Design (Pipe Sizing, Pump/Compressor Rating, Instrument Rating and Location)

PAnORaMA takes as inputs the network specifications such as diameter, surface roughness and length of each pipe segment in the network, pump/compressor curves (discharge pressure generated for a given flow rate), gas/liquid source pressures/flows for all sources, flow and pressure desired by users etc.). Therefore, once a simulation input file is prepared, one or more of the input parameters can be altered to study the effect on network performance. Thus by changing pipe sizes, one could arrive at the pipe size which allows to sustain the pressures/flows at the desired level for one or more users. Pipe sizing can thus be arrived at. Similarly, the horsepower of the pump/compressor which will be required to sustain the delivery of gas/liquid to all the users can be arrived at iteratively.

The simulation predicts pressure/flow at all intermediate points of the network. Their magnitudes allows to decide instrument rating.

In short, once we have a tool as powerful as a network simulator, its educated use allows the design parameters to be arrived at.