Right-click the Base Scenario in the Quick Access Panel. Create
another child and call it "0.25 Second Valve Closure". Finally, create
one more child and call it "0.5 Second Valve Closure". The child
scenarios should now be displayed as shown in Figure 5.5.

Figure 5.5 Completed Scenario Manager for High Pressure

Steam - Forces

B. Define the child scenarios

Since the "0.1 Second Valve Closure" scenario uses the same transient
definitions as the base scenario, we do not need to modify it. We will set
up the remaining scenarios using the following steps:
1. Open the "0.25 Second Valve Closure" scenario by double-clicking
the name in the Scenario Manager
2. Open the Assigned Flow Properties window for Assigned Flow J10
and open the Transient tab. Enter the following data:
Time Mass Flow Static Temperature
(seconds) (lbm/sec) (deg. F)
0 140 1060
0.25 0 1060
1 0 1060
3. Enter the same Transient Data for Assigned Flow J12
4. Open the Child Scenario "0.5 Second Valve Closure" from the
Scenario Manager
5. Open the Assigned Flow Properties window for Assigned Flow J10
and open the Transient tab. Enter the following data:
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 105

Time Mass Flow Static Temperature

(seconds) (lbm/sec) (deg. F)
0 140 1060
0.5 0 1060
1 0 1060
6. Enter the same Transient Data for Assigned Flow J12

Step 7. Compare child scenarios using the Scenario Comparison

Tool
The three scenarios created should be identical except for the different
transient data. To confirm the scenarios are otherwise identical, we will
use the Scenario Comparison Tool.
1. Load the "0.1 Second Valve Closure" scenario from the Scenario
Manager
2. In the Tools menu, select the Scenario Comparison Tool
3. In the Scenario Comparison - Selection window (Figure 5.6), select
"Siblings"
4. Click "Show Comparison"
5. In the Scenario Comparison Grid, set the "Item" and "Parameter"
sliders to show "Differences". Also set the "Highlight Unique
Values" slider to "Yes".
The Scenario Comparison Tool will run a comparison of all Pipe and
Junction Properties as well as the General Properties used in each
scenario and highlight any differences in the Scenario Comparison Grid.
In this model, the only highlighted differences should be for the "First
Transient Data" parameter for junctions J10 and J12 (Figure 5.7). Note
that each column in the Scenario Comparison Grid is highlighted in a
different color. This indicates that each scenario possesses a unique
value for the given parameters. Click close to exit the Scenario
Comparison Tool.
106 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 5.6 Scenario Comparison Tool - Selection window

Figure 5.7 Scenario Comparison Grid of the 3 scenarios

Step 8. Run the first scenario

Ø Double-click the "0.1 Second Valve Closure" child scenario in the
Scenario Manager. Ensure that all force sets are set to be applied in the
Force Definitions panel of the Analysis Setup window as shown in
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 107
Figure 5.4. Select "Run Model" from the Analysis menu. This will open
the Solution Progress window. This model has an estimated run time of
1 minute, but the run time is dependent on the speed of your computer.

Step 9. View the results

A. Open the Forces tab
Ø In the Output window, click on the Forces tab. This will show the
maximum force observed in the defined force sets, as well as provide
information about how the force segments were defined.

Figure 5.8 Forces tab in the Output window for the "0.1 Second
Valve Closure" scenario

B. Graph the force results

Ø Open the Graph Results window. We will create a graph that shows
the transient forces over time for the force sets. To do so, perform the
following steps:
1. Select the Forces tab on the Graph Control tab on the Quick Access
Panel, as shown in Figure 5.9.
2. Select "All" force sets to be graphed.
3. Verify the Force Units Primary Y is set to "lbf."
4. Verify that Time Units is set to "seconds."
5. Verify that the Time Frame is set to "All times."
6. Click Generate.
This should generate the graph shown in Figure 5.10.
108 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Add the graph to the Graph List Manager by right-clicking the graph
results window and selecting "Add Graph To List...". Name the graph
"Force Sets" and click OK.

