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[EnergyPlus_Support] Strangely constant ventilation rates?



Hello,

I'm having a hard time modifying the ventilation rates in my building. I've tried changing the "Zone Minimum Air Flow Input Method" in the the template zone VAV from "Constant" to "FixedFlowRate" and scaling the "Fixed Minimum Air Flow Rate" up from a fraction of a m3/s up through several hundred, but the ventilation rates in my main space never climb higher than maybe .25 m3/s, which accounts for ~.4ACH in my modeled space. 

What could be preventing me from increasing the ventilation rates? Could it be that I have several zone working off of one air handling unit? When I change the minimum rate method, I do so for all the zones together, so that the autosizing routine doesn't get bogged down, but still, the ventilation rates are extremely constant. 

For reference, sensible cooling rates needed in the building are reported to vary from 500kW to over 2500kW...so I would expect the ventilation to ramp up a bit more during the hot parts of the day/year. 

Any insight appreciated!
-Nick.

!
!my HVAC templates, for reference:

HVACTemplate:Zone:VAV,
    OccupiedSpace,           !- Zone Name
    AHU-1,                   !- Template VAV System Name
    Thermostat_Occ,          !- Template Thermostat Name
    autosize,                !- Supply Air Maximum Flow Rate {m3/s}
    ,                        !- Zone Heating Sizing Factor
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Sizing Factor
    Constant,                !- Zone Minimum Air Flow Input Method
   .01,                     !- Constant Minimum Air Flow Fraction !ggg changed to fixed minimum
    ,                        !- Fixed Minimum Air Flow Rate {m3/s} !ggg from ASHRAE Fundamentals lobby sizing. expect eng toolbox says 4+ACH! which is what 2.35 m3/s is.
    ,                        !- Minimum Air Flow Fraction Schedule Name
    Sum,                     !- Outdoor Air Method
    0.0025,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Person {m3/s}
    0.0003,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone Floor Area {m3/s-m2}
    ,                        !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone {m3/s}
    HotWater,                !- Reheat Coil Type
    Always_1,                !- Reheat Coil Availability Schedule Name
    Reverse,                 !- Damper Heating Action
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow per Zone Floor Area During Reheat {m3/s-m2}
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow Fraction During Reheat
    32.2,                    !- Maximum Reheat Air Temperature {C}
    DSOA_OFFICE,             !- Design Specification Outdoor Air Object Name for Control
    ,                        !- Supply Plenum Name
    ,                        !- Return Plenum Name
    None,                    !- Baseboard Heating Type
    ,                        !- Baseboard Heating Availability Schedule Name
    autosize,                !- Baseboard Heating Capacity {W}
    SystemSupplyAirTemperature,  !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    12.8,                    !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}
    SupplyAirTemperature,    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    32.2,                    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ;                        !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}

!    ,         !- Supply Plenum Name
!    ,         !- Return Plenum Name
!    SupplyAirTemperature,    !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method

HVACTemplate:Zone:VAV,
    RoofZone,                !- Zone Name
    AHU-1,                   !- Template VAV System Name
    Thermostat_Plenum,       !- Template Thermostat Name
    autosize,                !- Supply Air Maximum Flow Rate {m3/s}
    ,                        !- Zone Heating Sizing Factor
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Sizing Factor
    Constant,                !- Zone Minimum Air Flow Input Method
   .0001,                     !- Constant Minimum Air Flow Fraction !ggg changed to fixed minimum
    ,                        !- Fixed Minimum Air Flow Rate {m3/s} !ggg from ASHRAE Fundamentals lobby sizing. expect eng toolbox says 4+ACH! which is what 2.35 m3/s is.
    ,                        !- Minimum Air Flow Fraction Schedule Name
    Sum,                     !- Outdoor Air Method
    0.0025,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Person {m3/s}
    0.0003,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone Floor Area {m3/s-m2}
    ,                        !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone {m3/s}
    HotWater,                !- Reheat Coil Type
    Always_1,                !- Reheat Coil Availability Schedule Name
    Reverse,                 !- Damper Heating Action
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow per Zone Floor Area During Reheat {m3/s-m2}
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow Fraction During Reheat
    32.2,                    !- Maximum Reheat Air Temperature {C}
    DSOA_OFFICE,             !- Design Specification Outdoor Air Object Name for Control
    ,                        !- Supply Plenum Name
    ,                        !- Return Plenum Name
    None,                    !- Baseboard Heating Type
    ,                        !- Baseboard Heating Availability Schedule Name
    autosize,                !- Baseboard Heating Capacity {W}
    SystemSupplyAirTemperature,  !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    12.8,                    !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}
    SupplyAirTemperature,    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    32.2,                    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ;                        !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}

