First time here? Check out the Help page!

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

OpenStudio model gives different results when running multiple times

asked Sep 3

WeiWu's avatar

updated Sep 3

I created an OSM model using OpenStudio (OpenStudio Application 1.6), but it can give two different results when running multiple times. If updated to OpenStudio Application 1.7, the results change more frequently. Do you know why?

Preview: (hide)

1 Answer

Sort by » oldest newest most voted
2

answered Sep 3

updated Sep 6

I would reckon it is the Energyplus simulation itself that gives different results. If you want to make sure, go to the run/ directory inside your companion directory: * From the Run Tab, you can click the "Show Simulation" button and get right to it. * If your model is /path/to/mymodel.osm, it's at /path/to/mymodel/run/

And run that multiple times with EnergyPlus directly.

Anyways, I would start by looking at the eplusout.err and looking at the warnings carefully, especially the ones that indicate convergence issues or temperature out of bounds.


Edit: After extracting the IDF and running 200 simulations in EnergyPlus directly, I was getting always the same answer. I did the same with openstudio, and I found some discrepancy.

After investigating, the issue is that the Controller:MechanicalVentilation can be different, with respect to the DesignSpecificationOutdoorAir it lists for the "Thermal Zone 2".

image description

Thermal Zone 2 has 5 spaces, all of which are classrom but one which is corridor. And sometimes, the Corridor DSOA is picked, most times it's the classroom one.

['90.1-2010 - PriSchl - Classroom Ventilation 1',
 '90.1-2010 - PriSchl - Classroom Ventilation 1',
 '90.1-2010 - PriSchl - Classroom Ventilation 1',
 'PrimarySchool Corridor Ventilation',
 '90.1-2010 - PriSchl - Classroom Ventilation 1']

This is the same issue as NREL/OpenStudio#4503

To work around it, you should use a specific thermal zone for the corridor.

Preview: (hide)
link

Comments

@WeiWu gave the eplusout.err which I hosted as a gist here

Julien Marrec's avatar Julien Marrec  ( Sep 3 )

@WeiWu please try with a Timestep of 4.

** Warning ** Timestep: Requested number (1) is less than the suggested minimum of 4.
**   ~~~   ** Please see entry for Timestep in Input/Output Reference for discussion of considerations.
Julien Marrec's avatar Julien Marrec  ( Sep 3 )

Refer to the explanation given in the I/O reference guide here

Shorter zone timesteps improve the numerical solution of the Zone Heat Balance Model because they improve how models for surface temperature and zone air temperature are coupled together

Julien Marrec's avatar Julien Marrec  ( Sep 3 )

Thanks for your answer! We tried the OSM model with the timestep of 6, but it still works out with different results. Just now we have sent a email with the OSM model and .err file to your address (unmethours@bigladdersoftware.com), please kindly find it.

You should upload the model to whatever hosting service (Github Gist, Google Drive) and share a link here instead.

I don't know if Big Ladder monitors that address or not, but it's not meant to share models.

Julien Marrec's avatar Julien Marrec  ( Sep 4 )

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: Sep 3

Seen: 612 times

Last updated: Sep 06 '24