Hi guys! Does anyone know how I can put an interzone door and window and an exterior door, window to open and close on a scheduled basis? I am using EnergyPlus' Idf Editor and the venting schedule is independent of the conditions.
If you have to model opening/closing only external doors and windows, there is a simple solution:
(A) You may specify ZoneInfiltration:EffectiveLeakageArea(s) for every zone,
and define a schedule for the flow fraction (0=closed, 1=fully open);
For more specialized requirements, the schedule values may be driven by an EMS program (by defining actuators on these schedules)
If you want to model air exchange through external and internal doors/windows, this can be done by setting up an AirflowNetwork for your zones:
(B) for each window/door specify a corresponding AirflowNetwork:MultiZone:Surface
and define Leakage Components:
set Window/Door Opening Factor >0 (<=1 );
set Ventilation Control Mode=constant
now define a VentingAvailability Schedule: this will dynamically drive the Venting Window/Door Opening Factor
by this formula: [AFN Surface Venting Window/Door Opening Factor] = [Window/Door Opening Factor] * [VentingAvailability]
(0=closed, 1= fully open). You can verify whether the air flows behave as intended e.g. by checking the output variables:
Key Value = AirflowNetwork:MultiZone:Surface Name
Variable Name = AFN Linkage Node 1 to Node 2 Mass Flow Rate
(from AirflowNetwork:MultiZone:Surface to the other side)
Variable Name = AFN Linkage Node 2 to Node 1 Mass Flow Rate
(from the other side to AirflowNetwork:MultiZone:Surface )
(C) If window/door openings should depend on special user defined conditions, define an EMS Actuator, e.g. myOpenFactor, for one surface of each Door/Window, with
Actuated Component Type = AirFlow Network Window/Door Opening
Actuated Component Control Type = Venting Opening Factor
The dynamic value of myOpenFactor then is determined by an EMS program.
More details can be studied in the Example file EMSAirflowNetworkOpeningControlByHumidity.idf
Comments
Depends on the software you are using. Which one?
Can you let us know which simulation engine you are using and what effects you are trying to capture? Are you controlling the window to help meet temperature set points or is the opening schedule independent of inside/outside conditions?
I have just discovered this instruction on Input Output Reference: "AirflowNetwork:Multizone:Zone This object allows control of natural ventilation through exterior and interior openings in a zone, where “opening” is defined as an openable window or door. (Note that only window, door or glass door subsurfaces in a zone that are specified using AirflowNetwork:MultiZone:Component:DetailedOpening, AirflowNetwork:MultiZone:Component:HorizontalOpening or AirflowNetwork:Multizone:Component:SimpleOpening and have an associated AirflowNetwork:Multizone:Surface object are considered to be openings)"
So I'm guessing this must be it, choosing constant for ventilation control mode, but don't know what to put in the field AirFlow:Network:Multizone:Component:Simple Opening, for "AirMass flow coefficient when opening is closed", "minimum density difference for two-way flow" and "discharge coefficient". ???