Concepts

This page gives a conceptual overview of the IDAES platform and provides terminology for the different components of that platform.

Contents

IDAES-IP

Description

The IDAES integrated platform (IDAES-IP) supports the full process modeling lifecycle from conceptual design to dynamic optimization and control within a single modeling environment. At the center of this platform is the Core Modeling Framework (IDAES-CMF) which leverages the open source, U.S. Department of Energy-funded extensible algebraic modeling environment, Pyomo.

Below is a diagram showing the components of the IDAES Integrated Platform (IDAES-IP).

../_images/IDAES-IP.png

Terminology

The following terms are used in the diagram above, and throughout this documentation.

IDAES-IP

IDAES integrated platform, described on this page

IDAES-Core

The software package that includes the Core Modeling Framework (IDAES-CMF); process, unit, and property model libraries; data management, artificial intelligence and uncertainty quantification tools; and graphical user interfaces.

IDAES-CMF

The IDAES-CMF is the center of the IDAES-Core. It extends Pyomo’s block-based hierarchical modeling constructs to create a library of models for common process unit operations and thermophysical properties, along with a framework for the rapid development of process flowsheets.

IDAES-AI

Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools

IDAES-UQ

Tools supporting rigorous uncertainty quantification and optimization under uncertainty

Graphical User Interfaces

Tools for graphical interactive work, such as visualization of IDAES flowsheets

Python programming environments

Jupyter Notebook examples and extensions for interactive scripting in Python

Data Management (IDAES-DMF)

Data Management Framework (DMF) supporting provenance for IDAES workflows

Pyomo

Open source, U.S. Department of Energy-funded extensible algebraic modeling environment (AML). For more information, see the Pyomo website.

IDAES-Materials
IDAES-Design
IDAES-Enterprise
IDAES-Operations

Domain-specific tools for materials design, process design, enterprise-wide optimization, and control.

IDAES-CMF

Overview

The core modeling framework of IDAES was designed to be modular, and is based on the block-hierarchical structure shown below:

../_images/IDAES_structure.png

An IDAES process model begins with a process flowsheet, which is the canvas on which the representation of the user’s process will be constructed. Each process consists of a network of unit operations which represent different pieces of equipment within the process (such as reactors, heater and pumps) and are connected together to form the overall process. Each unit operation in turn is made up of modular components – a unit model which describes the behavior and performance of the piece of equipment, a thermophysical property package which represents the material being processed by the unit operation, and a reaction package (if applicable) which represents any chemical reactions that may occur within the unit. Each of these components can be further broken down into sub-modules:

  • Unit models consist of a set of material, energy and momentum balance equations which describe how material flows through the system, coupled with a set of performance equation which describe phenomena such as heat and mass transfer.

  • Thermophysical property packages (generally) consist of a set of ideal, pure component properties for each component, a set of mixing rules and departure functions which describe how the mixture properties depend on the ideal properties, and a set of equations describing phase-equilibrium phenomena.

At the other end of the spectrum, IDAES process models are designed to be general purpose and to be applicable to a wide range of modeling activities. By providing access to a wide range of different numerical solvers and modeling tools, IDAES process models can be applied to a wide range of different problems, such as:

  • process optimization and simulation of both steady-state and dynamic applications,

  • data reconciliation,

  • parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification,

  • optimization under uncertainty, and

  • conceptual design (superstructure problems).

Modeling Components

The IDAES Integrated Platform represents each level within the hierarchy above using “modeling components”. Each of these components represents a part of the overall model structure and form the basic building blocks of any IDAES process model. An introduction to each of the IDAES modeling components can be found here.

Model Libraries

To provide a starting point for modelers in using the process modeling tools, the IDAES Integrated Platform contains a library of models for common unit operations and thermophysical properties. Modelers can use these out-of-the-box models to represent their process applications or as building blocks for developing their own models. All models within IDAES are designed to be fully open and extensible, allowing users to inspect and modify them to suit their needs. Documentation of the available model libraries can be found here.

Modeling Extensions

The IDAES Integrated Platform also provides users with access to a number of cutting edge tools not directly related to process modeling. These tools are collected under the heading of Modeling Extensions, and information on them can be found here.