The Advanced Reaction Kinetics Simulation (ARKS) software is more than just software. In fact it is the integrated system which conveys the state-of-the-art research methods and supporting them software for reaction hazard assessment and much more
Functionality of every component of ARKS software is related to functionality of other components, all of them have the elements of unified User's interface and provide easy and efficient exchange of data with each other. Therefore the applications of the ARKS software are united into the four suits.
1. ARKS data processig suite which includes
- ARKS TA - software for propcessing and analysis of data from thermoanalytical experiments - DSC, DTA, TG, heat flux and isothermal calorimetry, and combined methods like DSC+TG, DTA+TG
- ARKS AC - software for propcessing and analysis of data of adiabatic experiment from variety of commercial and home-made instruments - various ARC, DARC, PhiTec Pro I and II, VSP, RSST, DEWAR, and others
- ARKS RC - software for processing and analysis of data of reaction calorimetry - Mettler RC 1, HEL Simular, SYSTAG Calo, Chemisens CPA, and others, including home-made instruments.
- All these applications being instrument-independent ones incude the auxiliary Data Converter module which makes it easy to load original data collected by instrumental software.
2. ARKS kinetics evaluation suite includes
- ARKS IK - software package for evaluation of model-free kinetics. In some cases such kinetics is sufficient for sloving certain practical problems but in general it should be considered as very useful method for preliminary analysis. ARKS IK allows kinetics evaluation based on data of thermal analysis.
- ARKS FK - software package for evaluation of formal model-based kinetics. This powerful software allows creation of complex multi-stage models that can convey certain ideas about reaction mechanizm. Kinetics can be evaluated on the basis of data of thermal analysis and adiabatic calorimetry.
- ARKS CK - software package for evaluation of concentration-based kinetics. This powerful software allows creation of complex multi-stage models that can convey more precise ideas about reaction mechanizm. Kinetics can be evaluated on the basis of data of thermal analysis, adiabatic and reaction calorimetry. Important advantage of these models is that they can be applied to various reactor's types - BATCH, SemiBATCH, CSTR and Plug Flow Reactors.
It should be specifically noted that all the kinetic packages allow not only kinetics evaluation but also simulation thus providing the possibility to solve many final practical problems.
3. ARKS hazard assessment suite includes
- ARKS HI - software for evaluation of hazard indicators on the basis of reaction kinetics. ARKS HI allows calculation of such indicators as adiabatic Time to Maximum Rate (TMR), the Self Acceleratiing Decomposition Temperature (SADT) for liquids, NFPA standard and advanced reactivity rating, Thermal Stability and Thermal aging. ARKS HI supports all the types of reaction kinetics that can be evaluated by the ARKS kinetics suite.
- ARKS IS - unique software for designing the inherently safer processes. It essentially based on the concentration kinetics evaluated by ARKS CK. The final aim is achieved by applying powerful nin-linear optimization method. Both safety requirements and feasibility of a process are taken into account during optimization.
Major features of the ARKS system:
- The most up-to-date methods for predicting and preventing runaway accidents involving chemical products and processes essentially based on mathematical simulation which provides principal solution of the main challenge of chemical engineering - the scale-up prjblem ;
- All the methods are supported by user-friendly ARKS Software allowing a researcher to concentrate on the problem;
- All ARKS application have many unique features that are not supported by analogous applications of other manufacturers