Figure 5.9 Graph parameters for force sets

 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 109

Figure 5.10 Graph for forces of the "0.1 Second Valve Closure"
scenario

Note that at t = 0 seconds, there are no force imbalances for any of the
force sets. This is expected since the sum of forces across a piping run
between two elbows equals zero in a steady state system. If a Point or
Exit type force set were used instead of a Difference type force set, then
a non-zero force may be encountered during the steady state.
Additionally, some traditional methods of analyzing force sets will not
yield the same results as AFT xStream since they may not include
friction or momentum effects in their force balances. Traditional
methods can yield significantly different results and indicate incorrect,
non-zero forces during steady state conditions.
There are two important points to be observed here:
1. AFT xStream calculates transient fluid forces. This does not
include piping, component, or fluid weight, or any other forces
external to the piping. A comprehensive analysis of pipe loading
must separately include these items.
110 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
2. Ignoring friction and momentum force balance components will
result in force imbalances that do not exist.

Step 10. Run the other child scenarios

Ø Run the other two child scenarios and load the Forces tab and the "Force
Sets" graph list item for each. The results are seen below in Figures
5.11-14.

Figure 5.11 Forces tab in the Output window for "0.25 Second
Valve Closure" scenario
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 111

Figure 5.12 Graph for forces of the "0.25 Second Valve Closure"
scenario

Figure 5.13 Forces tab in the Output window for the "0.5 Second
Valve Closure" scenario
112 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 5.14 Graph for forces of the "0.5 Second Valve Closure"
scenario

These figures show that the maximum force magnitude increases as the
valve closes faster. Typically, the more rapidly a change occurs, the
more severe the resulting forces are. Therefore, a utility of AFT xStream
would be to evaluate the correlation between transient event duration
(e.g., valve closing time) and the resultant force magnitudes.

Factors affecting the timing and magnitude of forces

Pipe sectioning, the selection of fluid property model, and specification
of Maximum Pipe Mach Number During Transient can have a
significant effect on the accuracy of the forces calculated by AFT
xStream. This effect was not significant in the system built within this
example. However, the results for altering each of these three parameters
are shown in Figures 5.15-17 so that you may see the impact of
changing these three parameters. Note that in Figure 5.16,
ASME Steam, Chempak, and NIST REFPROP are superimposed on
each other, indicating no meaningful difference for this case.
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 113

Figure 5.15 Effect of sectioning on High Pressure Steam - Forces

model. All runs use the AFT Standard fluid library and
a Maximum Pipe Mach Number During Transient of 1.
114 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 5.16 Effect of fluid property model on High Pressure Steam

- Forces model. All runs use a Minimum Number of
Sections Per Pipe of 1 and an Estimated Maximum
Pipe Mach Number During Transient of 1.
 Chapter 5 High Pressure Steam - Forces Example 115

Figure 5.17 Effect of Maximum Pipe Mach Number During

Transient on High Pressure Steam - Forces model. All
runs use the AFT Standard fluid library.

Step 11. Export CAESAR II Force file

Ø Open the Output window, and click on the File menu. Select "Export
Force File..." and choose "CAESAR II® Force File." This will open the
export file window shown in Figure 5.18.
116 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 5.18 Export CAESAR II® Force File window

The force sets to include in the force file may be individually selected,
along with how frequently data points are saved. The number of data
points that will be in the file is also displayed for the given setting. This
number should not exceed the maximum number of data points allowed
for the relevant piping stress software, which in the case of CAESAR
II® is 2500.
If unit vector information has been entered in the Force Definitions
panel, the Export Unit Vector option can be used to include this
information in the exported file. Similar methods to those described
above can be used to export force files to ROHR2®, TRIFLEX®, and
AutoPIPE®.

Conclusion
We created a force model to calculate the forces experienced as a result
of two simultaneous closures in a steam header. We also identified how
the length of the transient can have a significant impact on the forces a
system experiences. Finally, we discussed how to export these forces
into a force file to be used in pipe stress analysis software.
CHAPTER 6

AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA

Example

A frequency analysis is performed on a system with a positive

displacement compressor to determine the acoustical frequencies that
need to be evaluated for the existing piping configuration.

Topics covered
l Using the PFA module to identify natural acoustic frequencies
l Defining valid sectioning and simulation duration settings for
pulsation analysis
l Checking API-618 compliance

Required knowledge

This example assumes that the user has some familiarity with
AFT xStream such as placing junctions, connecting pipes, entering pipe
and junction properties, and entering transient data. Refer to the Tank
Blowdown Example in Chapter 2 for more information on these topics.

