Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
Get started with the Help page
Ask Your Question
1

Internal surface solar radiation rate calculation

asked 2017-11-11 15:52:08 -0600

Nicola Leoni's avatar

Hi everybody, I'm here to ask you help to solve a problem. I want to know how much solar radiation hits a wall inside my zone. HAve you any suggestion on how modelling the wall and which output variables set? Thank you for your help!

edit retag flag offensive close merge delete

1 Answer

Sort by ยป oldest newest most voted
1

answered 2017-11-12 17:49:24 -0600

First, you want to make sure that you tell EnergyPlus to calculate how beam falls on all interior surfaces of zones. You do this by setting the Solar Distribution input field of the Building object to 'FullInteriorAndExterior' or 'FullInteriorAndExteriorWithReflections' (the second option accounts for reflections off surfaces outside of the zone. Otherwise, EnergyPlus will assume that all beam radiation passing into the zone falls on the interior floor only. For more information, look at some other posts regarding solar distribution here and here.

After doing that, the next step is to tell EnergyPlus to report solar radiation values for the interior wall. Do this by adding an Output:Variable object to your input file that ends with IDF. This should report the output variable for 'Surface Inside Face Solar Radiation Heat Gain Rate' and reference the name of your interior wall surface. For more information, look at some other posts regarding surface output variables here and here.

edit flag offensive delete link more

Your Answer

Please start posting anonymously - your entry will be published after you log in or create a new account.

Add Answer

Training Workshops

Careers

Question Tools

Stats

Asked: 2017-11-11 15:52:08 -0600

Seen: 142 times

Last updated: Nov 12 '17