Scale models and CFD for the analysis of air flow in passively ventilated buildings

A new bioclimatic building concept based on solardriven ventilation is analysed through the use of physical and numerical modelling. Measurements are conducted for a 1/12th laboratory scale model designed to replicate the full-scale prototype and its microclimate. Predictions are obtained by employing advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques, and the experimental results provide the benchmarking required in the development of the numerical model, which may offer a viable alternative to expensive and hard to set full-scale tests.

The generalised system solution classes in the EKS envorinment

Me Energy Kernel System (EKS) is an energy simulation environment that facilitates the creation, validation and maintenance of simulation programs using the object-oriented programming (OOP) paradigm. Ibis paper introduces the particular aspect of the EKS development concerning the fundamental issues of system representation; that is, the theory encapsulation and system solution which constitute the implementation of the generalised solver classes in the object-oriented environment.

The Development and Support of Public domain Simulation Software

The transient simulation program TRNSYS was originally developed to aid in the study of solar energy systems. It was first made public in 1975 when Version 6.0 wag released. Since then it has undergone continual development, and a series of versions have been documented, released, and supported. The current version, 13.1, was released in October, 1990, and is available in mainframe, IBM PC and Macintosh formats.

The Design Reference Year

Design Reference Years are used as climatic input data for computer calculations-simulations - mainly of solar energy systems, and of building energy consumption, energy conservation, indoor climate and comfort. They can be seen as a new generation of such data collections already known as Test Reference Years in Europe or Typical Meteorological Year or WYEC in US.

The Application of Building Performance Assessment tools in Professional Practice

The Energy Simulation Research Unit of the University of Strathclyde has recently undertaken a major effort to support the application of building performance assessment tools within architectural and engineering practices, universities and research groups around the UK. This has taken the form of a support service, funded by ETSU of the Department of Energy, to assist members of their Passive Solar Programme who are using the ESP suite of thermal simulation tools.

The almeth project zoom code: results and perspectives

The TEF (Transfer Evolution Formalism) and the ZOOM software (Zone Organized Optimal Modelling) have been developped in order to give a flexible framework for physics oriented modelling. Their construction is based on a clear statement of the necessary partition ning/interfacing process, which leads to the definitions of the two classes of simulation objects : cells (elementary physical systems) and transfers (interfacing cells). This structure is the basis for system nesting and coupling analysis implementation.

Study on optomal start/stop operation of hydronic heating systems

The study is focussed on the sensibility of optimal start/stop control of hydronic heating systems on boiler and radiator sizing, supply temperature lift, and the building occupancy pattern. For the prediction of optimal start/stop times the recursive least squares method and the gradient method are evaluated. Computer simulation is applied on the example of an office building equipped with an hydronic heating system.

Simulation of thermal coupling between a radiator and a room with zonal models

Zonal models are a promising way to predict air movement in a room with respect to comfort conditions and gradient of temperature because they require extremely low computer time and may be therefore rather easily included in multizone air movement models. The main objective of this paper is to study the arbility of the zonal models to predict the thermal behaviour of air in case of natural convection coupled with a radiator. First, we present two zonal models available in the literature.

Simulation of the Emergency Evacuation of Complex Buildings Using ISI

Evacuation is a vitally important component of emergency management. Effective evacuation planning and evacuation management can be the difference between safety and tragedy in an emergency situation. However, in an emergency evacuation of any large complex building, there is a tendency for serious congestion of evacuees to occur in some areas even while other nearby exit areas are experiencing relatively light usage. The consequences are very serious, involving a direct threat to public safety, and adding to the likelihood of the onset of panic amongst evacuees.

Simulation of processes in building as a factor in the object representation of built environments

This paper explores the implications of object oriented representation of buildings in the simulation of dynamic processes in architectural environments. Two main groups of objects are represented in such simulations: architectural objects, and active agents that drive the events in a simulation. To accommodate the data needs of a wide range of simulations and expert systems, architectural objects must be represented as a single data model. on the other hand, active agents are usually application specific, i.e. they are only used in a specific simulation.

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