!    SupplyAirTemperature,    !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method

HVACTemplate:Zone:VAV,
    EntranceWallCavity,      !- Zone Name
    AHU-1,                   !- Template VAV System Name
    Thermostat_Plenum,       !- Template Thermostat Name
    autosize,                !- Supply Air Maximum Flow Rate {m3/s}
    ,                        !- Zone Heating Sizing Factor
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Sizing Factor
    Constant,                !- Zone Minimum Air Flow Input Method
   .0001,                     !- Constant Minimum Air Flow Fraction !ggg changed to fixed minimum
    ,                        !- Fixed Minimum Air Flow Rate {m3/s} !ggg from ASHRAE Fundamentals lobby sizing. expect eng toolbox says 4+ACH! which is what 2.35 m3/s is.
    ,                        !- Minimum Air Flow Fraction Schedule Name
    Sum,                     !- Outdoor Air Method
    0.0025,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Person {m3/s}
    0.0003,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone Floor Area {m3/s-m2}
    ,                        !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone {m3/s}
    HotWater,                !- Reheat Coil Type
    Always_1,                !- Reheat Coil Availability Schedule Name
    Reverse,                 !- Damper Heating Action
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow per Zone Floor Area During Reheat {m3/s-m2}
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow Fraction During Reheat
    32.2,                    !- Maximum Reheat Air Temperature {C}
    DSOA_OFFICE,             !- Design Specification Outdoor Air Object Name for Control
    ,                        !- Supply Plenum Name
    ,                        !- Return Plenum Name
    None,                    !- Baseboard Heating Type
    ,                        !- Baseboard Heating Availability Schedule Name
    autosize,                !- Baseboard Heating Capacity {W}
    SystemSupplyAirTemperature,  !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    12.8,                    !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}
    SupplyAirTemperature,    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    32.2,                    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ;                        !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}


HVACTemplate:Zone:VAV,
    RearWallCavity,          !- Zone Name
    AHU-1,                   !- Template VAV System Name
    Thermostat_Plenum,       !- Template Thermostat Name
    autosize,                !- Supply Air Maximum Flow Rate {m3/s}
    ,                        !- Zone Heating Sizing Factor
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Sizing Factor
    Constant,                !- Zone Minimum Air Flow Input Method
   .001,                     !- Constant Minimum Air Flow Fraction !ggg changed to fixed minimum
    ,                        !- Fixed Minimum Air Flow Rate {m3/s} !ggg from ASHRAE Fundamentals lobby sizing. expect eng toolbox says 4+ACH! which is what 2.35 m3/s is.
    ,                        !- Minimum Air Flow Fraction Schedule Name
    Sum,                     !- Outdoor Air Method
    0.0025,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Person {m3/s}
    0.0003,                  !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone Floor Area {m3/s-m2}
    ,                        !- Outdoor Air Flow Rate per Zone {m3/s}
    HotWater,                !- Reheat Coil Type
    Always_1,                !- Reheat Coil Availability Schedule Name
    Reverse,                 !- Damper Heating Action
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow per Zone Floor Area During Reheat {m3/s-m2}
    autocalculate,           !- Maximum Flow Fraction During Reheat
    32.2,                    !- Maximum Reheat Air Temperature {C}
    DSOA_OFFICE,             !- Design Specification Outdoor Air Object Name for Control
    ,                        !- Supply Plenum Name
    ,                        !- Return Plenum Name
    None,                    !- Baseboard Heating Type
    ,                        !- Baseboard Heating Availability Schedule Name
    autosize,                !- Baseboard Heating Capacity {W}
    SystemSupplyAirTemperature,  !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    12.8,                    !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ,                        !- Zone Cooling Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}
    SupplyAirTemperature,    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Input Method
    32.2,                    !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature {C}
    ;                        !- Zone Heating Design Supply Air Temperature Difference {deltaC}


