Importing Excel Data

A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet can be used to make changes to objects in an AFT xStream model. The values in the Excel file are located in specific locations as described in the Setting Up Excel section.

Setting Up Excel

When reading an Excel file, AFT xStream will search for a worksheet named AFT Transfer. There can be other worksheets in the workbook but xStream will only look for a sheet with this name. The file structure looks like the following:

Figure 1: Sample AFT Transfer Excel Sheet

Row 1 and column A are not read by AFT xStream - these cells can have any value in them, though it is recommended to enter the values above for the header row.

Each column has certain accepted values, which can depend on the values in neighboring columns.

Note: A template spreadsheet containing validation rules for the required layout is included in the AFT xStream installation. By default the file path is: C:\AFT Products\AFT xStream\AFT xStream Excel Import Workbook.xlsx, or the spreadsheet can be downloaded here.

Apply Column

This column accepts Yes or No. Only changes marked as Yes will be imported into the model.

Object Type

This column must be a junction name or Pipe. Valid choices can be seen below in Table 1.

Object Number

This corresponds to the junction or pipe number.

Parameter

The specific parameter to be changed. These parameters vary based on the Object Name selected. Each parameter has a type (C/S/I) associated with it, as is explained in the next section.

Table 1: Object Types, Associated Parameters, and Change Codes

Pipe

S Additional K Factor

S Ambient Fluid Velocity

S Ambient Temperature

S Convection Coefficient External

S Convection Coefficient Internal

S Design Factor - Pipe Fittings & Losses

S Design Factor - Friction

S External Heat Flux/Tracing Flux

S Initial Guess Flowrate

S Inner Diameter (for unspecified, cylindrical pipes)

S Length

I Nominal Size Increment

C Nominal Size Set (must match text in Pipe Property Window)

C Nominal Type Set (must match text in Pipe Property Window)

C Pipe Name

S Roughness Value (for unspecified friction models)

I Special Condition

Area Change

S CdA (for sonic choking)

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S Loss Value

Assigned Flow

S Flow Setting

S Flow Temperature

S Elevation

C Junction Name

I Special Condition

Assigned Pressure

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S Pressure Setting

S Temperature

Bend

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S User Specified K

Branch

S Elevation

C Junction Name

Check Valve

S CdA (for sonic choking)

S Elevation

S Forward Velocity to Close Valve

C Junction Name

S Loss Value

S Pressure/Head to Reopen

I Special Condition

S Xt Value

Compressor/Fan

S Assigned Flow

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S Nominal Efficiency

I Special Condition

S Speed (%)

Control Valve

S Control Setting

S Elevation

S Full Open Loss

C Junction Name

I Special Condition

S Xt Value

Dead End

S Elevation

C Junction Name

General Component

S CdA (for sonic choking)

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S Loss Value

I Special Condition

Heat Exchanger

S Heat Rate

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S Loss Value

I Special Condition

Orifice

S Area/Diameter

S CdA (for sonic choking)

SElevation

S Exit Pressure

S Exit Temperature

C Junction Name

S Loss Value

Relief Valve

S CdA (for sonic choking)

S Elevation

S Exit Pressure

S Exit Temperature

C Junction Name

S Loss Value

S Set Pressure

I Special Condition

Screen

S CdA (for sonic choking)

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S K Factor

Tank

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S Pressure

S Temperature

Tee or Wye

S Elevation

C Junction Name

Valve

S Exit Pressure

S Exit Temperature

S Elevation

C Junction Name

S Loss Value

I Special Condition

S Xt Value

Change Code

Each Parameter has restrictions on how it can be changed. All of the Parameters are decimal numbers, integers, or strings.

Table 2: Valid Change Codes for each type of Parameter

Decimal Number (S)	Integer Number (I)	String (C)
Set equal to value	Set equal to value	Set equal to value
Change by value (+/-)	Change by value (+/-)	Add string to list
Change by percent (+/-)		Delete string from list

Value

The actual value to change the Parameter to or by.

For special conditions there are specific values assigned to each special condition option, as are listed in the table below.

Table 3: Values used to import special conditions

Junction	Special Condition	Value
Assigned Flow	None Closed	0 1
Check Valve	None Closed Open	0 1 2
Compressor	None Compressor Off No Flow Compressor Off Flow Through	0 1 2
Control Valve	None Closed Fully Open - No Control	0 1 2
General Component	None Closed	0 1
Heat Exchanger	None Ignore Heat Transfer	0 2
Relief Valve	None Failed Open Ignore Relief Valve	0 2 5
Valve	None Closed	0 1

Junction

Special Condition

Value

Assigned Flow

None

Closed

Check Valve

None

Closed

Open

Compressor

None

Compressor Off No Flow

Compressor Off Flow Through

Control Valve

None

Closed

Fully Open - No Control

General Component

None

Closed

Heat Exchanger

None

Ignore Heat Transfer

Relief Valve

None

Failed Open

Ignore Relief Valve

Valve

None

Closed

Scenario Path Name

The Scenario that the changes are intended to apply to. If no scenario is present, the changes will be applied to the current scenario.

It is important that the Scenario name is uniquely qualified - if there are multiple scenarios with the same name, the full Scenario Path Name can be used. Scenario Path Names can easily be copied from AFT xStream by right-clicking the scenario name and selecting "Copy Scenario Path Name."

Importing the File

When the sheet has been completely filled out, it can be imported from File -> Import Excel Change Data. When importing the data, the Object Change Log will appear, listing the changes that were made and any errors that occurred during the import.

Table 4: Excel Importing Error Messages

Error	Description
Scenario name is not unique in the model (use full scenario path name)	There are multiple scenarios with this name. Use the fully qualified path name (e.g. Base Scenario\US Units\Pump A).
Invalid change type	The Change Code is not valid for the Parameter. For example, trying to change a string type with Change by Value (+/-).
Invalid parameter ID	The parameter given does not match the object type (e.g. Length for a junction).
Invalid parameter value	The value cannot be changed because the value is not valie. For example, a pump speed cannot be negative.
Object not found	A pipe or junction with the given ID was not found.
Parameter conflict	The value cannot be changed because it conflicts with another setting. For example, the loss value cannot be set when the junction is using a resistance curve.
Scenario not found in the model	No scenario by the given name was found in the model.

Note: In order for the junction to accept the changes, some fields must already contain data. For example, if the control setpoint for a control valve is being changed, there must already be a setpoint and units entered into the control valve junction object. This is to ensure that the correct set of units are being used. These values can be set using Global Edit to an arbitrary value before the changes are made from Excel.