Heat Transfer Agent Properties Dialog: Inventory Data tab

HXAgentPropsDlg_InvPP.jpg

This tab is part of the dialog that presents the properties of a heat transfer agent used in the process. It is only available if the heat transfer agent is storable, from the properties tab (see Heat Transfer Agent Properties Dialog: Properties tab).

Specification Choices / Comments

Storage Capacity

If you wish to specify a limit on the amount of agent that can be consumed (as a total) over a specified window of time, you may specify it on this tab. Check the “Cumulative Amount Limit” check box and then type in the limit amount in the units of your choice. Please note that the selected units are not necessarily the units that the cumulative amount will be plotted.

Initial Contents

If there’s a rate (or distribution) limit on the selected agent you may provide it here. Select the “Rate Limit” check box and type in the limit in the units of your choosing. Please note that the selected units may not necessarily be the same as the units chosen to display the agent graph.

Contents / Storage Capacity Ratios (Min/Max)

Sometimes it is more convenient to specify a time-average rate limit. Click on the “Time-averaged Rate Limit” check box and specify the value and the time window used for the averaging. This limit may represent This rate may represent an approximation of the replenish rate possible for the selected agent, in lieu of detailed inventory information.

Supply (or Removal) Rate

When the on-trigger activates the re-supply of agent it is assumed that the supply process proceeds at this specified rate.

Supply (or Removal) Start Time

The very first time the inventory is checked for supply can be the beginning of the batch (0h) or any specified time point (with respect to the beginning of the batch) or simply coincide with the first time the storage has been accessed for agent draw.

Supply (or Removal) Strategy/Schedule

You may elect between two possible strategies:

A fixed-time (interval-based) strategy: in this case you specify two intervals: one during which the storage is being re-supplied at the rate specified earlier and another during which the storage is just available for drawing of agent.

A variable-time strategy where the on/off triggers for re-supply are based on the contents-to-storage capacity ratios. When the contained agent falls below the on-trigger (low) value, the inventory is being supplied with fresh agent at the provided rate; when the contained HX agent-to-storage capacity ratio reaches the off-trigger (high) value mark, the agent is no longer assumed to be supplied to the inventory.