• All fluid links used in a fluid network ultimately inherit GunnsFluidLink, which itself inherits GunnsBasicLink.
• GunnsBasicLink is the ultimate base class and which defines the abstract interface to the solver and nodes.
• GunnsFluidLink adds a few attributes and overrides some GunnsBasicLink attributes for use in fluid networks.
• Neither GunnsBasicLink nor GunnsFluidLink can be directly instantiated.

Base class attributes and what they mean in fluid aspect.

• mFlux: Generic flux through the link. No Trick units.
  • This is molar flow rate in fluid aspect, in units of (kg*mol/s).
• mPotentialDrop: Generic potential drop across the link. No Trick units.
  • This is pressure drop in the fluid aspect, in units of (kPa).
  • Positive value is for a drop – so pressure drop across a valve is positive, and pressure drop across a pump is negative.
• mPower: Generic power gain across the link, in Trick units of (W).
  • This is hydraulic power in the fluid aspect.
  • Hydraulic power is defined as volumetric flow rate times delta-pressure.
  • Defined positive for power gained in the link, so negative values across a valve (power lost to resistance) and positive values for pumps (power gained from the pump).

Note that some fluid links can have multiple flows through them, in which case the above terms only apply to one of the flows. The link may add more attributes to describe the other flows.

• mFlowRate: Mass flow rate through the link, in Trick units of (kg/s).
  • mFlowRate (kg/s) = mFlux (kg*mol/s) * inlet molecular weight (1/mol).
  • Note that mixture, and therefore molecular weight, can change across a link. mFlowRate uses the inlet molecular weight: the value of the node supplying the flow.
• mVolFlowRate True volumetric flow rate through the link, in Trick units of (m3/s).
  • mVolFlowRate (m3/s) = mFlowRate (kg/s) / inlet density (kg/m3).
  • Note that density changes across a link. mVolFlowRate uses the inlet density: the density of the node supplying the flow.
• mInternalFluid This is an optional PolyFluid object pointer that is only used by some links.
  • Defaults to NULL, dynamically instantiated during initialization by links that need to change the fluid temperature or mixture flowing through them.

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