ThermoSysPro is an open-source component library that engineers can use to build the digital twin of their installation from an energy perspective. The goal? Thermal-hydraulic modeling of energy production and conversion plants (electricity, heat, hydrogen, etc.).
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[In this testimonial, Luis Corona Mesa-Moles, an engineer at EDF R&D, presents ThermoSysPro, an open-source modeling tool that makes it possible to create the digital twin of energy production systems. Designed to support the energy transition, this tool helps design, optimize, and anticipate the evolution of facilities toward a low-carbon future.]
Modeling today’s and tomorrow’s energy systems
Ways of producing and consuming energy are constantly evolving to meet growing needs. Understanding the physical processes that are changing allows us to use energy more efficiently and move toward carbon neutrality.
ThermoSysPro is an innovative simulation code that enables the creation of a digital twin for any energy production system. With it, we can study our current energy systems and imagine those of tomorrow.
This essential tool was created by EDF R&D!
Luis Corona Mesa-Moles: ThermoSysPro is a journey that goes back to 2010, originally to model the thermodynamic performance of the EDF Group’s major generation assets.
In thermal power plants, electricity is produced through energy transfers between a hot source (reactor, solar collector, etc.) and a cold source such as the sea or a river, which drive a turbine.
For the rest, I’ll refer you back to physics class! All these energy transformations are the main physical phenomena we model.
ThermoSysPro is an open-source component library that engineers draw on to build the digital twin of their facilities. As generation technologies evolve, we adapt the library.
From an energy standpoint, we focus on cogeneration plants, district energy networks, and more innovative, decentralized smart grids. Sometimes we couple ThermoSysPro with other libraries developed at EDF R&D. We adapt to renewables and the development of hydrogen-based technologies.
There are numerous applications in both design and operations. In design, to make the best choices in line with environmental priorities, current regulations, and physical, technological, and economic constraints. In operations, to track plant performance, quantify losses or deviations from expected values, diagnose the causes of malfunctions, assess component lifetime, and anticipate maintenance.
ThermoSysPro is used by engineers and researchers at EDF and its subsidiaries, such as Dalkia, as well as by CEA, Naval Group, universities, and leading engineering schools.
In short, it enables us to move forward hand in hand to build a better future—at least from an energy standpoint.
More information at www.thermosyspro.com
ThermoSysPro is a set of component models, developed in Modelica, that enables the realistic modeling of all types of production plants (nuclear, combined cycle, cogeneration, solar, biomass, etc.) and their interactions with their environment. By simply modeling the physical behavior of centralized production plants and new multi-energy systems, ThermoSysPro is a major vector of innovation for designing and better operating the energy systems of today and tomorrow.
The ThermosysPro library can be freely downloaded from https://gitlab.pam-retd.fr/thermosysproandco/ThermoSysPro and can be used with the OpenModelica free software. A documentation of the library is also available here: thermosyspro.gitlab.io/documentation.
ThermoSysPro is a single-phase and two-phase thermal-hydraulics, control-command, 0D neutronics, and electromechanics code.
Two types of applications are possible with this modeling library:
- For design: make the best sizing choices according to environmental priorities, current regulations, physical, technological and economic constraints, etc.
- In operation: monitor the performance of installations, quantify losses or deviations from expectations, diagnose the causes of malfunctions, evaluate the life span of components, anticipate maintenance and help to operate power plants.
For example, it has been used to carry out studies to monitor the energy performance of EDF nuclear power plants (Metroscope). ThermoSysPro has also been used, as a digital twin of a co-generation plant, to develop and optimize algorithms to control heat production in an urban network (Barkantine). Moreover, the open and scalable character of ThermoSysPro allows to quickly adapt it to the modeling of new components of the energy system, such as hydrogen or other innovative ways of producing electricity and/or heat.
Modeling is a process aiming at reproducing on a computer the behavior of an object of study, here a system (e.g., power plant, electrical network, urban energy system). This approach involves the development of a numerical model, which constitutes a mathematical and/or physical translation of the system to be studied. The model obtained is then parameterized (input data) and solved by numerical simulation to provide results on the state of the system.
The ThermoSysPro library is used in modeling and simulation environments that support the Modelica open-source language. Typically ThermoSysPro is used with the open source software OpenModelica, or the commercial software Dymola.
They use and contribute to it
- Dalkia
- CEA
- Naval Group
- Phimeca
- And also universities and high schools.
Technical characteristics
- Open-source code under the terms of the Modelica License 2.
- Runs on Windows or Linux operating systems.
- Library coding in the Modelica language, compatible with the FMI interfacing standard.
For more information
> Book published by Springer Editions is available on springer.com
> Gitlab ThermoSysPro repository
> ThermoSysPro ITECH Basic Training: "Introduction to Modeling Energy Processes in Modelica" (code ARN4890)
> ThermoSysPro ITECH Advanced Training: "Studies of the Operation of an Energy System with the Modelica ThermoSysPro Library – Advanced Module" (code ARN5944)