Fluid Flow Software vs. Spreadsheets for Piping System Design & Analysis

The traditional approach for sizing pipelines in fluid piping systems is done using spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft® Excel®. Spreadsheets provide a platform for organizing data and performing the single pipeline calculations for pipeline friction loss. If done correctly, spreadsheets can save time when performing single pipeline headloss calculations. However, in order to sustain a competitive advantage in today's marketplace, it is critical that you consider new technology that provides a total system view of the piping system. A clear picture can be better obtained by incorporating the following features into a single fluid flow program: * Visualization - using a piping schematic to show how the various items are connected. * Calculations - integrating all fluid flow calculations into a single program. * Communications - maintaining design control, and sharing results with members of the design team and clients. * Access - providing access to electronic documents used to design, build, operate, and maintain fluid piping systems.