Approaches and constraints in the simulation of solar systems

Active and passive solar designs work on the basis of complex interactions of conduction, convection, radiation, mass flows, feedback and control mechanisms which are inherently dynamic and often tightly coupled. Historically the appraisal of such designs has been done in the context of one domain i.e., fabric, plant or flow analysis, with the other facets of the design handled as abstractions with limited interaction with the core domain. An improved approach for multi-domain problems is to allow the user to approach all facets of design at a similar level of detail and to allow analysis at several levels of granularity. This paper will deal with how such a task might be approached within the context of a dynamic simulation tool, what constraints are imposed on the process and the future of simulation in mixed domain design.