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EMS actuator for Slat angle

asked 2020-05-18 16:33:40 -0500

shifty21's avatar

updated 2020-05-18 18:43:33 -0500

Hi everyone, I am trying to control the Slat angle based on the actuator available as per the application guide.

I am able to control shading type to blinds on or off, but I am not able to control the slat angle via actuator.

EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator,
Window1_Shading_Deploy_Status,  !- Name
Sub Surface 1,           !- Actuated Component Unique Name
Window Shading Control,  !- Actuated Component Type
Control Status;          !- Actuated Component Control Type 
EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator,
Window1_slat_angle,  !- Name
Sub Surface 1,           !- Actuated Component Unique Name
Slat Angle Control,  !- Actuated Component Type
Slat Angle;          !- Actuated Component Control Type

Sub Surface 1 is a window, I am unable to find the actuated component type for slat angle, as per the application guide slat angle can be controlled.

Any help appreciated. Google drive link for IDF, EDD and error file

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answered 2020-05-18 18:02:46 -0500

updated 2020-05-19 09:29:33 -0500

You want to replace Slat Angle Control with Window Shading Control in your second actuator (see below).

EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator,
  Window1_slat_angle,  !- Name
  Sub Surface 1,           !- Actuated Component Unique Name
  Window Shading Control,  !- Actuated Component Type
  Slat Angle;          !- Actuated Component Control Type

You can think of "Window Shading Control" as one category of actuators. Within that category, there are two control types -- Control Status or Slat Angle. You're right that the documentation isn't great at explaining that, so what you can do is generate the EMS Data Dictionary (EDD) output file with detailed actuators options for your input file. This is done by adding an Output:EnergyManagementSystem object to your input file and setting the first input field for Actuator Availability Dictionary Reporting to "Verbose". Save your input file, run a simulation, and EnergyPlus will generate the EDD output file for you to review actuator options.

UPDATE: Adding more information about the EDD output file and specific solution to this problem

The Output:EnergyManagementSystem object has three input fields that each tell EnergyPlus how much information to generate in the EDD output file. The first input field is about EMS Actuators, but the two other input fields also relate to EMS Internal Variables and EMS Programs. From these three input fields, the EDD output file will have three sections (one related to each input field). The section related to EMS actuators begins with the following comment line:

! <EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator Available>, Component Unique Name, Component Type,  Control Type, Units

Everything between this line (line #30 in the EDD file you shared) and the next similar comment line for internal variables is a potential actuator you can use. Searching for "slat" doesn't appear anywhere in this EDD file, which means that the Slat Angle actuator isn't available. This is weird, since it appears that you have set up everything correctly for the blind and window shading control. After some testing, I discovered that changing your window shading control's Type of Slat Angle Control input field from FixedSlatAngle to ScheduledSlatAngle (and then setting a schedule in the following input field) fixed the problem (updated input fields start with "*" below).

WindowShadingControl,
  Shading Control 1,       !- Name
  Thermal Zone 1,          !- Zone Name
  1,                       !- Shading Control Sequence Number
  ExteriorBlind,           !- Shading Type
  ,                        !- Construction with Shading Name
  AlwaysOn,                !- Shading Control Type
  Office Activity,         !- Schedule Name
  350,                     !- Setpoint {W/m2, W or deg C}
  Yes,                     !- Shading Control Is Scheduled
  No,                      !- Glare Control Is Active
  Window Material Blind 1, !- Shading Device Material Name
*      ScheduledSlatAngle,          !- Type of Slat Angle Control for Blinds
*      Always Off Discrete,                        !- Slat Angle Schedule Name
  ,                        !- Setpoint 2 {W/m2 or deg C}
  ,                        !- Daylighting Control Object Name
  Group,                   !- Multiple Surface Control Type
  Sub Surface 1,           !- Fenestration Surface 1 Name
  Sub Surface 2;           !- Fenestration Surface 2 Name

This is likely an issue with the EMS Application documentation (it should say "this slat angle EMS actuator only works for ScheduleSlatAngle control of blinds), but it could be a bug in EnergyPlus if the developers expected the actuator to ... (more)

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Thanks for the quick response, I started with that only but that gave me this error :

* Severe * Invalid Actuated Component Control Type =SLAT ANGLE * ~~~ * Entered in EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator=WINDOW1_SLAT_ANGLE * ~~~ * Control Type not found

I did actually add the Output:EnergyManagementSystem Object in verbose mode, that doesn't help either. I have uploaded the IDF file in google drive if that helps.

shifty21's avatar shifty21  ( 2020-05-18 18:10:02 -0500 )edit

Hmm, your IDF looks correct. If you search for "Slat" in the EDD you should find the appropriate option for the last "control type" actuator input field. Or provide a link to the EDD file like you did for the IDF.

Aaron Boranian's avatar Aaron Boranian  ( 2020-05-18 18:39:57 -0500 )edit

Okay, I updated the link to google drive directory. From what I understood from the simulations, Energyplus only generated EDD output if you have working actuators in the IDF file. It seems to form some sort of cyclic dependency for generating that file.

shifty21's avatar shifty21  ( 2020-05-18 18:47:04 -0500 )edit

@shifty21 I've found the solution and updated my answer above. I'll be emailing you shortly with the updated IDF I created.

Aaron Boranian's avatar Aaron Boranian  ( 2020-05-19 09:15:47 -0500 )edit

Thanks a lot for the quick resolution, and yes it would be helpful for others as well if the document reflects the pre-requisite for using Slat Angle control type. My initial thought was that since Slat Angle would work only when blinds exist, I tried changing the component type to different things.

shifty21's avatar shifty21  ( 2020-05-19 09:49:45 -0500 )edit

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Asked: 2020-05-18 16:33:40 -0500

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Last updated: May 19 '20