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AFT Arrow - Compressible Steady State Flow in Pipe Networks
AFT Arrow 4.0 provides comprehensive, compressible pipe flow analysis and
system modeling capabilities combined with ease-of-use. Addressing open
 and
closed loop systems, AFT Arrow includes a built-in library of fluids and
fittings, variable model configurations, fan/compressor and control valve
modeling and much more. With the optional Chempak add-in, a thermo-physical
database of approximately 600 gases is available to further expand the envelope
of your analysis and design. AFT Arrow goes beyond the boundaries of fluid flow
analysis, with thermal analysis capabilities including piping heat transfer,
heat exchanger modeling and varying fluid properties.
AFT Arrow employs a robust solver using proven matrix methods to solve the
governing equations of pipe flow to conduct a true and rigorous compressible
flow solution. AFT Arrow is unique in its ability to solve for adiabatic,
isothermal and generalized heat transfer conditions and with sonic choking. The
full power of this technical sophistication is readily accessible through an
advanced visual interface. From the powerful drag-and-drop model building
features to the fully customizable output, AFT Arrow becomes an extension of the
engineer’s mind, freeing him or her to focus on their system, not the mechanics
of software manipulation.
More than flow analysis, AFT Arrow lets you build your piping system in
software. Vary pipe sizes, compressor/fan curves, valve settings, fluid
properties, operating lineup...virtually anything you can do with the real
system can be done within AFT Arrow, accurately simulating the individual system
components and their interaction. Whether you're designing new systems,
modifying existing ones or analyzing system operations, The ability to analyze
alternates and the insight provided by an AFT Arrow model significantly improves
the quality of systems engineering you can achieve, leading to less costly, more
efficient and more reliable piping systems.
 AFT
Arrow has been used on thousands of applications ranging from chemical to
petrochemical to power to pharmeceutical to facilities to aerospace and more.
Systems include low pressure vent systems to high pressure relief systems with
multiple sonic choking points.
AFT Arrow's flow solution engine is based on the Newton-Raphson matrix iteration
method plus many proprietary solution methods developed by AFT over several
years that increase solution speed and robustness. Unlike some other software
that relies on simpler incompressible methods with compressible correction
factors applied, AFT Arrow conducts a true and rigorous compressible analysis.
Pipes are divided along their length and Arrow's solver switches between a
length march and mach march depending on the solution progress. As well as the
common adiabatic and isothermal approximations to real world gas flow, AFT Arrow
can conduct a flow analysis with heat transfer and sonic choking. Arrow offers
both ideal gas as well real gas modeling, ASME steam properties and, optionally,
fluid property and mixtures modeling using the available Chempak Property
Database.
The Workspace
AFT Arrow models are built in a graphical environment, displaying the model in a
familiar schematic format. AFT Arrow models contain two constructs, pipes and
junctions. Junction types included are;
- Tank (up to 25 pipes may be connected to each)
- Branch (up to 25 pipes may be connected to each)
- Compressor/Fan (as fixed specified flow or curve)
- Heat exchanger
- Assigned flow
- Assigned pressure
- Area change
- Bend
- Tee/wye (uses the Idelchik and Miller loss relationships)
- Valve
- One way valve (check valves and relief valves)
- Control valve (pressure reducing, pressure sustaining, constant pressure drop,
flow - may be specified as fail open or close and fail upon reverse flow)
- Dead end
- Orifice
- Venturi
- Screen
- Separator (for use with optional Chempak Fluid Property Database)
- General component (user defined component)
An AFT Arrow model is 'assembled' by dragging the junctions to be included onto
the Workspace and connecting them with pipes (this can be done in any order and
pipes and junctions can be added and deleted at any time). The resulting system
schematic clearly displays the connective relationship between system components
and pipe runs in the same way traditional schematics and diagrams do.
Each item on the Workspace is described through a Specifications window, opened
by double-clicking on the object. In the case of pipes, for example, the
diameter, length and roughness are specified (pipes may also be selected by
material type and schedule from the built-in database and friction modeling may
be selected from the drop down list, including absolute roughness, hydraulically
smooth, frictionaless and others). In the case of compressors/fans, one selects
between a fixed specified flow or modeling with a curve. If the latter is
selected, data is input for the flow vs. head (or pressure) curve and Arrow
calculates a curve fit to characterize the head curve. Compressors/fans may also
be modeled as variable speed or as controlled flow or discharge pressure.
A summary of an object's specification may be seen by right-clicking on it to
open the Inspection Window.
System lineup can be easily and quickly varied by opening and closing pipes and
valves, compressor/fans turned on or off, control valves set to fail position.
AFT Arrow includes numerous tools for arranging and editing models that
significantly reduce the time required to develop a model and change it.
