Jason,
As I work through node connections in IDF editor I thought back to your offer here-
Yes it would be very useful, it might be drag and drop with simple icons and nodes that are directional so that they can only fit if they should and automatically include the other components. One thing is for sure-- the current system is the most difficult part of E+, so a lightweight tool to simply it would be really great.
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On Tue, Nov 12, 2013 at 1:30 PM, Jason Glazer <jglazer@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
As a software developer who has been on the EnergyPlus
development team for many years, I have been thinking about
what kind of software could be developed to make the process
of assembling and editing the HVAC systems easier. I know
for some that a complete icon based graphical system may be
the perfect answer. Tools like Simergy and DesignBuilder and
OpenStudio are already heading in that direction and are
continuing to get better and better. But I keep coming back
to the idea of a very light weight program that could be
useful. "Very light weight" meaning a small hobby project
for me or a small group. Probably with a grid or
hierarchical list etc., nothing too fancy.
It seems like the mechanics of changing node names and
adding names of objects to various lists are very easy to
automate. The problem is how to tackle the problem and be
useful and at the same relative simple. If anyone has and
ideas for a light weight but useful program for helping with
EnergyPlus HVAC, please let me know? Maybe include a mockup
of the interface.
Thanks
Jason
> *NEAL HUMPHREY*| Senior Associate | 919.449.6879 |
On 11/12/2013 10:57 AM, Humphrey, Neal wrote:
>
>
> Hisham and others,
>
> As others have mentioned, it?s key to realize that
> EnergyPlus was designed with the calculation process in
> mind, not the user input. Definitely start with a template
> and then start modifying as Jeremiah suggests. Even this,
> however, is not very straightforward to learn how to do.
>
> For me, the most useful thing I did for learning how to
> modify existing HVAC systems was I took a big flip-chart
> piece of paper and created a very detailed map of all the
> HVAC components and their relevant inputs. The SVG file is a
> very simple representation of the system that doesn?t tell
> you enough about the multiple objects that need to be
> modified to edit it.
>
> My process was to start somewhere in the loop (at the
> cooling coil for instance), and map out the objects, trace
> the node name to the next object, then do a text search of
> the file to find every reference to that node name and to
> that object name. Finally, you follow the referenced objects
> (i.e. the cooling coil references the curves that inform it
> and the schedule the tells its availability). If you put
> this all on a map, you?ll see that if you want to add a
> supplemental heating coil, for instance, you?ll need to edit
> the node names of the objects before and after where you
> insert it, as well as editing some of the ?container?
> objects like the Branch. The search for the node names would
> reveal you also need to edit your relevant setpoint managers
> to reflect these new node names (and add a new one to
> control the coil). It also reveals a few counter intuitive
> things like that most objects are ?connected? by doing two
> things ? using identical node names for inlet/outlet, as
> well as putting them on the container ?branch? object - but
> a few nodes aren?t. The Supply branch outlet node is
> connected virtually to the zone equipment inlet node using
> the AirLoopHVAC object.
>
> Just going through the process of mapping one or two systems
> this way makes you much more comfortable understanding the
> logic behind the HVAC inputs, and you won?t need to do the
> full map anymore for future systems.
>
> Neal
>
> nhumphrey@xxxxxxxx <mailto:nhumphrey@xxxxxxxx>
>
> *ICF INTERNATIONAL*| 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031 |
> icfi.com <http://www.icfi.com/>
>
>
>
>
--
Jason Glazer, P.E., GARD Analytics, 90.1 ECB chair
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