Model file

The file listed below contains a completed version of this example and
can be located in the Examples folder as part of the AFT xStream
118 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
installation. This file can also be downloaded from the AFT xStream
help site from the Frequency Analysis - PFA Example page:
l US - Frequency Analysis PFA.xtr

Problem statement

A system's positive displacement compressor has known pulsation issues

in a section of piping with a closed valve. This issue is caused by the
system's natural frequency resonating with certain PD compressor
frequencies, resulting in severe pressure oscillations at the closed valve.
A forcing function will be placed on the PD compressor to determine
the natural acoustic frequencies, which will then be used to find the
worst-case frequencies for the system.

Step 1. Start AFT xStream

Open AFT xStream. Click the Start Building Model button.
From the Startup window under the "Activate Modules" section in the
center panel, select the PFA (Pulsation Frequency Analysis) option to
activate the PFA module. If AFT xStream is already running, choose
Activate Modules from the Tools menu, then check the box next to PFA
to activate the module on the Modules panel.

Step 2. Build the model

A. Place the pipes and junctions
The next step is to define the pipes and junctions. In the Workspace
window, assemble the model as shown in Figure 6.1.
 Chapter 6 AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 119

Figure 6.1 Layout of frequency analysis model

B. Enter the pipe and junction data

The system is in place but now we need to enter the input data for the
pipes and junctions. Enter the following data:
All Pipes are Steel - ANSI, STD (schedule 40), and have standard
roughness. The rest of the pipe information is as follows:
Pipe # Length (feet) Size (inches)
1 25 10
2 25 10
3 25 10
4 250 16
5 10 6

J1 - Assigned Flow
1. Name = PD Compressor
2. Elevation = 12 feet
120 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
3. Mass Flow Rate = 100 lbm/s
4. Temperature = 100 deg. F

J2 - Valve
1. Elevation = 12 feet
2. Cv = 446
3. Xt = 0.8

J3 - Branch
Elevation = 12 feet

J4 - Valve
1. Elevation = 0 feet
2. Cv = 1570
3. Xt = 0.6

J5 - Assigned Pressure
1. Elevation = 0 feet
2. Stagnation Pressure = 0 psig
3. Temperature = 100 deg. F

J6 - Dead End
1. Name = Closed Valve
2. Elevation = 12 feet

C. Check if the pipe and junction data is complete

Ø Turn on List Undefined Objects from the Main Toolbar to verify if all
data is entered. If it is not, the undefined pipes and junctions window
will show a list of incomplete items. If there are undefined objects, go
back to the incomplete pipes or junctions and enter the missing data.
 Chapter 6 AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 121

Step 3. Specify Analysis Setup

A. Specify the Fluid panel
Ø Open the Analysis Setup window and select the Fluid panel under the
Fluid Properties group. Under the "AFT Standard" fluid option, choose
"Methane" from the list and click the "Add to Model" button. Click OK.

B. Specify the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel

Ø Open the Pipe Sectioning and Output panel in the Pipe Sectioning
and Output group. Define the Minimum Number of Sections per Pipe as
8 sections and the Estimated Maximum Pipe Temperature During
Transient as 150 deg. F.

C. Specify the Simulation Mode/Duration panel

Ø Open the Simulation Mode/Duration panel in the Transient Control
group. Enter the Stop Time as 2 seconds.

D. Specify the Pulse Setup panel

Ø Open the Pulse Setup panel from the Pulsation Setup group. The Pulse
Setup panel is used to specify the location and magnitude of the pulse
applied to the system, as well as the parameters required to generate the
forcing function for frequency analysis.
Define the Pulsation inputs as follows (Figure 6.2):
1. Check that junction J1 is selected for the pulse to be applied at.
Note that the pulse may only be applied at Assigned Flow or
Compressor junctions.
2. For Magnitude, ensure that Automatic (Twice Steady-State Flow)
is selected.
3. Under Frequency Analysis, define the Cutoff Frequency as 200 Hz
and verify that the Minimum Number of Frequency Samples is set
to the default value of 1000.
4. Leave the Evaluate with API-618 option unchecked. This option
will be used in a later step once the acoustic frequencies have been
determined.
122 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 6.2 Pulse Setup panel in the Analysis Setup window with
all pulsation settings defined

