Buildings.Utilities.Math

Package Content

Name	Description
BaseClasses	Library with base classes for mathematical functions
Examples	Collection of models that illustrate model use and test models
regNonZeroPower	Power function, regularized near zero, but nonzero value for x=0
SmoothMax	Assert when condition is violated
SmoothMin	Assert when condition is violated
spliceFunction

Buildings.Utilities.Math.regNonZeroPower

Information

Function that approximates y=|x|^n where n>0 so that

• y(0) is not equal to zero.
• dy/dx is bounded and continuous everywhere.

This function replaces y=|x|^n in the interval -delta...+delta by a 4-th order polynomial that has the same function value, first and second derivative at x=+/-delta.

A typical use of this function is to replace the function for the convective heat transfer coefficient for forced or free convection that is of the form h=c * |dT|^n for some constant c and exponent 0 ≤ n ≤ 1. By using this function, the original function that has an infinite derivative near zero and that takes on zero at the origin is replaced by a function with a bounded derivative and a non-zero value at the origin. Physically, the region -delta...+delta may be interpreted as the region where heat conduction dominates convection in the boundary layer.

See the package Examples for the graph.

Inputs

Type	Name	Default	Description
Real	x		Abscissa value
Real	n		Exponent
Real	delta	0.01	Abscissa value where transition occurs

Outputs

Type	Name	Description
Real	y	Function value

Modelica definition

function regNonZeroPower 
  "Power function, regularized near zero, but nonzero value for x=0" 
  annotation(derivative=BaseClasses.der_regNonZeroPower);  
  
 input Real x "Abscissa value";
 input Real n "Exponent";
 input Real delta = 0.01 "Abscissa value where transition occurs";
 output Real y "Function value";
protected 
  Real a1;
  Real a3;
  Real a5;
  Real delta2;
  Real x2;
  Real y_d "=y(delta)";
  Real yP_d "=dy(delta)/dx";
  Real yPP_d "=d^2y(delta)/dx^2";
algorithm 
  if abs(x) > delta then
   y := abs(x)^n;
  else
   delta2 :=delta*delta;
   x2 :=x*x;
   y_d :=delta^n;
   yP_d :=n*delta^(n - 1);
   yPP_d :=n*(n - 1)*delta^(n - 2);
   a1 := -(yP_d/delta - yPP_d)/delta2/8;
   a3 := (yPP_d - 12 * a1 * delta2)/2;
   a5 := (y_d - delta2 * (a3 + delta2 * a1));
   y := a5 + x2 * (a3 + x2 * a1);
   assert(a5>0, "delta is too small for this exponent n");
  end if;
end regNonZeroPower;

Buildings.Utilities.Math.SmoothMax

Information

Once continuously differentiable approximation to the max(.,.) function.

Parameters

Type	Name	Default	Description
Real	deltaX		Width of transition interval

Connectors

Type	Name	Description
input RealInput	u1	Connector of Real input signal 1
input RealInput	u2	Connector of Real input signal 2
output RealOutput	y	Connector of Real output signal

Modelica definition

block SmoothMax "Assert when condition is violated" 
  extends Modelica.Blocks.Interfaces.SI2SO;
  Modelica.Blocks.Interfaces.RealOutput y "Connector of Real output signal";
 parameter Real deltaX "Width of transition interval";
equation 
  y = Buildings.Utilities.Math.spliceFunction(u1, u2, u1-u2, deltaX);
end SmoothMax;

Buildings.Utilities.Math.SmoothMin

Information

Once continuously differentiable approximation to the max(.,.) function.

Parameters

Type	Name	Default	Description
Real	deltaX		Width of transition interval

Connectors

Type	Name	Description
input RealInput	u1	Connector of Real input signal 1
input RealInput	u2	Connector of Real input signal 2
output RealOutput	y	Connector of Real output signal

Modelica definition

block SmoothMin "Assert when condition is violated" 
  extends Modelica.Blocks.Interfaces.SI2SO;
  Modelica.Blocks.Interfaces.RealOutput y "Connector of Real output signal";
 parameter Real deltaX "Width of transition interval";
equation 
  y = Buildings.Utilities.Math.spliceFunction(u1, u2, u2-u1, deltaX);
end SmoothMin;

Buildings.Utilities.Math.spliceFunction

Information

Function to provide a once continuously differentialbe transition between to arguments.

The function is adapted from Modelica.Media.Air.MoistAir.Utilities.spliceFunction and provided here for easier accessability to model developers.

Inputs

Type	Name	Default	Description
Real	pos		Argument of x > 0
Real	neg		Argument of x < 0
Real	x		Independent value
Real	deltax	1	Width of transition interval

Outputs

Type	Name	Description
Real	out	Smoothed value

Modelica definition

function spliceFunction 
  annotation(derivative=BaseClasses.der_spliceFunction);  
    input Real pos "Argument of x > 0";
    input Real neg "Argument of x < 0";
    input Real x "Independent value";
    input Real deltax=1 "Width of transition interval";
    output Real out "Smoothed value";
protected 
    Real scaledX;
    Real scaledX1;
    Real y;
algorithm 
    scaledX1 := x/deltax;
    scaledX := scaledX1*Modelica.Math.asin(1);
    if scaledX1 <= -0.999999999 then
      y := 0;
    elseif scaledX1 >= 0.999999999 then
      y := 1;
    else
      y := (Modelica.Math.tanh(Modelica.Math.tan(scaledX)) + 1)/2;
    end if;
    out := pos*y + (1 - y)*neg;
end spliceFunction;