Aspen © Tutorial

Separation Processes
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
University of Notre Dame
September 2005

Thermodynamic Equilibrium Diagrams

1. Open AspenTech!Aspen Engineering Suite!Aspen Properties!Aspen Properties User Interface.

2. Select Blank problem. You could also use a template.
3. If prompted, select Local PC server. Save files in a desired but reliable location.
4. The data browser window will appear. Click on window and then on workbook.
5. Click on find or double click on the component ID box to start inputting mixture info.
6. Enter a character string (compound name or formula) to search for the substances. You do not need to
enter the whole name. Notice that advanced searching options are available if needed.

7. Select the desired compound and click on Add to incorporate it into your mixture. Double clicking also
works here. Continue searching for and adding components. Then click on close.
8. Continue searching for and adding components until done with your mixture.
9. Go to the Specifications section on the Properties folder. Select the Property method to be used. A brief
description will appear at the bottom of the screen. Pressing F1 while placing the mouse on the selected
method name will show a description of the method and provide further reference to documentation.
10. The Parameters section will provide detailed information on the models and will allow additional input
if desired/needed.
11. Click on N! or hit the F4 key to generate the Aspen Properties File
12. Go to Tools!Analysis!Binary and choose Txy or Pxy on Analysis Type. Modify other information if
desired/needed.
13. Click on Go. Diagram will appear on the window. Graphic properties are adjustable, double click on its
different elements to find out what you can modify to improve appearance and/or clarity.
14. The binary analysis results tab will be available and can be used to plot graphs such as yx diagrams with
the Plot Wizard button.
2-PROPANOL – WATER

a) Raoult’s Law

b) Wilson + Ideal Gas

c) Wilson + Peng-Robinson

d) NRTL + Ideal Gas

Flash Separation
1. At the bottom of the screen, you will see the types of systems you can model with Aspen. Since you are
modeling a flash, click on the tab labeled “Separators”, and the system named “Flash 2”. You will notice
that if you hold the arrow over a system, a description of the system will appear in the line at the bottom
of the window.
2. Click on a point on the page once to place the flash drum on the page.
3. Create material streams. Click on “Material Streams” in the lower left corner to create the inlet and
outlet streams. Make one quick click on a red arrow. Move your mouse to extend the arrow a few
inches. Click once to release the arrow. Boxes with stream labels “1”, “2”, and “3” should appear.
4. Rename the streams. Click the arrow button in the lower left corner. Click a stream label to highlight the
label. Right click on the label and select “Rename Stream”.
5. Click the blue “N=>” button at the top of the screen to input your data. Enter a title for your simulation.
Select the units of measurement you prefer. (Note: After entering the data required by each screen, click
the blue N=> button. Each number in these instructions describe an individual screen.
6. Enter the names of the feed components in the Component ID box. Recall that Advanced options can be
used and that CAS numbers if needed may be found at http://webbook.nist.gov
7. Change the property method to the equation of state (EOS) and/or activity coefficient model that best
describes your mixture. As you highlight a model, the description of the model will appear at the bottom
of the window.
8. Enter feed specifications. Notice that you can change the units.
9. Enter flash drum specifications.
10. If all required data was entered, you should receive a message asking whether you would like to run the
simulation. Select “OK”. If all required data was not entered, a red dot will appear in the column on the
left side of the screen where more data is required. Click the red dot to access the screen requiring the
input.

Feed: Z1=0.5; P=1 bar; T=323 K. Flash drum at 82 C and 1 bar.

Data regression.

1. Open AspenTech!Aspen Engineering Suite!Aspen Plus!Aspen Plus User Interface.

2. Select Template. Then choose Data Regression in the Run Type drop-down menu.
3. If prompted, select Local PC server. Save files in a desired but reliable location.
4. The data browser window will appear. Click on window and then on workbook.
5. Go to the Components folder. Click on find or double click on the component ID box to start inputting
mixture info.
6. Enter a character string (compound name or formula) to search for the substances. You do not need to
enter the whole name. Notice that advanced searching options are available if needed. If compound is
not found, the user defined button can set the unknown basic properties.
7. Select the desired compound and click on Add to incorporate it into your mixture. Double clicking also
works here. Continue searching for and adding components. Then click on close.
8. Continue searching for and adding components until done with your mixture.
9. Go to the Specifications section on the Properties folder. Select the Property method to be used. A brief
description will appear at the bottom of the screen. Pressing F1 while placing the mouse on the selected
method name will show a description of the method and provide further reference to documentation.
10. Make sure that the Parameters folder is correct. Based/property methods can be modified.
11. Go the Data folder and hit on New to input a table. Name it and choose mixture to enter experimental
equilibrium info.
12. Select all available components with the >> button. Choose the data type to be entered (Txy, Pxy) and
enter remaining needed information.
13. On the data tab, choose the units and start inputting experimental data accordingly. Select data in the
drop-down menu just below the Std-Dev box.
14. Go to the Regression folder and hit the New button; give the regression a name.
15. Click on the N! button or hit the F5 to run the regression.
16. The Parameters folder will contain the new regressed values.