IES <Virtual Environment> Tutorial. MacroFlo (Version 6.0)

Transcription

1 IES <Virtual Environment> Tutorial MacroFlo (Version 6.0) Introduction This tutorial will show you how to define window and door opening characteristics for a building model using MacroFlo, IES s bulk airflow analysis tool (wind and buoyancy driven airflow). The MacroFlo opening data can then be subsequently used in a dynamic thermal simulation by IES s ApacheSim thermal simulation software or Part L compliance software. In MacroFlo you will define window and door opening characteristics for a building model previously created using ModelIT (see the ModelIT tutorial) You will have also set the site location and simulation weather data using the APlocate utility (see the ApacheSim tutorial). We will use MacroFlo to partially open a window on the east wall and a rooflight in the unconditioned Studio room in the building. This room has no heating and cooling (see the Apache tutorial). We will then perform a dynamic thermal simulation using ApacheSim with a MacroFlo link to compare the effect on the room conditions of opening the window and the rooflight with a previous simulation where the window and the rooflight were shut.(see the Vista tutorial). For more detailed help you can use the Help menu within the specific IES application, and also you can refer to the product manuals installed with the IES software. 1

2 Opening a previously created <Virtual Environment> project First you must open a previously created project using the File option from the main <Virtual Environment> menu. You will perform the analyses on a previously created building model, where the geometry has been created using either ModelIT, or the IES VE plug-ins for Google SketchUp, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2009 or Autodesk Revit MEP Open the project folder and select and open the MIT file within this folder. The project will then open. 2

3 Switching to the MacroFlo view Click on the MacroFlo application in the Energy category of the Application Selector located on the left-hand side of the display. The view will now switch to the MacroFlo view. In the MacroFlo view you can create and apply window and door opening characteristics to the building model. 3

4 Creating the openings database First we need to create the openings database. Click on the MacroFlo Openings Database Manager button. The Opening Types window will appear. You will see a list of opening types on the left-hand side with one default opening type called External Window opening with its properties shown in the boxes on the right-hand side. Change the crack length from 100 to zero for this opening type. 4

5 Adding a second Opening Type Click the Add button. A second opening type will be added to the list with the same description as the first one. Setting the opening characteristics Change the description for this opening type to Partially open window. Next, we will select the appropriate Exposure Type to reflect the wind exposure conditions on the east wall of the Studio room where this opening type will be used. For the purposes of this tutorial we will select No. 19, semi-exposed short wall. 5

6 Set the Openable Area to 20%.This is a maximum amount that the window will open. For the Degree of Opening, select the 9-5 no lunch weekly group (previously set up in the ApacheSim tutorial) from the drop-down list. This weekly group will modify the maximum value of 20% set above. Adding a third Opening Type Click the Add button. A third opening type will be added to the list with the same description and other characteristics as the previous one. Setting the opening characteristics Change the description for this opening type to Partially open rooflight. 6

7 Next, we will select the appropriate Exposure Type to reflect the wind exposure conditions on the roof of the Studio room where which this opening type will be used. For the purposes of this tutorial we will select No. 21, semi-exposed long roof deg. Set the Openable Area to 20%.This is a maximum amount that the rooflight will open. For the Degree of Opening, select the 9-5 no lunch weekly group (previously set up in the ApacheSim tutorial) from the drop-down list. This weekly group will modify the maximum value of 20% set above. 7

8 To save the list of opening types, click the OK button, then click the Yes button on the prompt that appears. Assigning MacroFlo opening types to required openings in the model We will then apply the two new opening types to a selected window and a selected rooflight in an unconditioned room (the Studio) in the model. We will do this by moving down to the bottom level (Surface Level) of decomposition and selecting the appropriate opening. Make sure you are in an Axonometric View, then select the Studio room. Next, click the Move Down One Level button to move to the Space Level (middle level) of decomposition. Select the external wall of the studio which contains some windows. 8

9 Click the Move down One Level button again to move to the Surface Level (bottom level) of decomposition. Select the window which you wish to open. Click the Edit Selection Set Opening Types button. The Assign Opening Types window will appear, showing a graphic of the selected window. 9

10 Under the heading Opening Type you will see the opening type currently assigned to the selected window. By clicking on the opening type you will be able to identify the opening where the opening type is used. This opening is highlighted on the graphic. In the Opening Type list, select the External window opening, which is the current opening type being used. We will replace the highlighted instance of the selected opening type with another opening type. To do this, click on the Partially open window opening type in the list headed Possible replacement opening types, and then click on Replace. In the Opening Type list, select the Partially open window opening type. You will see on the graphic that the window is highlighted, confirming that it is now of the Partially open window opening type. Click on the Close button to close the Assign Opening Types window. 10

11 We now need to perform a similar operation for one of the rooflight elements in the roof of the Studio room. You need to move up a level of decomposition, select the ceiling containing the rooflights, move down to the bottom level and select the rooflight you want to change. Click the Edit Selection Set Opening Types button, and using the same procedure as for the window earlier, replace the current opening type of the selected rooflight with the Partially open rooflight opening type. Click on the Close button to close the Assign Opening Types window. 11

12 Move back up to the top level of decomposition, then save the project by clicking on the Save Project button in the main VE menu. You are now ready to perform a dynamic thermal simulation using the ApacheSim thermal simulation software. Performing a dynamic thermal simulation using ApacheSim Make sure you are in the Apache view in the Thermal group of applications by clicking on the Apache application in the Energy category of the Application Selector located on the left-hand side of the display. The view will now switch to the Apache view. In the Apache view you can run dynamic thermal simulations using ApacheSim with a link to MacroFlo. 12

13 At the bottom of the Apache View, click the ApacheSim (Dynamic Simulation) button. The Apache Simulation window will appear. The results file will hold all the results from the simulation. Vista, the results analysis tool, will open this file when the simulation is complete and you can view the results in different ways. The default results file name will be <project name>.aps. We will change the default name for this tutorial to demo1nv.aps so as not to overwrite any previous results files you may have created from simulations performed in the Apache tutorial. 13

14 Check the MacroFlo link and the SunCast link boxes (the SunCast link will only be available if you have previously performed calculations using SunCast). Uncheck the other boxes. Set the simulation dates to run from 1 January to 31 December. Set the time step to 10 mins, the reporting interval to 30 mins and the preconditioning period to 20 days. The ApacheSim window should now be as below. Click on the save button in this window to save the simulation settings for next time. You are now ready to perform a dynamic thermal simulation with a link to MacroFlo. Press the Simulate button to begin the simulation process. You will see the simulation progressing as shown below. Once the simulation is complete the Virtual Environment view will automatically switch from the Apache View to the Vista view. In Vista you will be able to review the results from the simulation (please see the Vista tutorial, including the section on viewing results from a simulation with a MacroFlo link). 14