[Equest-users] Equest-users Digest, Vol 48, Issue 20

[Nick Caton]

Hi Danny - here's a fuller answer for everyone's benefit.  I had this half-typed up from some time ago, and your query reminded me to finish the job... hope it makes sense!

Changing floor-to-floor height in detailed is doable, even intuitive once you get more familiar with how inputs' defaults are derived by going up the component tree.  It is *not* as quick as wizard mode however.

I would advise using the eQuest interface and not directly edit the INP.  It's easier, and you get a visual confirmation with the 3D view of the effects while you edit which saves time while you're in a state of learning.  One can technically accomplish all of this faster by editing the INP directly, but only after becoming intimate with how the inputs/defaults are interrelated ... most easily learned using the eQuest front-end.

Common advice for anyone learning detailed mode geometry edits:  I'd strongly advise saving and proceeding with a separate copy of your project so you can easily restart, just in case.


*         First: observe the default (green inputs) flr-to-clg height of all spaces is the flr-to-clg input for the parent floor (I'm calling it a shell hereafter).  Double click the shell to edit flr-to clg, and the default entries for the child spaces will dynamically adjust.

*         Second: the default height of wizard-generated plenum spaces depends on whether they are "unconditioned" or "plenum" space types coming out of the wizards (which in turn is based on whether you selected a ducted return air path in the wizards).

o   If your plenums are the "plenum" space type, the default space height is, intuitively, the difference between the parent shell's flr-to-flr and flr-to-clg inputs.  The Z-coordinate for the plenum space also references the parent flr-to-clg.  Everything updates dynamically when you edit the shell inputs.

o   If "unconditioned," the default plenum height would be the parent shell's flr-to-clg.  This would be wrong in most cases, so the program instead defines (red inputs) space heights and z-coordinates for plenums derived from your wizard flr-to-clg and flr-to-flr inputs.

*         Based on the above mechanics:  Editing only the shell flr-to-flr input (as you described doing to your INP file) would have little zero effect on your spaces if the plenums were generated as the "unconditioned" space type.

*         If your plenums are "unconditioned," what you want to do is revise your shell flr-to-clg as necessary to the height you want for the non-plenum spaces, then manually revise your plenum spaces' flr-to-clg and Z-coordinate inputs (most easily done in spreadsheet view).

*         Finally:  If you have multiple shells stacked on top of each other, you will also want to review the Z-coordinates for each shell to accommodate the new floor to floor heights.

You'll notice coming out of the wizards, all walls and other child surfaces reference their parent space geometries, so  surfaces should automatically adjust to the new heights as you make the edits above.


~Nick

[cid:489575314 at 22072009-0ABB]

NICK CATON, P.E.
SENIOR ENGINEER

Smith & Boucher Engineers
25501 west valley parkway, suite 200
olathe, ks 66061
direct 913.344.0036
fax 913.345.0617
www.smithboucher.com

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Patrick J. O'Leary, Jr.
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 4:33 PM
To: Danny Xu
Cc: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Equest-users Digest, Vol 48, Issue 20

probably because just changing the floor-to-floor height in the .inp file for detailed mode does NOT change the wall heights (floor-to-ceiling & ceiling-to-roof or floor above).

On 3/20/12 2:13 PM, Danny Xu wrote:
Hi all,

In one of my projects, I changed the flr to flr height in the INP file (the height is not allowed to be changed in detail model).   After run the changed INP file, I can see the height changed in detail model, but the simulation results does not change, no mater how great change it is.  Does anyone have the same experience and know the reason?

Thanks.
Danny

From: "equest-users-request at lists.onebuilding.org"<mailto:equest-users-request at lists.onebuilding.org> <equest-users-request at lists.onebuilding.org><mailto:equest-users-request at lists.onebuilding.org>
To: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Sent: Tuesday, 20 March 2012 4:32 PM
Subject: Equest-users Digest, Vol 48, Issue 20


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.onebuilding.org/pipermail/equest-users-onebuilding.org/attachments/20120320/73fa3106/attachment-0002.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1459 bytes
Desc: image001.jpg
URL: <http://lists.onebuilding.org/pipermail/equest-users-onebuilding.org/attachments/20120320/73fa3106/attachment-0002.jpg>