67 replies to this topic

[DanW]

Hello everyone,

My name is Daniel and i'm the developer of DWSIM, an open-source chemical process simulator developed in VB.NET. DWSIM is released under the GPL v3 license, and it is hosted
at the SourceForge website (http://sourceforge.net/projects/dwsim/). This version is fully translated to English, including documentation (though the online help file is not as nearly complete as the Brazilian Portuguese version, but the PDF manuals are the same).

DWSIM includes the most common unit operations (including reactors) and thermodynamic packages found in commercial simulators. Still missing are distillation towers and heat exchangers (these probably will appear in the next version).

You can also find in the Downloads page an example simulation (Cavett's problem) in order to view some of DWSIM's main features.The source code can be compiled with Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition (a free Visual Studio VB.NET specific version).

Please post your comments, sugestions and questions etc. in the Forums section. They will be answered as soon as possible.

There is also a growing effort to make DWSIM run in Mono. Any help is very appreciated.

Thank you!
Daniel

[mostashar15]

This is really interesting. Good Luck and looking forward to see it commercially available sometime in the future.

[meisameh]

Dear sir/madam,
i have a matlab file and want to extended this one to vb.net to create a component .but i cann't do it.please help me.
thanks

[DanW]

This is really interesting. Good Luck and looking forward to see it commercially available sometime in the future.

I didn't understand your point... why do you want DWSIM to be commercially available if it is already available as an open-source software?

[HKk]

Hi Daniel

Good work done by you ! I had just downloaded ver 1.4 & was thinking of starting a simulation of water gas shift reaction but in the data base list I was not able to find CO as component .

Also I would like you to add some examples for our convenience

Regards

[nguyen_trung_dung]

Daniel,

Great job!
I did the same thing when I was student in Danang University(Vietnam) from 1997 to 2000, the project has been launched for 2 years and the scope is as follows:

+ Short-cut and Underwood calculation for distillation column. Compared with results from ProII, Rmin and Nmin are well matched ( I am in charge of this section). It’s only applied for compositional models.
+ A number of thermodynamic models were created including SRK, PR, VDV, Uniquac etc..
+ Heat exchanger design module

The last two sections were developed by my two classmates and all the codes were written in Delphi 3.0.

However as we are not programming expert, we are struggling to build an Graphic Integrated Interface and the integration of software is poor (Shortcut and Underwood calculation is using fairly simple thermodynamic model).
And the most disappointing is that when we graduated, this project is closed out because next generation students prefer to use ProII rather than develop something for themselves.

If you are interested in this, I am happy to share the code if I can find it out form my archive (not guarantee but will try my best). I will ask my old classmates the permission to share their sections as well.

Regards

DNT

[Neelakantan]

hi
Daniel menitoned lack of distillation and nguyen mentioned availability of distillation. i am unaware of delphi and so i dont know about the transportability of the code. However, i am ready to put some hours if help is needed to test and run the same

regards
neelakantan

[DanW]

Hello Neelakantan,

I'm finishing the development of the distillation unit op, just check the blog: http://dwsim.inforside.com.br. Russell's IO algorithm is almost done and I'll implement the BP method of Wang and Henke too. But if you want to help, please contact me.

nguyen,

If you find the code, let me know! If there is anything that can be included in DWSIM, the credits go entirely to you and your friends.

HKk,

version 1.5 will have 500+ components, including CO. You'll be able to create new ones and import ChemSep databases too. Please wait just a few more weeks as I finalize the rigorous distillation module.

Thanks everyone!

Regards,
Daniel

[DanW]

Ankur:

Congratulations, you've found a bug! I'll try to fix it as soon as possible.

But I was thinking, was it really necessary for you to react this way? If you don't like the software, just don't use it, and as the source code is available, you could've seen how the calculations are done before coming here and write these offensive words. That, in my humble opinion, doesn't help on anything.

Thanks anyway.
Daniel

[Qalander (Chem)]

Dear ankur/Dan Hello,

Somehow I feel and humbly suggest that both have reacted somewhat harshly. In the first place the OP should have indicated this as an evolution package for trial usage If this was his ownership/development.

Secondly, the observation of ankur could have been mentioned as possible bug needing rectification.
This seems to me as more professional and considerate approagh from us.

I do request apology if anyone during the process.
best regards
Qalander

[DanW]

Ok Qalander, I didn´t understand you very well, but I apologize if I've been rude. That wasn't my intention.

I just don't think that such a bug could be taken as a reason to not recommending the software, or to say that it is fraudulent, misleading and dangerous. DWSIM is not intended to be used in production scenarios, never was and will take a very long time before we can think about it. 99,999% of DWSIM is developed by myself alone. I have to distribute my time the best way I can, and I have priorities, which right now is to finish a basic set of unit operations - then I'll do the rigorous testing as is needed in a process simulator.

The status of the project in Sourceforge is still "Beta / Stable", so there are some parts which need testing or are being tested and another ones that are known to work well in the majority of cases.

DWSIM was never meant to compete with commercial solutions - it would be good if it was used for educational purposes. It is just something that I enjoy doing and like to share with the rest of the world. Lots of people already recognized this and I'm very thankful for that.

