Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] problem with TSC

Jeremiah D. Crossett | Senior Analyst | Phase Change Energy Solutions

120 E. Pritchard St. | Asheboro, NC 27203 | Mobile 503-688-8951

www.phasechange.com

On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 1:49 PM, YuanLu Li <yli006@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi, Jeremiah

I did not discourage the user who asked the question, that EPlus is not suitable for him.

Your comments on his project are very good. I do not say thing and provide answers, until I know what the user was really interested.

If you think that parametric analysis can work for a beginner using unknown variables, I am not going to argue. There is no short cut to success. A craftsman much know how to use their tools. "this is the optimal configuration of transpired solar collectors in climate zones xyz.." , if you say so.

Actually, when I said that it is no need to simulate the panel with EPlus, I meant just the same as I said to you that thee is no need to simulate your PCM properties with EPlus. They have nothing to do with the building directly. You are doing material property and application research.

To the user who originated the question:

All you need to do is to find out the capacity of the panel at different time of the day and year. The solar collector example showed you how to do this without the building geometry. The maximum amount of DHW you can get, is the maximum saving you can get. With real buildings, there is an added factor.  You may have more solar energy than what you need to heat the building.

At different location, the optimum mounting position of the panels would change to follow the sun orbit.. This is all you need to simulate using EPlus.

Regarding ---     "EEM is Energy Efficiency Measure- and I am still wondering what you are suggesting? Possibly ASHRAE, NREL and PNL should be aware of your EEM's since apparently they are all way behind you. "

I do not really understand what Energy Efficiency Measure means. Do you really think that the LEED certified buildings are Energy Efficient? If you think that the commercial reference buildings are energy efficient as they are, so please continue to believe it that way.  I am not interested.


Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: jcrossett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:44:24 -0700
Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] problem with TSC

Possibly this application is to  pre-heat air for an HVAC system. Parametrics are the single most important use of simulation tools, I think you are on the right trek and encourage you to check into jE+ for its ability to compile results of hundreds of runs into a single CSV file that can speed the regression analysis significantly. You may wish to use one weather file location for each of the ASHRAE climate zones and up to 5 parametric values (more might be to much output data to deal with) Once you have explored all that you can think of so far as parametric runs, then you may wish to come up with sets of stochastic/unknown values with limits- say high and low or ranges between values- then setup a Genopt run for each of your locations. The benefit in doing parametric before optimisation is that you can learn from the results of your parametrics and limit your optimisation values to the best options that you need an optimisation algorithm such as Genopts "particle swarm" to solve the best answer for.

Your final paper could read like- this is the optimal configuration of transpired solar collectors in climate zones xyz..

Back to your original question- HVAC- the ideal loads HVAC system is designed for analysis that does not involve having a detailed understanding of HVAC systems. You did not include any SVG or IDF file to look at, nor an err or description so I can not really help with your actual issue- possibly if you need I could generate an HVAC system for you in design builder if you need...

All the best wishes and good luck with your model..

Dr Li,
TSP is transpired solar collector, it is basically solar heating system using unglazed air collectors with common applications in industrial and agriculture situations to raise ambient air temperatures, or for a pre heat of air into an HVAC system. Energy Plus is a great research tool, and is more commonly used by researchers than any other modeling tool, this is the perfect use of e+ and I do not understand why you are attempting to discourage its use?., Also from the other day about your statements that the commercial reference buildings are not properly designed and I asked you to specify what you thought would make good EEM's- EEM is Energy Efficiency Measure- and I am still wondering what you are suggesting? Possibly ASHRAE, NREL and PNL should be aware of your EEM's since apparently they are all way behind you.

Jeremiah D. Crossett  | Senior Analyst  | Phase Change Energy Solutions
120 E. Pritchard St. | Asheboro, NC 27203 | Mobile 503-688-8951

www.phasechange.com



On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 10:51 AM, YuanLu Li <yli006@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

What is TSC/? TranspiredSolarCollector? What is the thermal performance of a TSC?

How are you using it? Using it, for example, as an external shade?
If you do not have asystem or model which may work in real live, it cannot be simulated.

I do not understand how you are going to use TSC to reduce the heating load of a building. Parametric study will not get you anywhere, if you do not understand the properties of all the variables.

Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: mumcuece@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:42:50 +0000
Subject: [EnergyPlus_Support] problem with TSC

Dear All,
I am undertaking a dissertation on modelling the thermal performance of TSC in E+ So far, I have read I/O reference and I have been following the default file TranspiredsolarCollectors which comes with E+.

But the problem is , since I followed the default file and the documentation, I ended up modelling a great amount of HVAC objects which henestly I do not know what some of them do, (I am not familiar with the mechanical part of E+ and in general also). However, I managed to model the TSC ( by copying the office 11 features in the default file) and it runs now however , I can not interpret the results. ( there are many outputs such as direct air sensible heating energy, air loop total heating energy, zone system sensible heating energy etc .

My geometric model is a simple box ( 25X15X8) . The TSC is on the south wall. What I need to do for the dissertation, is to find out how much decrease in heating loads is gonna happen with A TSC(my base model without a TSC) and later I need to play with the outdoor flow rate to see how it afffects the heati,ng loads and the effectiveness of TSC. The final part will be parametric study ,changing one variable at a time to find out how it affects the TSC output.

However, there are so many control mechanisms,setpoints, schedules and I can not get the hang of it and I got stuck !

Is there anyone out there who have already modelled TSC . I would be grateful if I get some help with HVAC PART.