Task 2.3 - Adding tank certification

Task Overview

In this task, you will extend the previous model to use a concept similar to the use of tank pools in chemical processing. You will create one or more receiving tanks for each of the allowed product types, and switch the flow from the flow pipe into one of the tanks with the correct product type.

Step 1 Remove all triggers

You will use a Process Flow template to manage when tanks are allowed to accept inflow and when they are allowed to release. This means that you will have to remove all triggers of the tanks in the tank pool. Select all tanks by holding Shift and dragging a box around them. Click one of the selected tanks, and in the properties panel click the Delete () button on the Reset, Empty and Full triggers.

Step 2 Add a certification flow

From the Process Flow button on the tool bar, select “Add a FloWorks flow” and click the “Tank cleaning and certification” option.

This will add a so-called “Fixed Resource Flow” to the model. It contains the logic for a single tank that will ensure that a tank is either collecting material, or releasing, but never both at the same time. When the tank is full, you can specify a delay which typically represents some mixing, settling and/or certification process. When the tank is empty you can specify a (different) delay to model for example a tank cleaning operation, before the tank can fill again. Of course either or both of these delays are allowed to be zero.

You need to attach all tanks in the tank pool as members of the Fixed Resource flow. The quickest option is selecting “Attached objects” in the quick properties window of the Process Flow and using the Add () button to select all tanks in the tank pool.

The default certification and cleaning times of the template are very long for the timescales of this model. They can be specified as a process flow variable: click the Process Flow and in the “Process Flow Variables” heading of the Quick Properties change the CertificationTime to 40, and the CleaningTime to 0.

When you run the model, you should now see the tanks in the pool remain full for some time while certifying, before they start to empty into the sink.

Conclusion

This task concludes the FloWorks Multi-Product Pipeline tutorial.