Buildings.UsersGuide

User's Guide

Information

The Buildings library is a free open-source library for modeling of building energy and control systems. Many models are based on models from the package Modelica.Fluid and use the same ports to ensure compatibility with models from that library.

The web page for this library is http://simulationresearch.lbl.gov/modelica. We welcome contributions from different users to further advance this library, whether it is through collaborative model development, through model use and testing or through requirements definition or by providing feedback regarding the model applicability to solve specific problems.

The library has the following User's Guides:

1. General information about the use of the Buildings library is available at http://simulationresearch.lbl.gov/modelica/userGuide. This web site covers general information that is not specific to the use of individual sublibraries or models. Discussed topics include how to get started, best practices, how to post-process results using Python, work-around for problems and how to develop models.
   
2. Some of the main sublibraries have their own User's Guides that can be accessed by the links below. These User's Guides are discussing items that are specific to the individual libraries.
   

   Airflow.Multizone	Package for multizone airflow and contaminant transport.
   BoundaryConditions	Package for computing boundary conditions, such as solar irradiation.
   Fluid	Package for one-dimensional fluid in piping networks with heat exchangers, valves, etc.
   Fluid.Actuators	Package with valves and air dampers.
   Fluid.HeatExchangers.DXCoils	Package with direct evaporative cooling coils.
   Fluid.Movers	Package with fans and pumps.
   Fluid.Sensors	Package with sensors.
   Fluid.Storage	Package with storage tanks and an expansion vessel.
   Fluid.SolarCollectors	Package with solar collectors.
   Fluid.Interfaces	Base models that can be used by developers to implement new models.
   HeatTransfer	Package for heat transfer in building constructions.
   Rooms	Package for heat transfer in rooms and through the building envelope.
   Utilities.IO.Python27	Package to call Python functions from Modelica.

   
   
3. There is also a tutorial available at Buildings.Examples.Tutorial. The tutorial contains step by step instructions for how to build system models.

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Package Content

Name	Description
Conventions	Conventions
ReleaseNotes	Release notes
Contact	Contact
Acknowledgements	Acknowledgements
License	Modelica License 2
Copyright	Copyright

Buildings.UsersGuide.Conventions

Conventions

Information

This library follows the conventions of the Modelica Standard Library, which are as follows:

Note, in the html documentation of any Modelica library, the headings "h1, h2, h3" should not be used, because they are utilized from the automatically generated documentation and headings. Additional headings in the html documentation should start with "h4".

In the Modelica package the following conventions are used:

1. Class and instance names are written in upper and lower case letters, e.g., "ElectricCurrent". An underscore is only used at the end of a name to characterize a lower or upper index, e.g., "pin_a".
2. Class names start always with an upper case letter.
3. Instance names, i.e., names of component instances and of variables (with the exception of constants), start usually with a lower case letter with only a few exceptions if this is common sense (such as "T" for a temperature variable).
4. Constant names, i.e., names of variables declared with the "constant" prefix, follow the usual naming conventions (= upper and lower case letters) and start usually with an upper case letter, e.g. UniformGravity, SteadyState.
5. The two connectors of a domain that have identical declarations and different icons are usually distinguished by "_a", "_b" or "_p", "_n", e.g., Flange_a/Flange_b, HeatPort_a, HeatPort_b.
6. The instance name of a component is always displayed in its icon (= text string "%name") in blue color. A connector class has the instance name definition in the diagram layer and not in the icon layer. Parameter values, e.g., resistance, mass, gear ratio, are displayed in the icon in black color in a smaller font size as the instance name.
7. A main package has usually the following subpackages:
   • UsersGuide containing an overall description of the library and how to use it.
   • Examples containing models demonstrating the usage of the library.
   • Interfaces containing connectors and partial models.
   • Types containing type, enumeration and choice definitions.

The Buildings library uses the following conventions in addition to the ones of the Modelica Standard Library:

1. The nomenclature used in the package Buildings.Utilities.Psychrometrics is as follows,
   • Uppercase X denotes mass fraction per total mass.
   • Lowercase x denotes mass fraction per mass of dry air.
   • The notation z_xy denotes that the function or block has output z and inputs x and y.
   • The symbol pW denotes water vapor pressure, TDewPoi denotes dew point temperature, TWetBul denotes wet bulb temperature, and TDryBul (or simply T) denotes dry bulb temperature.
2. Names of models, blocks and packages should start with an upper-case letter and be a noun or a noun with a combination of adjectives and nouns. Use camel-case notation to combine multiple words, such as HeatTransfer.
3. Parameter and variables names are usually a character, such as T for temperature and p for pressure, or a combination of the first three characters of a word, such as higPreSetPoi for high pressure set point.
4. Comments should be added to each class (package, model, function etc.). The first character should be upper case. For one-line comments of parameters, variables and classes, no period should be used at the end of the comment.
5. Where applicable, all variable must have units, also if the variable is protected.
6. To indicate that a class (i.e., a package, model, block etc.) has not been extensively tested or validated, its class name ends with the string Beta.

