Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] Glass elevator in a glass elevator shaft

["Michael J. Witte" <mjwitte@xxxxxxxx>]

EnergyPlus does allow interior windows, but they are not considered 
"Sunexposed" because they do not see outdoor solar radiation directly.  I 
assume that the gap between the elevator cabin and the glass walls of the shaft 
is fairly narrow.  Given that, there are two approaches which may be applicable:

A)  Define two zones, one for the empty portion of the shaft, and another for 
the elevator cabin including a portion of the surrounding shaft.  Define the 
combined shaft glass and cabin glass as double-pane airflow windows (because 
you mentioned that the air in the shaft might provide cooling.

B)  Define the shaft as a zone with exterior windows, and define the cabin as a 
second zone.  The walls of the cabin would be interzone surfaces with windows 
(these surfaces and windows are defined in both the shaft and cabin zones, with 
exterior environment of OtherZoneSurface, referencing the companion surface as 
an Outside face environment object).  Windows on interior walls receive direct 
and diffuse sunlight from the exterior zone and transmit it to the interior 
zone.  Note, however that the solar gain entering the second zone is treated as 
all diffuse, directionality is lost at that point.

In both of these options, I would recommend setting the Solar Distribution 
field in the Building object to FullInteriorAndExterior or 
FullInteriorAndExteriorWithReflections.  

This is a very complex problem, and the simulation results will have some 
uncertainty.  I would recommend doing some sensitivities, varying uncertain 
parameters to get a range of results.  Also, if you use the thermal comfort 
reporting, my understanding is that these do not account for the impact of 
solar radiation incident directly on the person, which could be a significant 
effect in this situation.

Mike




On 29 Aug 2005, at 12:25, stfnlstnr wrote:

> Dear all,
> for estimating the temperatures people have to stand in an elevator
> who got stuck i wanted to make a simulation with e+. The elvevator
> brings up people  from the street to an upstairs plattform. Elevator
> and shaft both are glass. The shaft has an height of about 15m and is
> sun radiated from three sides. Calculating the temperature for the
> shaft without cabin  works perfectly. But calculating the temperature
> for the inner zone cabin doesn't work. E+ refuses to accept interior
> sun exposed surfaces. Is a modelling possible, which gets the radiant
> energy caught by the cabin? The air beetween cabin and shaft shall
> possibly provide cooling.
> 
> Best regards
> 
> Stefan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The primary EnergyPlus web site is found at:
> http://www.energyplus.gov
> 
> The group web site is:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EnergyPlus_Support/
> 
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> in the Files area of the Support Web Site.
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 



========================================================
Michael J. Witte, GARD Analytics, Inc.
EnergyPlus Testing and Support      
EnergyPlus-Support@xxxxxxxx




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