Building Controls Virtual Test Bed

ImageLink(ptolemyEPlusSimuMac.png, , width=500) BR LinksBR [:Applications:Simple application] for illustration BR [:Implementation:Implementation] BR [:GettingStarted:Getting started] BR [:Development:Development] BR [:Help:Help]

This wiki describes the specification and the implementation of the Building Controls Virtual Test Bed (BCVTB). The BCVTB is a software that allows expert users to couple different simulation programs for distributed simulation. For example, the BCVTB allows to simulate a building and HVAC system in EnergyPlus and the control logic in MATLAB/Simulink, while exchanging data between the software as they simulate. The BCVTB is based on the [http://ptolemy.berkeley.edu/ptolemyII/index.htm Ptolemy II] software environment. The BCVTB is still under development and aimed at expert users of simulation. Due to the different programs that may be involved in distributed simulation, familiarity with compiling and configuring programs is essential.

Programs that are currently linked to the BCVTB are [http://www.energyplus.gov EnergyPlus], [http://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab MATLAB], [http://www.mathworks.com/products/simulink/ Simulink] and the [http://www.modelica.org Modelica] modeling and simulation environment [http://www.dynasim.se Dymola]. Links to a [http://www.bacnet.org/ BACnet] compliant Building Automation System (BAS) and to digital/analog converters are planned as a future addition. In addition to using programs that are coupled to Ptolemy II, Ptolemy II's graphical modeling environment can also be used to define system models for physical devices, communication systems or for post processing and real-time visualization. This coupling middleware allows to extend EnergyPlus' capabilities for controls simulation and for system simulation.

Typical applications include:

Examples are provided with the BCVTB that show how to do distributed simulation. In the examples, we linked the following programs to the BCVTB:

The C and Fortran 90 simulation program are provided to show developers how to couple a new program to the BCVTB. Such a coupling can be done by calling two C functions that are provided as part of the BCVTB need to be called. The BCVTB also contains examples that show how control models can be implemented directly in Ptolemy II using Ptolemy II's graphical model editor. The control examples include a heterogeneous system consisting of a discrete time controller with a Finite State Machine.

The coupling of Modelica allows using EnergyPlus for modeling the building heat flow and daylight availability and using Modelica to model innovative building energy and control systems based on the library that is currently in development at https://gaia.lbl.gov/bir. This will allow advanced users to

We will also couple a BACnet compliant Building Automation System to the BCVTB. This will allow testing supervisory control sequences using an EnergyPlus model to assess the energy and comfort performance of different supervisory control algorithms. It will also allow formal verification of control sequences before deployment to a building.

Contact

[:MichaelWetter:Michael Wetter] and Philip HavesBR Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBR [http://btech.lbl.gov Building Technologies Department]BR {MWetter,PHaves}@lbl.gov

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Building Technologies of the U.S. Department of Energy, under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

We would also like to thank