Model Data
The Model Data window provides a tabular listing of the pipes' and junctions'
input data. This is a great aid for some types of input review. For example,
knowing that your pipe lengths are the range of a few feet to several tens or
hundreds of feet, a scan down the pipe length column will quickly reveal an
input value with an extra digit or two or a length unit mistakenly specified as
miles instead of feet.
Double-clicking on an item within the Model Data window opens its Specifications
window for editing.
Output Window
A tabular display of calculated results, the Output window is organized into
General, Pipes and Junctions sections, which can be displayed all at once or
 individually.
Additionally, the General and Junctions sections have tabbed sub-sections to
quickly view specific categories. For example, the General section provides
tabbed summaries for compressor/fans, valves and heat exchangers, it present in
the model. The Junctions section has tabs to view the output results of all
junctions as well as a tab for each type of junction in the model.
The Output provides extensive control by the user for such items as; what
objects and parameters are displayed, units, order (including sorting), as well
format controls for viewing and printing, all of which may be changed and the
revised output viewed without re-running the model.
Visual Results
Working in both an Input or Output mode, Visual Report displays selected input
or output parameters with your model schematic. Visual Report can vary the color
of pipes in the model according to a user defined color map based pressure,
temperature, flow and many other parameters.
Graph Results
Graphs of flow, pressure, temperature and many other parameters are quickly and
easily generated by pipe or along a flowstream as well as system curves and
compressor/fan vs. system curves.
Scenario Manager
A powerful aspect of modeling software is the ability to change the system and
study the effects - 'what if'. AFT Arrow's Scenario Manager raises this 'what
if' capability to new levels by, first, allowing the user to define variations
of a model and save them within one model file and two, automatically keeping
common attributes between scenarios synchronized. Scenarios may vary by almost
modeling parameters; pipe sizes, fluids, compressor/fan curves, valve settings,
indeed, scenarios may differ by the elements present. For example, a variante of
a model may have a planned future expansion. Changes in higher order scenarios
are automatically passed downward to their 'children' for the parameters that
are linked. Consider, for example, having a base scenario with several variants
each with different pump curves. To change, say, the size of the pump discharge
line on all variants, the Base can is selected, the change made and
automatically passed to the 'children', both saving time and ensuring the
variants remain synchronized in their common attributes.
Fluid Properties
Fluids may be chosen from the standard AFT Arrow database of ~30 gases, user
specified or from the optional Chempak Property Database add-in. With the
Chempak add-in, almost 600 gases are available as well as the ability to
assemble non-reacting mixtures and analyze dynamic mixtures resulting from
intersecting flow streams.
Customization
AFT Arrow provides extensive customization features including:
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Workspace appearance (colors, line widths, fonts, junction sizes and appearance,
location of pipe numbers and names, notation)
- Preferred unit specification - english and SI units supported
- Apply design factors to pipe and junction losses, pump head and heat transfer
- Vary pipe thickness (with pipe diameter if desired)
Fluid, Component, Material Databases - AFT Arrow comes standard with a database
of ~30 fluids and pipe dimensions and roughness for several types of steel, cast
iron and PVC pipe, but you can readily add your own items. Work frequently with
copper tubing? Input the data for the sizes you normally work with and they
appear in drop down lists along with the standard database items. Fluids can be
specified as a single point or with temperature dependent data and AFT Arrow
does the work of curve fitting the data to an equation. Specified a
compressor/fan that you will use again? Click on 'Add Component to Database' and
it's readily available from a drop down list. In fact, you can easily compile
catalogs of compressors/fans, valves, heat exchangers...virtually any kind of
piping component to be quickly and easily selected within AFT Arrow. Better yet,
database files can be shared either by copying between stand alone computers or
across a network.
AFT Arrow Add-on Modules now available, extend AFT Arrow's modeling
capabilities with two, available Add-on Modules:
GSC-Goal Seek and Control to automate the determination of input
parameters that will yield desired output values and simulate control functions
within systems
CST-CoST calculations of pipes and components
If you have any further queries concerning this
software, please drop us a note
and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Purchase Online
We have a number of purchase options available in our
store. Our goal is to ensure that you feel comfortable in buying our
software. We therefore employ the highest level of security for online
transactions and accept all major credit cards as well as various options
to purchase such as electronic fund transfer (EFT) or bank draft. Should
you prefer not to provide your details online, we understand and ask that
you send us an email
requesting a pro-forma invoice for the
software in question. Please include relevant company details should you
decide on this option.
We have been selling software via the internet for many years, and
have a list of satisfied customers from across the globe. Should you require references from
some of these companies and individuals please let us know.
  
Purchase Online
| AFT Arrow |
$ |
4000 |
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| GSC Add-on Module |
$ |
900 |
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| CST Add-on Module |
$ |
700 |
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Should
you like to download a demo of this software, it is available by
clicking the link below.
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