You are on page 1of 51

Learn Aspen Plus in 24 Hours, Second

Edition Thomas A. Adams


Visit to download the full and correct content document:
https://ebookmass.com/product/learn-aspen-plus-in-24-hours-second-edition-thomas-
a-adams/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Thomas A. Adams II is an associate professor and associate chair


in the Department of Chemical Engineering at McMaster University in
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He received dual bachelor’s degrees from
Michigan State University in 2003, one in chemical engineering and
the other in computer ­science. He received his Ph.D. in 2008 from
the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Prof. Warren
D. Seider and completed a postdoctoral appointment under Prof.
Paul Barton at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also
a licensed professional engineer, and is an associate editor with the
Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering and with Frontiers in
Energy Research.
Professor Adams’ research focuses on the design and simulation
of sustainable energy conversion systems, including areas such as
synthetic fuels, alternative fuels, biofuels, fuel cells, waste-to-energy,
integrated community energy, polygeneration, and process
intensification. The primary goal of his research is to create new
chemical process systems and devices which will lead to worldwide
global change in the way we make and use energy, following the
principles of the triple-bottom-line of sustainability. He has over 20
years of experience using Aspen Plus, as well as other related
software, for research and problem solving.
Professor Adams has received numerous awards for his research
and service, including the Canadian Journal of Chemical
Engineering’s Lectureship Award, the Canadian Society for Chemical
Engineering’s Emerging Leader of Chemical Engineering Award,
membership in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research’s 2018
Class of Influential Researchers, an Ontario Early Researcher Award,
a Joseph Ip Distinguished Engineering Fellowship, the President’s
Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision, and the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers’ David Himmelblau Award for
Innovations in Computer-Based Chemical Engineering Education,
and he is now honored as a University Scholar at his home
institution of McMaster University. He has published over 75 research
articles in peer-reviewed journals which used Aspen Plus or related
products as a key component in the research methodology. His
research has been featured in the popular media such as Bloomberg
TV, Wired, Scientific American, the Discovery Channel, and various
radio programs in the United States and Canada. But he is much
more proud of the accomplishments of his graduate students, who
include a Vanier Scholar, an Ontario Trillium Scholar, and a Governor-
General’s Medal recipient, and who are active researchers and
engineers all over the world.
Copyright © 2022, 2018 by McGraw Hill. All rights reserved. Except
as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part
of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or
by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without
the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-26-426666-1
MHID: 1-26-426666-9

The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this
title: ISBN: 978-1-26-426665-4, MHID: 1-26-426665-0.

eBook conversion by codeMantra


Version 1.0

All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather


than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a
trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and
to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of
infringement of the trademark. Where such designations appear in
this book, they have been printed with initial caps.

McGraw-Hill Education eBooks are available at special quantity


discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions or for use in
corporate training programs. To contact a representative, please visit
the Contact Us page at www.mhprofessional.com.

Information contained in this work has been obtained by McGraw Hill


from sources believed to be reliable. However, neither McGraw Hill
nor its authors guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any
information published herein, and neither McGraw Hill nor its authors
shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising
out of use of this information. This work is published with the
understanding that McGraw Hill and its authors are supplying
information but are not attempting to render engineering or other
professional services. If such services are required, the assistance of
an appropriate professional should be sought.

TERMS OF USE

This is a copyrighted work and McGraw-Hill Education and its


licensors reserve all rights in and to the work. Use of this work is
subject to these terms. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act
of 1976 and the right to store and retrieve one copy of the work,
you may not decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, reproduce,
modify, create derivative works based upon, transmit, distribute,
disseminate, sell, publish or sublicense the work or any part of it
without McGraw-Hill Education’s prior consent. You may use the
work for your own noncommercial and personal use; any other use
of the work is strictly prohibited. Your right to use the work may be
terminated if you fail to comply with these terms.

THE WORK IS PROVIDED “AS IS.” McGRAW-HILL EDUCATION AND


ITS LICENSORS MAKE NO GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES AS TO
THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY OR COMPLETENESS OF OR RESULTS
TO BE OBTAINED FROM USING THE WORK, INCLUDING ANY
INFORMATION THAT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE WORK VIA
HYPERLINK OR OTHERWISE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY
WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR
A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. McGraw-Hill Education and its licensors do
not warrant or guarantee that the functions contained in the work
will meet your requirements or that its operation will be
uninterrupted or error free. Neither McGraw-Hill Education nor its
licensors shall be liable to you or anyone else for any inaccuracy,
error or omission, regardless of cause, in the work or for any
damages resulting therefrom. McGraw-Hill Education has no
responsibility for the content of any information accessed through
the work. Under no circumstances shall McGraw-Hill Education
and/or its licensors be liable for any indirect, incidental, special,
punitive, consequential or similar damages that result from the use
of or inability to use the work, even if any of them has been advised
of the possibility of such damages. This limitation of liability shall
apply to any claim or cause whatsoever whether such claim or cause
arises in contract, tort or otherwise.
CONTENTS

About This Book


Introduction

Tutorial 1—Getting Started


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Background
Part 1: Getting Started with Property Definitions
Part 2: Setting Up the Flowsheet
Part 3: A Little More on Your Own

Tutorial 2—Physical Property Modeling


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Physical Property Basics
Part 2: Retrieving Physical Property Data
Part 3: Creating a VLE Diagram
Part 4: Pressure Swing Distillation
Tutorial 3—Problem Solving Tools
Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Design Specs
Part 2: Sensitivity Analysis

Tutorial 4—Heat Exchangers


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Types and Classifications of Heat Exchangers
Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers
Advantages
Disadvantages
Plate Heat Exchangers
Advantages
Disadvantages
Tutorial
Case Study
Part 1: Using a Heater Model
Part 2: Using a HeatX Model
Why Choose Two HEATERs versus HeatX?

Tutorial 5—Equilibrium-Based Distillation


Models
Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Aspen Property Packages
Part 2: DSTWU and Shortcut Column Models
Part 3: Rigorous Distillation Models

Tutorial 6—Advanced Problem Solving Tools


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Utilities
What Are Utilities?
Defining Utilities
Using Utilities
Part 2: Optimization

Tutorial 7—Chemical Reactor Models


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: RBatch
Part 2: Data Regression
Part 3: Expanding to Plug Flow Reactors
Part 4: Specification with RYield
Part 5: Specification with RStoic
Part 6: Equilibrium Reactions with REquil and RGibbs

Tutorial 8—Rate-Based Distillation Models


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Sizing Information
Sieve Tray
Bubble Cap Tray
Tunnel Cap Tray
Structured Packing
Unstructured (Random) Packing
Part 2: Rate-Based Simulations

Tutorial 9—Custom Models and External


Control
Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Basics
Import Variables
Export Variables
Part 2: Custom Models with Calculator Blocks
Part 3: Microsoft Excel Automation

Tutorial 10—Capital Cost Estimation


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Using Aspen Capital Cost Estimator as a Stand-Alone
Product
Part 2: Integrated Economics in Aspen Plus

Tutorial 11—Optimal Heat Exchanger


Networks
Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Background
Part 1: Generating HENs Using Manual Process Stream Data
Entry in AEA
Part 2: Generating HENs Using Data Imported from Aspen
Plus

Tutorial 12—Electrolyte Chemistry and


Solvent-Based Carbon Dioxide Capture139
Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Electrolytes
Part 2: Solvent-Based CO2 Capture—Setting Up Properties
Part 3: Solvent-Based CO2 Capture—Once-Through Simulation
Part 4: Solvent-Based CO2 Capture—Closing the Loop

Bonus Tutorial 1—Solids Processing


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Simple Solids
Part 2: Simple Solids with Particle Size Distributions

Bonus Tutorial 2—Parallel Computing Tools:


