Database user interfaces with flowsheets of a simulation system

A method for performing process simulations, comprising:

• from within a user interface of a database application, receiving user input designating a flowsheet (designated flowsheet) of a process simulation application;
• from within the user interface of the database application, initializing an object browser interface associated with the designated flowsheet;
• dynamically determining at runtime objects associated with the flowsheet;
• populating a hierarchy of objects (populated objects) in the object browser interface based upon results of the determining;
• receiving a user selection of one of the populated objects via the object browser interface;
• dynamically determining at runtime properties associated with the selected one of the objects;
• presenting said properties within a properties area of the object browser interface for said user selection and manipulation;
• and
• receiving user input from the object browser interface;
• based upon the user input,
• mapping at least one flowsheet of the process simulation application to at least one database of said database application, wherein a one-to-one correspondence exists between flowsheets and databases, and wherein said database application and said process simulation application are each discrete, stand-alone software products;
• and
• receiving an input to execute multiple runs of the flowsheet from the user interface of the database application at a single given time, which results in sequential batch processing of multiple executions of the flowsheet by the process simulation application, wherein the input used in the runs is acquired from values specified in cells of a database in accordance with the mapping, and
• wherein output data simulation results from the execution of the flowsheet is recorded in cells of the database in accordance with the mapping,
• wherein said method further comprises performing case management functions, comprising:
• (i) automatically outputting combined results from a plurality of different runs of the same flowsheet to a common database, where said output data simulation results from each of the runs is associated with a run specific column of the common database, wherein the plurality of different runs are defined within the batch, and
• (ii) automatically mapping input data and said output data simulation results from the plurality of different runs against different flowsheets having different process flow diagrams each as a separate column to a single case table of the database application, wherein the plurality of different runs are defined within the batch.

A method for performing chemical process simulations, comprising:

• mapping at least one flowsheet of a process simulation application to at least one database of a database application, wherein a one-to-one correspondence exists between flowsheets and databases, and wherein said database application and said process simulation application are each discrete, stand-alone software products;
• acquiring input for a flowsheet run executed by the process simulation application from a database of the database application based upon the mapping;
• conveying output data simulation results from the flowsheet run executed by the process simulation application to a database based upon the mapping;
• and
• sequencing a batch of a plurality of runs (sequenced runs) of the process simulation application,
• wherein each run results in a flowsheet execution by the process simulation application based upon input acquired from a database wherein the input utilized in later ones of the sequenced runs is obtained from said output data simulation results from earlier ones of the runs of the batch,
• wherein said method further comprises performing case management functions, comprising;
• (i) automatically outputting combined results from a plurality of different runs of the same flowsheet to a common database, where said output data simulation results from each run is associated with a run specific column of the common database, wherein the plurality of runs are defined within the batch, and
• (ii) automatically mapping input data and said output data simulation results from the plurality of runs against different flowsheets having different process flow diagrams each as a separate column to a single case table of the database application, wherein the plurality of runs are defined within the batch.