After investing your time modeling complex simulations, there is nothing better than obtaining results that are easily analyzed, exported, and ready to be presented without further manipulation in other software. Since the beginning of its development, ALFAsim has offered user-friendly features, such as the ability to view results in profile plots while considering the system as a whole. With the latest release,  ALFAsim 1.9.0 now offers much more.

ALFAsim 1.9.0 includes significant plot improvements, from configurable curve styles to the display of the current plotted curves as a table, allowing easy selection and copying of values. In addition, engineers can add static curves for comparison in order to perform important flow assurance analysis, such as hydrate formation, by importing a Pressure x Temperature reference curve. 

In addition, the long-awaited Transient Input feature is now available so that cases with production decline as a result of reservoir depletion over time can be represented along with other applications.

Inside the major Highlights of ALFAsim version 1.9.0

Plot Improvements and New Features

• Configurable curve styles: It is now possible to configure and save a custom property curve style.
• Export profile animation: The profile plot evolution in time can now be exported as a video (.avi format).
• New table tab: This tab displays the current plotted curves as a table, allowing easy selection and copying of values.
• Search filter: A new search filter was added to the trend and profile plot windows. 
• Trend element selection: When you’re selecting a network element (e.g., an edge) with multiple trends attached to it, a new selection structure becomes visible in the trend plot window to filter which trends will be displayed in the plot. 
• Multiple runs identification: New columns added to Multiple Runs table feature provide better identification of each run.

User Curves 

This new feature means you can add static curves for comparison, allowing for important analyses such as hydrate formation, by importing a Pressure x Temperature reference curve.

Transient Input

Boundary conditions and properties in nodes and equipment such mass flow rates, volumetric  flow rates, volume fraction, temperatures, and pressures can now be defined as a function of time.

Trend Improvements and New Features

Four major trend improvements are now available:

• New equipment trends, including specific output variables for each type of equipment, are now available when adding new equipment to the project. Equipment trends from previous projects are converted to regular edge trends when loading the project.
• New separator trends, including new specific output variables, such as Separator Liquid Level and Separator Pressure, have been added.
• New overall edge trends collect data related to the whole edge, not only a specific position (i.e. Pipe Total Liquid Volume and Pipe Gas Volume).
• New global trend  collects data related to the whole network and will be added to new projects by default.

Output Options Improvements

• Trends are now displayed in two separate tables: positional trends (regular edge and equipment trends) and non-positional trends (overall separator and global trends).
• New options are available for using an automatically defined frequency to save trend and profile output data. 
• Filters: Trend and profile configuration editors now have a search filter. 

Formation Plot

A new plot has been added to the Formation tab in the Well Editor for a visual feedback of the configured formation.

Improvements in Editor Interaction during Simulation 

• While a simulation is running or paused, interactions with the Initial Conditions and Environment tabs in Model Explorer are now improved, such as moving scroll bars, changing units, and interacting with plots.
• The Parametric Runs editor is also improved, now allowing the user to view the configured variables while the simulation is running or paused.

New Options in Edge’s Environment Tab Configuration

A new option, None in the Environment Type column, assumes that there is no external environment. The environment’s temperature will be prescribed at the pipe’s outermost wall external surface, or, in a case where a formation has been defined, at its effective distance.

Fixes

• Outdated plug-ins will no longer cause the solver to crash when initializing, as they will be ignored. 
• Opening the well editor with a double click on the schematic will no longer cause a crash or open editor windows for non-selected wells. 
• When importing ALFAsim case files (.alfacase), the plug-in outputs are properly loaded. 
• Trends and profiles table columns in the Output Options editor now expand to fill all the available space. 

• Fixed the unit for volumetric flow rates at standard conditions from volume flow rate to standard volume per time; 
• The fixed annulus trends representation in the well schematic are now displayed at the right position.

Known Limitations

• Tracers will not be considered in Gas Lift Valves.
• When using the Keep Previous Results option with Restart as the Initial Conditions Strategy: 
  • The statistics displayed in the Plot windows are not updated to the restarted simulation and should be disregarded. 
  • Trends that are generated from profiles after the simulation is run will be erased and show only the results from the restart point ahead.
• Compositional PVT Model: 
  • Single-component simulations are not supported yet.
  • All fluids with heavy components must have the same minimum number of single carbons.
  • When adding heavy components to the fluid composition, the number of single carbons must be sequentially ordered.
  • The compositional model currently does not work with the Steady State solver.  
• Discretization parameters are not supported in .alfacase files; only already discretized profiles can be imported (ASIM-3745).

Request now your free trial to experience all these improvements.