Reduced Order Models, O­ ptimization, and
High-Performance Computing169
Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Aspen Multi-Case for Large Parallel Computing Jobs
Part 2: Running Aspen Plus from Python Code Using Parallel
Computing
Part 3: Particle Swarm Optimization in Aspen Plus with Parallel
Computing

Bonus Tutorial 3—Batch Operations in Aspen


Plus
Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Simple Tanks with BatchOp
Part 2: Reactions in BatchOp
Part 3: Batch Distillation with BatchSep

Bonus Tutorial 4—Choosing Property Packages


Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge
Why This Is Useful for Problem Solving
Tutorial
Part 1: Property Method Types
Equation of State Models
Activity Coefficient Models
Specialty Models
Part 2: Validating Normal Liquid Systems with Experimental
Data
Part 3: Validating More Complex Systems with Experimental
Data
Graphical Methods for Normal Gas + Normal Liquid Systems
Graphical Methods for Ternary VLE (Three Chemicals)
Statistical Methods for Any Number of Chemicals

Solutions
Command Index
Music Index
Subject Index
ABOUT THIS BOOK

Tdeveloped
he material for this book (starting with the first edition) was
at McMaster University over a 10-year period for an
undergraduate course focused on problem solving strategies that
use chemical process flowsheeting software. The primary objective
of the course is to teach students how to solve problems relating to
chemical processes and conceptual process design. The text in this
book is intended for students and practitioners to teach themselves
how to use the software in a series of twelve 2-hour guided tutorials
in our undergraduate computing labs. Plus, for this second edition of
the book, we added several bonus tutorials, based on reader
feedback and suggestions.
This is not a user guide to Aspen Plus! If you are looking for
specific details on a specific model or feature, you should consult the
user guide or help files included with the program. Instead, this
book will help you teach yourself how to solve problems using the
software. It will provide readers with the ability to select and use the
appropriate tools for solving many kinds of chemical engineering
problems related to chemical processes, separations, reactions, mass
transfer, heat transfer, and thermodynamics. It is geared toward the
undergraduate level and informed by a large amount of
undergraduate student f­eedback, but graduate students and
professionals will also find this book very helpful in getting up and ­‐
running quickly.
This book uses Aspen Plus V12, the latest version available at the
time of writing. If you are using older or newer versions, the book
will still be very useful, since most features and problem solving
principles remain essentially unchanged from version to version.
Over time, new editions will be released with pertinent updates as
they come. The Computer Aids for Chemical Engineering Corporation
(or CAChE Corp.), which has provided funding in support of this
book, is hoping to develop a larger body of materials which
encompass many d ­ ifferent computer-aided process engineering tools
(“CAPE tools” as they are commonly called) and software ­
far beyond the scope of Aspen Plus. If you would like to find out
about other software, tools, or methods, or would like to contribute
your own chapters and modules to future editions, you are
encouraged to visit our website at:

http://PSEcommunity.org/

For solution files and source code, and a handy list of hyperlinks
to all of the linked material in the book (helpful for print-edition
readers), go to

http://PSEcommunity.org/books/lap24

This book was made possible by the support of many teaching


assistants, reviewers, and contributors who have contributed in a
number of ways over the years since the first edition. A huge thank
you to Tia Ghantous (McMaster) for extensive testing, upgrading,
fact checking, challenging, and editing with regard to updating this
book for the second edition, and finding (hopefully!) all my mistakes.
Thank you especially to Dr. Jaffer Ghouse (U.S. Department of
Energy), Dr. Vida Meidanshahi (McMaster), Prof. Jake Nease
(McMaster), Prof. Yaser Khojestah Salkuyeh (Concordia University),
and Trevor West (McMaster) for making edits, additions,
suggestions, and other contributions. A big thank you to Dr. Chinedu
Okoli (US DOE) for the original development of Tutorials 4 and 11.
Thank you to Prof. Scott Guelcher (Vanderbilt), Prof. Russel Dunn
(Vanderbilt), Prof. Fernando Lima (West Virginia), Prof. Fengqi You
(Cornell), Prof. Debangsu Bhattacharyya (West Virginia), and Prof.
Mario Eden (Auburn) for peer-reviewing the material or providing
helpful critical feedback and ideas across the different editions of the
book. A special thank you as well to the CAChE C ­ orporation for
providing financial support for editing and development costs.
Finally, a most special thank you to my wife, Ariane, who is basically
a superhero raising five young kids during the pandemic with ­‐
wisdom, grace, and patience not found in mere mortals.
INTRODUCTION

Awhich
spen Plus is a computer-aided process engineering (CAPE) tool
has been in continual development for several decades. Its
primary use is to aid in the rapid computer simulation of chemical
plants that operate at steady state, although it can do some basic
batch simulations as well. Aspen Plus contains a collection of
mathematical models for different kinds of chemical process
equipment such as heat e ­ xchangers, pumps, compressors, turbines,
distillation columns, absorbers, strippers, and chemical reactors. A
mathematical model is essentially a collection of equations which
describe the important parts of the equipment and how it works.
Users can select from different pre-made models, enter in key
information about how it is used (such as the chemicals involved,
temperatures, pressures, flow rates, sizes, and dimensions), and
then use the model to compute unknown pieces of information (such
as reaction conversions, efficiencies, performance criteria, output
conditions, energy usage, and costs). Although some of the models
might be simple enough to use “by hand” individually, the real power
of the software is the ability to link together hundreds of models into
a process system, thus constructing a large model for an entire
chemical plant containing potentially millions of equations. The user
can then run a simulation using the model, which essentially means
to solve the equations in order to find the important unknowns
about the process. To do this, Aspen Plus contains a variety of time-
tested algorithms which are useful and often very effective in solving
the system of equations quickly and accurately.
The models in Aspen Plus are quite generic. This means that they
can be used for many different kinds of applications with many
different chemicals. For example, a heat exchanger model can be
used to compute how much energy it takes to heat a certain
chemical from one temperature or another. To do this, the models
need information about the chemicals involved. The heat exchanger
model, for example, needs to know not just what chemical is being
heated, but the heat capacity of the chemical involved (which usually
changes with temperature), and perhaps other information such as
the boiling point and heat of vaporization of the chemical if it goes
through a phase change. If there is a mixture of chemicals inside the
heat exchanger, then it needs to know this information for all of the
individual chemicals as well as how it should handle the effects of
mixing.
Finding this information in the literature can be quite tedious, time
consuming, and even expensive, especially for simulations with
many chemicals. Fortunately, Aspen Plus contains a massive
database (known as Aspen Properties) containing physical property
information on literally hundreds of thousands of chemicals. This
includes correlations for heat capacities, thermal conductivities,
viscosity, surface tension, molecular weights, densities, and critical
properties. It contains parameters for equations of state models that
connect temperature, pressure, enthalpy, entropy, molar volume,
and fugacity, such as Peng-Robinson, Soave-Redlich-Kwong, Chao-
Seader, PC-SAFT, Non-Random Two-Liquid (NRTL), UNIQUAC, and
many others. It even has the capability of using certain theoretical
methods (such as UNIFAC) to predict parameters where information
is missing or for chemicals which are not in the database at all, just
from the structure of the molecule itself. However, it is very
important to recognize that these are just models, and that they can
have varying degrees of accuracy depending on the temperature,
pressure, and mixture conditions in which they are used. Fortunately,
the database also contains a very large amount of experimental
measurements for physical properties, so you can quickly determine
how well the models you have chosen to use match relevant
experimental data. Overall, the physical property models and data
included with the software is one of its most useful features.
On top of this, Aspen Plus includes a direct connection to Aspen
Capital Cost Estimator, which can be used to estimate the capital
costs of a piece of equipment with remarkable levels of detail. Based
on plant construction data and very detailed cost models (e.g.,
literally including a line item called nuts and bolts, or counting the
number of coats of paint), these estimates are routinely updated and
provide a much more accurate and rigorous estimation of the capital
costs of a piece of equipment than general correlations found in
many process design textbooks. This is combined with recently
added features that make it easy to compute the costs of utilities
and even the global warming potential of using those utilities (e.g.,
the carbon dioxide emissions associated with burning natural gas for
heat), with suggested values provided based on recent scientific
studies. Moreover, these models are updated with each new version
of the software, maintaining a timely relevance. Altogether, the
software is extremely useful for quickly constructing rigorous
chemical process models for the purposes of process simulation,
rapid prototyping, or chemical engineering problem solving.

