Model
building in Maximus is achieved using the Graphical Network Editor. This is a sophisticated drawing software
that allows Users to connect physical objects, such as reservoirs,
tubings, manifolds and pipelines together to create a network
model of their system. The
User selects equipment items individually by clicking on a toolbar
button and then clicking on the Model View window where the equipment
object is required. This then deselects the toolbar button. If multiple objects of a particular kind are required,
then clicking on the toolbar button while holding down the Shift
key locks the selected object. The locked button is unlocked by clicking
on another button. When
the User has dropped a number of objects onto the Model View,
they can then be joined together using flexible branch objects,
such as tubings, pipelines, connectors etc.
It
is important to note that Maximus’ Graphical Network Editor
classifies physical objects (e.g. reservoirs, pumps etc) into
either Nodes or Branches. This is explained
as follows:
Nodes
Nodes
are like the ‘glue’ in a network model and are used
to ‘stick’ the branches together. These objects can have multiple input fluid streams and
can produce multiple output fluid streams and can therefore connect
to a number of branches. The physical objects which Maximus treats as nodes are Reservoirs,
Sources, Trees, Junctions, Manifolds, Sinks, FPSOs, Platforms
and Separators. For more
details of these physical objects please go to the Maximus
Model Library.
Branches
Branches
connect from one node to another and have only a single fluid
input and a single fluid output. The physical objects that Maximus treats as branches are well
completions, well tubings, pipelines/flowlines, risers, reservoir
connectors, chokes, non-return valves, pressure drop devices,
heaters, coolers, pumps, compressors, multiphase boosters, Electro-Submersible
Pumps (ESPs) and Expanders. For
more details of these physical objects please go to the Maximus
Model Library.
The Maximus Graphical Network
Editor offers two network visualisations: the ‘Classic’
View and the ‘Process’ View. These two views are for convenience and
do not affect the behaviour of the software when performing simulations. Examples are provided below.
Maximus ‘Classic’
View of Complex Looped Network
Maximus ‘Process’
View of Topsides Separation and Recompression Train
