Flow Network Class
| Description: | A network that flows a Commodity |
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.
| 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 | - |
| 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 |
| 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.