Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study

Kim, Dongsu; Cox, Sam J.; Cho, Heejin; Im, Piljae

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.10.049

Title: Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study

Abstract

With increased use of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems in the U.S. building sector, interests in capability and rationality of various building energy modeling tools to simulate VRF systems are rising. This paper presents the detailed procedures for model calibration of a VRF system with a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) by comparing to detailed measured data from an occupancy emulated small office building. The building energy model is first developed based on as-built drawings, and building and system characteristics available. The whole building energy modeling tool used for the study is U.S. DOE’s EnergyPlus version 8.1. The initial model is, then, calibrated with the hourly measured data from the target building and VRF-DOAS system. In a detailed calibration procedures of the VRF-DOAS, the original EnergyPlus source code is modified to enable the modeling of the specific VRF-DOAS installed in the building. After a proper calibration during cooling and heating seasons, the VRF-DOAS model can reasonably predict the performance of the actual VRF-DOAS system based on the criteria from ASHRAE Guideline 14-2014. The calibration results show that hourly CV-RMSE and NMBE would be 15.7% and 3.8%, respectively, which is deemed to be calibrated. As a result, the whole-building energy usagemore »« less

Authors:

Kim, Dongsu ^[1]; Cox, Sam J. ^[1]; Cho, Heejin ^[1];

^[2]

Mississippi State Univ., Starkville, MS (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Oct 16 00:00:00 EDT 2017

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1409253

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1549388

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Energy and Buildings

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 158; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0378-7788

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; Variable refrigerant flow; Dedicated outdoor air system; Building simulation; Calibration

Citation Formats


                    Kim, Dongsu, Cox, Sam J., Cho, Heejin, and Im, Piljae. Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.10.049.

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                    Kim, Dongsu, Cox, Sam J., Cho, Heejin, & Im, Piljae. Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.10.049

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                    Kim, Dongsu, Cox, Sam J., Cho, Heejin, and Im, Piljae. Mon .  
"Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.10.049.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1409253.

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@article{osti_1409253,

  title        = {Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study},

  author       = {Kim, Dongsu and Cox, Sam J. and Cho, Heejin and Im, Piljae},

  abstractNote = {With increased use of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems in the U.S. building sector, interests in capability and rationality of various building energy modeling tools to simulate VRF systems are rising. This paper presents the detailed procedures for model calibration of a VRF system with a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) by comparing to detailed measured data from an occupancy emulated small office building. The building energy model is first developed based on as-built drawings, and building and system characteristics available. The whole building energy modeling tool used for the study is U.S. DOE’s EnergyPlus version 8.1. The initial model is, then, calibrated with the hourly measured data from the target building and VRF-DOAS system. In a detailed calibration procedures of the VRF-DOAS, the original EnergyPlus source code is modified to enable the modeling of the specific VRF-DOAS installed in the building. After a proper calibration during cooling and heating seasons, the VRF-DOAS model can reasonably predict the performance of the actual VRF-DOAS system based on the criteria from ASHRAE Guideline 14-2014. The calibration results show that hourly CV-RMSE and NMBE would be 15.7% and 3.8%, respectively, which is deemed to be calibrated. As a result, the whole-building energy usage after calibration of the VRF-DOAS model is 1.9% (78.8 kWh) lower than that of the measurements during comparison period.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.10.049},

  journal      = {Energy and Buildings},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 158,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Oct 16 00:00:00 EDT 2017},

  month        = {Mon Oct 16 00:00:00 EDT 2017}

}

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Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol. 99
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Model-based multi-objective optimal control of a VRF (variable refrigerant flow) combined system with DOAS (dedicated outdoor air system) using genetic algorithm under heating conditions
journal, July 2016

Kim, Wonuk; Jeon, Seung Won; Kim, Yongchan
Energy, Vol. 107
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Simulation of variable refrigerant flow air conditioning system in heating mode combined with outdoor air processing unit
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Works referencing / citing this record:

Modelling of a Variable Refrigerant Flow System in EnergyPlus for Building Energy Simulation in an Open Building Information Modelling Environment
journal, December 2018

Torregrosa-Jaime, Bárbara; Martínez, Pedro J.; González, Benjamín
Energies, Vol. 12, Issue 1
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Title: Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study

Abstract

Citation Formats

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Experimental validation of the simulation module of the water-cooled variable refrigerant flow system under cooling operation journal, May 2010

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Experimental investigation on cooling performance of multi-split variable refrigerant flow system with microchannel condenser under part load conditions
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Capacity modulation of an inverter-driven multi-air conditioner using electronic expansion valves
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Generic simulation model of multi-evaporator variable refrigerant flow air conditioning system for control analysis
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Integration of variable refrigerant flow and heat pump desiccant systems for the cooling season
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Performance simulation of a joint solid desiccant heat pump and variable refrigerant flow air conditioning system in EnergyPlus
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Investigation on output capacity control strategy of variable refrigerant flow air conditioning system with multi-compressor
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Model-based multi-objective optimal control of a VRF (variable refrigerant flow) combined system with DOAS (dedicated outdoor air system) using genetic algorithm under heating conditions
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Experimental validation of the simulation module of the water-cooled variable refrigerant flow system under cooling operation
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