Now that all of the pulsation inputs are defined, look at the Pulsation
Summary at the bottom of the window. The defined Cutoff Frequency
and the Minimum Number of Frequency Samples will affect the number
of sections and the simulation duration that are required to run the
analysis. If the number of sections is insufficient, then the time step will
be too large to capture the specified Cutoff Frequency. Similarly, if the
simulation duration is too small, then the number of time steps will not
accommodate the Minimum Number of Frequency Samples.
Checking the Pulsation Summary for this example, the Minimum
Sections Required for Cutoff are 2, and the Minimum Simulation
Duration Required for Min. Samples is 0.80 seconds. Both of these
requirements are satisfied by the current model settings. The "Update
 Chapter 6 AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 123
For Me" button can be used to automatically change the minimum
number of sections and/or the minimum simulation duration if they are
insufficient. Click OK to exit the Analysis Setup window.

Step 4. Run the model

Ø Select "Run Model" from the Main Toolbar. This will open the
Solution Progress window. This model has an estimated run time of 5
minutes, but the run time is dependent on the speed of your PC.

Step 5. Review the frequency results

Ø Open the Graph Results window. The first step will be to generate a
plot of the pressure in each of the pipes to ensure that the simulation
duration was long enough for the response to stabilize. Create the
pressure graph as follows:
1. Select the Transient Pipe tab in the Graph Control tab in the Quick
Access Panel
2. Add the inlet and outlet station for each of the pipes
3. Under Select Parameter choose "Pressure Static" and verify "psia"
are the selected units
4. Click Generate
The pressure graph should appear as shown in Figure 6.3. Note that
there is a small perturbation in the pressure when the pulse is applied to
the system, though the pressure results completely stabilize by the end
of the run. If the pressure results were still changing at the end of the
run, the model should be re-run with a longer simulation duration.
124 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 6.3 Pressure Static in each of the pipes for the frequency
analysis

Next, graph the acoustic frequency response as follows:

1. Click the "New Tab" button
2. Select the Frequency tab in the Graph Parameter section of the
Quick Access Panel (Figure 6.4)
3. Add the inlet and outlet station for each of the pipes
4. Verify that the pressure units are set to psia
5. Click Generate
 Chapter 6 AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 125

Figure 6.4 Graph Parameters section for the frequency analysis

Identify excitation frequencies to study

From the graph in Figure 6.5, there are several frequencies that produce
a large pressure response. Points on the plot with a large response
magnitude are easily identified by finding local maxima on the graph.
These maxima are the acoustic natural frequencies that are potentially
the most damaging when excited by a positive displacement compressor.
These frequencies can also be caused by equipment that contributes
large pressure drops, such as control valves.
Two natural frequencies are identified for the system based on the peaks
in the graph at roughly 28 Hz and 57 Hz. Note that the number of
sections used for the analysis may affect the location of the peaks, so it
is prudent to run the analysis with more sections to reduce uncertainty in
the results. It is also recommended to analyze frequencies near identified
peaks (for example, analyzing 55 and 59 Hz for the peak at 57 Hz) to
account for potential shifting of the frequency peaks that can result from
the assumptions made for the frequency analysis in AFT xStream.
126 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 6.5 Acoustical frequency graph for the positive

displacement compressor system

Step 6. Determine the pressure response for API-618

The identified excitation frequencies can now be used to determine the
pressure response in the system caused by the pulsation at the
compressor. The pressure response can then be evaluated for compliance
with API-618.
To determine the pressure response of the excitation frequencies,
complete the following steps:
1. In the Scenario Manager, right-click on the base scenario and
choose "Create Child". Name the child scenario "28 Hz".
2. Open the Analysis Setup window and go to the Pulse Setup panel.
 Chapter 6 AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 127
3. Check the box to "Evaluate with API-618 and enter the Speed as
750 rpm and the Number of Heads as 2.
4. Enter the Time Until Steady State Pulsation as 0.25 seconds. The
method to find this value is discussed later in the example. Click
OK to close Analysis Setup.
5. Open the Assigned Flow Properties window for junction J1.
6. In the Transient tab, clear the pulse transient data by clicking Edit
Table under the transient table and choosing Clear All Data.
7. Check the box next to Periodic Flow. Define the Frequency as 28
1/s and the Flow Amplitude as 10 lbm/sec (Figure 6.6).
8. Click OK to close the Properties window.
128 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 6.6 Assigned Flow Properties window with Periodic Flow