Best regards,
Daniel

[Qalander (Chem)]

Thanks and Best Regards for you on this much needed explaination.
I'm sorry for my english language;

however since message got through and your response's admiration prevails.
qalander

[StealthProg]

Some interesting points on this thread,

1 Any amateur attempt at a complex simulation package will inevitably be full of bugs. That's a given and should be no surprise to anyone. More than that an open source program done in 'spare time' by definition will never have the same level of quality control or testing that a commercial package is given. This should be made clear in very large letters on the splash screen, before somebody, somewhere and it will happen, uses this type of software for real design and the law-suits start flying.

2. Even commercial packages have bugs, that's also a given, and also should be no surprise to anybody. Any simulation results should be checked by hand as much as possible before the results are used. As a minimum, the heat and mass balance should be checked manually using whatever methods you have available for hand calculations. To accept any simulation results at face value is foolhardy.

[DanW]

I agree. When you start the setup program you get this message (that you must accept prior to installation):

==========================================
DISCLAIMER
==========================================

The data and information within DWSIM has been obtained from a wide variety of literature sources. While reasonable care has been exercised in the collection of data and testing of this software, the author of DWSIM disclaims any warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy or reliability of the data or calculations contained therein. The results of calculations obtained from DWSIM yield approximate results, which will not always be suitable for every application.

The software is designed for use by trained professional personnel and is not a substitute for sound professional judgment. It is the sole responsibility of the user to validate the data presented by DWSIM and to determine whether the results of this program are accurate and suitable for any specific purpose. No guarantee of accuracy or fitness for any purpose is expressed or implied. The author strongly recommends that the data be checked against other sources and/or methods before use and application. The author shall not be held liable for any direct, indirect, consequential or incidental damages incurred through use of the data or calculations.

I can put some parts of it in the splash screen, without any problem.

Regards
Daniel

[Qalander (Chem)]

Dear Dan Hello,

Since I am not 'in' to Simulation system/Package usages to comment,Only say

Keep it up with a Positive/unbiased approach and success will come your way.

Those dealt or are very much 'in' to Simulation packages use are better poised to comment.

Regards
Qalander

[StealthProg]

By the way my comments aren't intended as a criticism of the DWSIM package, it is what it is, but more to counteract ankur2061 comments, to use any package at face value is dangerous.

Ankur you do realise that at 50 bar your stream is supercritical and there is no distinction between liquid and vapour?

[DanW]

I don't really understand you, Ankur. Are you paying for something and not getting it? Did I come here promising one thing and delivering another?

Open source software is, on its essence, a collaborative effort. In the case of DWSIM, if I'm the only one to develop it to the end, we need to get as many users as possible to test the software, find bugs and collect suggestions with the objective to always improve it.

It is strange to me when you say that I'm advertising a "product" which is, in fact, an open-source software. Did you read the license on which DWSIM is released - GPL v3? The following excerpt is in the text file which contains the license and in every single source code file, just to make it CLEAR to anyone who is using the software:

"This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details."

Even in some commercial simulators' licenses you can find something like the above... so it just doesn't make sense for me to read those things yopu wrote about my software, like I was trying to fool everyone who is using it. What do I gain with that?

I repeat, I just came here to let people know about my project, get some feedback, and, who knows, some development help - hey, two people here helped me already so I think my topic is successful.

I can promise you that my intentions are the best ones, that's why I'm really surprised with your comments.

Daniel

[metoo24]

nice effort, can I help this my email sqef@hotmail.com Im a process engineer ,

[Desmond Aubery]

Congratulations to the OP. It takes courage & dedication to release OpenSource software. I commend you for your efforts.

Keep up your work - many will thank you for it.

[DanW]

Hello,

DWSIM 1.5 Beta is now available for download: http://dwsim.inforsi...a-released.html

[Qalander (Chem)]

Congratulations Dan!

Being Totally Un-biased and Positive I am Hoping this is going to be really useful and not useless.

People Dealing with Simulation will tell& Help you with Constructive criticism.

Be ready for positive criticisms.!
Best Regards
Qalander

[DanW]

Of course Qalander, I'm looking forward for some feedback. Thanks for your support!

Regards,
Daniel

[Christian Carioca]

Daniel, I'm on your side, buddy. Great work !!!
Regards from a colleague from CENPRO.

[DanW]

An updated beta build of DWSIM 1.5 is available for download: http://dwsim.inforsi...r-download.html

[Padmakar Katre]

Dear,
DanW, from your first post it explains the capability of your simulator as it has only reaction system capabilities and not the other unit opertaions. As far as the Unit Processes are concerned every licenser has their own inhouse developed simulators and as far as my simulation experience is concerned the authenticity of the results by modelling the reactions in commercial simulators is doubtful and this is the sincere acceptance of all the available commercial simulator inc. The perticular reaction to model into a commercial simulator is not going to be an easy task as you need tons experimental data which the licensor has it based on the consistant research work in the same. I hope you to take my opinions positively and to come up with the common unit opertaions very soon. I haven't used your simulator yet but as far as I know what happens around me is that people normally cross check the results of the simulators among the different simulators available they validate these results with the existing plant opertaing datas and if they find little devaition in some of the opertaions they consult to the Simulator Inc and seek their opinion but as you said that it has some bugs so it will not tend the people around go for even trial. Anyways no hard feelings please. All the best.