Katmar Software
Engineering and Risk Analysis Software
AioFlo pipe sizing software updated to v2.00
Brief details follow regarding the updated features, but for a full description and link to download a free trial copy visit the AioFlo web page. If you already have a license for AioFlo then you can upgrade to v2.00 either for free or at a discount, depending on when you purchased your existing license. For details on updating to v2.00 see the upgrade instructions on this page.
The AioFlo hydraulic calculator will determine any one of pipe diameter, fluid flow rate or pressure drop when the other two are known. It performs liquid and isothermal gas flow hydraulic calculations. Preliminary calculations based on velocity rather than pressure drop are also possible. Resistance coefficients for a wide range of pipe fittings are built in.
The new features in AioFlo version 2.00 include:
- Fluid flows could always be given in mass or volumetric terms but now volumetric gas flows can be specified or calculated at standard conditions.
- Density and viscosity data is built in for water, steam, air and 22 common gases.
- Calculated results for liquid pressure drop can be transferred to the total dynamic head calculator for pump and drive sizing.
- All calculator windows can be resized to suit monitor size and resolution.
- The Uconeer professional unit conversion program and the WASP IAPWS IF-97 based steam tables are now included in AioFlo.
- Option added to auto-boot at Windows start.
- Froude Number calculated for liquid flows.
Our Products
Katmar Software produces engineering and project risk analysis software. All of our products listed below can be downloaded freely as try-before-you-buy versions so that they can be tested on your own computer and on your own data. The only exception is the Turbine Steam Consumption Calculator which is totally free. After you have tested any of our commercial offerings they can be purchased online using a variety of payment options. These are listed on each of the product pages. Once your purchase has been verified we will email you a license file which will convert the trial version into a permanent version. All purchases are covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee.
- AlcoDens - Ethanol/Water Calculations
Includes 6 utility programs for alcohol distillers. Data is compatible with the OIML model (absolute or "in vacuum" mass) and the TTB model (apparent or "in air" mass). Blending, proofing, dilution and fortification calculations taking into account ethanol-water shrinkage. Hydrometer temperature correction. Conversions between density and concentration for ethanol-water mixtures. Concentrations can be in mass, volume, proof or molar terms. Perform volume corrections and conversion to mass for non-standard temperatures and determine absolute alcohol content. Freezing point calculator for ethanol-water mixtures. - AlcoDens LQ - Liqueur Blending Calculations
AlcoDens LQ includes all the capability of AlcoDens (above), and adds five extra calculators for liqueurs containing alcohol, sugar and water. These 4 calculators add the ability to include sugar, syrup or honey with the alcohol and water when performing hydrometer temperature correction, converting between density and strength, and performing liqueur blending or proofing calculations. The quick and easy determination of alcohol and sugar content of spirits is also supported by measuring the density and refractive index. The liqueur recipe analyzer calculates the alcohol and sugar levels in a product from a given list of ingredients, and also calculates the volume of product that will be made. - Uconeer Units Conversion Calculator for Engineers
This is a powerful, but easy to use, units conversion tool created specifically for engineers. It includes over 450 units in 48 categories plus you can add your own custom units. Frequently used conversions can be marked as favorites for even faster selection. Special converters are included for viscosity, feet & fractional inches, mass/volume flowrate, steel hardness and Reynolds Number. Includes IAPWS IF-97 compliant steam tables. - AioFlo Pipe Flow Calculator
Calculate pipe sizes, flowrates and pressure drops for liquids and gases. Includes K-values for a wide selection of fittings and valves, and it has built in databases for pipe size and roughness. Density and viscosity data is built in for water, steam, air and 22 common gases. Flowrates can be expressed in mass or volumetric terms and gas flows can be specified or calculated at standard conditions. It has extremely powerful and flexible units handling capabilities. Pump sizing calculator includes total dynamic head and drive power required. Includes the Uconeer unit converter and steam tables. - Packed Column Calculator
Design new or rate existing columns and towers with random packings. Includes database of packings, but you can use your own packing factors as well. Includes Eckert and Robbins correlations. Generates operating diagrams to clearly show range of operation. Works in SI, Metric and US Customary units. - Project Risk Analysis
Calculate the risk of project over-expenditure, and the contingency required to reduce the risk to any desired level. The required contingency is determined using the proven statistical method known as Monte Carlo Simulation. No statistical knowledge is required. Includes detailed online Help with step-by-step tutorials and examples. - Turbine Steam-Consumption Calculator
This program is completely free - simply download it and use it. It will calculate the steam consumption for a turbine of known power and efficiency. The required input data are the inlet steam pressure and temperature, and the exhaust pressure. The program will determine the specific and actual steam consumption, and the outlet steam enthalpy, entropy, temperature and quality. The program is very easy to use because all the required steam properties are built in. A wide variety of units of measure are included.
