Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
 | 1 | initial version |
The maximum slat width error can be resolved by editing the .IDD file. Apparently the IDD file is no longer read at runtime for newer versions of EnergyPlus so with these versions you need to recompile EP after editing the .IDD (see)
I found that EnergyPlus 8.8 has the slat angle bug solved and it also still allows you to edit the .IDD without compiling so I continued with this version.
Although everything simulates without errors now I have some doubts about the results. I tested the vertical blinds, 127 cm wide and positioned at a static 45 degrees using both the Equivalent layer approach (Red: ASHWAT in graph) and the WindowMaterial:Blind (Blue:Winkelman in graph) approach.
Transmitted solar radiation is consistent for both models but the equivalent layer approach gives extremely low indoor surface temperatures, no radiative exchange and very high convective exchange.
These links contain the two IDF's I used for this comparison:
