Tel: +33 5 62 88 58 32
Fax: +33 5 62 88 56 00
INPT-ENSIACET, Laboratoire de Génie Chimique (CNRS UMR 5503)
31077 Toulouse Cedex 04
France

Project description:

INPT has contributed to the development of the CAPE-OPEN standard from the very beginning during the CAPE-OPEN, Global CAPE-OPEN and GCO-Support projects. Major efforts were spent in different areas. Contributions were made the CAPE-OPEN architecture design within the Methods and Tools group (resulting for example in guideline documents). Further, interface specifications werew developed and agreed upon (Common Interfaces with Identification, Parameter, Error handling strategy, Collection, Persistence and Utilities; COSE interfaces with Simulation Context; Business Interfaces with Numerical Solvers, SMST, Unit Operation). The formulation of the specifications within the Methods and Tools group was supported throughout the CAPE-OPEN and Global CAPE-OPEN projects, especially releases for the CORBA middleware platform and version 1.0 of the COM platform. Finally, prototypes supporting numerical aspects and software for modular simulation have been developed.

The prototypes for the interfaces describing Sequential-Modular Specific Tools (SMST) contained algorithms for partitioning, tearing, ordering and sequencing in order to demonstrate how the research effort in this area can be integrated into modern simulation packages. The PMC prototype called Flowsheet Server is developed using CORBA and C++/FORTRAN and has been used in a number of demonstrations along the CAPE-OPEN standardisation process. A set of basic PME (Visual Graph and Flowsheet Analyser) were developed for validation and demonstration.

Further work in the numerics area has resulted in a complete implementation of the Numerical Solvers specification. The set of Process Modeling Component named Numerical Services Provider comprises a linear solver (from the IMSL library), a nonlinear solver (based on Newton-Raphson's method), and a differential-algebraic solver (based on the inner DISCo project). A corresponding Process Modeling Environment component (Continuous Model Builder) provides model building capabilities. Whereas this project is also based on CORBA and Java/C++/C/FORTRAN, a new project concerning the implementation of unit operation models using the CO standard for COM platform has already been started.

INPT is fully supporting CAPE-OPEN interfaces in upcoming projects and research activities and, as a member of the COLaN, is interested in further advancing the standard towards open process simulation.