Revision history [back]

Hi everyone!

I'm using Energy Plus to simulate a large office building with hybrid ventilation. For this, I'm using the object Availability Manager: Hybrid Ventilation. For modelling natural ventialtion I'm using AirFlow Network and my HVAC systems are ASHRAE 90.1 System Type 8 (VAV with parallel fan-powered boxes and reheat).

Before implementing the hybrid system, I've tested the building with natural ventilation only and during most of the occupied periods along the year, the office spaces manage to fulfill ASHRAE 55 adaptive comfort requirements with natural ventilation only (the building is located in the south of Brazil).

However, after mixing natural ventilation and HVAC, I'm getting pretty much the same energy use as before: even though I decrease my cooling energy use (and a small decrease, less than I expected from that previous natural-ventilation-only simulation), I'm getting higher fan energy use and I started to wonder if this is due to constantly turning the fans on and off with the Availability Manager somehow.

I am using control type number 5 for hybrid ventilation ("Operative temperature control using adaptive comfort 80% acceptability limits"). I used the output "Availability Manager Hybrid Ventilation Control Status" and it was set as 1 (natural ventilation allowed) during those periods I had identified as comfortable, so I guess the adaptive comfort criteria is working well.

Now I'm testing control type number 1 to see if I have a better scenario, but I would like to know if there are any settings that I might be missing here.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

I'm using Energy Plus to simulate a large office building with hybrid ventilation. For this, I'm using the object Availability Manager: Hybrid Ventilation. For modelling natural ventialtion I'm using AirFlow Network and my HVAC systems are ASHRAE 90.1 System Type 8 (VAV with parallel fan-powered boxes and reheat).

Before implementing the hybrid system, I've tested the building with natural ventilation only and during most of the occupied periods along the year, the office spaces manage to fulfill ASHRAE 55 adaptive comfort requirements with natural ventilation only (the building is located in the south of Brazil).

However, after mixing natural ventilation and HVAC, I'm getting pretty much the same energy use as before: even though I decrease my cooling energy use (and a small decrease, less than I expected from that previous natural-ventilation-only simulation), I'm getting higher fan energy use and I started to wonder if this is due to constantly turning the fans on and off with the Availability Manager somehow.

I am using control type number 5 for hybrid ventilation ("Operative temperature control using adaptive comfort 80% acceptability limits"). I used the output "Availability Manager Hybrid Ventilation Control Status" and it was set as 1 (natural ventilation allowed) during those periods I had identified as comfortable, so I guess the adaptive comfort criteria is working well.

Now I'm testing control type number 1 to see if I have a better scenario, but I would like to know if there are any settings that I might be missing here.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

I'm using Energy Plus to simulate a large office building with hybrid ventilation. For this, I'm using the object Availability Manager: Hybrid Ventilation. For modelling natural ventialtion I'm using AirFlow Network and my HVAC systems are ASHRAE 90.1 System Type 8 (VAV with parallel fan-powered boxes and reheat).

Before implementing the hybrid system, I've tested the building with natural ventilation only and during most of the occupied periods along the year, the office spaces manage to fulfill ASHRAE 55 adaptive comfort requirements with natural ventilation only (the building is located in the south of Brazil).

However, after mixing natural ventilation and HVAC, I'm getting pretty much the same energy use as before: even though I decrease my cooling energy use (and a small decrease, less than I expected from that previous natural-ventilation-only simulation), I'm getting higher fan energy use and I started to wonder if this is due to constantly turning the fans on and off with the Availability Manager somehow.

I am using control type number 5 for hybrid ventilation ("Operative temperature control using adaptive comfort 80% acceptability limits"). I used the output "Availability Manager Hybrid Ventilation Control Status" and it was set as 1 (natural ventilation allowed) during those periods I had identified as comfortable, so I guess the adaptive comfort criteria is working well.

Now I'm testing I have also tested control type number 1 to see if I have and also got higher fan energy use.

When plotting the control status output for both cases I get something like this, which shows a better scenario, but very unstable change from natural ventialtion to HVAC.

*Blue = 0 (availability manager off, during unoocupied periods, when I only use cycling HVAC), Yellow = 1 (natural ventilation on) and Red = 2 (HVAC on)

I would like to know if there are any settings that I I'm missing and that might be missing here.causing this.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

I'm using Energy Plus to simulate a large office building with hybrid ventilation. For this, I'm using the object Availability Manager: Hybrid Ventilation. For modelling natural ventialtion I'm using AirFlow Network and my HVAC systems are ASHRAE 90.1 System Type 8 (VAV with parallel fan-powered boxes and reheat).

Before implementing the hybrid system, I've tested the building with natural ventilation only and during most of the occupied periods along the year, the office spaces manage to fulfill ASHRAE 55 adaptive comfort requirements with natural ventilation only (the building is located in the south of Brazil).

However, after mixing natural ventilation and HVAC, I'm getting pretty much the same energy use as before: even though I decrease my cooling energy use (and a small decrease, less than I expected from that previous natural-ventilation-only simulation), I'm getting higher fan energy use and I started to wonder if this is due to constantly turning the fans on and off with the Availability Manager somehow.

I am using control type number 5 for hybrid ventilation ("Operative temperature control using adaptive comfort 80% acceptability limits"). I used the output "Availability Manager Hybrid Ventilation Control Status" and it was set as 1 (natural ventilation allowed) during those periods I had identified as comfortable, so I guess the adaptive comfort criteria is working well.

I have also tested control type 1 and also got higher fan energy use.

When plotting the control status output for both cases I get something like this, which shows a very unstable change from natural ventialtion to HVAC.

*Blue = 0 (availability manager off, during unoocupied periods, when I only use cycling HVAC), Yellow = 1 (natural ventilation on) and Red = 2 (HVAC on)

I would like to know if there are any settings that I'm missing and that might be causing this.

Thank you!