Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research £¨TNO£© is a nonprofit company in the Netherlands that focuses on applied science.TNO is a knowledge organization for companies, government bodies and public organizations. The approximately 5,000 employees work to develop and apply knowledge which makes it the largest research institute in the Netherlands. The organization also conducts contract research, offers specialist consulting services, and grants licences for patents and specialist software. TNO tests and certifies products and services, and issues an independent evaluation of quality. Moreover, TNO sets up new companies to market innovations.

Started at 1965 with several partners of the Dutch industry,PulsimSuite®isa pulsation software tool to perform API compliant projects for pulsation and vibration analysis of process installations. PulsimSuite, the usability, robustness, and ease of analysis have been taken a step further. Creating your models, defining operating conditions, and doing the analyses for Damper Design, Pulsation Analysis, and Vibration&Stress Analysis are all done in the same, user-friendly GUI.

Pulsations or pressure waves are flow dynamic phenomena that can cause various kinds of problems in installations in the process industry, the power industry and the oil and gas industry. For example:

• Vibration and fatigue problems in piping and fluid machinery

• Efficiency loss of running equipment

• Damage to fluid machinery

• Cavitation problems

•Errors in flow meter readings

•Increased noise levels

API Standards 618 and 674 describe design rules to avoid pulsation problems. To comply with these standards TNO developed a simulation program, called PULSIM (PULsation SIMulator). TNO has built up a track record of over 40 years in doing API 618/674 related consultancy projects, making use of PULSIM. The PULSIM solver is still the core of the commercially available software package: the user-friendly, versatile toolset PulsimSuite®. Simulation of flow - and structural dynamics with PulsimSuite in the design stage of a system can reduce the number of problems during operation.

 

•Full Graphical User Interface control of model building, definition of operating conditions, and results analysis (no more need for scripting)

• Validity checking as you work

•User selectable unit systems (SI, European customary, English, US customary, tailor-made)

•Results displayed as colors on the pipe system, with automatic code check, e.g. for API 681/674

•Easy identification and visualization of worst-case standing waves/resonances with the "hover-and-click" function.

 

•No model complexity limits

•CAD import of pipe systems from PCF files

•Piping and supporting structure are modeled in one GUI

•Reliable, validated models with a sound track record in the industry

•Support from the TNO PULSIM people, with over 40 years experience in the field.

 

•Modeling and analyzing pulsations and vibrations of pipe systems, equipment, and supporting structures

•Automatic compliance check of API pulsation levels, cavitation, vibration and stress levels, check valve fluttering, relief valve set pressure

•Results are available as time signals and frequency spectra

•Validity checking on-the-fly

•CAD file import for piping

•Intuitive 3D modeling: copy/paste, translate, mirror, or rotate system parts

•Databases of standard piping, beams, flanges, and valves

•Innovative "hover-and-click" functionality to identify pulsation - or vibration resonances causing the worst-case pulsations/vibrations/stresses