INTRODUCTION TO TRNSYS
MEC 4000 Presentation
2013-09-14
Michal Kummert
OUTLINE 2
What is TRNSYS
Philosophy and history
Applications
The TRNSYS suite of programs
TRNSYS components
Other features
Validation, standards
Some personal comments
WHAT IS TRNSYS 3
TRNSYS = TRaNsient SYstem Simulation program Started as a PhD thesis by Sanford A. Klein
Aim = flexible energy systems simulation program
First public version was 6.0 in March 1975 37 years of continuous support and development
TRNSYS or TRNSYS ideas used in/by other programs
Currently Version 17 (17.1 about to be released) TRNSYS is commercial software
Neither open-source nor free, but the source code is provided
Suite of programs Simulation engine + interfaces + libraries
THE TRNSYS COMMUNITY 4
4 developers in the US, Germany and France 11 distributors
Belgium, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Tunisia, US
A growing user base TRNSYS mailing list: 1300 users, 150 messages/month
Compare e.g. to EnergyPlus: 3000 users, 360 messages/month
Universities / Research Labs worldwide (55%)
Engineering companies (building or RE), other ( 45%) Examples:
NASA, NREL, LBL, NRCan, FSEC (SRCC), NIST, NREL GE, Johnson Controls, BMW, PSA, Utilities (e.g. EDF, GDF, SSE, Hydro-Qc)
TRNSYS PHILOSOPHY: A COMPONENT-BASED PROGRAM 5
Component equations Inputs Outputs
Parameters
Component 1 Component 2
Component 3
Components solve their own equations (inputs outputs)
Main solver links components outputs to inputs and solves the algebraic / differential system
Demo Doc
APPLICATIONS 6
SOME TRANSSOLAR PROJECTS 7
Bangkok intl airport 375000 m
TRNSYS Superlite, Radiance, CFD
Beijing Linked Hybrid 160000 m
One of the worlds largest GSHP 660 wells, 5000 kW cooling
Manitoba Hydro Tower Passive/active displacement ventilation
GSHP
www.transsolar.com
SOME TESS PROJECTS 8
Drake landing solar community 2250 m solar collectors (1.5 MW)
Ground heat storage
District heating loop
SRCC OG-300 (systems) ratings
Model development
Cogen library
High-T solar, PV/Thermal
Many executable applications
Wetlands!
www.tess-inc.com
THE TRNSYS SUITE OF TOOLS 9
Studio
Deck file
TRNEdit
Building files
TRNSYS 3d (Sketchup)
TRNBuild
TRNExe
TRNDll
UserLib DLLs
Online plot
Input files
Output files
TRNSED app
ESP-r
Other tools
TRNSYS COMPONENTS 10
Utilities From data reader / solar radiation processor to integrator, shading, etc.
Solar thermal Dozens of solar collectors, tanks, etc.
Concentrating Solar thermal Power: STEC library (60 components) Electrical
From PV and wind turbine to diesel engine to battery
Building From lumped capacitance single-zone to detailed 3-d model with airflow model,
cooled ceilings, PCMs, etc.
HVAC From conventional HVAC plants to enthalpy exchangers to ground-coupled systems
Hydrogen Fuel cells, H2 storage, Electrolyzers, etc.
TESS LIBRARIES 11
14 component libraries Applications Library
Cogeneration (CHP) Library
Controllers Library
Electrical Library
Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) Library
Ground Coupling Library
High Temperature Solar Library
HVAC Library
Hydronics Library
Loads and Structures Library
Optimization Library (interface to Genopt)
Solar Library
Storage Tank Library
Utility Library
Individual components
About 300 components total
LINKS WITH OTHER TOOLS 12
* Simple SDHW exampleSimulation 1 8760 1 ! Start Stop StepUnit 1 Type 9 Data ReaderParameters 15-1 0 ! Mode, skip3 1.0 ! Nb of Columns, dt Data-1 1.0 0.0 ! 1st column (Ta)-2 1.0 0.0 ! 2nd column (Ti)-3 3.6 0.0 ! 3rd column (S), converted from W/m2 to kJ/h/m214 -1 ! Logical Unit, not used* Output order: 1=Ta (1st column), 2=Ti (2nd column), 3=S (3rd column)Unit 2 Type 1 Solar collectorParameters 111 2.0 ! Nb of coll. In series, Coll area4.19 2 40 ! Cp fluid, Efficiency Mode, test mass flowrate0.80 13.0 0.04 ! A0, A1, A2 (Quadratic efficiency)2 0.1 0.0 ! Optical mode, b0, b1 (ASHRAE incid. Angle modifier)Inputs 91,2 0,0 1,1 ! Tin, mass flowr. In, Tamb. 0,0 means constant... (other inputs)* Initial values40.0 80.0 20.0 ! Same order as the inputs... (Rest of the deck file)End
Wind Turbine
Grid - ControlsBackup
ElectrolyzerFuel Cell H2 Storage
DC/ACAC/DC
1Loads
Dump
ESP-r
GenOpt
ADDING TRNSYS COMPONENTS 13
Relatively easy to add new native components TRNSYS kernel in Fortran easier to use that language (share modules, etc.) Type-programming rules
Templates and automatic generation
Drop-in DLLs
Distribute a new component with or without the code, commercially or not
Send a proforma (Studio description) and a DLL
Copy the files to the appropriate directories
Simulate! No compilation, link, etc.
