Embedded Files
The example used for the application of the tool prototypes is a shading control system. This is based on the example used in the tool BCVTB (Building Controls Virtual Test Bed) which is integrated with EnergyPlus Tool. The original example is found in the BCVTB distribution, in the 'bcvtb/examples/ePlus*-actuator' folder, where * stands for the EnergyPlus version number. The simulation of the example, which has been executed with Ptolemy shows an actuator as a shading controller.
The original example shows a shading controller with finite state machine implemented in Ptolemy II.
The controller has two inputs: the outside temperature and the solar radiation that is incident on the window. The output is the shading actuation signal. The inputs come from the EnergyPlus model and the output is an input to EnergyPlus.
This example describes how to set up EnergyPlus to exchange data between Ptolemy II and EnergyPlus, using Energy Management System (EMS) actuator.
Finite state machine implemented in Ptolemy II
The model designed in EnergyPlus describes the building (walls, isolation, windows, orientation, etc.), and this model can be simulated with a weather file that determines the weather conditions of a specific region. In the simulation the temperature and solar radiation in the window is computed (outputs of the simulation). These will be the inputs of the controller and the output of the controller will be an input to the EnergyPlus model. In this model the window shading control flag is 0 if the shading device is off and 6 if the device is on.
Building characteristics represented in the EnergyPlus model
The tool BCVTB (Building Controls Virtual Test Bed) can be installed following the next steps:
- Click here to download the BCVTB from its web page.
- Execute the downloaded .jar file to start with the installation, in case any error occurs, there is a help page in the download link explaining the most common error solutions.
- Accept the terms of license agreement.
- Choose where the example will be stored.
To start working with this example EnergyPlus must be installed. EnergyPlus is a building engineering simulation program that is used to model energy consumption (for processes such as heating, air conditioning, plugs ventilation, light, etc.) and water consumption.
To download this program click here. When developing the project the version 8.2.0 has been used.
To start working with the Example in the EnergyPlus program, and simulate the model EnergyPlus EP Launcher has to be executed and to run the simulation two files are needed: a .idf that contains the building parameters and characteristics and a .epw file that contains the weather data. After the simulation is executed some .txt files are created which contain the results of the EnergyPlus model of the building.
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