How It Works
SEQUENTIAL MODULAR FLOWSHEETING
At its core, Aspen Plus is a collection of modules, where each
module contains both a mathematical model of a chemical process
unit operation and a computer algorithm written specifically to solve
it. For example, consider one such module for a flash drum called
FLASH2 (the “2” means that it considers two phases—vapor and
liquid). You can put an instance of a FLASH2 module on a flowsheet
(I named it MYFLASH). In order to use this drum, you have to connect
a material stream leading into it (FEED), and provide two streams for
the outlet ports, one for the VAPOR and one for the LIQUID, as shown
in Figure 0.1.
Figure 0.1 A simple model of a flash drum in Aspen Plus. The left
side of the image shows the flowsheet model and the right side
shows the model parameters that I specified for the flash drum
model. The minus sign on pressure means it is a pressure drop.

In order to simulate the flash drum, Aspen Plus will execute the
computer algorithm associated with it. The algorithm operates
essentially like any function in a programming language, such as
C/C++, Matlab, Python, or FORTRAN, where the program expects
(and requires) certain inputs to the program in order to run. Once
given the inputs, it executes the program and computes the outputs.
In the case of Aspen Plus, the inputs always consist of two things:
the degrees of freedom that defines the flash drum (often referred
to as the model parameters) and the contents of the feed streams.
For example, in Figure 0.1 I specified my feed stream as being 50
mol% water and 50% methanol at 50°C, 1.2 bar, and 100 kmol/hr,
which are the model inputs, and I specified MYFLASH as operating at
80°C and with a 0.2 bar pressure drop, which are the model
parameters.
The model equations for the flash drum include relationships such
as mass balances, energy balances, fugacity balances, and physical
property correlations. Since the input stream and the model
parameters are known, the remaining unknowns in those equations
are essentially the temperatures, pressures, compositions, and flow
rates of the liquid and vapor streams. Although you personally might
be able to solve the equations “by hand” or use a generic equation
solver in another program, the built-in algorithm is custom-tailored
to solve those particular equations in that particular format very
quickly and reliably. This can be very beneficial for complicated
models with built-in logic or models with discrete elements. For
example, FLASH2 has some code that determines if the fluid in the
drum will be a liquid, a vapor, or a mixture of both. This is not too
difficult to implement using a computer program, but can be more
difficult to handle in a general equation solver. Some modules even
let you choose different algorithms or fine-tune the algorithm details
in case the default algorithm does not solve it or is slow to solve it.
Although speed may not be a huge factor for just one unit operation,
when you have a complex flowsheet with hundreds of unit
operations and a spaghetti of recycle streams, this speed and
reliability can be incredibly important and sometimes the only
practical way to model a flowsheet. In any case, I can now run the
simulation, meaning Aspen Plus will execute the algorithm
associated with the FLASH2 module. It dutifully computes the
outputs, which as shown in Figure 0.1 are the temperature,
pressures, flow rates, and compositions of the liquid and vapor
streams, and the heat duty that needs to be provided to the flash
drum to bring it up to 80°C.
The big tradeoff, though, is that because each module uses a pre-
programmed algorithm, the simulation can only go in one direction:
downstream. In Aspen Plus, each and every module must have all of
the details of the input streams and the model parameters provided
to it, and it can only compute the output streams and other
performance information for the block because the algorithm is
written that way. Suppose you wanted something else: you want to
know which flash drum temperature will get you a certain
composition of water in the liquid stream. Unlike a general equation-
based model, you cannot specify the water composition in the liquid
stream and have it solve for flash drum temperature, because the
algorithm only goes in one direction. Instead, you must guess the
temperature of the drum, run the algorithm, check to see if you
ended up with the liquid composition that you wanted, and if not,
guess a new temperature and repeat. This is the big downside to
having modules because it can make it harder to solve some kinds of
problems, but the gains in terms of solver speed and reliability are
usually worth it, especially for complex flowsheets. Fortunately, there
is a tool built into Aspen Plus to automate this guess-and-check
process for you in an intelligent way called a Design Spec (which you
will learn about in Tutorial 3).
Now where does the “sequential” part come in? Suppose now I
wanted to take the liquid product from the flash drum and pump it
to 1.2 bar pressure. I can add a PUMP module (I called it MYPUMP) and
add its outlet stream as shown in Figure 0.2. I can also set the outlet
pressure of the pump by specifying that as one of the model
parameters. Given this information, I want the PUMP module to
compute the outlet conditions of the stream (the temperature should
go up a little bit) and the electricity required. So now my simulation
has two modules, MYFLASH and MYPUMP. Now, when I attempt to run
the simulation, Aspen Plus analyzes the flowsheet and considers the
order in which the blocks should be executed, since only one can be
executed at a time. It is clear that you cannot run MYPUMP first before
you run MYFLASH, because in order to run MYPUMP it needs to know
everything about its input stream (LIQUID), but in order to compute
LIQUID, it must first run MYFLASH. Therefore, it can only execute the
modules in sequence: first MYFLASH and then MYPUMP. Hence the
name Sequential Modular.
Figure 0.2 The Aspen Plus flowsheet now contains a pump model
in addition to the flash drum. The text at the right is a portion of the
program output that appears in the program’s control panel when
the simulation is run. It shows the computation order of the
flowsheet, noting that the flash drum block runs first, and then the
pump model runs next, but only after the flash drum simulation has
completed.

The sequential modular approach makes intuitive sense for simple


systems such as in the above example. Typically, this means the
program begins with the primary input stream (the first stream in
the simulation) and works its way down the process, following the
flow of material, energy, or information. However, things start to get
trickier the moment you introduce recycle streams (be they material,
energy, or information). For example, suppose I wanted to recycle a
portion of the liquid stream back to the flash drum (e.g., this might
happen in quench cooling applications). To do this, I can first add an
FSPLIT block called MYSPLIT, which just divides a stream into parts
(like a pipe tee), and specify that I want to send 80% of the liquid to
the stream called RECYCLE, with the rest going to PURGE. Then I can
connect the RECYCLE stream to MYFLASH as a second feed, as shown
in Figure 0.3. Now, when I run the simulation, what happens? Which
block is the first to run in the sequence? This is tricky since MYFLASH
cannot run because we do not know what the contents of RECYCLE
are a priori. So MYSPLIT must run before MYFLASH can run. But
MYSPLIT needs to know what is in the pump output, so MYPUMP needs
to run before MYSPLIT can run. But MYPUMP cannot run until MYFLASH is
run, because it needs to know what is in LIQUID. And thus we are
back to square one. This is called a convergence loop.

Figure 0.3 The flowsheet now has a stream splitter and recycle.
The computation order now contains a solver loop. In this case, the
tear stream is the recycle stream, so it will first run the flash drum,
then the pump, then the splitter, and then make new guesses for the
recycle repeatedly until it converges.

