Home¶

What does this package do?¶

aspen-pysys is an unofficial Python API (application programming interface) for Aspen HYSYS, which allows for convenient bidirectional data flow between your Python code and HYSYS.

In other words, this API enables users to programmatically obtain and update values on the Aspen HYSYS app through a highly abstracted Python layer.

It also strongly employs statically typed code to help your IDE look out for type misalignment and prevent runtime errors. Consequently, there are several types to represent different HYSYS data, ranging from simulation cases to heat exchangers.

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from aspen_pysys.app import HysysApp

hysys_app = HysysApp.dispatch()
simcase = hysys_app.open(sim_filepath)
flowsheet = simcase.get_flowsheet()

unitop = flowsheet.get_unit_operation("Separator")
print(unitop.get_attached_feeds())

# Output: AttachedFeeds=('Flash Feed',) (HYSYS Dictionary)

Why did you make this?¶

As a student who had to use Aspen HYSYS for their final year project, this enabled me to quickly retrieve information within a few lines as opposed to spending significantly more time by repeatedly dragging windows to where I could see them on my screen (iykyk).

I've also used it for other use cases such as but not limited to:

1. optimising distillation columns by changing feed locations to get minimum loads,
2. flagging out mixed-phase flows where there shouldn't be,
3. and flagging out minimum temperature difference violations in heat exchangers.

Also, comment from a nice Redditor:

This is actually sick.

The “dragging windows around to see values” line is painfully real. Aspen/HYSYS has this special ability to make you feel like half the work is engineering and half the work is negotiating with the UI.

— u/NoConversation8128

I'd like to learn more!¶

1. Feel free to go through the quickstart page for, well, a quick start into the API.
2. Or if you'd like to learn through examples, there's a page for that too.
3. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty, the API reference offers a bigger picture into what this API has to offer.
4. Other resources you might find useful: