Flow Network Class

Description: A network that flows a Commodity
Detail:

See also Flow Network Property Reference for a detailed list of properties for this class of object.

Related Classes: Commodity, Process, Facility, Market, Flow Node, Flow Path, Flow Storage.

Overview

A Flow Network flows a single Commodity through a collection of Flow Node objects linked by Flow Path objects, with optional storage in Flow Storage objects.

Example

Figure 1 shows a three node network in which a Facility "Plant" produces a Commodity "Water" that flows on the network from the "Source" node to the "Sink" node where it is sold in a Market. The Flow Path from "Source" to "Sink" is limited in capacity but the market can be reach via the "Bypass" node along a different set of Flow Path objects but there is a cost associated with flows through that node.

Figure 1: Flow Network Example

Table 1 lists the objects for this example, Table 2 the memberships and Table 3 the properties.

Table 1: Example Flow Network Objects
Class Name Category
Commodity Water -
Process Production -
Market Demand -
Facility Plant -
Flow Network Water -
Flow Node Bypass -
Flow Node Sink -
Flow Node Source -
Flow Path Bypass.to.Sink -
Flow Path Source.to.Bypass -
Flow Path Source.to.Sink -
Flow Storage Tank -


Table 2: Example Flow Network memberships
Collection Parent Name Child Name
Commodity.Markets Water Demand
Process.Primary Output Production Water
Facility.Primary Process Plant Production
Facility.Flow Nodes Plant Source
Flow Network.Commodity Water Water
Flow Network.Flow Nodes Water Bypass
Flow Network.Flow Nodes Water Sink
Flow Network.Flow Nodes Water Source
Flow Node.Markets Sink Demand
Flow Path.Flow Node From Bypass.to.Sink Bypass
Flow Path.Flow Node From Source.to.Bypass Source
Flow Path.Flow Node From Source.to.Sink Source
Flow Path.Flow Node To Bypass.to.Sink Sink
Flow Path.Flow Node To Source.to.Bypass Bypass
Flow Path.Flow Node To Source.to.Sink Sink
Flow Storage.Flow Node Tank Source


Table 3: Example Flow Network properties
Collection Child Object Property Value Data File Units
Commodities Water Price 0
$/kL
Processes Production Processing Charge 5
$
Markets Demand Demand 0 Water Demand -
Markets Demand Shortage Price 10000
$
Markets Demand Max Sales 1000
-
Facilities Plant Units 1
-
Facilities Plant Max Operating Level 1000
-
Flow Nodes Bypass Flow Charge 10
$
Flow Paths Bypass.to.Sink Min Flow 0
-
Flow Paths Source.to.Bypass Max Flow 100
-
Flow Paths Source.to.Bypass Min Flow 0
-
Flow Paths Source.to.Sink Flow Charge 1
$
Flow Paths Source.to.Sink Max Flow 550
-
Flow Paths Source.to.Sink Min Flow 0
-
Flow Storages Tank Max Inventory 10000
kL
Flow Storages Tank Opening Inventory 5000
kL

External Networks

A Flow Network can have connections to other networks through the following memberships:

These connections allow you to import/export to/from your external electric network to the Flow Network.