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Buildings.UsersGuide.Contact

Contact

Information

Contact

The development of the Buildings library is organized by
Michael Wetter
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)
One Cyclotron Road
Bldg. 90-3147
Berkeley, CA 94720
USA
email: MWetter@lbl.gov

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Buildings.UsersGuide.Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

Information

Acknowledgements

The development of this library 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, and
• by the California Energy Commission, Public Interest Energy Research Program, Buildings End Use Energy Efficiency Program, award number 500-10-052.

The package for multizone airflow modeling and the model for thermal comfort was contributed by the United Technologies Research Center, which also contributed to the validation of the room heat transfer model.

We thank Dietmar Winkler from Telemark University College for the various feedback that helped improve the organization and structure of the library.

The following people have directly contributed to the implementation of the Buildings library (many others have contributed by other means than model implementation):

• Marco Bonvini, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
• Rainer Czetina, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Austria
• Sebastian Giglmayr, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Austria
• Peter Grant, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
• Brandon M. Hencey, Cornell University, USA
• Roman Ilk, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Austria
• Thierry S. Nouidui, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
• Markus Nurschinger, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Austria
• Xiufeng Pang, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
• Damien Picard, KU Leuven, Belgium
• Kaustubh Phalak, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
• Martin Sjölund, Linköping University, Sweden
• Armin Teskeredzic, Mechanical Engineering Faculty Sarajevo and GIZ, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Rafael Velazquez, University of Seville, Spain
• Pierre Vigouroux, Institut National des Sciences Appliquees, France
• Sebastian Vock, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Austria
• Vladimir Vukovic, Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria
• Michael Wetter, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
• Wangda Zuo, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

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Buildings.UsersGuide.License

Modelica License 2

Information

The Modelica License 2

Preamble. The goal of this license is that Modelica related model libraries, software, images, documents, data files etc. can be used freely in the original or a modified form, in open source and in commercial environments (as long as the license conditions below are fulfilled, in particular sections 2c) and 2d). The Original Work is provided free of charge and the use is completely at your own risk. Developers of free Modelica packages are encouraged to utilize this license for their work.

The Modelica License applies to any Original Work that contains the following licensing notice adjacent to the copyright notice(s) for this Original Work:

Note. This is the standard Modelica License 2, except for the following changes: the parenthetical in paragraph 7., paragraph 5., and the addition of paragraph 15.d).

Licensed by The Regents of the University of California, through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under the Modelica License 2

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How to Apply the Modelica License 2

At the top level of your Modelica package and at every important subpackage, add the following notices in the info layer of the package:

• Licensed by The Regents of the University of California, through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under the Modelica License 2 Copyright (c) 2009-2013, The Regents of the University of California, through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
• This Modelica package is free software and the use is completely at your own risk; it can be redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the Modelica license 2, see the license conditions (including the disclaimer of warranty) here or at http://www.modelica.org/modelica-legal-documents/ModelicaLicense2.html.

Include a copy of the Modelica License 2 under <library>.UsersGuide.ModelicaLicense2 (use http://www.modelica.org/modelica-legal-documents/ModelicaLicense2.mo) Furthermore, add the list of authors and contributors under <library>.UsersGuide.Contributors or <library>.UsersGuide.Contact

For example, sublibrary Modelica.Blocks of the Modelica Standard Library may have the following notices:

• Licensed by Modelica Association under the Modelica License 2 Copyright (c) 1998-2008, Modelica Association.
• This Modelica package is free software and the use is completely at your own risk; it can be redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the Modelica license 2, see the license conditions (including the disclaimer of warranty) here or at http://www.modelica.org/modelica-legal-documents/ModelicaLicense2.html.

For C-source code and documents, add similar notices in the corresponding file.

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In these cases, save a copy of the Modelica License 2 in one directory of the distribution, e.g., http://www.modelica.org/modelica-legal-documents/ModelicaLicense2-standalone.html in directory <library>/help/documentation/ModelicaLicense2.html.

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Buildings.UsersGuide.Copyright

Copyright

Information

Copyright

Copyright (c) 2009-2013, The Regents of the University of California, through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (subject to receipt of any required approvals from the U.S. Dept. of Energy). All rights reserved.

If you have questions about your rights to use or distribute this software, please contact Berkeley Lab's Technology Transfer Department at TTD@lbl.gov

NOTICE. This software was developed under partial funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. As such, the U.S. Government has been granted for itself and others acting on its behalf a paid-up, nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license in the Software to reproduce, prepare derivative works, and perform publicly and display publicly. Beginning five (5) years after the date permission to assert copyright is obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy, and subject to any subsequent five (5) year renewals, the U.S. Government is granted for itself and others acting on its behalf a paid-up, nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license in the Software to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, perform publicly and display publicly, and to permit others to do so.

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