To get around this problem, one must tear a stream.1 This means
you select an appropriate stream in the convergence loop and
literally just guess all missing information about the stream. For this
example, suppose I choose to tear LIQUID. I would then guess all of
the information about LIQUID, such as temperature, pressure, and
the flow rates of each chemical, knowing that I might be totally
wrong. I chose this tear in this case because I pretty much know the
temperature and pressure exactly and can guess at some not
unreasonable flow rates for the water and methanol. Then what
Aspen Plus will do is use the guess as the input to the MYPUMP
module. It dutifully executes the algorithm using this information
and then computes the outputs accordingly. If the guess is terrible,
then those output numbers will also be far off, but at least we have
some numbers to work with for LIQUID2. Then, Aspen Plus will
execute the MYSPLIT module using those ­LIQUID2 numbers as input,
storing the output into the two streams. Then, MYFLASH can run since
there are numbers for RECYCLE now available (FEED was already
known). Now, since MYFLASH computes LIQUID as an output, we can
check this output against my initial guess for LIQUID. If they match,
then my guess was correct, and all of the equations in the flowsheet
model have been solved. This means the loop has converged.
However, it is extremely unlikely that my original guess was exact,
and in fact is probably off from the true solution by quite a bit. In
that case, Aspen Plus will then compute a new guess for the
conditions of LIQUID and repeat the cycle again, checking against the
new guess. The algorithm that Aspen Plus uses to generate new
guesses and check the result is called a solver. The solver will keep
guessing new conditions for LIQUID each time until either the LIQUID
guess matches the computed liquid output from MYFLASH within some
small error (called a tolerance), or it has decided that it has tried
enough guesses and just gives up. If the loop converges, then we
say that the flowsheet has been solved, and we know that the
numbers computed by the different modules satisfy the model
equations within tolerances. If it gives up, this results in an
unconverged loop, meaning that none of the results calculated by
any of the blocks in that loop have any meaning whatsoever, and
should be discarded.
Since the act of choosing tear streams and guesses manually can
be difficult to grasp, Aspen Plus contains a built-in algorithm that
automatically chooses tear streams for you, as well as a menu of
built-in solvers that use different strategies for generating new
guesses at each iteration. In many cases, using the default settings
(i.e., paying no attention to what Aspen Plus is doing) works
sufficiently well such that you do not have to think much about tear
streams while creating flowsheet models, even when the initial
guesses Aspen Plus generates on its own for tear streams are quite
terrible. Note, for example, in Figure 0.3, you can tell that Aspen
Plus chose to tear RECYCLE because MYFLASH is the first model to run
in the convergence loop sequence (which, by the way, converged
quickly and without warnings or errors).
It is only when you get into trouble that you need to think about
changing the convergence algorithm parameters, selecting your own
tear streams, or giving it better initial guesses. In some cases, a
flowsheet might not converge because you have created a flowsheet
design that is mathematically impossible, which is squarely your fault
(PEBKAC2). For example, suppose I did not have MYSPLIT and wanted
to instead recycle 100% of the liquid stream back to the flash drum.
This is a terrible design because there is no place for the liquid to
leave the system. Were someone to actually build that, the liquid
that was recycled would just accumulate in the drum, filling it up
until something spills or breaks. As such, there is no way for that
system to operate at steady state, and thus there is no solution for
the convergence loop solver to find. When a solution technically
does exist, but the solver just cannot find it, it can sometimes be
corrected by providing better initial guesses based on your
engineering intuition, choosing better tear streams (usually choosing
where you can make the best guesses), or tweaking solver settings
as a last resort. In this book, we discuss the basics of these for some
common situations.
Although it is extremely effective and commonly used, the
sequential modular approach is nothing new. The concept developed
from the early days of computing in which there simply was not
enough computing power or memory to consider large problems,
and so having an iterative solution that allowed a large flowsheet to
be broken into many tiny, customized pieces in sequence and solved
with just one processor was essential to being able to tackle even
moderate problems at all. As processes got faster, it became possible
to converge larger and larger flowsheets with increasingly rigorous
models. Today, however, computer processor speeds have essentially
leveled off, and growth in modern computing power is now achieved
instead by adding more processors that operate in parallel. Although
commercial software is improving in order to take advantage of
parallel computing (such as writing the algorithms for individual
modules to take advantage of parallel processors), at its core, the
modules themselves still require computation in sequence. As such,
the speed at which we can solve flowsheets with the sequential
modular approach has essentially peaked. True, we can now run
several flowsheet simulations in parallel (and the new Aspen Multi-
Case tool helps you do exactly this—see Bonus Tutorial 2), but the
speed of each individual flowsheet solution has not changed much in
the past decade. Although research into this is ongoing, there is
another, more complex way of approaching the flowsheet model: the
equation-oriented approach.

EQUATION-ORIENTED MODE
The equation-oriented approach uses a completely different way of
solving the flowsheet model. The goal is essentially the same: given
a set of model equations and certain known values and model
parameters, find the values of all unknown variables. However,
instead of using a sequence of individual modules, the ­equation-
oriented approach takes all of the model equations from all of the
flowsheet units and creates one gigantic system of equations. These
equations describe everything in the entire process, such as the
mass balances, energy balances, fugacity balances, physical property
correlations, reaction kinetics, and so forth. Then, a generic equation
solver made to solve arbitrary systems of nonlinear equations can be
used (e.g., some might be familiar with the classic Newton-Raphson
method for solving systems of nonlinear e ­ quations, which is a
primitive form of one of the solver options available within Aspen
Plus). Most equation solvers usually contain powerful algorithms that
analyze the structure of the equations and look for patterns and
symmetries that they can exploit in order to find the solution as
quickly and reliably as possible.
This approach has some key advantages. First, the restriction that
models can only be solved in one direction is gone. For example, if
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
Come la rondin garrula,
Allor canterò anch’io,
Onde la Musa arridami
E l’Eliconio Dio;
Però che già Amiclea [156]
Sè col tacer perdea.

CORO

Chi non provò mai palpito


Finor d’affetto in core,
Doman lo dee dischiudere
Al più fervente amore.

151. Tradussi Dione, come nel testo: forse più giustamente dovea dire
Dionea, da Dione che Omero dà per madre a Venere. Esiodo la dice
figlia dell’Oceano e di Teti, e fa nascere Venere dalle spume del mare.

152. Delia, soprannome di Diana, dall’isola di Delo, ove era nata. Vedi
Virgilio, Eglog. 3, v. 67.

153. Ibla, monte della Sicilia, celebre per lo squisito miele che vi si
raccoglieva. Due città sicule portavano questo nome, Hybla major e
Hybla parva, sulla costa orientale, le cui rovine veggonsi tuttavia in riva
al mare. I colli che la circondano, lungo il fiume Alabus, sono in tutte le
stagioni coperti di fiori, di piante odorifere, di timo e di sermolino, d’onde
le api traggono anche presentemente il più squisito miele. Già induce a
credere che il miele d’Ibla, tanto vantato dagli antichi, fosse raccolto
presso d’Ibla la piccola.

154. Enna, città in luogo eminente in mezzo della Sicilia. Le praterie dei
dintorni, inframmezzate da limpidi ruscelli, indorse di sempre
verdeggianti boschi e di fiori odorosi, erano considerate come il
soggiorno prediletto di Cerere. Fu in quella bellissima campagna che
venne rapita la di lei figlia Libera, più nota sotto il nome di Proserpina.

155. Tereo, dice la Mitologia, fu re di Tracia, figliuolo di Marte e della ninfa


Bistonide. Ebbe per moglie Progne, figlia di Pandione re di Atene, la
quale dopo alcun tempo, mostrò desiderio di rivedere la propria sorella
Filomela. Tereo per compiacerla si recò in Atene, ed ottenne da
Pandione che lasciasse partire secolui Filomela; ma invaghitosene
cammin facendo, la violò in una casa pastoreccia, ed affinchè non
palesasse il suo delitto, le tagliò la lingua facendo credere alla moglie
che la sorella era morta in mare. Filomela giunse però a poter disegnare
sopra una tela la sua disgrazia, e la fe’ poscia per mezzo d’una fantesca
a Progne pervenire. Questa trasse astutamente la sorella dal luogo
ov’era rinchiusa e seco la condusse nella reggia; indi per vendicarsi,
prese il bambino Iti, partorito da Filomela, e dopo di averlo ridotto in
pezzi, li diè a mangiare al padre. Tereo di ciò avvedutosi, prese ad
inseguire con isguainato brando le due sorelle, le quali furono dagli Dei
per compassione trasformate Progne in rondine, Filomela in usignuolo,
Iti in fagiano e Tereo in upupa. — Vedi Ovid. Met., lib. 6. Mitologia di tutti
i Popoli. vol 6.

