How to create a Pressure-Controlled Zone for virtual BlowerDoor Test
Hello, I am trying to do a virtual blower door test, to compare its results with my measured results and validate my model. I have seen a couple of questions here about this but none were answered. I need to create a 50Pa underpressure in a zone, relative to the outdoor pressure, and determine the exhaust fan's flow rate needed to achieve it. I read in the EnergyPlus Input/Output Reference that this should be possible using the AirflowNetwork:ZoneControl:PressureController object. For this:
- I created my zone, set up an Airflow Network, and defined the Crack template for the air infiltration through each surface.
- I added a AirflowNetwork:MultiZone:Component:ZoneExhaustFan object in this zone.
- I defined the AirflowNetwork:ZoneControl:PressureController object, along with its availability and setpoint schedules (set at -50Pa). I defined the PressureController as shown in the Input/Output Reference: https://energyplus.net/assets/nrel_cu... (p.1198-1199)
The problem is that, when I run the simulation and check the resulting zone pressure and zone exhaust fan flow rate, they appear to be unaffected by the Pressure Controller object. I do not get any errors/warnings regarding the functioning of the PressureController or the AFN, but the Zone Pressure is not equal to -50Pa (it is still highly variable and barely reaches -18Pa at some individual peaks).
I would really appreciate some feedback on why this PressureController object might not be working as it is supposed to (did I forget something? did I do something wrong?) or any suggestion about how I could achieve a controlled -50Pa underpressure in a zone. Thank you!
