packageUsersGuide

Information

This user guide describes how to use the EnergyPlus building envelope model and exchange data during simulation between Modelica and EnergyPlus. This allows to simulate HVAC and control systems in Modelica, coupled to the EnergyPlus envelope model. The implementation is such that the joint simulation between Modelica and EnergyPlus is automatically setup, without the user having to configure a co-simulation setup. During the simulation, different data can be exchanged between Modelica and EnergyPlus.

The figure above shows an overview of the exchanged coupling variables. The coupling variables can connect Modelica thermal zone model with EnergyPlus envelope model, or Modelica heat transfer models to EnergyPlus surfaces, for example to model a radiant floor. They also allow reading the value of EnergyPlus output variables for use in Modelica-implemented controllers, and writing to EnergyPlus schedules and EnergyPlus Energy Management System actuators. This can be used, for instance, to send supervisory control signals to EnergyPlus, such as for active facade control, or to control lights and equipment schedules that contribute to heat gains in the room and its surfaces.

See Buildings.ThermalZones.EnergyPlus_24_2_0.UsersGuide.Installation for how to install EnergyPlus and how EnergyPlus is invoked.

References

• Michael Wetter, Kyle Benne, Hubertus Tummescheit and Christian Winther.
  Spawn: coupling Modelica Buildings Library and EnergyPlus to enable new energy system and control applications.
  Journal of Building Performance Simulation. P. 1-19. 2023.
• Michael Wetter, Kyle Benne, Antoine Gautier, Thierry S. Nouidui, Agnes Ramle, Amir Roth, Hubertus Tummescheit, Stuart Mentzer and Christian Winther.
  Lifting the Garage Door on Spawn, an Open-Source BEM-Controls Engine.
  Proc. of Building Performance Modeling Conference and SimBuild, p. 518--525, Chicago, IL, USA, September 2020.

Contents

Name	Description
Installation	Installing binaries
GettingStarted	Getting started
Conventions	Conventions
UnitConversion	Unit Conversion
EnergyPlusWarmUp	EnergyPlus warm-up
KnownIssues	Known issues
NotesForDymola	Notes for Dymola

Revisions

• April 20, 2020, by Kun Zhang:
  Added note for weather file.
• August 26, 2019, by Michael Wetter:
  Added note about Dymola (Dassault Service Request SR00584808).
• May 22, 2019, by Michael Wetter:
  Created User's guide.