Gas supply and Open BIM Gas Supply are the same tool. They have been conceived for the calculation, design, verification and automatic sizing of gas networks, whose aim is to get the gas to each consumption point. Additionally, they can read topographic terrain models in IFC4 format.
In the 2019.e version of CYPE software, its "suite" of urban infrastructure programs (Water Supply, Sewage, Electrification and Gas Supply) is included in the Open BIM workflow. From then on, the "suite" can be accessed, as it could until now, from the CYPE program menu (with its classic name); and as programs that can be downloaded from the "BIMserver.center" platform:
The consumption can be entered as flow or as heat power to be installed at the node. In installations with combustible gases, the consumption at a node can be expressed as heat power. However, for industrial consumption or large commercial areas, the total consumption will be calculated as the direct sum of the consumptions of the appliances.
The installation is designed according to the types of pipes, diameters, required flows (or heat power) and supply pressures. The drops in pressure are calculated using the Renouard formula. The minimum pressure and the maximum velocity are limited.
Topographic terrain models can be read in IFC4 format, if the project is connected to a BIM model located in BIMserver.center that contains the IFC4 file with the terrain data defined in an entity such as "IfcGeographicElement”.
Using Open BIM technology,it is possible to implement a collaborative, multidisciplinary and multi-user workflow to develop projects in an open, coordinated and simultaneous manner between the different technical agents that are involved.
Furthermore, by including "Gas Supply" or "Open BIM Gas Supply” in the Open BIM workflow, an IFC4 file that includes the topographic model of the land defined in an entity of the type "IfcGeographicElement" (like the rest of urban infrastructure programs of CYPE) can be imported.
The only difference between the classic infrastructure program versions and those that can be downloaded from the BIMserver.center platform, is that the connection to a BIM model is optional for the classic programs and those of the BIMserver.center platform must be connected to a BIM model.
Bear in mind that the connection to the BIM model of a project (which is possible from both versions of the program) only has advantages and no inconveniences. The connection to a BIM model does not imply the working mode has to be changed during the introduction, analysis or design of the project nor to obtain the installation documents:
From the program, users can connect to an existing BIM model on the BIMserver.center platform or create a new empty project, to which any other specialties that intervene in the project can be incorporated at any moment (water supply, sewerage, electrification, structure...).
Some of the great advantages the Open BIM workflow provides to CYPE infrastructure programs include:
In addition to the results that can be viewed on-screen (node analysis data and span analysis data with results by loadcase, combination or envelope), the program generates the project documents detailed below (reports and drawings). These documents can be printed from the program, exported in various formats and exported to the BIM model hosted on the BIMserver.center platform if the projectshas been connected to a BIM model.
The urban infrastructure programs are commercialised in two ways: