The Thermoptim simulator is part of an educational approach that seeks to teach differently thermodynamics applied to energy systems.
This new approach aims to overcome the difficulties confronting the classical teaching of this discipline and to train engineers, technicians and more broadly scientists capable of facing the energy challenges of the future.
This simulator allows graphical and intuitive modeling of a very large number of thermodynamic cycles, from the simplest to the most complex.
A tool like Thermoptim makes it possible to complete a classic teaching of thermodynamics with a great diversity of educational activities, which can be grouped into two main categories:
This browser is a tool belonging to the first category, intended to allow learners to familiarize themselves with the modeling of energy systems, by studying more than 30 guided explorations of progressive difficulty.
This browser capable of emulating Thermoptim makes it possible to carry out guided explorations of models of energy systems whose scenario is described in html 5 files.
It can guide in a rich and detailed way a learner using the simulator as part of his learning.
The scenario is presented in the browser which successively displays the different explanations and activities to be performed, emulating Thermoptim whenever necessary.
It suggests that he retrieves values in the simulator screens, sets their parameters in order to perform sensitivity analyzes, display cycles in thermodynamic charts, etc.
The learner therefore does not have to build by himself the models of the cycles which interest him, so that he does not waste time on handling errors which are not of pedagogical interest.
The risk of errors is greatly reduced, and if they do occur, the learner simply resets the browser to reload the files he needs.
The menu icon at the top left of the screen gives you access to the different explorations available. Choose the one that interests you and follow the instructions given to you.
This specific browser is able to emulate Thermoptim. Its advantage is that you just need to click on a button from the html page for the different Thermoptim screens to be loaded and reconfigured.
However, let us specify two important points:
As a result, you can derive the same educational benefit from these guided explorations, whether or not you can use the Thermoptim browser. Studying them in a standard browser will allow you to work as well. Ultimately, you will gain a better command of the software package if you follow the instructions for opening its various windows than if you just click a button to do so.
Good work!
Here is the list of guided explorations proposed in the browser menu. They are sorted in the order of chapters of the second edition of the book Energy Systems.
Chapter 3: Modeling of simple cycles in thermodynamic charts and Thermoptim
S-M4-V1: Discovery of Thermoptim
S-M3-V7: Exploration of a simple steam power plant
S-M3-V8: Exploration of a simple gas turbine
Chapter 4: Combustion and heat exchangers
GT-2: Setting the combustion of a gas turbine
DTNN-1: Technological sizing of an air-water exchanger
STEAM-2: Design of a steam plant condenser
Chapter 6: Second law, entropy, exergy
C-M4-V8: Exploration of a steam plant in the entropy chart
C-M4-V9: Simple gas turbine in the entropy chart
C-M4-V10: Refrigeration installation in the entropy chart
BESP-1: Exergy balance and productive structure of a simple steam cycle
BESP-2: Exergy balances and productive structures of different cycles
Chapter 7: Optimization by systems integration (pinch method)
OPT-1: Optimization of a heating network by the pinch method
OPT-2: Optimization of a combined cycle by the pinch method
Chapter 8: Variants of steam power plants
C-M1-V3: Steam power plants with reheat
C-M1-V5: Regenerative reheat steam power plant
C-M1-V8: Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant
C-M1-V9: OTEC closed ORC ammonia cycle
C-M4-V3: Single flash geothermal power plant
Chapter 9: Conventional internal combustion engines
C-M2-V2: Regeneration gas turbine
C-M2-V3: Staged compression gas turbine
C-M2-V4: Exploration of a turbojet
C-M2-V5-b: Exploration of an industrial gas engine
Chapter 10: Combined cycles, cogeneration
C-M3-V1: Single pressure combined cycle
C-M3-V2: Exploration of an industrial gas engine used in cogeneration
OPT-2: Optimization of a combined cycle by the pinch method
Chapter 11: Compression refrigeration cycles
C-M3-V3: Exploration of a total injection refrigeration installation
C-M3-V4: Exploration of an ejector refrigeration installation
Chapter 12: Thermodynamics of moist mixtures and air conditioning
CLIM 1: Guided exploration of a summer air conditioning cycle
CLIM 2: Guided exploration of a winter air conditioning cycle
Chapter 15: Stirling, future nuclear reactor and oxyfuel cycles
C-M4-V4: High temperature nuclear cycle
C-M4-V5: Oxycombustion cycle
Chapter 16: New and renewable thermal energy cycles
C-M4-V1: Exploration of a micro-turbine solar concentrator
C-M4-V3: Single flash geothermal power plant
Chapter 19: General conclusion
DTNN-2: Sizing of heat exchangers and exergy balances of a heat network
DTNN-3: Sizing of a displacement air compressor