transient applied

The model is now updated to represent the pulsation at the positive

displacement compressor that will excite the system. Run the model,
then navigate to the Output window. This scenario will run faster than
the base scenario (about 2 minutes).
In the Output window there is now a warning stating that the maximum
pressure limit for API-618 was exceeded . When the API-618 evaluation
is performed the Pulsation Summary tab is shown in the Output window
with additional information on where pressure limit violations occurred,
 Chapter 6 AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 129
and what inputs were used to calculate the API-618 pressure limits for
the scenario.
In the Graph Results window, generate a graph of the static pressure
following the same process used to create Figure 6.3. However, only
include the pipe P1 inlet and outlet station. The resulting graph is shown
in Figure 6.7. These pressure results can be used to check for
compliance with standards such as API-618.
The pressure results for the compressor outlet (Pipe P1 inlet) can also be
used to determine the Time Until Steady State Pulsation, which is one of
the inputs needed to accurately evaluate API-618. The Time Until
Steady State Pulsation is the time at which the pressure oscillations have
a consistent amplitude. In Figure 6.7 below the wave heights appear to
become consistent at about 0.25 seconds.
Note for this example the value of 0.25 seconds was given in advance to
expedite the process, but normally the user would need to run the model
once with the "Time Until Steady..." set to 0, then determine the time
input and re-run the model with the correct value.
For comparison, this model can also be run at one of the frequencies
which gave a lower amplitude, such as 14 Hz. At 14 Hz, a lower
amplitude pressure response is produced, as can be seen in Figure 6.8.
Note: The pulsation observed in this model represents a pure sine wave.
Real systems might have a different forcing function.
130 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Figure 6.7 Pressure Static response at 29 Hz frequency

 Chapter 6 AFT xStream Add-on Module - PFA Example 131

Figure 6.8 Pressure Static response at 14 Hz frequency

Conclusion
The PFA add-on module for AFT xStream can be used to apply a
pressure pulse to the system in order to identify acoustic frequencies
which may result in damage. These frequencies can be used in further
pulsation analysis to determine if pulsation mitigation is required, and
what mitigation would be effective.
132 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
CHAPTER 7

Other AFT xStream Capabilities

This Quick Start Guide necessarily omitted coverage of a number of

AFT xStream capabilities. This chapter briefly describes some of the
important capabilities not fully covered.

Microsoft Excel® data integration

AFT xStream includes enhanced Excel importing and robust Excel

exporting. An Excel spreadsheet can be used to vary selected input
parameters in multiple scenarios. Selected output can also be exported to
specified Excel sheets and cells.

Integration with other software and data standards

AFT xStream includes a number of importing and exporting capabilities.

Piping layouts and dimensional data can be imported from GIS
Shapefiles (SHP) to build a model. CAESAR II Neutral Files (CII) can
be imported into AFT xStream and EPANET Files (INP) can be both
imported and exported. Additionally, force files can be exported for use
in CAESAR II®, TRIFLEX®, ROHR2®, and AutoPIPE®.
Piping Component Files (PCF) from AutoCAD Plant 3D®, SmartPlant®,
PDS®, CADWorx®, and other software can be imported into AFT
xStream. These options are all accessed from the File menu.
134 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Convective heat transfer

Besides the default adiabatic heat transfer model, pipes can be modeled
using convective heat transfer, convective heat transfer with heat flux, or
convective heat transfer with heat tracing. When any of the convective
heat transfer models are selected conductive heat transfer in the fluid
and pipe walls will be accounted for both radially and axially, well as
accounting for convective heat transfer at the pipe wall surfaces.

Gas mixtures using NIST REFPROP and Chempak

NIST REFPROP and Chempak allow user-created gas mixtures using

any of the pure fluid data provided in their databases. AFT xStream is
restricted to non-reacting gas mixture calculations.

The ASME Steam Tables library

The ASME Steam Tables library offers users access to fluid properties
obtained from the IAPWS Industrial Formulation 1997 for the
Thermodynamic Properties of Water and Steam (ISPWS-IF97). This
library is selected by choosing the option at the top of the Fluid panel in
the Analysis Setup window, at which point it is automatically displayed
in the Fluids in Current Model area.