Background Information Articles
We have written a few articles giving background details on some of the methods used in our software. These may be of general interest, beyond just being background to the software.
- How to use Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the project cost contingency required
This article describes how the cost estimate for a project should be built up by estimating the potential cost variation for each item. The variations and risks for each of the items are then combined using Monte Carlo simulation to give the overall risk and required contingency for the project as a whole. - Why Project Costs are "Expected" to Overrun
An internet search for "reasons for project cost overruns" will give many articles discussing these reasons. But the most important reason for project cost overruns, and sadly the one that is virtually never mentioned, is that there is a fundamental flaw in the way most cost estimates are put together. The explanation for this built-in error depends on some elementary statistics, which are easily understood and which can easily be applied to eliminate the errors. - Hydrometer temperature correction
Hydrometers are useful and relatively cheap instruments, but have the disadvantage of requiring the liquid to be at a specific temperature for a measurement to be made. The method described here allows the readings taken for ethanol-water mixtures at any temperature to be corrected to the hydrometer's calibration temperature. This method is incorporated in the hydrometer temperature correction module built into AlcoDens. - Alcohol dilution blending and fortification calculations
This article compares 3 methods for calculating alcohol dilution ratios. The advantages and shortcomings of each method are discussed and examples are given. The 3 methods covered are the AlcoDens Blending Calculator, The TTB Table No.6 Method and the Pearson's Square Method. - Canadian Alcoholometric Table Anomalies
While it is well known that mass and density values in the US TTB tables are based on an "in air" assumption and those in the OIML tables are based on "in vacuum" it is less well known that the Canadian tables are a hybrid of these two methods. The Canadian tables also do not make it very clear that the listed densities are apparent densities and not true densities. Since the Canadian tables do not include methods for performing blending calculations and it is necessary to interface the values obtained from these tables with other procedures it is important to have an understanding of the exact meanings of the values in the tables.
A proper understanding of the situation is developed in this article by comparing the examples in the Canadian tables with the same calculations performed in AlcoDens. - Railroad track method for manual unit conversions
Although our Uconeer engineering units converter is the best way to get rapid, reliable and accurate unit conversions there will be times when you need to convert units by hand. It's easy and logical to do by hand using the railroad track method. This method is also known as the factor label method. - Pressure drop calculation methods for pipe fittings
Piping engineers often need to convert between equivalent lengths (Le/D) and resistance coefficients (K-values) when calculating pressure drops or flow rates through pipe fittings and valves. Here is a discussion on the relative merits of these methods and how to convert between them. - Tables of Equivalent Lengths for pipe fittings in plastic and steel pipe
The article above describes how to use the Equivalent Length Method, and this article gives the necessary data to apply the method for a wide variety of pipe fittings and valves for both plastic (PVC, CPVC, HDPE, GRP/FRP) and steel (commercial and spiral welded) pipe. - Pipe Entrance and Exit Losses Demystified
Virtually all fluid mechanics handbooks discuss the changes in pressure described by Bernoulli's Equation and also discuss the frictional losses at pipe entrances, exits and changes in pipe diameter. However, very few of them give much attention to how the Bernoulli pressure changes and the frictional losses interact, and some of the handbooks that do include examples of this are somewhat misleading.
This article takes a deep dive into the phenomena involved and considers the interplay between the Bernoulli and friction effects. Several worked examples are also given to illustrate the various situations. - Project Risk Analysis manual and tutorials
The complete manual for the Project Risk Analysis program is included in the Help system for the latest version (i.e. v3.1) of the program. However, for those users who like to work with printed manuals the manual for the previous version is available in PDF format online. Although the instructions for how to use the program are a bit out of date, it also includes tutorials which describe the use of statistical distributions in capital cost estimating. There is information on the application of Monte Carlo Simulation to the determination of the contingencies required to reduce and control the risk of capital cost over-runs of project budgets. All this information is in the latest Help system, so it is only worth downloading if you want something easily printable.