156. Amiclea od Amicla, città antica italiana, che dissero fabbricata dai
compagni di Castore e Polluce, i cui abitanti astenevansi da ogni
nutrimento animale. Furono distrutti dai serpenti, de’ quali abbondava il
suo paese. Erano grandi osservatori del silenzio, onde taciti li chiamò
Virgilio: Tacitis regnavit Amiclis (Æneid. lib. 10, v. 565) e qui pure nel
Pervigilium vien designata Amicla d’essersi perduta col silenzio: forse
non avendo invocato soccorso a tempo quando era devastata dai
serpenti.

157.

A placarla con suppliche voi chiama


Tutte il dover: dipendon dal suo nome
E onestade e bellezza e buona fama.
Tr. G. B. Bianchi.

158. Vedi nel Vol. I. il Cap. VIII. — I Templi, dove si parla di quello di Iside.

159. «De’ ladri e degli augei vigil custode.»

160. N. 176 del Catalogo del Museo Nazionale di Napoli, Raccolta


Pornografica. — Napoli, 1866. Stabilim. Tip. in S. Teresa.

161. Arditi, Il Fascino, pag. 45, nt. 2.

162. Vol. II. Cap. XII, p. 106-113. Milano, 1873. Presso Felice Legros, editore.

163.

Omai palesi della Buona Dea


Fansi gli arcani, allor che il flauto i lombi
Comincia a stuzzicar: del corno al suono,
Del vino all’estro, di Priapo attonite
Le Menadi, rotondo il crin, volteggiano.
Oh quanta allora in que’ cervelli accendasi
Libidinosa rabbia! Oh con qual impeto
Guizzano, scoppian, s’agitan, vociferano!
Del vecchio vin che bevvero, qual circola
Acre vapor nel trasudante femore.
Sat. VI, v. 314-319.

164. V. 346-49:

Ed or qual ara del suo Clodio è priva?


Vecchi amici, a l’orecchio il nostro avviso,
Già datomi una volta, ancor mi sona:
Chiudila, custodiscila. — Benissimo,
Ma de’ custodi chi sarà il custode?

165.

. . . . a poco a poco
Te aggregheranno del bel numer uno
Quei che accerchian la fronte in lunghe bende,
E tutto avvolgon di monili ’l collo.
Ne’ penetrali lor, con ampie tazze
E ventraia di tenera porcella
Placan la Bona Dea. Ma quelle soglie,
Con rito inverso, or non avvien che tocchi
Piè femminile: a’ soli maschi l’ara
Apresi de la Dea. Lungi, o profane!
Alto s’intona; no, che qui non geme
Tibia ispirata da femmineo labbro.
Tal’orgie i Batti usar fra tede arcane
Solean, stancando l’Attica Cotitto.
Id., Ibid. Trad. di Gargallo.

166.

. . . Via, fuori
. . . . qual vergogna! S’alzi
Da l’equestre cuscin, chi non possiede
L’equestre censo; e de’ mezzan d’amore
Vi sottentrino i figli, in qual sia chiasso
Nati pur sien. Costinci applauda il figlio
Del grasso banditor tra la ben nata
Da’ rezïari giovinaglia, e quella
Degli accoltellatori.
V. 153-158. — Tr. Gargallo.

167.

È vecchia usanza, o Postumo, ed antica


Far cigolar gli altrui letti, e il santo
Genio schermir che a talami presiede.
V. 21-22.

168.

Lascio i parti supposti, i gaudi, i voti


Spesso appagati dal Velabro. Oh quante
Volte raccolti son dalle sue fogne
Gli ignoti bimbi, sul cui falso corpo
Nome di Scauri apponsi, e poi ne ottiene
Suoi pontefici Giove, i salî Marte.
Capricciosa fortuna ivi la notte
A que’ nudi bambin volteggia intorno,
E con l’alito suo tutti gli scalda,
E in grembo se li avvolge. Allor tra gli alti
Palagi li dispensa, e ne prepara
Segreta farsa a sè: l’amor son questi,
Questi son la sua cura; e che sien detti
Figli delle Fortuna ella gioisce.
Sat. VI, vv. 602-609.

169. «Nei quadrivii e ne’ chiassi.» Carmen LVIII, Ad Cœlium.

170.

Amo ed odio insiem, se chieda


A me alcun come succeda?
Io l’ignoro, eppure il sento
E ne provo un gran tormento.
Carmen LXXXV. — Mia trad.

171.

Iam ne exciderunt vigilatis furta Suburræ


Et mea nocturnis trita fenestra dolis?
Per quam demisso quoties tibi fune pependi,
Alterna veniens in tua colla manu.
E già i bei furti di Suburra e il caro
Trescar notturno, e il mio
Balcon per te socchiuso, agli altri avaro,
Ti caddero in obblio?
Il mio balcon, d’onde alla fune appesa
Spesso vêr te calai,
E con alterna delle mani offesa
Al collo tuo sbalzai?
Trad. Vismara.

172.

Pria della mensa è poca cosa assai,


Ma il vin le dona mille grazie e mille.

173.

Bianca e fredda a veder, ma tra i bicchieri


Un di goderne, un di sfidarne ha petto.
Trad. Vismara.

174.

Non più vezzoso ad occhieggiar qual fai,


O fra i spettacol’ del lascivo Foro,
O sul passaggio di Pompeo n’andrai.
E d’ora innanzi non ti dar la pena
Di torcer suso il collo agli alti scanni [175]
Ne l’affollata teatrale arena.
Nè per la via farai fermar lettica
O aprir portiera onde ficcarvi il capo
E parlottar colla passante amica.
Ma pria di tutto fuor di casa, fuori
Ligdamo, fonte d’ogni mal; si venda,
E con i ferri ai pie’ serva e lavori.

175. Dissi già nel capitolo de’ Teatri come le cortigiane fossero nel
quattordicesimo gradino del teatro, citando all’uopo il Satyricon di
Apulejo.

176. Amorum, Lib. III. Eleg. XV:

Madre di amori teneri,


Cerca novel poeta.
Trad. di Francesco Cavriani.

177.

Che vidi incauto? perchè i fati vollero


Che arcana colpa il guardo mio scorgesse?
Vide a caso Atteone ignuda Cinzia;
Pur de’ suoi cani pasto egli è rimaso.
Trad. di Paolo Mistrorigo.

178. Sopra la Vita di Publio Ovidio Nasone, Discorsi. Discorso I.

179.

Punito io son, chè un turpe fatto videro


Gli incauti occhi; son reo che gli occhi ebb’io.
Trad. di Paolo Mistrorigo.

180.

Versi ed error, due colpe mi perdettero.


Id., Ibid.

181. Fu Sotade poeta di Tracia, che scrisse in verso ogni sorta di libidini, e
sembra che scrivesse in quel genere che i Francesi chiamano poesie
fuggitive e che in latino diconsi commatæ, cioè incise, spartite. Così le
chiama Quintiliano; e pare che a’ tempi di lui fossero conosciute,
perciocchè egli proibisse agli istitutori di parlarne a’ giovinetti.
Intitolavansi quelle poesie del poeta Sotade Cinaedos, per cui Marziale
lo chiama Cinedo, ed altri chiama Jonico quel poema, giacchè l’epiteto
di jonico davasi a tutto ciò ch’era molle e lascivo. Visse questo poeta a’
tempi di Tolomeo, che il fece gittare in mare entro una cassa di piombo.

182. Molti de’ carmi di Catullo tengo da me volgarizzati inediti; epperò mi


valgo sempre per questo poeta della mia traduzione non edita per anco.