Sonic choking

AFT xStream models sonic choking in complex pipe systems and

accurately predicts the resulting choked flow rate during both the steady
state and transient simulation. In addition, AFT xStream can accurately
calculate multiple choking points in the system.

Positive displacement compressors

AFT xStream can model positive displacement compressors. Typically

PD compressors are modeled as a known flowrate over time.
Complicated periodic flowrates from multiple pistons and/or multiple
out of phase compressors can also be modeled.
 Chapter 7 Other AFT xStream Capabilities 135

Flow and pressure control valves

AFT xStream can model flow and pressure control valves. AFT xStream
accounts for control valves which lose and regain control during the
transient.

Relief valves

The Relief Valve junction allows for a non-reclosing style relief device
to be modeled. The loss through the relief valve can be represented
using orifice sizes from API 526.

Repeat transient feature for periodic transient behavior

For elements which have periodic behavior (such as positive

displacement compressors), one cycle of data can be entered and then
specified to repeat once the cycle is finished.

Elevation changes

AFT xStream uses elevation differences between junctions to calculate

gravity driven pressure changes. These elevation driven pressure
changes can be especially important for high density gases with
moderate elevation changes, pipe systems with significant elevation
changes such as those found in overland natural gas pipelines, and gas
piping for deep mining operations.

Fitting library

AFT xStream offers a library of about 400 fitting losses which can be
added to pipes.

Design alerts

Design Alerts can be entered for pipes, then cross-plotted vs. system
behavior. A common use is maximum allowed operating pressure.
136 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide

Network libraries

Junction components and pipe materials can be saved to libraries for

later reuse. Libraries can be located on local PCs or deployed across
local or wide area networks. The Library Manager allows users to
connect to relevant libraries for their specific pipe system design.

Visual Report animations

The Visual Report window also provides the ability to animate the
transient results as a qualitative tool to visualize the behavior in a
network. One parameter can be animated using absolute values, values
relative to the steady state, or a static map of all maximum/minimum
transient values can be generated. The animation can also be recorded to
a file.
 AutoCAD Plant 3D 133

Index B
Branch junction See Junctions, Branch
A
C
AFT Arrow Steady Solver 2, 38, 94
CADWorx 133
AFT Standard library See Fluid
libraries, AFT Standard library CAESAR II 133

