API Pulsation Analyses Simplified
BOSpulse is a comprehensive software solution for performing pulsation analyses of piping systems involving reciprocating equipment such as reciprocating compressors (API 618) and reciprocating pumps (API 674).
It enables engineers to model both common and custom reciprocating equipment and the attached piping, perform pulsation analyses, check the results against the allowable pressure and shaking force amplitudes defined by the API standards, and assess the impact of the shaking forces on the structural response of the piping system.
With BOSpulse you can
Harmonic pressure pulsations and shaking forces can be caused by reciprocating equipment and other periodic excitation mechanisms such as vortex shedding. With BOSpulse you can assess efficiently whether the pressure pulsations and shaking forces remain within acceptable limits.
With BOSpulse you can model reciprocating equipment in more or less detail, depending on your needs and the data available. It supports simulating step-less capacity control and suction and discharge valves driven by electronic or mechanical actuators.
In addition to regular pipe elements, BOSpulse comes with a collection of special flow elements for modeling dampeners, reducers, orifice plates, valves, and other components that are typically part of real piping systems. A dedicated PSD editor enables you to build detailed models of gas-filled pulsation suppression devices in little time.
With BOSpulse you can assess whether a compressor or pump system complies with the allowable limits defined in the API 618 and 674 standards. You can also define your allowable limits to be applied to a complete model or individual piping sections.
You can define an arbitrary number of scenarios in a single model for assessing different operating conditions. In addition to that, you can perform simple or sophisticated parameter studies in which you can vary one or more model parameters.
BOSpulse provides solid support for the API 618 Design Approach 3 which involves full mechanical response analyses. That is, you can specify both the acoustic and the structural model in a single BOSpulse model. Using the structural solver interface, you can also perform mechanical response analyses right from within the BOSpulse user interface.
With BOSpulse you have a broad array of graphical tools to pinpoint locations where and why problematic resonance occurs. This is often a major step towards finding practical solutions to ensure that a system complies with the applicable allowable limits.
Because adding and deleting scenarios is a quick operation in BOSpulse, you can quickly assess the effectiveness of different mitigating measures without having to manage an unwieldy number of model files. In addition, the post-processing capabilities enable you to compare the results from many different scenarios in comprehensive ways.
Use the compressor and pump configuration tool to gain insight into the performance of reciprocating equipment without running a complete acoustic flow analysis. You can use this tool, among others, to calculate the average flow rate, to show the P-V diagram, and torque acting on the crankshaft.
See BOSpulse In Action
BOSpulse Capabilities
Harmonic Pulsation Analyses
BOSpulse can calculate the harmonic flow rates, pressures, and shaking force amplitudes occurring in piping systems due to reciprocating equipment. It assumes that the flow conditions are uniform over any cross-section of the piping system and that fluid properties are homogeneous, although they may vary in space. These assumptions are adequate for obtaining sufficiently accurate results in the typical frequency range associated with reciprocating pumps and compressors.
Special Flow Elements
A collection of special flow elements enables you to build realistic 3-D models of actual piping systems. These flow elements include reciprocating equipment, reducers, orifices, valves, storage tanks, and dampeners. Fluid density variations in the system, due to temperature and/or pressure variations, are properly accounted for.
API 618 and API 674 Analyses
BOSpulse supports pulsation analyses for reciprocating compressors according to the API 618 standard and for reciprocating pumps according to the API 674 standard. Multiple graphical and textual tools can show if and how a piping model meets or fails the applicable API standard or any custom allowable limits that you have specified.
Mechanical Response Analyses
BOSpulse is not limited to the flow domain; It can also perform structural, modal, and harmonic analyses through a structural solver interface. Because BOSpulse also supports modeling the structural aspects of a piping system, such as restraints and structural steel, you do not need to build separate flow and structural models. This significantly reduces modeling and analysis time, and the possibility of introducing errors.
Key Features Of BOSpulse
With BOSpulse you can build detailed 3-D piping models that capture relevant acoustic and structural resonance phenomena. A collection of elements enables you to model pipes, reducers, common fittings, reciprocating equipment, dampeners, tanks, and curved end caps.
BOSpulse automatically applies acoustic length adjustments so that you can focus on the logical layout and geometry of a piping model.
A unique and powerful feature offered by BOSpulse is support for the specification of symbolic model parameters. By varying these symbolic parameters in a parameter study you can assess the performance of the system over a range of operating conditions and also account for modeling uncertainties.
BOSpulse comes with a graphical user interface that offers a streamlined model definition procedure and extensive post-processing capabilities. A powerful model viewer can be used to interact with the piping model, select parts of the model, and review results.
Support for defining groups of elements enables you to partition your model in a logical way and apply bulk operations to different parts of the model. This can save a lot of time when adapting operating conditions or pipe-related data.