Donna non fu che tanto


Amata fosse, come or tu da me;
Nè mai servata, quanto
Da me lo fosse, la giurata fè.
Lesbia, or tu m’hai condotto,
Fossi pur buona, a più non ti stimar:
Nè, s’anco più corrotto
Tu avessi il cor, ti lascerò d’amar.
183.

Abbastanza io fui la favola


De le mense scioperate,
E di me ciascun fe’ ridere
A sua posta le brigate.
Tr. Vismara.

184. Sat. 2, lib. I:

Facil Venere e pronta amo e colei


Che ti dice: fra breve; e fia maggiore
La voluttà, se partirà il marito.

Mi son sostituito nella traduzione al Gargallo, che questa volta non ho


proprio capito che dir si volesse.

185. Sat. I. Lib. 11.

. . . . . Canidia, figlia
D’Albuzio, a’ suoi nemici erbe e veleno.
Tr. Gargallo.

186. «Irritabil genia quella dei vati.» Oraz.

187.

Il diritto dei tre figli mi diede,


De’ miei studi poetici in mercede,
Chi potea darlo: addio consorte: vano
Il don sortir non dee del mio sovrano.
Trad. Magenta.

188.

LA PROSTITUZIONE DELLE MUSE [189]

Or la misera fame, ed i sottili


Distillati veleni entro le dapi,
Tutto un popolo esangue e amici pingui
Per ricchi funerali, ed un impero,
Che sotto il nome della pace infinto,
Mollemente si solve e si consuma,
Quanto fa dir la nostra età la bella
Età dell’oro, canteran le Muse.
E canteranno i lagrimosi incendi
Della marmorea Roma [190], agli occhi loro
Vaghi sollazzi della negra notte,
Egregie gesta di colui che baldo
Dell’assassinio della madre esulta,
Che alle Furie materne altre ne oppone,
Alle serpi altre serpi, ognor la mano
Pronta a nuovi pugnali e di peggiori
Stragi a far tutto esterrefatto il mondo.
Canteranno esse scellerati carmi,
Oscene voluttà, sozzi imenei
D’un favorito della sposa infami [191],
Di Venere nefandi monumenti;
Nè l’onta proveran de’ loro canti
Le svergognate Muse, e di lor nome
Verginal, di lor fama immacolata
Fatte immemori adesso. Ah! via gittato
Ogni pudor, sotto color bugiardo
Di lor saver, prostitüir sè stesse,
E le figliuole dell’olimpio Giove
Sovra gli umani eccelse, ancor che nulla
Sentan necessità, fanno a vil prezzo
Di lor sacra persona empio mercato.
Esse al capriccio dei superbo Mena [192]
Piegan codarde, ovver di Policleto
Obbedïenti al cenno, anco beate
D’esigua lode, appassionate, ardenti
Delle recenti impronte, onde una fronte
Va maculata, o delle ree vestigia
Che lasciò la catena od il flagello
A un Geta [193], che da jer fatto è liberto.
Immemori, che più? del divo padre
E de’ numi cognati e dell’antico
Onor di casta e verginal pietate.
Oh dolor! Alle Furie e a mostri orrendi
Hanno eretto l’altare e i cenni impuri
Dell’ignobile Tizio [194] osano voci
Del Destino appellar: quanto ha l’Olimpo
Consacrarono all’Erebo; già templi
Osaron scellerati ergere ed are
Sacrileghe, e per quanto è di lor possa,
I cacciati dal cielo empi Titani
Tentan ripor nelle superne sedi
E stolto crede a’ loro accenti il mondo.

189. Con una sacra indegnazione e con maggior calore per avventura di
Persio, Turno, vissuto sotto il regno di Nerone e vecchio sotto quello
degli imperatori di casa Flavia, compose satire che quello imperante
stigmatizzarono a fuoco. Vuolsi che le sue composizioni non publicasse
finchè visse quel tiranno; ma se ciò fosse, sarebbe stato minore il suo
coraggio, nè di lui avrebbe Marziale potuto dettare il seguente
epigramma:

Contulit ad satyras ingentia pectora Turnus:


Cur non ad Memoris carmina? Frater erat.

Turno piegò l’ingegno suo sovrano


Al satirico stil: perchè di Memore
Non i versi emular?... Gli era germano.
Epigr. lib. XI, 11. — Tr. Magenta.

Da tal epigramma apprendiamo adunque che Turno fosse fratello di un


Memore, poeta tragico, come nel precedente epigramma lo stesso
Marziale lasciò ricordato:

Clarus fronde Jovis, Romani fama cothurni.

Del romano coturno illustro e cinto


Della fronda di Giove.
Id. ib. 10.

L’unico frammento rimasto delle Satire di Turno è, come dissi, codesto


che traduco: taluni vollero perfino attribuirlo a Lucano, ma i più lo
assegnano a Turno.

190. È chiara in questo verso l’allusione all’incendio di Roma avvenuto sotto il


regno di Nerone, il quale ne fu ritenuto autore.

191. Son note le pazze e infami nozze di Nerone con Sporo, celebrate
publicamente in Roma. Questo verso ricorda quello della Sat. II di
Giovenale:

Dives erit, magno quæ dormit tertia lecto.

. . . . Sposa che in ampio letto


Terza a dormire adattisi, fia ricca.
V. 60. Trad. Gargallo.
192. Mena fu liberto e favorito del giovane Pompeo; fu vanitoso sino al
ridicolo, e di sua perfidia andò famigerato nella guerra di Augusto e di
Sesto Pompeo. Orazio lo berteggia in una satira. Morì nella guerra che
Ottavio sostenne contro gli Illirii.

193. Geta è altro favorito, che eccitò sotto Nerone una sedizione a Roma. Di
lui parla Tacito nel lib. II, cap. 72 delle Storie.

194. Tizio, cavalier romano, preposto a guardia di Messalina. Di lui pure


fanno menzione gli Annali di Tacito lib. II, cap. 35.

195. Lib. VII, ep. 21.

196. Lib. VII, ep. 24.

197. Lib. XII, 18.

198. Études de moeurs et de critique sur les Poètes latins de la décadence.


M. D. Nisard. Bruxelles 1834.

199.

..... Ascondere
Con segni intelligenti
I lusinghieri accenti.

200. Cic. Pro Cælio. «Libidini, amori, adulterii, banchetti e commessazioni.»

201.

I Bagni, i vini e Venere


Riducon l’uomo in cenere,
A’ mortali gradita
Fan nondimen la vita.

202.

Vuoi tu forse ch’io segga in fra codeste


Prosede e avanzi d’Alicarie, amiche
A’ panattier’, sciupate e infette serve?
Pœnulus. Act. I, sc. 2, v. 53-55.

Noti il lettore come Plauto usi della parola scœno, invece di cœno, come
dai Sabini si usava allora sostituire nella pronunzia la s al c. Così
scœlum per cœlum, scœna per cœna. La medesima cosa si fa oggidì,
in alcune parti d’Italia e massime in Toscana.

203.

La Blitea è una sporca meretrice


La qual non pute che di vino.

204. Il comico latino che di queste femmine se ne intendeva, nella già citata
commedia del Pœnulus non dimenticò la scorta diobolaria, che
retribuivasi di due oboli, che è la stessa moneta del dupondium, e a
siffatte sciagurate accenna pur Seneca nel Lib. VI Controversiarum, in
quel passo: Itane decem juvenes perierunt propter dupondios duos?

205.

ARGIRIPPO
Non sono morto affatto, ancor mi resta
Qualche poco di vita, e quel che chiedi
Ancor darti poss’io; ma darò solo
Che tu rimanga in mio possesso e sappia
Che un anno intero tu mi serva e intanto
Presso di te nessun altro tu ammetta.