!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: HVACTEMPLATE:SYSTEM:VAV ===========

HVACTemplate:System:VAV,
    AHU-1,                   !- Name
    AHU_AS,                  !- System Availability Schedule Name
    autosize,                !- Supply Fan Maximum Flow Rate {m3/s}
    autosize,                !- Supply Fan Minimum Flow Rate {m3/s}
    0.6,                     !- Supply Fan Total Efficiency
    1000,                    !- Supply Fan Delta Pressure {Pa}
    0.9,                     !- Supply Fan Motor Efficiency
    1,                       !- Supply Fan Motor in Air Stream Fraction
    ChilledWater,            !- Cooling Coil Type
    Cooling_Coil_AS,         !- Cooling Coil Availability Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Cooling Coil Setpoint Schedule Name
    12.8,                    !- Cooling Coil Design Setpoint {C}
    HotWater,                !- Heating Coil Type
    Heating_Coil_AS,         !- Heating Coil Availability Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Heating Coil Setpoint Schedule Name
    12,                      !- Heating Coil Design Setpoint {C}
    0.8,                     !- Gas Heating Coil Efficiency
    ,                        !- Gas Heating Coil Parasitic Electric Load {W}
    None,                    !- Preheat Coil Type
    ,                        !- Preheat Coil Availability Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Preheat Coil Setpoint Schedule Name
    7.2,                     !- Preheat Coil Design Setpoint {C}
    0.8,                     !- Gas Preheat Coil Efficiency
    ,                        !- Gas Preheat Coil Parasitic Electric Load {W}
    autosize,                !- Maximum Outdoor Air Flow Rate {m3/s}
    autosize,                !- Minimum Outdoor Air Flow Rate {m3/s}
    FixedMinimum,            !- Minimum Outdoor Air Control Type
    MinOASched,              !- Minimum Outdoor Air Schedule Name
    NoEconomizer,            !- Economizer Type
    NoLockout,               !- Economizer Lockout
    ,                        !- Economizer Upper Temperature Limit {C}
    ,                        !- Economizer Lower Temperature Limit {C}
    ,                        !- Economizer Upper Enthalpy Limit {J/kg}
    ,                        !- Economizer Maximum Limit Dewpoint Temperature {C}
    ,                        !- Supply Plenum Name
    ,                        !- Return Plenum Name
    DrawThrough,             !- Supply Fan Placement
    VariableSpeedMotorPressureReset,  !- Supply Fan Part-Load Power Coefficients
    CycleOnAny,              !- Night Cycle Control
    ,                        !- Night Cycle Control Zone Name
    None,                    !- Heat Recovery Type
    ,                        !- Sensible Heat Recovery Effectiveness
    ,                        !- Latent Heat Recovery Effectiveness
    None,                    !- Cooling Coil Setpoint Reset Type
    None,                    !- Heating Coil Setpoint Reset Type
    None,                    !- Dehumidification Control Type
    ,                        !- Dehumidification Control Zone Name
    ,                        !- Dehumidification Setpoint {percent}
    None,                    !- Humidifier Type
    ,                        !- Humidifier Availability Schedule Name
    0,                       !- Humidifier Rated Capacity {m3/s}
    0,                       !- Humidifier Rated Electric Power {W}
    ,                        !- Humidifier Control Zone Name
    ,                        !- Humidifier Setpoint {percent}
    NonCoincident;           !- Sizing Option






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