[Bldg-sim] eQUEST Sunspace

[Jeff Haberl]

Chris,



If you are having trouble with the sunspace command in Equest, and you can't find a suitable explanation in the Equest manual. I'd suggest you to to the DOE-2 web site at LBNL and download the DOE-2.1 OCR manuals. The sunspace command was introduced in the DOE2.1d version, which is most likely what Equest is using. Hence, you'll find more of an explanation in the DOE-2.1 manuals. Most likely, you are the cause of the problems since it appears that you've pinched off the flow in the ventilation system that is causing it to crash. For starters, I'd suggest running it again and use as many of the defaults as possible, changing on those that you must change one at a time. I believe that one of the SAMP files that comes with DOE-2 has a sunspace example that you can look at for the defaults.



In addition, if you are trying to evaluate the heating contribution of a sunspace you can use several old packages. For example, the SLR method used to cover sunspaces, and althought the simulation is not widely available for this it is based on the PASOLE program that was written by Bob McFarland, which is a rather sophisticated code that used Russian nozzle coefficients for simulation of the trombe wall and other features. The SLR coefficients are still available in the GKSR book in the appendix. Copies of the old SLR manuals can be had from inter-library loan, or perhaps from NTIS (there were 3 volumes).



In addition, there is the SERIRES program, which is still available from NREL, now called SUNCODE, and there is FCHART. The SERIRES program was also a "strong" simulation program written by Palmiter and Wheeler at Ecotope. It remains one of the basis for the ASHRAE Standard 140 accuracy tests. SERIRES is a finite difference simulation program that is accurate but somewhat limited to specific cases of passive solar architecture.



FCHART will also simulate sunspaces using a direct gain passive solar using the un-utilizability method, which is explained in the Duffie-Beckman Solar Engineering textbook.



You might even consider using an ensemble of simulations to bound your answer to make sure what you are doing is reasonable.



Jeff



8=!  8=)  :=)  8=)  ;=)  8=)  8=(  8=)  8=()  8=)  8=|  8=)  :=')  8=)8=?

Jeff S. Haberl, Ph.D.,P.E., FASHRAE..............jhaberl at tamu.edu

Professor............................................................Office Ph: 979-845-6507

Department of Architecture.............................Lab Ph:979-845-6065

Energy Systems Laboratory.............................FAX: 979-862-2457

Texas A&M University.....................................77843-3581

College Station, Texas, USA, 77843..................URL:www.esl.tamu.edu

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________________________________
From: bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] on behalf of Ercoli, Christopher [Christopher.Ercoli at wspfk.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:03 PM
To: bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: [Bldg-sim] eQUEST Sunspace

Has anyone in the group used the sunspace option in eQUEST?  I have tried it and  it blew up in LOADS   Following is the .inp description of the Sunspace:

