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--- mass_balance [2021/03/25 10:27]
mina
+++ mass_balance [2021/09/28 13:10] (current)
mina [Example: Mass balance]
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 ====== Mass balance ======
-The mass balance block is used to calculate the difference between the total of inputs and outputs of a system.
+Mass balance block is used to calculate the difference between the total of inputs and outputs of a system.
 **Note:** //In versions prior to Ecolego 8, this functionality does not exist.//
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Mass balance block can be used for monitoring if there are any unpredicted differences between inputs and outputs of a model.\\
-* __In case your model has source/sink blocks defined__, user selects the relevant sources and sinks in the values tab. It is important to list **all** sources that represent the external input to the model, as well as **all** of the sinks, that represent parts where the matter is leaving the model, inside the mass balance block for the correct result.
+* __In case your model has source/sink blocks defined__, user selects the relevant sources and sinks, in the values tab of the created mass balance block. It is important to list **all** sources that represent the external input to the model, as well as **all** of the sinks, that represent parts where the matter is leaving the model, inside the mass balance block for the correct result.
-* __In case that the user doesn't have any defined source/sink blocks in the model__, it is enough just to add the mass balance block to the model, and it will calculate the mass balance on it's own.
+* __In case that the user doesn't have any defined source/sink blocks in the model__, it is enough just to add the mass balance block to the model, and Ecolego will know how to calculate the mass balance on it's own.
 ===== Creating a Mass balance block =====
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 **Dimension** - The dimension is specified by selecting the dropdown list named Dependencies. Here the user can select the amount of dependencies, which define the number of dimensions that are added to the block. The later appearing dropdown lists define what you want your block to be dependent on (e.g. Materials, Elements, but also custom made Index lists).
+===== Example: Practical use of Mass balance block =====
-===== Example: Mass balance =====
+This block can be a very helpful tool for testing models that contain a big number of [[Compartment|compartments]] and are using the "non-negative" option. When the user wants to make sure that compartments inventory is not going bellow the 0 value, the "non-negative" field is selected inside the compartment. This is a useful feature of Ecolego, however, if the user is not careful, they can create systems that might have some "false positive input" (where the inventory of one compartment increases, even though it should decrease). When using this mentioned feature, it is important to write proper logical equations inside the [[Transfer|transfer]] blocks connected to these compartments, to take into account of this truncations. To make sure this is done properly, one might want to use the Mass balance block. This block can easily detect if there are any discrepancies of this sort, and show the difference from the excepted output and the actual output of the model.
-An example where mass balance block is very helpful, is when the user is selecting the "non-negative" option in some compartments of the model. In this case, there could be some unrealistic flow of the matter in other compartments. Mass balance block is used to present these situations and help the user see if there are some discrepancies in the system.
 ===== See also =====

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