AFT Fathom is a robust fluid dynamic simulation software designed to accurately calculate pressure drop and pipe flow distribution within liquid and low-velocity gas piping and ducting systems. It provides engineers and designers with a powerful tool to simulate individual system components and their interactions, tightly integrating equipment characteristics, analysis, and output with the system's schematic representation. The software is engineered to offer a wide array of features while maintaining a short learning curve, allowing users to focus on system design rather than complex software manipulation. By enabling users to experiment with various operating conditions and scenarios, AFT Fathom significantly improves the quality of systems engineering, leading to the design of less costly, more efficient, and more reliable piping systems. Users can easily modify system input data, including valve positions, pump operation, control set points, pressures, and temperatures. The software supports modeling a diverse range of system components for both design and operational cases, allowing for variations in system line-up such as opening/closing pipes and valves or turning pumps on/off. It also features design alerts that automatically highlight output values outside specified ranges for flow, pressure, velocity, and pump efficiency. The hydraulic solution engine utilizes the Newton-Raphson matrix iteration method and proprietary techniques to solve pipe and duct flow applications, employing Bernoulli’s Equation and Reynolds Number-based relationships for pipe friction calculation.

Features & Benefits

• Scenario Management
  • Track all design variants and potential operating conditions within a single file using the Scenario Manager.
• Visual Analysis & Reporting
  • Utilize integrated, customizable graphing and reporting tools to make complex analysis visually intuitive and easy to understand.
• Pump & System Curve Evaluation
  • Evaluate the interaction between pump and system curves, including composite head and efficiency curves, for optimal system design.
• Cost Analysis
  • Calculate both the capital costs of pipes and components and the ongoing operating energy expenses, aiding in cost optimization.
• Built-in Libraries & Customization
  • Leverage extensive built-in libraries of fluids (including NIST REFPROP and ASME Steam Tables) and fittings, which can be extended and customized to build a personalized database. An optional Chempak add-on utility provides a thermophysical database of almost 700 fluids.
• Non-Newtonian Fluid Modeling
  • Accurately account for viscosity and frictional effects associated with pumping non-settling slurries and a variety of other non-Newtonian fluids using advanced viscosity models.
• Advanced Pump Modeling
  • Model centrifugal and positive displacement pumps with precision.
  • Account for shifting performance curves through variable speed control and impeller trimming.
  • Apply viscosity corrections using standards from the Hydraulic Institute.
  • Evaluate wire-to-water efficiency, including pump, motor, and variable frequency drive efficiencies, for motor sizing and power usage assessment.
  • Calculate acceleration head loss for positive displacement pumps.
  • Perform NPSH evaluation.
• Heat Transfer Effects
  • Accurately account for heat transfer effects within pipes and heat exchangers, crucial for thermal system design.
• Industry Standards Adherence
  • Ensure designs comply with critical industry standards such as API 526, ANSI/HI 9.6.3, API 610, or NFPA Standards.
• Comprehensive Data Import & Export
  • Seamlessly import piping layouts from various sources and integrate with external tools.
  • Import from CAESAR II® Neutral files (supported by AutoPIPE®, ROHR2, TRIFLEX®), PCF Files (supported by AutoCAD Plant 3D®, SmartPlant®, CADWorx®), and GIS shapefiles (supported by ArcGis).
  • Import and export files in EPANET format.
  • Clearly import Excel data into multiple scenarios and export with the Excel Export Manager.
  • Export data to evaluate Flow Induced Vibration (FIV) according to Energy Institute Standards.