9 replies to this topic

[kasri]

Dear All,
Have you anyone using Unisim software.What is the difference between Unisim & Hysys.
Please explain.
Regards,
kasri

[Steve McGahey]

I haven't used it myself, but I know someone who has.

Plus
I have heard on the grapevine that there are a few more unit operations on the PFD-building palette, because Honeywell had already invested a lot of time in building models specific to certain processes.

At a fundamental level, it is based on HYSYS code, and so it looks essentially the same (with the exception of the different window-icon and a different file extension).

I hear that some of the "Modules" ShadowPlant are included, but I haven't had an opportunity to explore this.

I also hear that some UOP reactors are included, but I haven't has an opportunity to explore this.

You can still open up (to a limited, unguaranteed extent) HYSYS 2006 models with UniSim.

Uncertain
*Some* of the underlying correlations (i.e. pressure/flow, and fluid flashes) give slightly different numbers. Which is correct? Who knows. You could argue that UniSim is more *likely* to be correct, because why would you change something unless you disagree with it? However, there is no guarantee that the changes are an improvement.

I personally know of a number of bugs in HYSYS, but it is still the industry standard, despite these. Perhaps it's because those bugs aren't really publicised. When you lodge a bug report with AspenTech support, you are dealt with very nicely and efficiently, and generally get your problem resolved in a sensible amount of time. However, I really wish that they told everyone else about your problem as well (in a sanitised format, of course), so that you didn't naiively make the same assumption about something working correctly. I suspect that 99% of these bugs would still be present in UniSim.

[Andrei]

Unisim appeared on the market during a period when Hysys ownership was not so clear. Hyprotech, the initial owner of Hysys was acquired by Aspentech, but the acquisition was contested in courts supposedly infringing antitrust laws.
During this time Honeywell got somehow the licensing rights for Hysys. My opinion is that Honeywell wanted to do the same move done by other big instrumentation providers by acquiring a participation in the computer simulation software companies.
Personally I've seen the first version of Unisim, it was exactly Hysys with different logo and a lot of bugs. It was marketed with a very low price in comparison with Hysys. I confess this made me a little suspicious about the reasons why someone would do such thing other than to drive the other product out from the market. There were targeted all Hysys users, and at a certain point, with Aspentech not really developing Hysys, everybody was thinking that eventually Hysys will be replaced by Unisim, didn't happened.
Basic question: why most of the users stayed with Hysys even when a much cheaper software was given to them?
My company used both products, Hysys and Unisim, for some time, but abandoned Unisim around version 3 and something when it still had Windows incompatibility bugs like blue screens and exception errors. You cannot trust the results of a simulation if at the end of the run you get a Windows exception error.
I do not know what happened with Unisim after this time, but I am not expecting to see huge improvements.
Right now it seams that Hysys ownership is clear, and Aspentech refocused it's attention on development. There were serious things happened in versions 2006.5 and version 7, on the positive side. It seams that now Hysys development evolves towards Aspen Plus direction, at least from the thermodynamic point of view. Aspentec declared that both Aspen Plus and Hysys will completely share the same thermodynamic platform beginning with version 8. Current version 7 is a transition one. So, if you trust Aspen Plus thermodynamics, Hysys may give you the same thing in the near future.
Unisim? I think Honeywell has some work to do to overcome decades of development experience that others have and they don't.

[Steve McGahey]

Unisim? I think Honeywell has some work to do to overcome decades of development experience that others have and they don't.

I understand that a lot of the original HYSYS development team is now with Honeywell. So I suspect that the next few versions of UniSim may see decent progress.

[smalawi]

Hi,

interesting topic ...

I was a Hysys user for a long time, now I'm a UniSim user from R370 onwards, (Huge cost savings !)

In addition to all what been said...

Honeywell acquired Hysys code & HtFS and all updates from aspen out from the court deal for some three - four years which should ends this year or next. Both should be essentially the same, but seems the experience is mixed

essentially they should do the same function but since unisim is a new brand, the function calls (api's) within the software changed and as such new bugs formed, most of these are fixed now. similar way to Petro-sim from KBC which shares the same Hysys source code. Extensions for Hysys don't work on unisim unless updated.

after the court deal, aspen did not put any effort in Hysys as Honeywell will get the updates so they kept only essential fixes made. no new features, this upsets lots of clients as you pay for updates not simply bug fixes... aspen tried to "fool" the court order and start "HTFS plus", like TASC plus and don't give updates to Honeywell... most of the developers from hyprotech joined Honeywell after the later promised significant updates to unisim better than aspen. I know few of the guys and they are really good. I receive good support from them via email, but the Aspen support site is better developed.

Hoenywell owns UOP, they own all reactor models and also a DCS model so you found these in unisim but you need a license for them

eventually both Hysys an Unisim will diverge after the development deal is out but the basic functionality is very similar..

finally, Hysys or unisim, they are just a tool and you should check your work... for me understanding the tool and its limits is what makes a good simulation work.

cheers,

sm

[Andrei]

Exactly what Smalawi was saying : "Huge savings" using Unisim, I was starting to be suspicious about this huge price difference. Definitely Hysys story is an interesting one.

Regarding former Hysys developers, they may all be hired by Honeywell now, but this is not an automatic guarantee that what will come out from their hands will be better. What do you think prevented them to do a better job while being at Hyprotech in the first place? This is of course if you are talking about programmers, because as I know the Hysys' parents were university professors, and they are still in their positions at university, or maybe some retired. But I may have incomplete or wrong information.

