TRNSYSlite Brochure

TRNSYSlite TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbH 1TRNSYSlite User interface for an easy, quick and reliable simulation of a singlebuilding zone1. What is TRNSYSlite for?In the planning process and evaluation of innovative energy concepts simulation of buildingsand systems gets more and more important. With the internationally well-known softwarepackage TRNSYS 16 dynamic building and system simulations with very high complexity canbe accomplished. However due to the modular structure and the high flexibility of TRNSYS16 simple building simulations with only one zone, like e.g. in the competition consultation orin the concept design phase of buildings, were so far relatively complex.In order to speed up the performance of such simple building simulations significantly, thenew TRNSYSlite for TRNSYS 16 was developed. TRNSYSlite is a very useful tool for bothexperts and beginners. The main characteristics of TRNSYSlite are:• Reduction of the required input using standard values entered in a single interface data• Clear input documentation• Automatic creation of output files and diagrams for temperatures and heat flows• Simple creation and management of concept variations• Project files can be imported to TRNSYS 16 for further simulationsTRNSYSlite is also an effective tool for teaching. With TRNSYSlite, engineering andarchitecture students can study the thermal behaviour of building designs at an early stage.At the same time, they can experience integral planning processes firsthand.Note:TRNSYSlite is an add-on to the TRNSYS package for TRNSYS users. It isn’t a stand-alonetool.TRNSYSlite TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbH 22. FeaturesThe current version of TRNSYSlite is a 32-bit application for TRNSYS 16. The followingfeatures are included:• Definition of a thermal zone with any amount of walls/windows• construction catalogue with common pre-defined components• library of common glazing systems• a thermally-active building element (TAB), such as concrete core heating/cooling or slabheating/cooling• outdoor or indoor shading devices• integral shading (overhang, wing wall)• thermal loads• air heating• various strategies for air cooling• Intelligent control strategies• Movable shading and artificial lighting control depending on solar radiation• Demand based control of the air heating period and the heating / cooling period of thethermo-activate element• Natural stack ventilation• Comfort evaluation acc. to EN ISO 7730• Clear input documentation• Meteorological data library of cooling load zones defined by VDI 2078 for the calculationof a two-week extreme period• simulation with userdefined meteorological data• Management of concept variations• Automatic graphic output of temperature and heat flow diagrams• Temperature, loads and comfort statistics• Student version (for universities only)• English and German versionNote:TRNSYSlite is a user interface for a licensed TRNSYS 16 package. The simulation engineTRNSYS 16 is not included with TRNSYSliteTRNSYSlite TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbH 33. Input of a building simulation with TRNSYSliteWith TRNSYSlite a user friendly input interface is available, which gives assistance byappropriate references, default values and value ranges. Depending upon type of use of theobject (living or office building) default value schedules for the internal heat loads aresuggested automatically. Those schedules of course can be changed if the user has moreexact information about heat loads. For the building management data can be defined forheating, ventilation, cooling and shading (see fig. 1). The variable sun protection device cancontrolled the ambient temperature or the radiation on the facade.Fig. 1 - Main input mask of TRNSYSliteA integrated building construction catalog of approximately sixty selected wall constructionsmakes it easy to define a new building. The complex input of a wall with different layers isreduced to the selection of a suitable type of construction and the input of the desiredinsulation thickness. The construction catalog is documented in detail in the manual.Beside normal constructions also a so-called Thermal Active Building element (short TAB)can be selected in TRNSYSlite (see fig. 2). For ceiling, roof and internal slab a thermoactivelayer can be defined (the pipe system is situated in the middle of the concrete layer). Forfloors the setting of a floor heating is possible. (the pipe system is bedded on a insulationlayer). The definition of the TAB parameters is kept simple.TRNSYSlite TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbH 4Fig. 2 - Input of a thermal active building element in TRNSYSliteTRNSYSlite TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbH 5The building operation like heating, cooling, ventilation, infiltration and shading is defined byuser-friendly interfaces. Depending on the object (office or housing) standard values forinternal loads are proposed. Of course, these standard values can be modified by the user.Fig. 3 – user defined input for internal loadsFor movable shading different control strategies depending on radiation or temperature canbe applied for each facade orientation.In addition, TRNSYSlite performs a comfort evaluation according to EN ISO 7730.For checking the input and getting an overview over the input data a printable inputdocumentation is available.The behaviour of a building during a hot summer period simulations can be simulatedaccording to the German VDI 2078. A yearly simulation can be accomplished for an arbitrarylocation. Used meteorological data files require a special header. A description of the dataformat of the header is given in the manual.Automatically, TRNSYSlite generates all files required for the simulation and starts thesimulation with TRNSYS.TRNSYSlite TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbH 64. Variants with TRNSYSliteBuilding simulation mostly is used to optimise thermal comfort andenergy demand of a buildings. Therefor variants have to becomputed, whose pro and cons in all aspects must be taken intoaccount. In TRNSYSlite a variant administration is contained,which makes it very easy to examine several variants within aproject. Variant can be made very fast and simply by copying anexisting variant. For checking and documenting all entered data aclear printable input documentation is available.Fig. 4 - Variant administration in TRNSYSlite5. Results of TRNSYSliteDuring the simulation all outputs can be looked at in a online window. Additionally the resultsare printed into a ASCII-file.An additional graphic program called TRNGRAPH is included in the TRNSYSlite package.This program is very useful for visualisation of the results and for the comparison ofvariants and. It allows to create all kind of statistics. Beside others, the following results areavailable:• Outside temperature• air temperature of the room• Operative room temperature• Inlet temperature of TAB• Return temperature of TAB• Core temperature of TAB• Surface temperature of TAB·• Specific radiation data fordifferent orientations• Losses / gain due to ventilation• Heating energy demand• Convective cooling power (latent/sensible)• Energy demand TAB system (cooling/heating)• Internal convective gains• Internal radiative gains·• Transmitted solar radiation by all windows• Comfort evaluation (PMV,PPD)TRNSYSlite TRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbH 7Fig 5 – Temperature plot online during the simulation6. Link between TRNSYSlite and TRNSYS 16 TRNSYSlite generates the project files Bui and DCK needed for TRNSYS simulations.Therefore, it is easily possible to carry out a simple simulation with TRNSYSlite and thencontinue with TRNSYS as things get more complex.7. SummaryTRNSYSlite is an interface for TRNSYS 16 which allows the user to make fast and easydynamic simulations of a thermal zone. TRNSYSlite is not only a great enhancement forbeginners in building simulations, but represents also an enormous assistance for expertsduring the variant formation and concept design phase. TRNSYSlite is developed byTRANSSOLAR. Further information about how to order TRNSYSlite as well as a demoversion are available under http://www.trnsys.de. Please, do not hesitate to contact usTRANSSOLAR Energietechnik GmbHCuriestraße 2D-70563 StuttgartTel.: +49/711/ 679 76 - 0Fax: +49/ 711 / 67976 - 11e-mail: hotline@transsolar.comhttp://www.transsolar.com