ForK

Purpose of the program

The ForK (Formal Kinetics) software is one of the key components of the TSS series. It is intended for creation of complex multi-stage formal conversion-based kinetic models on the basis of available sets of experimental data generated by methods of thermal analysis, adiabatic calorimetry and others. In addition the program provides fast and reliable simulation of processes in a well stirred BATCH reactor. Kinetics evaluation is implemented by employing the state-of-the-art nonlinear optimization method. The group or mutually complementary robust numerical integration methods allows accurate integration of the stiff system of ordinary differential equations that represent a model.

The convenient project-oriented interface facilitates ForK application. All this makes ForK a very useful tool for everyone involved in research of reaction kinetics, thermal hazard assessment of chemical products, etc.

ForK comprises two main modules – Simulation and Estimation. The access to these modules is provided by the ForK suite shell which makes use of the package more convenient and vivid.

                                                

                                         Interface of Simulation module         Interface of Estimation module 

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Loading data

ForK allows handling multi response data containing integral and/or derivative responses: heat, gas generation and mass loss.

ForK provides direct access to experimental data stored in ADPro/ADaExpert or TDPro databases for importing data. The possibility is also envisaged to paste responses from clipboard.

Storing data

ForK stores original and processed data into internal database. Database consists of data volumes. Every data volume includes number of data sets; each data set may represent results of separate run, simulated results, conditions of an experiment, and kinetic model created.

ForK allows saving estimation projects. Every project includes all the information prepared for estimating kinetic parameters - kinetic model, initial guess on parameters and their limits, references to experimental data sets, etc.

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Type of kinetic models

ForK supports application of complex multi stage formal kinetic models that are based on conversion degrees as state variables. A model may include reversible reactions, pressure-dependent reactions, reactions having branched pathways

Creation of a model is implemented in a simple and convenient way – one should create the reaction scheme and assign appropriate equations for the stage rates from the list of available “elementary” models. No programming is required. See CISP Newsletter N6 for more details.

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Reactor’s model

A chemical reaction is considered to proceed in a continuous stirred BATCH reactor which can operate under the following thermal modes:

• adiabatic mode - no heat exchange with environment;
• forced temperature mode - reactant temperature is equal to the environment temperature;
• general mode - heat exchange between reactant and environment obeys Newtonian law;
• operating conditions (environmental temperature, heat transfer coefficient) can be defined as tabular functions on time;
• a reactor may have jacket and several cooling coils, every cooling coil can be characterized by the unique set of parameters (surface of heat exchange, heat exchange coefficient, cooling agent temperature). In addition to simple heat exchange with the jacket/coil based on Newton equation ForK supports more precise balance-based calculation of heat exchange.

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Simulation module provides modeling of a reaction's behavior. The following possibilities are envisaged:

• loading the complete kinetic data set;
• loading kinetic model from database or creating a new model;.
• manual inspection of the impact of variation of kinetic parameters of a model;;
• manual inspection of the effect of controls variation
• loading conditions from database or defining original conditions;
• loading existing responses and conditions;
• defining parameters of numerical integration method;
• simulating a process; calculation of pressure in a reactor void volume including pressure of gas products, pad gas and vapor pressure by using the overall vapor pressure presented by the Antoine equation
• determining adiabatic Time to Maximum Rate (TMR) and Total Energy Release (TER) for a reaction course under adiabatic conditions
• analyzing thermal stability of a substance;
• viewing results of simulation in tabular and graphic form in selectable axes;
• saving simulated responses as pseudo experimental ones into the database.

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Estimation module is used for estimation of kinetic parameters when evaluating chemical kinetics. The following possibilities are envisaged:

• loading experimental data from database;
• loading kinetic model from database or creating a new model;
• manual inspection of the impact of variation of kinetic parameters of a model; is provides a user with simple and efficient method of choosing the appropriate initial values of kinetic parameters;
• loading complete project;
• simultaneous processing of several data sets obtained under different conditions and/or by using different experimental methods;
• editing data;
• fast preliminary estimates of kinetic parameters by applying Arrhenius linearization method;
• applying set of non linear optimization methods for estimating parameters;
• scanning of hyper surface of the objective function
• viewing original data and simulated responses in graphic form; one can export data (all data used for estimation or some selected data sets) into the Excel just by selecting the menu option; at that both experimental and simulated responses will be transferred
• viewing original data and simulated responses in graphic form; one can export data (all data used for estimation or some selected data sets) into the Excel just by selecting the menu option; at that both experimental and simulated responses will be transferred
• saving results into database.

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Installation

Requirements: CPU: Intel Pentium 1200 MHz and faster, Memory: 512 MB, Disk space: 50 MB, CD-ROM: present
                       OS: MS Windows XP, 7, 8, 10. 

ATTENTION!

​1. When installing ForK under Windows 7 and higher we strongly recommend to use the default path
    C:\Users\[username]\CISP\ForK

2. When installing new versions of TSS applications one can meet the problem with Anti-virus tools you use.
    Some of them may suspect that TSS programs are hazardous ones. Please don't worry. This may happen 
    due to new powerful protection system (provided by  the - one  of the world  leaders in this
    area) which sometimes causes alarm because anty-virus tools cannot look  inside the protected code. As a
    result the approcation will be blocked.  To avoid such problem ask your IT service to exclude
    Users\[username]\CISP folder from virus  check.
    CISP guarantees that TSS is 100% clean, which means its applications do not contain any form
    of malware, including but not limited to: spyware, viruses, trojans and backdoor.

Be aware - even if you are the licensed user of ForK you will have to get new registration key. Please us the request and don't forget to indicate your company and your name

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IMPORTANT! Be aware that on the expiration of the Warranty/maintenance Period the License on any TSS application remains valid for the version last updated during maintenance Period. Therefore if your maintenance has expired you wouldn't be able to use new updates. If you nevertheless download the setup of new version and replace your working version with new one it won't work and you will lose working program! To avoid such situation check please whether you have valid maintenance before downloading any TSS program. 

Download latest version of ForK