Transcript EnergyPlus Training Part 1

Computer Laboratory 1:
Installing and Using
EnergyPlus
Material prepared by GARD Analytics, Inc. and University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign under contract to the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory. All material Copyright 2002-2003 U.S.D.O.E. - All rights reserved
Purpose of this Lecture
Gain an understanding of

How to Install EnergyPlus

How to Use EnergyPlus

Auxiliary Programs and Documentation for
EnergyPlus
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Installing EnergyPlus
EnergyPlus Components
EnergyPlus Folders
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Installing EnergyPlus
Select Components Menu

Documentation

EP-Launch
1819k

IDFEditor
415k

SampleFiles

WeatherConvertor
2428k

BLASTTranslator
4978k

DOETranslator
663k
GroundHeatTransferPreProcessor
770k
IFCtoIDF

12759k
29065k
2910k
Included in default installation
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Installing EnergyPlus (cont’d)
 After installation the EnergyPlus directory will
contain the following subdirectories (if default
components are selected):





BACKUP
DataSets
Documentation
Example Files
PostProcess
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

PreProcess
Templates
Trnsysspv
WeatherData
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EnergyPlus Folders
EnergyPlus

Location selected during
install

Default is c:\EnergyPlus

Batch files

Executables

Readme
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DataSets Folder
 DataSets –
Predefined Objects



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Locations
Design Days
Materials
Constructions
Schedules
and more
 MacroDataSets
 ##if blocks for
parametric batch runs
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Documentation Folder
 Documentation





User & Developer
Documentation
Bookmarks to
Navigate
Searchable <Ctrl-F>
PDF Format
Requires Acrobat
Reader 5.0 or higher
(www.adobe.com)
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ExampleFiles Folder
ExampleFiles




Dozens of example
inputs
Named by key
feature
e.g., CVBbRh.idf
Many concepts are
best learned by
example
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WeatherData Folder
 WeatherData

User can download additional EPW weather files at
www.energyplus.gov
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Start Menu Shortcuts
 Start  Programs 
EnergyPlus Vn-n-n Programs
 DocMainMenu

Docs Menu Page
 EP-Launch

Easy-to-Use Run Tool
 IDFEditor

Input File Editor
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Start Menu Shortcuts (cont’d)
IFCtoIDF

Convert IFC Files
WeatherConverter


Process Weather
Data
Create Weather
Reports
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User Documentation
 Eplus Main Menu
EnergyPlus\Documentation\
EPlusMainMenu.pdf
 Start  Programs 
EnergyPlus Programs 
DocMainMenu
Getting Started
Input Output Reference
Output Details and Examples
Engineering Reference
Auxiliary Programs/Developer
Guides
Frequently Asked Questions


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Auxiliary Tools
Run-time Tools

EP-Launch
Input/Output Tools

IDF Editor

WinEPDraw
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EP-Launch
Assistance in running EnergyPlus
Reads EPL-Run.bat file
Creates RunEP.bat file and executes
Displays run status (eplusout.end)
Can view all input and output Files
Several user options available
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EP-Launch
Access EnergyPlus documentation
Select and edit input file
Select weather file
View output files
Run EnergyPlus
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EP-Launch Setup
Select desired text
editor program
(defaults to .txt editor)
Select drawing viewer
for DXF files (VoloView
Express is free from
www.autodesk.com)
Select desired
spreadsheet program to
view csv files
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EP-Launch Options
Open only ERR and EIO
output files
Pause batch file after
EnergyPlus execution to
read traceback if crash
Wide format for long
path names
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EP-Launch Alternate Layout
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Results
ERR file contains warnings and errors
(always look here!)
EIO file contains additional EnergyPlus
results, including verification of location,
environment, summary reports, etc.
View menu – ERR/EIO only (F2)
RDD file lists the output variables
available from the run
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Results (cont’d)
 ESO file contains the raw output from the run
(users rarely look here)
 CSV versions of ESO and MTR files can be
opened by clicking on the “Spreadsheet”
button

Can be imported into any spreadsheet program
that accepts the CSV format
 DXF file can be viewed by clicking on the
“Drawing File” button

Can be imported into any CAD program that
accepts the DXF format
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IDF Editor
 Not really an “interface”
 Reads IDD
 Structures data entry based on IDD
 Writes objects in IDD order


e.g. Run Period, Design Days, all Materials, all
Constructions, all Zones, all Surfaces
Files generated by other means will be rearranged
 CANNOT read IMF files (see EP-Macro)
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IDF Editor
Select object type from class list
Description of
entry, max and min
when applicable
Pull-down list of keywords or
references when applicable
Objects shown here for selected class
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WinEPDraw
Creates dxf drawing
Does not run simulation
*.epderr file reports errors
Run independently
EP-Launch drawing button will run if

dxf file not present

dxf file older than idf
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Summary
EnergyPlus install includes
documentation and example files
Various auxiliary programs can be used
with EnergyPlus when a more
sophisticated interface is not available,
the most important utilities are:

EP-Launch (launches EnergyPlus)

IDF Editor (edits input files for EnergyPlus)
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