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Network Routing

Automatic Network Routing

Net routing determines optimal net lines for the connections between the pins of the used components. The nets represent energy or material flows. Net lines run exclusively vertically or horizontally.

Immediately after the pins have been connected by drag-and-drop, the nets are routed automatically. Leave enough space between the components for this purpose. If the space between the components is not sufficient, a so called emergency routing is done. In this case, a connection line can be routed directly through components. Although this has no consequences for the simulation results, it makes the visual analysis of the system more difficult. For this reason, this display mode does not otherwise occur.

In order to facilitate automatic routing and to create a clear scheme, the conventions for the arrangement of components should be observed. The distance between the components should be at least large enough so that the net lines do not overlap with the components.

The routing of the networks is basically automated. However, it is also possible to place individual marked network sections manually using drag-and-drop.

The connections are updated immediately when a component is moved. Even if a component is rotated or mirrored, the network connections update automatically.

The reorientation of the network connection can be stimulated by slight displacements of a component. If the result is unsatisfactory, the nets can be recalculated using the menu item Page Layout in the Scheme ribbon (group Layout, see figure below).

The Sankey representation of the mass, energy and exergy flows and Showing and hiding all or individual networks are presented in the two linked articles.

Right-clicking on a net connection on the scheme opens the following context menu. It can be used to Alle Verbindungsnetze neu routen Route the selected network section, to Change material model, and to Delete the network section.

Change Material Model

In the context menu of the network described above, you can open the following list under Change material model. From this list, you can assign a new material model to the network. This also replaces the pins at the components that belong to the net.

As a rule, however, no manual setting is required here. TOP-Energy automatically selects the appropriate material model based on the plant used.

Hide Layers

The nets of the individual material models are arranged on different layers which can be shown or hidden individually or together (see the following illustration and the linked article).

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