modelRectangularZoneTemplate

Information

This model can be used to set up zones with a rectangular geometry more quickly. This template consists of a zone, four walls, a horizontal roof and a floor and five optional windows. Additional surfaces may also be connected through external bus connector. For the documentation of the regular zone parameters, see the documentation of IDEAS.Buildings.Components.Zone.

Main equations

This model incorporates IDEAS components such as IDEAS.Buildings.Components.OuterWall and reproduces the same results as a model that would be constructed without the use of this template.

Assumption and limitations

This model assumes that the zone has a rectangular geometry with width w, length l and height h. All walls are vertical and perpendicular to each other and both the roof and the floor are horizontal.

The surface area of each wall is calculated by default using the parameters w and l. If you want to split a wall and add external walls using the external bus connector, use the overwrite length parameters lA, lB, lC, lD from the Face tabs such that the surface area of the wall is correct. Be also aware that the model slabOnGround has a parameter PWall which specifies the perimeter of slab on ground. The model cannot detect external walls connected using the external bus connector. When splitting outer walls by using the external bus connector you should update this parameter manually using the parameter PWall from the Advanced tab.

Typical use and important parameters

Parameters width w, length l and height h need to be defined and are used to compute the dimensions of each of the surfaces. Parameter aziA represents the azimuth angle of surface A (see icon). Other surfaces are rotated (clockwise) by multiples of ninety degrees with respect to aziA. Parameter nSurfExt may be used to connect additional surfaces to the template. When doing this, you may need to change the surface areas of the surfaces in the template as these are not updated automatically.

Seven parameter tabs allow to specify further parameters that are specific for each of the seven surfaces: six surfaces for the walls, floor and ceiling and one for an internal wall contained within the zone. For each surface the surface type may be specified using parameters bouTyp*. The construction type should be defined using conTyp*. Parameter hasWin* may be used for all orientations except for the floor to add a window. In this case the window surface area, shading and glazing types need to be provided. For non-default shading a record needs to be created that specifies the shading properties. The surface area of the window is deducted from the surface area of the wall such that the total surface areas add up.

Options

Advanced options are found under the Advanced parameter tab. The model may also be adapted further by overriding the default parameter assignments in the template.

You can also use this model for non-rectangular zones by, for example, using the None type for a wall and by adding additional walls corresponding to a different geometry through the external bus connector. This model however then does not guarantee that all parameters are consistent. Therefore, some internal parameters of this model will need to be updated manually.

In the parameter group Windows, you can redeclare the window. This is useful when using a window model that has a pre-configured surface area, glazing type, frame fraction and shading. The parameters azi=aziA, inc=IDEAS.Types.Tilt.Wall, T_start=T_start, linIntCon_a=linIntCon, dT_nominal_a=dT_nominal_win, linExtCon=linExtCon, windowDynamicsType=windowDynamicsType, linExtRad=linExtRadWin, nWin=nWinA, are still computed from the zone model parameters but, the other windows parameters are those configured in the used window model, including the window surface area.

Dynamics

This model contains wall dynamics and a state for the zone air temperature. The zone temperature may be set to steady state using parameter energyDynamicsAir, which should in general not be done. The mass dynamics of the air volume may be set to steady state by overriding the default parameter assignment in the airModel submodel. This removes small time constants when the zone model is connected to an air flow circuit.

Shading

In order to choose the shading of the glazing, instead of selecting one shading type from the dropdown menu, click on the button right of the dropdown menu (edit). A menu will appear where the type of shading and corresponding parameters have to be defined. Alternatively, the shading template can be extended.

Validation

This implementation is compared with a manual implementation in IDEAS.Buildings.Validation.Tests.ZoneTemplateVerification2. This gives identical results.

Example

An example of how this template may be used can be found in IDEAS.Examples.PPD12.

Implementation

Shading types need to be declared using a record instead of by redeclaring the shading components. This is a workaround because redeclared components cannot be propagated.

Components

Revisions

• October 13, 2019, by Filip Jorissen:
  Refactored the parameter definition of inc and azi by adding the option to use radio buttons. See #1067
• February 5, 2019, by Damien Picard:
  Correct typo in winB declaration (fraB should be fracB).
• October 26, 2018, by Filip Jorissen:
  Removed use of non-existent parameter aziCei. See #946.
• August 26, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Move all equations except those of windows to RectangularZoneTemplateInterface for LIDEAS. See #891.
• August 16, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Make windows replaceable. See #891. And correct wall surface computation. See #890.
• August 10, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Added parameters for scaling factors for windows. See #888.
• Adapted model to make it possible to remove walls from the template. See #880.
• June 13, 2018, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added parameters for shade cast by external building. See #576.
• May 21, 2018, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added parameters for air flow through cavity. See #822.
• April 30, 2018 by Iago Cupeiro:
  Propagated boolean input connections for controlled shading. See #809. Shading documentation added.
• July 26, 2017 by Filip Jorissen:
  Added replaceable block that allows to define the number of occupants. See #760.
• April 26, 2017, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added asserts that check for illegal combinations of internal wall with exterior window. See issue #714.
• March 21, 2017, by Filip Jorissen:
  Changed bus parameters for JModelica compatibility. See issue #559. Also removed obsolete each.
• January 20, 2017 by Filip Jorissen:
  Removed propagation of nLay and nGain since this lead to warnings.
• January 11, 2017 by Filip Jorissen:
  Added documentation
• January 10, 2017, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added linExtRadWin for windows.
• November 14, 2016 by Filip Jorissen:
  First implementation