AspenPlus

AspenPlus MCP Server exposes a programmable interface to control and interact with Aspen Plus simulations. It supports basic mode for opening, running, and querying simulations, and an enhanced mode for flowsheet editing such as placing blocks and streams and connecting them. Tools include open_simulation, run_simulation, get_value, set_value, and close_simulation in basic mode, as well as place_block, delete_block, place_stream, connect_stream, and save_simulation in enhanced mode. The server is designed to allow AI assistants to read from and write to simulation data, manipulate the flowsheet, and save results, enabling integration with AI workflows for design optimization and automated experimentation. To run the server, start it via the Python module entry point and point your client (e.g., Claude Desktop or custom tooling) at the exposed API surface.

Usage typically involves launching the server and then issuing commands to manipulate a simulation file (e.g., Open a BKP file, run it, and read temperatures or flow rates) or to modify its flowsheet (add/remove equipment, create streams, connect ports) in enhanced mode. Node-style paths are used to locate data within the simulation (for example, stream properties, block parameters, or component flows). The server also supports saving simulations after modifications and can be integrated with Claude Desktop for seamless AI-assisted control.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10 or higher
• Windows OS (for Aspen Plus COM interface)
• Aspen Plus installed
• pywin32 package (required for Aspen Plus COM interaction)

Installation steps

1. Clone the repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd AspenPlus-MCP-Server

2. Create a virtual environment and activate it:

python -m venv venv
# macOS/Linux
source venv/bin/activate
# Windows
venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install the package in editable mode:

pip install -e .

4. Install development dependencies (optional):

pip install -e ".[dev]"

5. Ensure Aspen Plus COM interface is accessible from your Python environment (pywin32).
6. Run the server to verify installation:

python -m aspenplus_mcp.server

Notes and tips:

• The server relies on Aspen Plus being installed on Windows to access the COM interface; ensure Aspen Plus is configured and accessible from your Python environment.
• Use the basic mode to open and run simulations and fetch or set values via node paths. Use enhanced mode to edit the flowsheet by placing blocks/streams and connecting them, then save the simulation.
• When configuring clients (e.g., Claude Desktop), specify the Python interpreter path to the virtual environment and the -m aspenplus_mcp.server entrypoint as shown in the example config.
• For Windows paths in Claude or config files, use double backslashes (\) or forward slashes (/).
• If you modify configuration files or environment, restart clients that consume MCP services to ensure the server is picked up correctly.