Components written in any programming language
Templates available in Fortran, C++ and Delphi
You own your developments
TRNSED APPLICATIONS 14
TRNSED Add html-like language to your TRNSYS input file to create a
simple interface
Distribute it with the required DLLs etc.
* Simple SDHW exampleSimulation 1 8760 1 ! Start Stop StepUnit 1 Type 9 Data ReaderParameters 15-1 0 ! Mode, skip3 1.0 ! Nb of Columns, dt Data-1 1.0 0.0 ! 1st column (Ta)-2 1.0 0.0 ! 2nd column (Ti)-3 3.6 0.0 ! 3rd column (S), converted from W/m2 to kJ/h/m214 -1 ! Logical Unit, not used* Output order: 1=Ta (1st column), 2=Ti (2nd column), 3=S (3rd column)Unit 2 Type 1 Solar collectorParameters 111 2.0 ! Nb of coll. In series, Coll area4.19 2 40 ! Cp fluid, Efficiency Mode, test mass flowrate0.80 13.0 0.04 ! A0, A1, A2 (Quadratic efficiency)2 0.1 0.0 ! Optical mode, b0, b1 (ASHRAE incid. Angle modifier)Inputs 91,2 0,0 1,1 ! Tin, mass flowr. In, Tamb. 0,0 means constant... (other inputs)* Initial values40.0 80.0 20.0 ! Same order as the inputs... (Rest of the deck file)End
Demo
VALIDATION AND STANDARD COMPLIANCE 15
Validation Part of all major IEA validation studies (e.g. BESTEST, HVAC-BESTEST, Annex 21
/ Task 12, Annex 43 Task 34) No automated testing suite
Solar thermal systems Reference tool in many IEA SHC Tasks (combisystems, storage, solar-assisted
heat pumps, large-scale systems)
Reference tool for SRCC ratings in the US and Canadian ratings
Reference tool in European standard on solar thermal systems (ENV-12977-2)
Buildings ASHRAE 140 compliant
Can be used for ASHRAE 90.1 compliance and for project that go beyond (e.g. LEED buildings)
European directive: no technical barriers
SOME PERSONAL WORDS OF WARNING 16
Some components are terrible Always test-drive a component before using it Ask experts (or the mailing list) for advice on which component to use The TESS libraries are a must
Original building model (Type 56) was unusual Detailed and well validated but non-geometrical 3-d modeling with graphical input from Sketchup is in its infancy very few users
master it
The systems you are simulating are rarely simple Your simulations wont be simple You will learn more about the systems themselves The first time will be a real pain. The second time you will have a template
SOME PERSONAL WORDS OF WARNING 17
You will experience non-convergences Build your projects step-by-step and test subsystems There is always a way out: clean, not so clean, or dirty trick
Do look at time-step results
Yearly results dont tell you if the simulation makes sense
Thats true for any program. It is exacerbated in TRNSYS
TRNSYS main strength is a tremendous flexibility
Flexibility has a price (time, expertise). If you cant accept that, dont use TRNSYS
TRNSYS most important feature
A good user. It takes time to become one. A good user knows how the system works, how the model works and how to interpret the results.
TRNSYS expertise is a valuable asset in the job market
WEB LINKS 18
TRNSYS
Main web site (SEL): sel.me.wisc.edu/trnsys
TESS: www.tess-inc.com, www.trnsys.com
Other developers/distributors: sel.me.wisc.edu/trnsys/sales/distributors.html
Mailing list: sel.me.wisc.edu/trnsys/mailinglist/trnsysmailinglist.htm
Report comparing simulation tools: www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/tools_directory/pdfs/contrasting_the_capabilities_of_building_en
ergy_performance_simulation_programs_v1.0.pdf (one line!)
Introduction to TRNSYSOutlineWhat is TRNSYSThe TRNSYS communityTRNSYS philosophy: a component-based programApplicationsSome Transsolar projectsSome TESS projectsThe TRNSYS suite of toolsTRNSYS componentsTESS librariesLinks with other toolsAdding TRNSYS componentsTRNSED applicationsValidation and standard complianceSome personal words of warningSome personal words of warningWeb links
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