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Cogeneration unit not turning on in EnergyPlus

Problem

I'm trying use a micro turbine cogeneration unit in E+ to track the service hot water loop in my building, but I cannot get it to turn on.

What I've tried doing

I've basically started by copying some objects from the E+ example HeatRecoveryPlantLoop.idf, namely the Capstone C65 Generator:MicroTurbine and all associated curves, as well as the ElectricLoadCenter:Generators and ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:GENERATORS ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Generators,
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Name
    Capstone C65,            !- Generator 1 Name
    Generator:MicroTurbine,  !- Generator 1 Object Type
    65000,                   !- Generator 1 Rated Electric Power Output {W}
    Always On Discrete,      !- Generator 1 Availability Schedule Name
    ;                        !- Generator 1 Rated Thermal to Electrical Power Ratio


!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:DISTRIBUTION ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution,
    Capstone ELCD,           !- Name
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Generator List Name
    FollowThermal,           !- Generator Operation Scheme Type
    0,                       !- Demand Limit Scheme Purchased Electric Demand Limit {W}
    ,                        !- Track Schedule Name Scheme Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Track Meter Scheme Meter Name
    AlternatingCurrent;      !- Electrical Buss Type

Then I've created a PlantLoop as follows:

  • Supply side: a pump, and three branches in parallel with one WaterHeater:Mixed, one Generator:MicroTurbine and one bypass
  • Demand side: a WaterUse:Connections object and a bypass

I've put the Generator:MicroTurbine on the supply side of the PlantLoop according to the I/O reference guide for ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution that says:

The FollowThermal and FollowThermalLimitElectrical schemes are for heat following cogeneration and run the generators to meet the thermal demand. [...] For these schemes, the generator needs to be connected to the supply side of a plant loop and components that request hot water need to be on the demand side of the plant loop.

I've verified that there is a demand on the demand side of my plant loop.

I've added the Generator:MicroTurbineas first in line for the plant equipment operation scheme.

I've tried switching the Generator:MicroTurbine Heat Recovery Water Flow Operating Mode between PlantControl and InternalControl.

I've also hard-sized my loop pump - and made it variable speed - to make sure it's enough to provide the maximum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit as I initially noticed it was autosized to a value below the minimum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit.

I've also tried to remove the WaterHeater:Mixed.

None of the above have managed to get the Generator to come online.

Any ideas?

Update

Here is the IDF File

Cogeneration unit not turning on in EnergyPlusE

Problem

I'm trying use a micro turbine cogeneration unit in E+ to track the service hot water loop in my building, but I cannot get it to turn on.

What I've tried doing

I've basically started by copying some objects from the E+ example HeatRecoveryPlantLoop.idf, namely the Capstone C65 Generator:MicroTurbine and all associated curves, as well as the ElectricLoadCenter:Generators and ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:GENERATORS ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Generators,
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Name
    Capstone C65,            !- Generator 1 Name
    Generator:MicroTurbine,  !- Generator 1 Object Type
    65000,                   !- Generator 1 Rated Electric Power Output {W}
    Always On Discrete,      !- Generator 1 Availability Schedule Name
    ;                        !- Generator 1 Rated Thermal to Electrical Power Ratio


!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:DISTRIBUTION ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution,
    Capstone ELCD,           !- Name
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Generator List Name
    FollowThermal,           !- Generator Operation Scheme Type
    0,                       !- Demand Limit Scheme Purchased Electric Demand Limit {W}
    ,                        !- Track Schedule Name Scheme Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Track Meter Scheme Meter Name
    AlternatingCurrent;      !- Electrical Buss Type

Then I've created a PlantLoop as follows:

  • Supply side: a pump, and three branches in parallel with one WaterHeater:Mixed, one Generator:MicroTurbine and one bypass
  • Demand side: a WaterUse:Connections object and a bypass

I've put the Generator:MicroTurbine on the supply side of the PlantLoop according to the I/O reference guide for ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution that says:

The FollowThermal and FollowThermalLimitElectrical schemes are for heat following cogeneration and run the generators to meet the thermal demand. [...] For these schemes, the generator needs to be connected to the supply side of a plant loop and components that request hot water need to be on the demand side of the plant loop.

I've verified that there is a demand on the demand side of my plant loop.

I've added the Generator:MicroTurbineas first in line for the plant equipment operation scheme.

I've tried switching the Generator:MicroTurbine Heat Recovery Water Flow Operating Mode between PlantControl and InternalControl.

I've also hard-sized my loop pump - and made it variable speed - to make sure it's enough to provide the maximum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit as I initially noticed it was autosized to a value below the minimum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit.

I've also tried to remove the WaterHeater:Mixed.

None of the above have managed to get the Generator to come online.

Any ideas?

Update

Here is the IDF File

Cogeneration unit not turning on in E

Problem

I'm trying use a micro turbine cogeneration unit in E+ to track the service hot water loop in my building, but I cannot get it to turn on.

What I've tried doing

I've basically started by copying some objects from the E+ example HeatRecoveryPlantLoop.idf, namely the Capstone C65 Generator:MicroTurbine and all associated curves, as well as the ElectricLoadCenter:Generators and ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:GENERATORS ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Generators,
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Name
    Capstone C65,            !- Generator 1 Name
    Generator:MicroTurbine,  !- Generator 1 Object Type
    65000,                   !- Generator 1 Rated Electric Power Output {W}
    Always On Discrete,      !- Generator 1 Availability Schedule Name
    ;                        !- Generator 1 Rated Thermal to Electrical Power Ratio


!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:DISTRIBUTION ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution,
    Capstone ELCD,           !- Name
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Generator List Name
    FollowThermal,           !- Generator Operation Scheme Type
    0,                       !- Demand Limit Scheme Purchased Electric Demand Limit {W}
    ,                        !- Track Schedule Name Scheme Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Track Meter Scheme Meter Name
    AlternatingCurrent;      !- Electrical Buss Type

Then I've created a PlantLoop as follows:

  • Supply side: a pump, and three branches in parallel with one WaterHeater:Mixed, one Generator:MicroTurbine and one bypass
  • Demand side: a WaterUse:Connections object and a bypass

I've put the Generator:MicroTurbine on the supply side of the PlantLoop according to the I/O reference guide for ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution that says:

The FollowThermal and FollowThermalLimitElectrical schemes are for heat following cogeneration and run the generators to meet the thermal demand. [...] For these schemes, the generator needs to be connected to the supply side of a plant loop and components that request hot water need to be on the demand side of the plant loop.

I've verified that there is a demand on the demand side of my plant loop.

I've added the Generator:MicroTurbineas first in line for the plant equipment operation scheme.

I've tried switching the Generator:MicroTurbine Heat Recovery Water Flow Operating Mode between PlantControl and InternalControl.

I've also hard-sized my loop pump - and made it variable speed - to make sure it's enough to provide the maximum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit as I initially noticed it was autosized to a value below the minimum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit.

I've also tried to remove the WaterHeater:Mixed.

None of the above have managed to get the Generator to come online.

Any ideas?