CLEERETA
E se tu il vuoi, quanti ho in mia casa schiavi
Evirerò; ma se d’avermi brami,
Il singrafo mi reca, e come chiedi
E come piace a te, dettane i patti:
Ma insiem portami il prezzo, agevolmente
Il resto accetterò. Son dei lenoni
Pari alle porte de’ gabellieri,
S’apron se paghi, se no, restan chiuse.

206.

DIABOLO
Fra me, l’amica mia e la mezzana
Leggine i patti, perocchè poeta
In codesti negozi unico sei.
Suvvia, mostrami il singrafo che hai scritto.

207. Pag. 70. Milano, Edoardo Sonzogno editore, 1872.


Non so trattenermi dal riferire un tale contratto, simile in tutto a’ singrafi
di fedeltà di cui sopra è parola.

Gostanzo, il Procuratore, il secondo Notaio.


Pro. Presto, Alessandro, quei patti obbligatorî: state ad
ascoltare.
Gos. Ascolto.
Ales. In Christi nomine amen. Millesimo quingentesimo
quinquagesimo primo.
Pro. Etc. vieni al merito: lascia stare le clausole generali.
Ales. M. Gostanzo figliuolo di M. Massimo Caraccioli, parte
una, e Madonna Andriana da Spoleti parte altera omnibus
modis etc. etiam con consentimento di Madonna Dorotea sua
figliuola, tutti presenti, e che accettano volontieri etc. son
divenuti agl’infrascritti patti, videlicet che la detta donna
Andriana lascerà Madonna Dorotea sua figliuola al detto M.
Gostanzo un anno intero da star seco dì e notte.
Gos. A lui solo e non ad altri.
Pro. Gliel’aggiungo io. Presto, Alessandro.
Gos. Sì in ogni modo: vedete di grazia d’imbrigliami sì bene
quest’asina, non le voglia il trarmi de’ calci.
Pro. Udite pur, seguita.
Ales. E che nel detto tempo non metta in casa nessun amico,
parente, o innamorato suo antico, moderno, imaginario,
quovis modo.
Gos. Se non me solo.
Pro. Intendo; che non dicesse poi che sete escluso ancor voi;
passa oltre.
Ales. Non ricevi nè mandi lettera, non abbi in casa carta e
inchiostro per scrivere; non tenghi ritratto degli innamorati
vecchi, e passato il terzo giorno gli sia lecito impune et de
facto abbruciarli; non vada a festa, a banchetti, nè a chiesa;
non inviti nessuno a mangiare, non stia in porta, non facci
trebbe, non guardi giù dalle finestre, non oda cantilene o
sospir di gente che passi per la strada, e sia lecito al detto M.
Gostanzo di chiuder le porte e tenerle chiuse quanto gli piace
senza alcuna replica.
Gos. Oh mi piace; oh come va bene!
Pro. Aspettate pur, seguita.
Ales. Levi tutte l’occasioni di farlo sospettare; non calchi il
piede a nissuno, non tocchi la mano, non pizzichi, non si levi,
non si muova.
Gos. Piano, anzi voglio ch’ella si muova e scherzi meco in
camera.
Pro. Con altri, con altri, s’intende.
Gos. Passate oltre.
Ales. Non alzi un occhio, non starnuti, non fiati senza suo
consentimento, non rida dietro alla finestra a nessuno, non si
lasci baciar la mano, o veder gli anelli, non facci cenno, non
motteggi, non guardi, non mostri di tossir e quando è
sforzata, non faccia vezzi nè favore a nessuno; di più non si
finga ammalata per farsi ungere, stropicciare e sia lecito al
detto M. Gostanzo durante il detto termine per qualsivoglia
minima occasione di gelosia ch’ella gli dia, chiuder la detta
Dorotea in camera, in cucina, in sala, di sotto, di sopra e in
qual parte più gli piacerà della casa, quomodocunque et
qualitercunque et ella accetti ogni cosa per bene.
Gos. Benissimo; ma voi mi lasciate il meglio e più importante.
Pro. Che cosa?
Gos. Preti, Frati, Scapuccini, Guastallini, Pinzocheri, Chietini,
Giovanelli, Riformati, Gabbadei, Zoccolanti, Collitorti nè per
confessione, nè per visita, nè per altro non mettano il piede in
casa sotto alcun pretesto.
Pro. Buon ricordo per mia fè. Presto, Alessandro.
Gos. Aggiungeteglielo in ogni modo, perchè non sono al
mondo lenoni più veementi di queste canaglie.
Pro. Mi meraviglio che la somma Orlandina non ne faccia
menzione, donde ho cavato questo estratto. Hai spedito,
Alessandro? seguita.
Ales. E che nel sopradetto termine la detta Andriana non abbi
alcuna autorità in casa, ma si stia cheta e goda e taccia et
attenda solamente a covar il fuoco, cuocer castagne, ber vin
dolce, sputar nella cenere, e se pur vuol gridar gridi alla
gatta, solleciti il desinare e si faccia legger dal ragazzo
qualche leggenda; del resto lasci il dominio della casa in
podestà del detto M. Gostanzo, sotto la pena di non ber vino,
e di esser staffilata all’arbitrio del detto M. Gostanzo.
Gos. O buono! seguita.
Ales. Dall’altra banda sia obligato il detto M. Gostanzo
numerargli subito, senza alcuna dilazione, sessanta scudi
d’oro, de’ quali possono disporre a lor modo, senz’alcun
obbligo di restituirli.
Gos. Andiam dentro.

208.

Il pastor Coridon d’Alessi ardea,


D’Alessi bel fanciul, delizia prima
Del suo signor.
Egloga II. Tr. di Prospero Manara.

209. Vedi Giornale degli Scavi, Nuova Serie n. 13, 1870.

210.

Nè già di lei, che nuda il piè, calpesta


L’aspra selci, è miglior l’altra che ’l collo
Preme d’assiri lettighier giganti.
Satir. VI, 350. Tr. Gargallo.

211.

L’ippomane, gli incanti, i beveraggi,


Colchici dovrò dir?
Sat. VI. 133. — Tr. Gargallo.

212. «Porgi l’acqua fredda, o ragazzo.» Notisi il fridam per frigidam quanto
s’accosti alla nostra parola fredda.

213. «Una bianca m’apprese a odiar le brune.» Vedi Vol. I. Cap. Le Vie, ecc.

214. «Agli uomini di Nola augurano felicità le fanciulle di Stabia.»

215. Vedi Plauto: Asinaria Att. V, Scena 2, v. 76 e 84.

Ma dorme ancora il cuculo, o amatore,


Su ti leva e va a casa.
Il cocolo mio, vezzeggiativo delle amanti veneziane, ne sarebbe forse la
traduzione e l’applicazione, senza l’idea del disprezzo?

216. «Non è questo il luogo agli oziosi: passa oltre, o passeggiero.»

217.

Così del fuoco di sozza lucerna,


Brutta e incrostata il viso, il tetro odore
Del bordello al guancial recò d’Augusto.
Giovenale, Sat. VI. 130-131. Trad. Gargallo.

218. «E le misere madri di null’altro più pregavano se non che fosse loro
concesso di raccogliere l’estremo sospiro de’ figli.»

219. Trad. di Paolo Maspero.

220. Æneid. Lib. IX. 486. 487:

Ed io tua madre,
Io cui l’esequie eran dovute, e ’l duolo
D’un cotal figlio, non t’ho chiusi gli occhi.

221. Lib. III, v. 539-540.

Sol col tacito volto invoca i baci


E del padre la man che i rai gli chiuda.

222. «Affermavano passarsi sotto terra l’altra vita dei morti.» Tuscul. 1, 16.

223.

. . . . e con supremi
Richiami amaramente al suo sepolcro
Rivocammo di lui l’anima errante.
Æneid. Lib. III, 67, 68. Tr. Ann. Caro.

L’espression di Virgilio animam sepulcro condimus, resa letteralmente,


appoggia meglio la credenza da noi riferita, ed io però tradurrei:

L’anima sua chiudemmo entro il sepolcro.

