Cycle-Tempo Details

What does it do?

• The main feature of Cycle-Tempo is the calculation of all relevant mass and energy flows in the system. It has a particularly robust and efficient computational method, which means that you can depend on it to quickly obtain a reliable solution even in the most demanding situation.
• Additional features allow for more detailed analysis and optimization of the system.  For example, Cycle-Tempo can perform exergy analysis. Such an analysis provides insight into the exergy flows and losses within subsystems, and allows to quantitavely compare losses of different nature (e.g., fluid dynamic vs heat transfer). It is a fundamental tool when looking for the optimal system configuration and performance.
• Furthermore Cycle-Tempo includes an optimizer that can find the maximum value of a merit parameter (e.g. thermodynamic efficiency or power ouptut).
• Cycle-Tempo allows also for real-time integration within existing plant-wide data monitoring systems for performance analysis and trouble shooting.

Complete freedom in modeling your system

Cycle-Tempo will let you build models of energy systems quickly from a component library that include valves, heat exchangers, pumps, compressors, turbines, etc. The components are connected by pipes and ducts. The library includes conventional components, but also innovative modules and sub-systems (e.g., fuel cell of any kind, gasifier, pre-combustion CO₂ capture plants, ORC turbogenerator, absorption refrigeration systems, etc.). The addition of custom models is also possible, so that you can even model systems with components that are entirely new to the market, and proprietary to your company.

The practically unlimited flexibility of Cycle-Tempo is a key advantage over a number of our competitors that allow little or no variation of system configuration.

The close integration of Cycle-Tempo with the advanced thermodynamic property library FluidProp allows for the use of state-of-the-art thermodynamic and transport models for pure fluids and mixtures (conventional and unconventional working fluids) across a wide range of operating conditions.

Integration with optimization frameworks and monitoring systems

Cycle-Tempo features a built-in optimizer that lets you optimize several parameters at once. But even more powerful is the option to integrate the computational core of Cycle-Tempo with external design frameworks. This combines the power of tools like Matlab® and Nexus® with the modeling power of Cycle-Tempo. The same mechanism can be used to integrate Cycle-Tempo in monitoring systems.

Applicable in many domains

Cycle-Tempo has been developed to calculate mass flows, thermodynamic variables, chemical equilibrium and compositions of mixed flows for the  following processes or combinations of processes:

• Steam turbine power plants
• Gas turbines
• Combined cycle plants
• Combustion and gasification systems
• Heat transfer systems
• Fuel cell systems (with low temperature as well as high temperature fuel cells)
• Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plants
• Refrigeration systems (compression and absorption)
• Heat pumps.

Almost any existing or promising combination of systems can be modelled; therefore Cycle-Tempo is well suited for the evaluation of complex integrated systems consisting of combinations of systems and processes mentioned before.

For Example: Combined Heat and Power

For example, the evaluation of the performance of a combined heat and power (CHP) plant is made easy by special features included in the program. System models can be developed to solve different types of problems. In order to define the capacity of the system under design, load conditions can be specified in different ways, e.g., by setting the fuel input, the power output or the required thermal load of heat users. This flexibility demonstrates the high degree of user-friendliness.

Output diagrams

Calculation results can be visualised in various ways, i.e., in graphs, tables, directly in diagrams, and in textual output. The Text Output Window shows results even if a calculation was not successful. The outputs of Cycle-Tempo include Q-T diagrams and value diagrams, Mollier and T-s diagrams. Also customised tables reporting values such as enthalpy, pressure etc. can be created. These can be seamlessly imported into, e.g., Excel or Matlab for further post-processing.

Example models

Cycle-Tempo comes with many examples of components and subsystem models, and even complete energy conversion system models. Starting with such an example, you can quickly tailor it to your special needs, thus dramatically shortening the model development time.
The available models include:

• Models of simple system components, with the main purpose of showing the alternative applications for which the model can be used (i.e., steam turbine model)
• Models of subsystems, which can be copied into your overall system model and modified afterwards in order to create a more complex system (i.e. multiple-pressure level boiler model, gas turbine genset model, etc.)
• Models of complete energy conversion systems: these are available for common applications or can be tailored to specific purposes (i.e. conventional combined-cycle power station).

For each phase of your project

Cycle-Tempo is used in all phases of the lifespan of an energy conversion system:

• Initially, it is used in the concept development phase in order to select technologies or component types.
• Then, during the detailed system design phase, Cycle-Tempo allows to specify design points and operating conditions for components, and to optimize the system configuration and system parameters and to optimize partial load performance.
• Finally, during plant operation, you can use Cycle-Tempo for example to minimize fuel consumption in off-design situations and for analyses regarding maintenance and repair.

It can also be used for the study of re-powering or modification of existing plants.

Who is behind Cycle-Tempo?

The computer program Cycle-Tempo was developed jointly by the Delft University of Technology and by TNO, the Dutch institute for applied research. Since 2011, it is further developed and supported by Asimptote in close cooperation with the original developers within the Propulsion and Power group of the Delft University of Technology, constantly expanding Cycle-Tempo’s capabilities.