AFT xStream Change Units window 44

Engineering assumptions 3 Chempak library See Fluid libraries,

Chempak library
Overview 3
Compressor Junction See Junctions,
Summary of capabilities 1 Compressor
Align 14 Condensation 90, 94
Analysis Setup window 31, 66, 70 Control Valve junction See Junctions,
Animation Control Valve
Graph 74-75, 89 Copy Data From Jct... 22
Speed adjustment 90
D
Visual Report 136
Dead End junction See Junctions, Dead
Annotation Tool See Toolbox, End
Annotation tool
Defining force sets See Forces, Force
API 618 117, 129 sets, Definition
Area Change junction See Junctions, Defining objects
Area Change
List Undefined Objects window 19,
Arrange menu 14 66, 85, 120
ASME Steam Tables library See Fluid Design alerts 135
libraries, ASME Steam Tables library
Graph Results window 135
Assigned Flow junction See Junctions,
Pipe Properties window 135
Assigned Flow
Assigned Pressure E
junction See Junctions, Assigned
Pressure Edit menu 14
Elevation changes 135
138 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
EPANET 133 G
Estimated Maximum Temperature Graph Animations See Animation,
During Transient See Pipe Graph
Sectioning panel, Estimated
Maximum Temperature During Graph Control tab 44
Transient Forces 107
Excel 133 Profile tab 74, 89
Export force files See Forces, Transient Jct tab 49, 91
Exporting force files
Transient Pipe tab 46, 72, 86
Exporting 133
Graph List Manager 74, 77, 108
F Graph Results window 4, 44
Fitting Library 135 Graph Guide 44
Fluid libraries Modifying axes of graphs 87
AFT Standard library 3, 33, 66, 86, Gravitational losses 135
95, 121
H
ASME Steam Tables library 3, 33,
95, 134 Heat Exchanger junction See Junctions,
Heat Exchanger
Chempak library 3, 33, 95, 134
Heat Transfer 134
Effect of 93, 112
Highlight feature 21
NIST REFPROP library 3, 33, 95,
134
I
Selection 95-96
ID numbers 13, 19
Fluid panel 33, 66, 86, 121
Importing 133
Forces
Inspection feature 23, 29
Exporting force files 115
Isometric See Pipe Drawing Mode,
Force sets 99 Isometric
Definition 100, 102
J
Direction 100
Jump button 30
Force Unit Vectors 100
Junction library 21
Methodology 109
Forces panel 116
 Index 139
Junctions 12 Mixtures 33, 95, 134
Area Change 84 Model building process 94
Assigned Flow 63, 84, 119 Model Data window 4, 30
Assigned Pressure 27, 63, 84-85, 120
N
Branch 66, 84-85, 120
NIST REFPROP library See Fluid
Compressor libraries, NIST REFPROP library
Positive displacement compressor
modeling 134 O
Control Valve Objects 13
Flow Control Valve 135 Open Pipe/Jct Window 20
Pressure Control Valve 135 Output Control window 40, 42
Dead End 84, 120 Output file See Transient output file
Heat Exchanger 63 Output window 4, 39-40, 70, 77
Relief Valve 135 Event Messages By Time 42
Tank 13, 20, 22 Forces tab 107, 110
Tee 63 Transient Max/Min tab 72
Valve 24, 63, 65-66, 85, 120
P
L PCF 133
Libraries 136 PDS 133
Library Manager 136 Periodic transient behavior 135
List Undefined Objects PFA Module 117
window See Defining objects, List Excitation frequencies 125-126
Undefined Objects window
Pipe Drawing Mode
Lock Object 19
2D Freeform 80
M 2D Orthogonal 80
Method of Characteristics 2, 34, 71 Isometric 80
Minimum Number of Sections Per Adding segments 81
Pipe See Pipe Sectioning panel,
Pipe Drawing Tool See Toolbox, Pipe
Minimum Number of Sections Per
Drawing Tool
Pipe
Pipe Properties window 28-29
140 AFT xStream™ 2 Quick Start Guide
Pipe Sectioning panel 34, 67, 71, 86, Pinning 13
99, 121
Estimated Maximum Pipe Mach R
Number During Transient Reference Positive flow
Effect of 112 direction See Reverse Pipe Direction

Estimated Maximum Temperature Relief Valve junction See Junctions,

During Transient 35, 67, 86, 99, Relief Valve
121 Reverse Pipe Direction 18
Effect of 70 Rotating Icons 81
Minimum Number of Sections Per Run Model 37, 70, 72, 86, 107, 123,
Pipe 34, 67, 86, 99, 121 128
Effect of 53, 112
S
Sectioning Summary 35
Scenario Comparison Tool 105
Piping Component FIle See PCF
Scenario Manager 67-68, 71, 77, 103,
Preferred Units 21 126
Primary windows 4 Select All 19
Properties windows Select Graph Parameters 46
Notes tab 23 Selecting a fluid library See Fluid
Optional tab 23-24, 85 libraries, Selection
Status tab 23, 30 Show Grid 80
Transient tab Show Object Status 19, 23
Specification 25, 66, 84-85, 104, Simulation Mode/Duration panel 34,
127 36, 67, 86, 99, 121
Pulsation panel 121 SmartPlant 133
Cutoff Frequency 121 Solution Progress window 37
Minimum Number of Frequency Sonic choking 2, 48, 77, 134
Samples 121 Stacked Graphs 45
Pulsation Summary 122 Startup window 9

Q Modeling Preferences 10

Quick Access Panel 12, 68 Status Bar 12, 32

Graph List Manager 74

 Index 141

T
Tank junction See Junctions, Tank
Tee junction See Junctions, Tee
Toolbars 31
Toolbox 12-13
Annotation tool 12
Pipe Drawing Tool 12, 15, 17
Transient Control group 36
Transient event
specification See Properties
windows, Transient tab, Specification
Transient Jct tab See Graph Control
tab, Transient Jct tab
Transient output file 39
Transient Pipe tab See Graph Control
tab, Transient Pipe tab
Transient Solver 2, 38, 94

U
Undefined objects list See Defining
objects, List Undefined Objects
window
User Options 19

V
Valve junction See Junctions, Valve
Visual Report Control 51
Visual Report window 4, 51

W
Workspace window 4, 12-13, 58