224. La Cité Antique, Cap. 1.


225. «I diritti degli Dei Mani sono santi: questi datici da morte abbiansi come
numi e si onorino di spesa e di lutto.»

226. Lib. II, 22.

227. «Le anime di virtù maggiore si chiamano Mani, quelle che son nel nostro
corpo diconsi Genii; fuori di esso, Lemuri; se infestano colle loro
scorrerie le case, Larve; ma se pel contrario ci son favorevoli, si
chiamano Lari famigliari.» De Deo Socratis.

228. V. 91-96.

229. Virgilio, lib. VI, v. 219:

. . . . intorno al freddo corpo intenti


Chi lo spogliò, chi lo lavò, chi l’unse.
Trad. Ann. Caro.

230. Satira III. v. 261-267:

. . . . la buon’anima,
Che già siede novizia in riva a Lete,
Trema del tetro barcajuol, nè spera
Varcar su la sua barca il morto stagno;
Miser! nè il può senza il triente in bocca.
Tr. Gargallo.

231. Storia Popolare degli Usi Funebri Indo-Europei. Milano, Fratelli Treves,
1873, pag. 19. — Perchè alla vera dottrina è sempre gentilezza d’animo
congiunta, l’illustre scrittore mi volle onorato del dono di questa sua
opera, che mi tengo cara e della quale pubblicamente il ringrazio. E
come no, se a’ dì nostri solo compenso a chi si pasce di studio sono o la
noncuranza o la calunnia? Oggi è vezzo di portar la politica anche ne’
giudizi letterarii, e chi non s’imbranca coi gerofanti della politica è punito
colla cospirazione del silenzio.

232. Satira III, v. 103-105:

Quindi le tube e le funeree cere.


Steso e beato alfin nel cataletto,
E d’aromi inzuppato, irrigiditi
Slunga vêr l’uscio i piè...
Tr. Vinc. Monti.

233.
Di lutti non plebei teste il cipresso.
Pharsal. III, 442.

Spiacquemi non usar qui della versione notissima del conte F. Cassi,
perchè in questo passo si cavò d’impiccio, col dire semplicemente i
funebri cipressi.

234. Virgilio, Æneid. Lib IV, v. 665-668:

. . . . In pianti, in ululati
Di donne in un momento si converse
La reggia tutta, e insino al ciel n’andaro
Voci alte e fioche, e suon di man con elle.
Tr. A. Caro.

235.

. . . . Quiriti, a cui fa commodo


D’assistere alle esequie, è questa l’ora.
Phorm. 5. 8. 37.

Ecco per altro la formula più completa della convocazione al funerale:


exequias... (e . g . lucii. lucii. filii) quibus est comodum ire, tempus
est: ollus (ille) ex ædibus effertur.

236. «Io Sesto Anicio Pontefice attesto avere costui onestamente vissuto.»
Bannier, Spiegazione delle favole.

237. «Da qualche anno in qua non si offerse altro sguardo del popolo romano
una pompa così solenne e memorabile, come i publici funerali di Virginio
Rufo, non meno egregio ed illustre, che fortunato cittadino.» Lib. II.
epist. 1, Tr. Paravia.

238. «Detti furono siticini coloro che solevano cantare canti lamentevoli a
titolo d’onore, quando a taluno si facevano i funerali e recavansi a
seppellire.»

239.

Le prefiche che seguano pagate


Nell’altrui funeral e piangon molto
E si strappano i crini e ancor più forti
Alzan clamori.

240. Riti funebri di Roma. Lucca, 1758.


241.

Spargete lagrime,
Querele alzate,
Lutto e gramaglie
Or simulate,
Del triste coro
Echeggi il Foro.

242. In Vespasianum, 19.

243. Lib. II, Eleg. XIII:

Tu verrai dietro lacera


E petto ignudo e chiome,
Nè cesserai ripetere
Del tuo Properzio il nome.
Tr. Vismara.

244. Annali, III, 2.

245. «La nostra prosapia di tal guisa congiunge alla santità dei re, che assai
possono in mezzo agli uomini, la maestà degli dei che sono i padroni dei
re.» Svetonio, In Cæs. VI. Giulio Cesare da parte di madre si diceva
discendere da Anco Marzio, re.

246. Pag. 83.

247. La legge vietava la cremazione del cadaveri in città a prevenire gli


incendj. La basilica Porcia di Roma infatti erasi incendiata per le fiamme
dal rogo di P. Clodio.

248.

Sul freddo labbro gli ultimi


Baci tu allor porrai
Quando versar dall’onice
Assiri odor vedrai.
Id. Ibid.

249. «Addio: noi ti seguiremo tutti nell’ordine nel quale la natura avrà voluto.»

250. Lib. IV. Eleg. VII:

Perchè il favor su la mia pira, o ingrato,


Non invocar del vento?
Perchè non arder su l’estremo fato
Stilla di caro unguento?
E t’era grave ancor non compri fiori
Gittar sul mio feretro,
E al cenere libar del vin gli onori
Da lo spezzato vetro?
Trad. Vismara.

251. Phaleræ. Erano piastre d’oro, d’argento o altro metallo lavorate che si
portavano sul petto, come attesta Silvio Italico nell’emistichio:

. . . . phaleris hic pectora fulget, [252]

da persone di grado, che venivano accordate per fatti di valore, come si


farebbe oggidì colle decorazioni cavalleresche. Erano anche bardamenti
di cavalli.

252. «Di falere ha costui splendido li petto.»

253.

. . . . . Altri gridando
Le pire intorno, elmi, corazze e dardi
E ben guarnite spade e freni e ruote
Avventaron nel fuoco e de’ nemici
Armi d’ogni maniera, arnesi e spoglie;
Altri i lor proprii doni, e degli uccisi
Medesmi vi gittar l’armi infelici
E gli infelici scudi, ond’essi invano
S’eran difesi.
Lib. XI, 193-196. Tr. Caro.

254. Libro XXIII, 257-265. Trad. V. Monti.

255.

. . . . . in ordinanza
Tre volte armati a pie’ la circondaro
E tre volte a cavallo, in mesta guisa
Ululando, piangendo, e l’armi e ’l suolo
Di lagrime spargendo.
Lib. XI, 188-190.
256. Annal. Lib. II. VII. Il Davanzati così traduce: «Nè Cesare combattè gli
assedianti (i Catti), perchè al grido del suo venire sbandarono, spiantato
nondimeno il nuovo sepolcro delle legioni di Varo, per onoranza del
padre si torneò.» In nota a questo passo, Enrico Bindi, nell’edizione del
Le Monnier 1852 vol. I. p. 65, pose: «Di questo costume antichissimo
detto decursio, vedi Senofonte nel sesto di Ciro, Dione, 55; Svetonio in
Nerone. Il Lipsio cita Omero, Virgilio, Livio, Lucano e Stazio.»

257. Sat. Lib. I Sat. 8:

. . . . il camposanto
De la plebaglia...

Così traduce il Gargallo: ma non aveva proprio altro vocabolo da


sostituire a quello che la religion nostra ha consacrato?
Non potevasi, a mo’ d’esempio, esser più fedeli all’originale traducendo:

Alla misera plebe era codesto


Il comune sepolcro?

258. Gruter, Iscriz.:

Sull’ossa tue io verserò quel vino,


Che non bevesti mai, giovanettino.

259. Dizionario delle Antichità, alla voce Patera.

260. V. 124-129.

261. Epist. Ex Ponto, 1, Lib. III:

Uopo è che i corpi esangui ai mesti roghi,


Vengano dati.

262.

. . . . E di natura impero
Ma il pianto impon, se di fanciulla adulta
C’incontriam ne l’esequie, e se bambino,
Negato al rogo da l’età, si infossa.
Tr. Gargallo.

263. Pha. Hist. Nat. VII, 15.

You might also like