The difference between virtual components and actual components
Thread Content
Dear experts, when using ASPEN, there are always virtual components and actual components, and even the choice of models involves virtual and actual options. I hope experts can advise me on when to use virtual components and when to use actual components I won’t be very grateful
Virtual components are generally used for complex mixtures, such as petroleum components, which do not have definite molecular weights or boiling points. They are treated as artificial substances, and through distillation curves and specific gravities, they are divided into a series of virtual components. It is recommended that you consult the refinery simulation section in the manual.
Thank you, moderator. Which manual is it mainly? What’s the full name? Thank you very much
The Aspen user manual is available on the forum, or you can look for some examples related to oil refining as references
Virtual components are used to deal with complex mixtures such as petroleum and coal; virtual models represent an idealization of real conditions, and their proper use can enable an approximate simulation of actual operating scenarios. As for when to use it, each case needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis; for the same problem, different focuses lead to the use of different models.
Coal cannot be represented using virtual components; tar could be considered, haha. 5# leizhao78
I think coal can use virtual components, haha. The key is how to characterize them~
So in our fine chemicals industry, can we just use the actual components as the materials?
Since crude oil is a mixture composed of various substances, it is impractical to enter each of these substances individually in process simulation calculations; therefore, crude oil is divided into a finite number of virtual components, which are treated as pure substances. Pseudo-multicomponent systems composed of these virtual components are used to replace the complex properties of crude oil.