.Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Actuator

Information

Block that writes to an EMS actuator object in EnergyPlus.

This model writes at every EnergyPlus zone time step the value of the input u to an EnergyPlus EMS actuator with name variableName. For example, if EnergyPlus has 6 time steps per hour, as specified in the idf-file with the entry Timestep,6; and the input u to this block is

then EnergyPlus will receive the inputs

The parameter unit specifies the unit of the signal u. This unit is then converted internally to the units required by EnergyPlus before the value is sent to EnergyPlus. See Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Types.Units for the supported units. If the value of the parameter unit is left at its default value of Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Types.Units.unspecified, then the simulation will stop with an error.

Usage

This section explain how to use actuators for different EnergyPlus objects. For other actuators, please see the EnergyPlus EMS Application Guide.

Configuring an actuator for lights

Consider the example Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Examples.SingleFamilyHouse.LightsControl. In this example, Modelica overwrites the EnergyPlus Lights object. The idf-file has the following entry:

  Lights,
    LIVING ZONE Lights,      !- Name
    LIVING ZONE,             !- Zone or ZoneList Name
    HOUSE LIGHTING,          !- Schedule Name
    LightingLevel,           !- Design Level Calculation Method
    1000,                    !- Lighting Level {W}
    ,                        !- Watts per Zone Floor Area {W/m2}
    ,                        !- Watts per Person {W/person}
    0,                       !- Return Air Fraction
    0.2000000,               !- Fraction Radiant
    0.2000000,               !- Fraction Visible
    0,                       !- Fraction Replaceable
    GeneralLights;           !- End-Use Subcategory

and the EnergyPlus EMS Application Guide specifies An actuator called "Lights" is available with a control type called "Electric Power Level" (in W). This allows you to set the lighting power associated with each Lights input object. The unique identifier is the name of the Lights input object.

Therefore, the Lights object can be overwritten by specifying the Modelica instance

  Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Actuator actLig(
    variableName="LIVING ZONE Lights",
    componentType="Lights",
    controlType="Electric Power Level",
    unit=Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Types.Units.Power)
      "Actuator for lights";

and setting its input to the required power in Watts.

Configuring an actuator for a shade

Consider the example Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Examples.SingleFamilyHouse.ShadeControl. In this example, the idf-file has the following entry:

  EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator,
    Zn001_Wall001_Win001_Shading_Deploy_Status,  !- Name
    Zn001:Wall001:Win001,    !- Actuated Component Unique Name
    Window Shading Control,  !- Actuated Component Type
    Control Status;          !- Actuated Component Control Type

This causes EnergyPlus to overwrite the shade of the FenestrationSurface:Detailed with name Zn001:Wall001:Win001. According to the EnergyPlus EMS Application Guide, the EnergyPlus Control Status can be set to 0 to remove the shade, or to 6 to activate the interior blind.

Therefore, in Modelica, the instantiation

  Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Actuator actSha(
    variableName="Zn001:Wall001:Win001",
    componentType="Window Shading Control",
    controlType="Control Status",
    unit=Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Types.Units.Normalized)
      "Actuator for window shade"

will write to the Window Shading Control of the EnergyPlus object FenestrationSurface:Detailed with name Zn001:Wall001:Win001. The entry units=Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_9_6_0.Types.Units.Normalized will cause the input value of the Modelica instance actSha to be sent to EnergyPlus without any unit conversion. Hence, in the example, the input actSha.u is set to 0 or 6.

Note that the entry EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator in the idf-file is optional. If specified, it will be ignored and the Modelica object be used instead.

Supported Actuators

The table below shows all EMS actuator objects supported by Spawn. Which of these are available for a particular model depends on the EnergyPlus idf-file. To list the EMS actuator objects that are available in your model, add the line

Output:EnergyManagementSystem,
  Verbose,                 !- Actuator Availability Dictionary Reporting
  Verbose,                 !- Internal Variable Availability Dictionary Reporting
  Verbose;                 !- EMS Runtime Language Debug Output Level

to the EnergyPlus idf-file. This will produce an EnergyPlus EMS data dictionary (*.edd) file that lists the actuators for this model. Those that are listed in the *.edd file and in the table below are supported.

In the table below, the name in the first column must be used as the value for the parameter componentType and the name of the second column must be used as the value for the parameter controlType.

Revisions

• February 18, 2021, by Michael Wetter:
  Refactor synchronization of constructors.
  This is for #2360.
• November 13, 2019, by Michael Wetter:
  First implementation.