Parts of a model can be excluded from analyses with a few simple operations. Excluded parts are rendered translucently so that you can keep graphically interacting with them.
BOSpulse assesses API 618 compliance for reciprocating compressors and API 674 compliance for reciprocating pumps for all specified operating conditions. You can therefore determine whether a piping system meets the applicable API allowable limits with a minimum of effort.
With BOSpulse you can assess the pressure pulsations, the minimum and maximum pressure, the shaking forces, and pressure drops within PSDs.
In addition to the standard API pressure pulsation limits, you can specify custom limits on a model-wide or element-local basis. Custom limits can be specified as arbitrary functions of the piping geometry and flow conditions.
With BOSpulse you can model reciprocating compressors and pumps in various levels of detail. The models support stepless flow control and regulated valves. The more detailed models account for the suction and discharge valve dynamics and enable you to have a detailed look at the actual operating conditions.
When entering the model parameters, BOSpulse displays the expected P-V diagram, flow rate, and torque curve. This helps you verify the correctness of the input parameters and assess the performance of the equipment beforehand.
BOSpulse supports modeling a wide range of dampeners. A dedicated PSD editor enables you to create detailed models of pulsation suppression devices while a special element models gas-filled dampeners in liquid-filled systems.
By using the ANSYS structural solver interface in BOSpulse you can run a mechanical response analysis (Design Approach 3) directly from within BOSpulse and review the displacements and stresses within BOSpulse. Because you can specify all aspects of the structural model within BOSpulse, you do not need to set up separate models for pressure pulsation analyses and structural analyses.
BOSpulse implements both the ASME B31.3 and ASME B31J piping codes for predicting the stresses and displacements. You can also manually specify geometry parameters and stress-related parameters associated with tee junctions.
In addition to the structural solver interface, BOSpulse can export the shaking forces to spreadsheets and input files for CAESAR II, Bentley AutoPIPE, and CSiPlant. In this way, you can perform structural analyses in the tool of your choice.
BOSpulse enables you to define an arbitrary number of scenarios to study different variations of a single piping model. You can also specify symbolic model parameters that can be varied in a parameter study. This makes it possible to efficiently study correlations between model parameters and the predicted pressure pulsations.
The number of simulations to be performed increases with the number of scenarios and the number of parameter variations. To reduce the analysis time BOSpulse schedules different scenarios and parameter variations on different processor cores.
To make sense of all simulation results, BOSpulse provides flexible and powerful post-processing capabilities with which you can quickly compare different scenarios and view how the results depend on the symbolic parameters that have been varied.
BOSpulse comes with both a time-domain flow solver and a frequency-domain flow solver. The former offers a higher level of accuracy but tends to be one or two orders slower than the latter. The choice between two solvers enables you to make a trade-off between accuracy and analysis time.
The mean flow conditions are the starting point of any harmonic flow analysis, both when using the time-domain and the frequency-domain solver. BOSpulse therefore comes with a full-fledged steady-state solver that is also used in BOSfluids, our general flow analysis package.
The steady-state solver requires the specification of at least one pressure boundary condition. If this pressure is not known, then the steady-state solver can automatically tune the steady-state conditions to achieve a target pressure at a compressor flange.
BOSpulse can import piping models from different file formats, including Piping Component Files, CAESAR II neutral files, and spreadsheets defining pipe profiles. When you import a model, you have the choice to replace, extend, or update the current model.
When importing a set of Piping Component Files, BOSpulse will correct common problems such as overlapping elements and disjoint piping sections. BOSpulse also enables you to edit the applicable piping specifications before continuing with the import operation.
BOSpulse can export piping models to CAESAR II neutral files and ANSYS input files, facilitating mechanical response analyses with your tool of choice.
BOSpulse provides a wide range of possibilities to review the results of an analysis. BOSpulse can show the results in the 3-D model viewer, and various types of plots, including min-max plots, harmonic plots, and case plots. The results are also available in textual form using standard and custom reports.
With BOSpulse you can share models and selected results with third parties through the free companion application BOSview. BOSview is not only capable of displaying BOSpulse models and results but can also display piping models in different file formats, including Piping Component Files.
We strongly believe that your data should not be locked away in some propriety format. BOSpulse models and results are therefore stored in files that can be accessed with free and open-source tools. Moreover, if your BOSpulse license has expired, you can still use BOSpulse to view your models and results.
Resources Available
Training Courses
Learn all about the effects of pressure surges on piping systems and how to perform a surge analysis using BOSfluids.
Webinars
See BOSfluids in action in one of our webinars where we explore the latest uses cases and applications.
Knowledge Base
Check out the latest product releases and articles that answer your technical questions.
