PIAS Manual  2024
Program for the Integral Approach of Shipdesign
Graphical User Interface for tank filling
In the Tanks module you can manipulate the filling of tanks of the vessel for the loading condition under consideration.
Note
A video exists in which the operation of this module is demonstrated.

Layout

tanks_module1024_en.png
Graphical tank filling.
1 Menu bar
Basic functionalities are accessible through the menu bar.
2 Module-buttons
These buttons navigate to other modules, or back to the [Main screen].
3 Function-buttons
Special functions of the tank module.
4 Tank group buttons
Click to display a group of tanks of the same type.
5 List of tanks
Displays the list of tanks of the selected tank group.
6 Tank information
This window gives information of the selected tank. If multiple tanks are selected it gives the following message: Multiple tanks selected. The window lists the name, weight, volume, center of gravity, etc. of the selected tank. The center of gravity is calculated from the other input, which can be changed by clicking the appropriate line. An input box will appear to define the desired value.
7 Track bar
The track bar can be used to change the filling percentage of the selected tank(s).
8 Section windows
Displays top view, vertical section, and cross section. Active sections show a section of the vessel at the center of gravity of the selected tank. Fixed sections show sections at predefined locations.
9 Status bar
Gives information about the total weight of the selected tank group and which information is visible in the graphical tanks.

General approach

  1. Select. A tank can be selected by left-clicking a tank in a section window 8. Tanks can be selected by clicking near their center of gravity. A selected tank will be hatched black and white in the views. In the cross section, the actual fluid level in a tank is indicated.
  2. Edit. The contents of a tank can be edited by right-clicking a tank after selecting it.
  3. Output/Totals. Go to the menu [Output]→[Totals] for an overview of total weight of the selected tank group on screen.

Select

You can select tanks in one of the ways below. A selected tank is marked by black on white cross-hatching in the section windows.

  • Left-click a tank in the List of tanks-window 5.
  • Left-click a tank in one of the Section windows 8.
  • Select multiple tanks by holding the left mouse button to drag a selection box in one of the Section windows 8.
  • Select all visible tanks by pressing <Ctrl+a>.
  • Add or remove a tank to/from a selection by holding Ctrl and clicking the tank in a Section window 8, or in the List of tanks-window 5.

The information of this tank is now shown in de Tank information-window 6.

Edit

Once a tank has been selected, there are several ways to edit tank data:

  • Double-click a tank in the [List of tanks]-window 5 to open the input form ‘Edit tank data’.
  • Right-click a tank in one of the Section windows 8 to open the input form ‘Edit tank data’ of the selected tank(s). When only one tank is selected, all tank data can be edited. When more than one tank is selected, only filling percentage and density of the content can be changed.
  • Double-click a value in the [Tank information]-window 6 to edit that specific value, see figure below.
  • Drag the track bar 7 to change the amount of fluid of the selected tank.
  • Drag the surface of the content of a selected tank.
  • Double click a tank to empty it or fill it to the maximum filling percentage. Use [Settings]→[Filling percentages] from the menu bar to edit the default filling percentage.
  • Enter a sounding, ullage or pressure and apply temperature corrections. By right-clicking in the Section window 8, additional fields become available in the ‘Edit tank data’-window when a sounding pipe or pressure sensor has been defined. By entering trim and heeling angle together with the measured value, the tank volume is calculated according to the sounding data and input for floating position. For temperature corrections see Product, temperature and density.
  • Pump with track bar. Select two tanks from the same weight group, with the same density and go to [Pump] in the upright corner. Now the track bar enables you to pump fluid from one tank to another tank.
edit_tank_data_input_form_en.png
Edit tank data from List of tanks/Section-windows.
tank_information_edit_en.png
Edit tank data from Tank information.

Menu bar

Window layout

With [Window]→[Define window layout] the initial window layout can be defined. The main window contains a number (with a maximum of nine) of subwindows from which the size and position can be set here. In the leftmost four columns the position of the four edges of each window are defined as a percentage of the height and breadth of the main window. In the column ‘window’ the type of window can be given. If the window type is a ‘fixed cross section’, the cross section location can be given in the last column. In the figure below the settings for the layout of the figure above are listed. By the way, [Window]→[Default window layout] brings back the original layout.

loadingtools_window_layout_tanks.png
Define window layout.

Output/Totals

With the [Output]→[Totals] option an overview of the weights of the tanks of the selected tank group is presented, as well as the total weight (at the bottom of the popup box that appears). By the way, the total weight of the selected weight group is always printed in the status bar 9 of this module.

overview_of_weight_groups_en.png

Options

tank_toolbar_options_en.png

With this option tanks can be selected of which the data must be read from the tank measuring system.

Settings

In [Settings] you can find an option ‘Filling percentages’, an option for displaying graphical tank information and an option to select the color of the tanks; individually or per tank group. Under [Settings] it is also possible to show all tanks of the same weight group in the color of that tank group by enabling the setting in the menu [Settings]→[Tank colours per weight group setting].

tank_toolbar_settings_en.png

Result windows

These options are the same as in the list of weight items, see Define/edit weight items, option [Window]→[Result windows].

Function buttons

Sensor reading

With this option the tank volumes, and possibly other data, are automatically read from the tank measurement system which is used on board.

Pump

With this option the contents of a tank can be pumped from one tank to another of the same tank group. First select two tanks of the same tank group (with a selection-window or with <Ctrl>), then select the option [Pump] from the Function-buttons. Now it is possible to pump the fluid with the trackbar. In the Tank information window the data of one of these tanks will be displayed. During pumping the total volume of the contents will remain the same.