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Cogeneration unit not turning on in E

Problem

I'm trying use a micro turbine cogeneration unit in E+ to track the service hot water loop in my building, but I cannot get it to turn on.

What I've tried doing

I've basically started by copying some objects from the E+ example HeatRecoveryPlantLoop.idf, namely the Capstone C65 Generator:MicroTurbine and all associated curves, as well as the ElectricLoadCenter:Generators and ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:GENERATORS ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Generators,
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Name
    Capstone C65,            !- Generator 1 Name
    Generator:MicroTurbine,  !- Generator 1 Object Type
    65000,                   !- Generator 1 Rated Electric Power Output {W}
    Always On Discrete,      !- Generator 1 Availability Schedule Name
    ;                        !- Generator 1 Rated Thermal to Electrical Power Ratio


!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:DISTRIBUTION ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution,
    Capstone ELCD,           !- Name
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Generator List Name
    FollowThermal,           !- Generator Operation Scheme Type
    0,                       !- Demand Limit Scheme Purchased Electric Demand Limit {W}
    ,                        !- Track Schedule Name Scheme Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Track Meter Scheme Meter Name
    AlternatingCurrent;      !- Electrical Buss Type

Then I've created a PlantLoop as follows:

Supply side: a pump, and three branches in parallel with one WaterHeater:Mixed, one Generator:MicroTurbine and one bypass
Demand side: a WaterUse:Connections object and a bypass

I've put the Generator:MicroTurbine on the supply side of the PlantLoop according to the I/O reference guide for ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution that says:

The FollowThermal and FollowThermalLimitElectrical schemes are for heat following cogeneration and run the generators to meet the thermal demand. [...] For these schemes, the generator needs to be connected to the supply side of a plant loop and components that request hot water need to be on the demand side of the plant loop.

I've verified that there is a demand on the demand side of my plant loop.

I've added the Generator:MicroTurbineas first in line for the plant equipment operation scheme.

I've tried switching the Generator:MicroTurbine Heat Recovery Water Flow Operating Mode between PlantControl and InternalControl.

I've also hard-sized my loop pump - and made it variable speed - to make sure it's enough to provide the maximum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit as I initially noticed it was autosized to a value below the minimum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit.

I've also tried to remove the WaterHeater:Mixed.

None of the above have managed to get the Generator to come online.

Any ideas?

Cogeneration unit not turning on in E

Problem

I'm trying use a micro turbine cogeneration unit in E+ to track the service hot water loop in my building, but I cannot get it to turn on.

What I've tried doing

I've basically started by copying some objects from the E+ example HeatRecoveryPlantLoop.idf, namely the Capstone C65 Generator:MicroTurbine and all associated curves, as well as the ElectricLoadCenter:Generators and ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:GENERATORS ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Generators,
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Name
    Capstone C65,            !- Generator 1 Name
    Generator:MicroTurbine,  !- Generator 1 Object Type
    65000,                   !- Generator 1 Rated Electric Power Output {W}
    Always On Discrete,      !- Generator 1 Availability Schedule Name
    ;                        !- Generator 1 Rated Thermal to Electrical Power Ratio


!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:DISTRIBUTION ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution,
    Capstone ELCD,           !- Name
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Generator List Name
    FollowThermal,           !- Generator Operation Scheme Type
    0,                       !- Demand Limit Scheme Purchased Electric Demand Limit {W}
    ,                        !- Track Schedule Name Scheme Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Track Meter Scheme Meter Name
    AlternatingCurrent;      !- Electrical Buss Type

Then I've created a PlantLoop as follows:

Supply side: a pump, and three branches in parallel with one WaterHeater:Mixed, one Generator:MicroTurbine and one bypass
Demand side: a WaterUse:Connections object and a bypass

I've put the Generator:MicroTurbine on the supply side of the PlantLoop according to the I/O reference guide for ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution that says:

The FollowThermal and FollowThermalLimitElectrical schemes are for heat following cogeneration and run the generators to meet the thermal demand. [...] For these schemes, the generator needs to be connected to the supply side of a plant loop and components that request hot water need to be on the demand side of the plant loop.

I've verified that there is a demand on the demand side of my plant loop.

I've added the Generator:MicroTurbineas first in line for the plant equipment operation scheme.

I've tried switching the Generator:MicroTurbine Heat Recovery Water Flow Operating Mode between PlantControl and InternalControl.

I've also hard-sized my loop pump - and made it variable speed - to make sure it's enough to provide the maximum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit as I initially noticed it was autosized to a value below the minimum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit.

I've also tried to remove the WaterHeater:Mixed.

None of the above have managed to get the Generator to come online.

Any ideas?

Cogeneration unit not turning on in EEnergyPlus

Problem

I'm trying use a micro turbine cogeneration unit in E+ to track the service hot water loop in my building, but I cannot get it to turn on.

What I've tried doing

I've basically started by copying some objects from the E+ example HeatRecoveryPlantLoop.idf, namely the Capstone C65 Generator:MicroTurbine and all associated curves, as well as the ElectricLoadCenter:Generators and ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:GENERATORS ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Generators,
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Name
    Capstone C65,            !- Generator 1 Name
    Generator:MicroTurbine,  !- Generator 1 Object Type
    65000,                   !- Generator 1 Rated Electric Power Output {W}
    Always On Discrete,      !- Generator 1 Availability Schedule Name
    ;                        !- Generator 1 Rated Thermal to Electrical Power Ratio


!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: ELECTRICLOADCENTER:DISTRIBUTION ===========

ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution,
    Capstone ELCD,           !- Name
    Capstone C65 Generator,  !- Generator List Name
    FollowThermal,           !- Generator Operation Scheme Type
    0,                       !- Demand Limit Scheme Purchased Electric Demand Limit {W}
    ,                        !- Track Schedule Name Scheme Schedule Name
    ,                        !- Track Meter Scheme Meter Name
    AlternatingCurrent;      !- Electrical Buss Type

Then I've created a PlantLoop as follows:

Supply side: a pump, and three branches in parallel with one WaterHeater:Mixed, one Generator:MicroTurbine and one bypass
Demand side: a WaterUse:Connections object and a bypass

I've put the Generator:MicroTurbine on the supply side of the PlantLoop according to the I/O reference guide for ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution that says:

The FollowThermal and FollowThermalLimitElectrical schemes are for heat following cogeneration and run the generators to meet the thermal demand. [...] For these schemes, the generator needs to be connected to the supply side of a plant loop and components that request hot water need to be on the demand side of the plant loop.

I've verified that there is a demand on the demand side of my plant loop.

I've added the Generator:MicroTurbineas first in line for the plant equipment operation scheme.

I've tried switching the Generator:MicroTurbine Heat Recovery Water Flow Operating Mode between PlantControl and InternalControl.

I've also hard-sized my loop pump - and made it variable speed - to make sure it's enough to provide the maximum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit as I initially noticed it was autosized to a value below the minimum heat recovery water flow rate of the cogen unit.

I've also tried to remove the WaterHeater:Mixed.

None of the above have managed to get the Generator to come online.

Any ideas?

Update

Here is the IDF File

Revision history [back]

Cogeneration unit not turning on in E

Problem

What I've tried doing

Cogeneration unit not turning on in E

Problem

What I've tried doing

Cogeneration unit not turning on in EEnergyPlus

Problem

What I've tried doing

Update