"EL1 North Perim Spc (G.N1)" = SPACE
   X                = -25.25
   Y                = 109.6
   AZIMUTH          = 51.024
   SHAPE            = POLYGON
   ZONE-TYPE        = CONDITIONED
   PEOPLE-SCHEDULE  = "EL1 Bldg Occup Sch"
   LIGHTING-SCHEDUL = ( "EL1 Bldg InsLt Sch" )
   EQUIP-SCHEDULE   = ( "EL1 Bldg Misc Sch", "EL1 Bldg OffEq Sch",
         "EL1 Bldg OffEq Sch" )
   INF-SCHEDULE     = "ZG1-S1 (UVT) P-Inf Sch"
   INF-METHOD       = AIR-CHANGE
   INF-FLOW/AREA    = 0.0563044
   PEOPLE-HG-LAT    = 217.268
   PEOPLE-HG-SENS   = 250
   LIGHTING-W/AREA  = ( 1.14175 )
   EQUIPMENT-W/AREA = ( 0, 0, 0.791 )
   SUNSPACE         = YES
   AREA/PERSON      = 165.463
   POLYGON          = "EL1 Space Polygon 1"
   C-SUB-SRC-BTUH   = ( 0, 0, 0 )
   C-SUB-SRC-KW     = ( 0, 0, 0 )
   C-ACTIVITY-DESC  = *Office (Executive/Private) (79%)*
   ..
"EL1 North Wall (G.N1.E1)" = EXTERIOR-WALL
   CONSTRUCTION     = "EL1 EWall Construction"
   LOCATION         = SPACE-V4
   SHADING-SURFACE  = YES
   ..
"EL1 North Win (G.N1.E1.W1)" = WINDOW
   GLASS-TYPE       = "EL1 Window Type #1 GT"
   FRAME-WIDTH      = 0.108333
   X                = 0.808333
   Y                = 0.938333
   HEIGHT           = 7.17333
   WIDTH            = 138.803
   FRAME-CONDUCT    = 1.306
   SPACER-TYPE      = INSULATED
   ..
"EL1 SW Wall (G.N1.I1)" = INTERIOR-WALL
   NEXT-TO          = "EL1 WNW Perim Spc (G.WNW4)"
   CONSTRUCTION     = "Sunspace Wall construction"
   LOCATION         = SPACE-V1
   ..
"EL1 South Wall (G.N1.I2)" = INTERIOR-WALL
   NEXT-TO          = "EL1 Core Spc (G.C5)"
   CONSTRUCTION     = "Sunspace Wall construction"
   INT-WALL-TYPE    = STANDARD
   LOCATION         = SPACE-V2
   ..
"Sunspace Window" = WINDOW
   GLASS-TYPE       = "EL1 Window Type #1 GT"
   X                = 1
   Y                = 6.5
   HEIGHT           = 2
   WIDTH            = 122
   C-WELL-HEIGHT    = 6.5
   C-WELL-WIDTH     = 1
   ..
"EL1 SSE Wall (G.N1.I3)" = INTERIOR-WALL
   NEXT-TO          = "EL1 SE Perim Spc (G.SE2)"
   CONSTRUCTION     = "Sunspace Wall construction"
   LOCATION         = SPACE-V3
   ..
"EL1 Ceiling (G.N1.I4)" = INTERIOR-WALL
   NEXT-TO          = "EL1 North Perim Plnm (G.N6)"
   CONSTRUCTION     = "Air Ceiling of Sunspace"
   INT-WALL-TYPE    = AIR
   LOCATION         = TOP
   ..
"EL1 Flr (G.N1.U1)" = UNDERGROUND-WALL
   CONSTRUCTION     = "EL1 UFCons (G.N1.U2)"
   LOCATION         = BOTTOM
   ..

Following is the system description of the sunspace:

"EL1 North Perim Zn (G.N1)" = ZONE
   TYPE             = CONDITIONED
   MIN-FLOW-RATIO   = 1
   BASEBOARD-RATING = -25605.4
   FLOW/AREA        = 0.25
   OA-FLOW/PER      = 18.2732
   SS-FLOW-T-SCH    = "Max T for SS heating Annual"
   SS-VENT-CST      = 5
   SS-VENT-WND      = 0.2
   SS-VENT-TEMP     = 0.2
   SS-VENT-T-SCH    = "Vent T Annual Schedule"
   SS-VENT-SCH      = "Sunspace Venting Schedule"
   DESIGN-HEAT-T    = 72
   HEAT-TEMP-SCH    = "S1 Sys1 (UVT) Heat Sch"
   DESIGN-COOL-T    = 75
   BASEBOARD-CTRL   = THERMOSTATIC
   SIZING-OPTION    = ADJUST-LOADS
   SPACE            = "EL1 North Perim Spc (G.N1)"
   ..
"EL1 North Perim Pl Zn (G.N6)" = ZONE
   TYPE             = UNCONDITIONED
   DESIGN-HEAT-T    = 67
   DESIGN-COOL-T    = 75
   SIZING-OPTION    = ADJUST-LOADS
   SPACE            = "EL1 North Perim Plnm (G.N6)"

Following is the error message


***ERROR***********************************************************************

In routine TEMDEV for ZONE EL1 North Perim Pl Zn (G.N6)     on  2/10 hr 11 (InitialFlg =  0)

  SUNSPACE INTERIOR-WALL calculations produced bad values:

  CSSVEC (convection) =           0. CSSVEC (conduction) =     7294864.

  This would cause a  262. degree ZONE temperature change.   Values are being ignored.

  Check wall definitions for errors and report this inp/lib/wth to DOE-2 support.



***ERROR***********************************************************************

In routine TEMDEV for ZONE EL1 North Perim Zn (T.N11)       on  2/10 hr 11 (InitialFlg =  0)

  SUNSPACE INTERIOR-WALL calculations produced bad values:

  CSSVEC (convection) =           0. CSSVEC (conduction) =   176604512.

  This would cause a 6794. degree ZONE temperature change.   Values are being ignored.

  Check wall definitions for errors and report this inp/lib/wth to DOE-2 support.


Any ideas as to where I went wrong?


-       Christopher Ercoli


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