SysCAD process simulation software offers an add-on for integration with ChemApp, allowing multi-component, multi-phase thermochemistry equilibrium calculations applied within a SysCAD process flowsheet model.
SysCAD, developed by KWA Kenwalt Australia, is a powerful and versatile plant simulator that can be used to simulate the simplest processing circuit through to complex full plant operations. It has applications in every aspect of the plant life cycle, from feasibility studies and process design, through commissioning, operations and maintenance, to plant expansion and more.
Coupled with the robust thermodynamic calculations provided by ChemApp, process simulation in SysCAD is an invaluable design tool which helps users gain tremendous insight into their operations. This knowledge translates into better decision making, improved plant operation performance, cost saving, and more efficient and knowledgeable operators.
Using ChemApp within the flowsheet-based simulation platform of SysCAD provides significant power and flexibility to identify and evaluate flowsheet issues for process design and in operations.
The SysCAD TCE (Thermodynamic Calculation Engines) add-on includes the ChemApp option which uses the ChemApp for SysCAD API to enable integration of robust thermodynamic calculations directly into the SysCAD process simulation software. SysCAD automatically maps between SysCAD and ChemApp phase constituents and provides the flowsheet framework for global mass and energy balances, ensuring continuity between process units.
The Gibbs Energy Minimizer developed for ChemApp is the same one used in the renowned FactSage software, one of the largest fully integrated database computing systems in chemical thermodynamics, co-developed by GTT-Technologies (Germany) and ThermFact (Canada). ChemApp supports the widest range of non-ideal solution models for pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical applications, including models for general use with substitutional or associated solution phases, solid phases with sublattice descriptions, ionic liquids, molten salts, condensed non-aqueous solutions such as slags, metallic solutions, aqueous solutions, and more.
SysCAD enables the use of ChemApp-based unit operations from within SysCAD in either steady-state or dynamic modes. ChemApp reactors and calculators interact seamlessly with other SysCAD unit models and streams, including other thermodynamic add-ons in the same flowsheet.
Current users of FactSage with active M&S agreements can directly benefit from the SysCAD ChemApp TCE as users can export thermochemical data-files for ChemApp from the licensed databases managed with FactSage. These data-files are compatible with the SysCAD ChemApp TCE, providing access to thermochemical data from a wide range of databases, such as those for ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, light metals, slags and molten salts, general metallic alloys, aqueous solutions, as well as various specialty databases such as those for nitrate-based fertilizers, pulp and paper, noble metal alloys, non-oxide refractories, nuclear materials, the Hall-Héroult (aluminium) database, and many more.
A range of example SysCAD projects using ChemApp are distributed with the software and documented on SysCAD’s online help documentation. Various research and commercial projects have been completed using the SysCAD ChemApp TCE. For example:
- 2022 Users’ Group Meeting: a dynamic simulation of batch copper converting was made using SysCAD with ChemApp. Video
- 2023 Users’ Group Meeting: an aqueous chemistry muriate of potash model was developed using SysCAD TCE with ChemApp and THEREDA database. Video
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