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Dynamically inferring variable dimensions in user-added equations

  • US 10,331,860 B2
  • Filed: 11/18/2014
  • Issued: 06/25/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for developing a simulation of a chemical process, the simulation describing at least one of physical and chemical properties of equipment within the chemical process by at least one equation having two or more variables and, based upon an assigned dimension of any one of the variables, dynamically inferring the dimensions of the remaining variables of the equation without user input, the system comprising:

  • a processor;

    a memory device coupled to the processor;

    an application stored on the memory device and executable by the processor;

    a library of equipment models stored on the memory device and accessible by the application, wherein the equipment models correspond to the equipment within the chemical process; and

    instructions stored on the memory device and executable by the processor, wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, dynamically infer one or more dimensions of variables in a user-added equation to create an updated equipment model, said instructions comprising instructions for;

    selectively presenting an interface of the application to a user;

    receiving, via the interface, a selection of an equipment model for use in developing the simulation, wherein the equipment model corresponds to the equipment within the chemical process;

    determining in response to the received equipment model selection that a corresponding standard equipment model is not present in the library of equipment models accessible by the application;

    receiving, via the interface, an indication of one or more newly added equations for use in the received equipment model selection in response to said determining that the selected equipment model is not present in the library of equipment models, wherein at least one of the equations includes an assigned variable having an assigned dimension, and wherein the equations describe at least one of a physical and a chemical property of the equipment within the chemical process not represented by the equipment model;

    rendering automatically created unassigned variables with unassigned dimensions for one or more other variables of the equations in response to the received indication;

    determining whether input is required to assign dimensions to the unassigned variables;

    automatically assigning dimensions to the unassigned variables based on the assigned dimension of the assigned variable when input is not required such that the dimensions automatically assigned to the unassigned variables enable evaluation of the equation;

    verifying that each variable in the equations is assigned a dimension;

    transforming the received equipment model selection into the updated equipment model using the equations including the variables with the assigned dimensions, wherein the updated equipment model represents the equipment within the chemical process including the at least one physical and chemical property; and

    storing the updated equipment model in the library of equipment models.

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