Let's assume for a moment that tomorrow all Windows team will leave Microsoft for another software company. Do you really think that they will come up with a better Windows there?...
The importance of an organization/company I think shouldn't be underestimated.

[jcazenave]

just a quick correction:

As stated before Honeywell got the licensing right for HYSYS. This means that they got the source code and any update for some years. The last update for the HYSYS source code given to Honeywell was in Dec 07. Since then all developments made by AspenTech have not been sent to Honeywell. This include the Aspen Properties package mentioned by Andrei.

[Robert de Roos]

just a quick correction:

As stated before Honeywell got the licensing right for HYSYS. This means that they got the source code and any update for some years. The last update for the HYSYS source code given to Honeywell was in Dec 07. Since then all developments made by AspenTech have not been sent to Honeywell. This include the Aspen Properties package mentioned by Andrei.

Honeywell offers free 60 day trial licenses of UniSim Design. Please contact us to arrange for a free trial license!

Honeywell acquired Hysys technology in 2004 along with most Hysys developers. Honeywell also retained its own simulation development team, to create a large simulation development team. Honeywell resolved many bugs that existed in Hysys and added many new features that improve the experience. Honeywell acquired UOP and has incorporated ShadowPlant and UOP modules into the product for those doing training simulation. Honeywell has 250 simulation personnel. With such a large team, Honeywell invested a lot into improving the productivity of this simulation team, by improving the UniSim product.

• In 2004, Honeywell acquired the IP to HYSYS and Hyprotech products, along with AspenTech’s Operator Training business at this time.
• Honeywell also recruited key members of the HYSYS development, support and marketing teams from AspenTech, immediately after the acquisition.
• Since then, we’ve integrated and expanded our simulation development team to >50. Honeywell has 250 people in its simulation project engineering team
• We’ve long been market leaders in distributed control, operator training simulation, advanced process control, real-time optimization, planning and scheduling – the Hyprotech technology acquisition has enhanced our portfolio and our ability to offer a true lifecycle modeling solution
• UniSim Design is a key component within Honeywell Process Solutions’ product suite. It provides a significant revenue stream to Honeywell and is a key growth element of our Strategic Plan (STRAP)
• Beyond growth and STRAP, Honeywell’s Specialty Materials Division (including UOP) has adopting UniSim Design as their key simulation technology. Their business relies on it.
• Our continued investments (for example our recent optimization solver technology acquisition), our position in the HPS STRAP, and our internal corporate dependency on the software represent Honeywell’s long term commitment to the UniSim business.
• Our UniSim Design user base can be seen in 4 primary categories:
• HYSYS users making complete switch to UniSim Design (Linde and Shell representing the largest of these, but many smaller customers as well)
• Customers expanding or replacing HYSYS use while amid long-term HYSYS license agreements (Jacobs, Petrobras, others)
• New simulation customers – new markets, new users
• Academic users – Honeywell promote an Academic program and the use of UniSim Design in academic institutions is growing
• This is a strong and growing component of Honeywell’s portfolio.
• Honeywell has been involved in the simulation business for 30 years through the ShadowPlant line of technology
• The best of Hysys, OTISS and ShadowPlant were combined to create UniSim Operations Suite.
• In addition to all the refining features HYSYS has, UniSim Design can handle solids physical properties and has modules for solids operations.

UniSim Design Product Update:

• Release R350 – June 2005
- “Parity Release”
• Release R360 – March 2006
- Portfolio completion
- Unique new features
• Release R360.1- October, 2006
- UniSim Heat Exchangers (HTFS suite of products)
- Unique new features
• Release R370 – March 2007
- Major release with unique new features/enhancements/bug fixing (see attached release notes)
• Release R370.1 - September, 2007
- Bug fixes (many inherited from Aspen HYSYS 2006)
• Release R380 - March 2008
- Major release with unique new features/enhancements/bug fixing (see attached release notes)
• Release R390 - April 2009
- Major release with unique new features/enhancements/bug fixing (see attached release notes)
• Release R390.1 – Q2, 2010
- UniSim Flare (a new addition to the UniSim Design Suite)
- XML portability
• Release R400, a major release scheduled for December 2010.

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[Craig Morris]

This is of course if you are talking about programmers, because as I know the Hysys' parents were university professors, and they are still in their positions at university, or maybe some retired. But I may have incomplete or wrong information.

Kind of late for a reply, but..

Although Hyprotech was originally founded by professors, none could be considered a parent of Hysim or its progeny Hysys. Only one professor (Bill Svrcek) was involved by the time Hysim arrived on PCs and he was not technically involved. I can probably safely claim to be the parent of Hysim and the Hysim++ prototype that would eventually become Hysys, but I left in 1992 before the long rework into a Windows program. Wayne Sim was the guiding force behind that conversion.

Both Bill and I are minority investors in Virtual Materials Group, but are only peripherally involved in it operations. Wayne is the CEO of 3ESI, a oil and gas business software company. Tony Vysniauskas, the fourth principle of Hyprotech in the early years, is now, I believe, a gentleman farmer.

My biased take on Hysim's origins can be seen at http://www.redtree.c...ig?page=retired

I am still retired, but continue to play with software for amusement. My current obsession is the iPhone - see http://www.redtree.com/alph