Xist Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Xist let me add liquid-only components to vapor streams?

The GUI does not prevent you from adding liquid-only (e.g., Alta-Vis) components to a vapor
stream or vapor-only (e.g., air) components to a liquid stream. When you attempt to run the
case, the calculation engine issues a fatal data check message.
Can Xist estimate shell weight for kettles?
Xist does have an approximation procedure for estimating kettle weights. It does not
rigorously determine the material needed to construct the kettle dome, but rather assumes
some portion of the shell is the neck diameter and the remainder is the dome diameter. The
values produced are reasonable, but not exact.
Does Xist support sparge or branch streams in thermosiphon reboilers?
Xist does not currently provide support for specification of sparge or branch streams in a
thermosiphon reboiler. Do not try to mix the branch and main feed streams. If you do, the
program uses two-phase properties in the inlet thermosiphon piping and calculates an
unreasonable required static head.
Try
1. Turn off thermosiphon piping and run as a standalone exchanger. Now you can mix the
main feed and branch streams, which provides the correct heat transfer and exchanger
pressure drop. The disadvantage is that Xist does not calculate the required static head
and thermosiphon piping pressure losses.
2. Add a zero weight fraction vapor point to the beginning of all heat release curves. At the
exchanger inlet temperature/pressure, the weight fraction vapor should change to the
mixed feed/branch stream value. Now Xist can use liquid properties to calculate the
thermosiphon inlet piping, but use the correct VLE when entering the exchanger.
What happens if I mix single- and two-phase property/heat release curves?
If you enter property and/or heat release curves at multiple pressures, you can mix singlephase
and two-phase curves. If you do, the program requests properties for both phases on
the single-phase curves. These properties are required because the program interpolates
both phases between the single and two-phase curves.
Try
Generate (or estimate) physical properties for both phases for all curves. For an
approximation, you can copy and paste the necessary phase properties from the closest twophase
curve to the single-phase curve. This workaround has the disadvantage of making the
properties pressure-independent between the two-phase and single-phase curves.