Simple plant engineering
The generation and transfer of heat and cold as well as mechanical ventilation can be set here. This view is visible if the plant acquisition is set to "Simplified mode" in the project options. In this case the system is not simulated, but only the reaction of the building to the available system capacity is simulated. This can be used, for example, to determine how the building will behave when the plant capacity is limited.
Overview
All plant values relevant for the simulation are displayed here and can be edited directly in the table. The view can be changed between the rooms and the usage zones. With the right mouse button or by using the corresponding buttons, heat or cold output or ventilation can be changed for the marked rooms or zones.
Limitation of the plant output
The power of a central heat/cold generator is specified. If a higher demand occurs in the simulation, the limited capacity is distributed to the rooms according to their demand. For this purpose, the demand for unlimited plant capacity is first determined every hour in order to maintain the setpoint values. The limited available plant capacity is then distributed to the rooms according to their demand.
Heat/cold output
The heat or cold output in the individual rooms can be additionally limited. For this purpose, either the maximum output can be entered directly in the table or a wizard can be called up by clicking on the "New heat output" button or right-clicking. The heat output is differentiated between
- unlimited: any heating power can be introduced into the room
- Floor heating: the area of the floor heating is given either as a percentage of the floor area, as an absolute value for each marked room, or as a total area, which is then distributed among the rooms according to their floor area. With the power per surface area, the power is then given as the power that applies at the given flow temperature and a room temperature of 20°C. At a higher room temperature, correspondingly less heat can be emitted (the room cannot be heated up to the supply temperature).
- Radiator: Here either the power per room area or an absolute value per room or in total. Otherwise, the same behaviour applies as for underfloor heating.
- Decentralized heater: Here heat is emitted independently of the room temperature up to the maximum output, which can be entered again either area-related or absolute
- None: The room cannot be heated.
Heat is emitted in the rooms partly by radiation to the components and partly by direct heating of the air. This convective part has a direct effect in the room and the radiating part has a delayed effect. A radiator should have a higher convective component than underfloor heating.
The procedure is the same for cooling. The reference room temperature here is 25°C instead of 20°C. The floor heating corresponds to the cooling ceiling, the radiator to the cooling convector. The cooling temperature also determines the condensation of air humidity and thus the latent cooling load.
When cooling ceilings are selected, the supply temperature can be adjusted to a temperature above the dew point. This automatically raises the supply temperature to prevent condensation from forming on the chilled ceiling. The value is preset to 2° C above the dew point, but can be adjusted.
Ventilation system
The ventilation system defined here can, on the one hand, supply the rooms with a certain outside air flow that is constant throughout the year. Variable ventilation (through infiltration, windows) can be set in the usage profiles. The system volume flow can be changed either directly in the table or via the wizard (button "New ventilation" or right click) for the marked rooms. Here you can choose between an air exchange rate (rate times room volume gives the volume flow), an air flow that is the same for each room, or a total flow that is divided among the rooms according to their volume. There is also the possibility of heat recovery, which reduces the thermal loads accordingly.
On the other hand, the ventilation system can also actively heat or cool. This is based on circulating air so that the outside air flow does not increase. This function is only activated during the simulation if the normal heating or cooling is not sufficient to bring the room up to the setpoint. In this case, supply air is let in at the specified temperature up to the maximum air flow. This can be defined analogous to the outdoor air flow. Heating and cooling by the ventilation system is shown separately in the results. The heat losses or gains through normal mechanical ventilation are added to those of free ventilation.
Plant wizard
In the system wizard, the settings for the entire building can be made ("Wizard" button). This overwrites the room-specific settings.