[TRNSYS-users] A TRNSYS Quiz

[Jeff Thornton <thornton@tess-inc.com>]

TRNSYS Community,

We stumbled upon an interesting TRNSYS problem this week and thought 
we'd turn it into something fun.  So we are going to pose a deceivingly 
simple problem here and then award two winners a $100 discount on their 
next TRNSYS purchase from TESS.  This could be in the form of a a TESS 
Library purchase, an upgrade to TRNSYS 18, a discount on a training 
class etc.  Developers and distributors are not eligible to win but may 
certainly submit their solutions.  The entrants will be judged on 1) the 
simplest solution and 2) the most creative solution.

We have some guidelines that we'll be using in our judging:

1) Don't write your own component.  Yes I know that's a really neat way 
to expand the TRNSYS Library and add functionality but let's not go 
there.

2) Don't use an external data file to pre-process the result.  Yes it's 
probably the simplest way but what fun is that?  In that same vein - 
don't use any external programs to get the result.

3) You can only use standard TRNSYS components or TESS Library 
components.


Ready?  Here's the problem.

Using the TMY-3 weather file for Madison WI, derive control signals 
(1=Allowed, 0=Off) for both winter and summer allowed operation of 
conditioning equipment based on the ambient temperature given the 
following conditions:

1) During the year it's either Winter mode OR Summer mode, never both, 
and never neither.

2) Summer mode is enabled when the ambient temperature has stayed above 
20 C for at least two consecutive hours at which time Winter mode is 
disabled.

3) Summer mode stays enabled until the ambient temperature falls below 
15 C for at least two consecutive hours at which time Winter mode is 
enabled.

4) Winter mode stays enabled until the ambient temperature has stayed 
above 20 C for at least two consecutive hours.

5) The equipment is in Winter mode at the start of the year

6) Use an online plotter and show weekly results for one year with the 
ambient temperature and Winter Mode and Summer Mode control signals on 
the plot.

7) Run at an 1/8th hour time step.

8) Submit your TRNSYS project file (.tpf), and only your TRNSYS project 
file, to techsupport@tess-inc.com by September 17th for judging.

9) You must use either TRNSYS 18 or TRNSYS 17.


Post any questions to the TRNSYS mailing list and we'll answer it there.


Have fun!!


The TESS Development Team



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TESS LLC
3 N. Pinckney Street, Suite 202, Madison WI USA 53703
Office: (608) 274-2577  Fax: (608) 278-1475
www.tess-inc.com
E-Mail: techsupport@tess-inc.com