FAQ

Why did my first run not return any results?

There are a large number of reasons why Phast may not return any results. Perhaps you have specified a liquid release, yet at the temperature and pressure specified the material is a gas; perhaps the jet fire is angled down and hits the ground, so Phast is unable to calculate the jet fire results; or perhaps the wind speed specified is above or below the limits allowed by Phast. There are many reasons and not all are easily seen in advance.

If this occurs, we will contact you so that the model can be changed so Phast will produce the results.

Why has Phast returned some results but not all?

There are many reasons why Phast may report on some aspects of the model and not others. Clearly if a material is not toxic Phast will not produce the toxic reports or graphs. If the release is over a longer period of time the cloud will fully develop while it is still being released, and the dynamic graphs will show no additional information than the static graphs.

Regardless of the reason, if Phast reports an error and is unable to produce some results (e.g. jet fire) but is able to produce other results (e.g. dispersion) we will contact you to determine if you want to amend the model or if you will accept the results that Phast has produced.

I cannot find my material in the list – what can I do?

The best approach here is to contact us! The Vessel Model and the User Specified Model are preconfigured with over 60 of the common materials. The Advanced Model has over 1000 materials in its database so will typically have the material you require. If a material is not already in the Phast database there is the ability to add new materials once the physical, toxic and flammable properties are specified. An additional cost would be incurred for this service.

Where can I find out more information about Phast?

Since Phast is a widely used modelling package there are many forums and other information available on the web.

Click here for web search “DNV Phast" 

Have the results been checked against real life events?

Phast has been tested against real life trials and is constantly being improved to take into account the latest theoretical modelling advances. We use Phast to perform the modelling because it is developed by DNV, which has experience and resources to enable continuous development of the software to ensure accurate results.

Why should I pay you for doing the runs, when I can just use Phast myself?

Phast is available from DNV and their service and support is excellent. At the time of writing Phast software costs over $27,000 USD, with a one week training course costing $5,000 USD. This level of expenditure and time investment is usually only justified when many models are required over a longer period of time.

Alternatively we offer a service that is:

• Faster: models can be run in 1 to 3 days
• Lower cost: starting at AUD 500 per model
• Less time: you are able to continue work on other aspects instead of dedicating your time to this one aspect of your job
• Experienced: our staff have many years experience with Phast and are very familiar with the complex and powerful capabilities of the software
• Simpler: our experience has enabled us to limit the inputs required to the minimum, reducing the complexity of your specification
• Available: you can submit models 24/7 world wide