Documentation 2023-2024

[JasonGlazer]

A place to keep an ongoing list of documentation issues.

[JasonGlazer]

• In the IOref 1.11.28 References should probably be 1.11.27.7

[rraustad]

• IO Ref does not describe output reports Zone Phase Change Material Melting Enthalpy and Zone Phase Change Material Freezing Enthalpy found in HeatBalanceAirManager around line 320.

[eringold]

• IO Ref Refrigeration:System field 'Refrigeration System Working Fluid Type' says "Valid choices are R11, R123, R134A, R12, R22, R404A, R507A, or R410A." though the IDD has no restrictions:

EnergyPlus/doc/input-output-reference/src/overview/group-refrigeration.tex

Lines 1339 to 1341 in 3ce85f9

	\paragraph{Field: Refrigeration System Working Fluid Type}\label{field-refrigeration-system-working-fluid-type}
	The type of refrigerant used by the system.~ Valid choices are R11, R123, R134A, R12, R22, R404A, R507A, or R410A. This name will be validated against Fluid Names (ref: Fluid Properties section) in the input file. Note that the corresponding property data, available in FluidPropertiesRefData.idf, must by supplied in the input file.

  A6 ,  \field Refrigeration System Working Fluid Type
        \note Fluid property data for the refrigerant must be entered.
        \note The fluid property data, including the objects:
        \note FluidProperties:Name, FluidProperties:Temperatures,
        \note FluidProperties:Saturated and FluidProperties:Superheated
        \note can be copied from the FluidPropertiesRefData.idf dataset
        \required-field
        \type object-list
        \object-list FluidNames

[mjwitte]

From helpdesk ticket 16495:

On page 61: talking about 'Shading Calculation Method' it says: "Unlike PolygonClipping, PixelCounting has no limitations related to zone concavity when used with any “FullInterior” solar distribution options (i.e., it can accommodate both concave and convex zones equally)." Therefore, if I would like to include Concave Zones, I would conclude that I should use 'FullInteriorAndExterior' as the value for the SolarDistribution property on the Building object.
On page 49: talking about the 'SolarDistribution' property on Building, it says: "If the zone’s surfaces do not enclose a space or if the zone is not convex you should use Solar Distribution = FullExterior instead of FullInteriorAndExterior." This two entries contradict each other. Which is correct?

• The Solar Distribution section on FullInteriorExterior should be updated to reference the ShadowCalculation object and say that the convex requirement only applies when using PolygonClipping, or something to that effect. The fully enclosed requirement still stands.

[shorowit]

• This Unmet Hours post suggests that Peak Flow Rate of WaterUse:Equipment should not have a reference to “hot” water.

[aaron-boranian]

• Heat recovery for air-cooled chillers has been enabled, but IO Ref section for Design Heat Recovery Water Flow Rate input field of Chiller:Electric:EIR still mentions this is not possible. See related comment here.

[jcyuan2020]

A user (Helpdesk Ticket 16513) pointed out that the following equation in the EcoRoof model is incorrect in Engineering Reference (pp.189, Eq 4.11, v23.2):

The correct form should be "0.9 - 0.7 * exp(-0.75 * LAI)" instead.

The EnergyPlus source code is checked and the implementation there is correct. This is confirmed to be just a documentation issue.

[shorowit]

• Document Heat Index vs. Heat Index OccupantHour vs. Heat Index OccupiedHour (see Unmet Hours question)

HeatBalanceSurfaceManager (what's the difference in the last 2 reports?):

state.dataHeatBalFanSys->ZoneHeatIndexHourBinsRepPeriod(ZoneNum, ReportPeriodIdx)[0] += state.dataGlobal->TimeStepZone;
state.dataHeatBalFanSys->ZoneHeatIndexOccuHourBinsRepPeriod(ZoneNum, ReportPeriodIdx)[0] +=
                        NumOcc * state.dataGlobal->TimeStepZone;
state.dataHeatBalFanSys->ZoneHeatIndexOccupiedHourBinsRepPeriod(ZoneNum, ReportPeriodIdx)[0] +=
                        (NumOcc > 0) * state.dataGlobal->TimeStepZone;

[shorowit]

• There are still references to DistrictHeating (which was renamed to DistrictHeatingWater in E+ 23.2). For example, in the last paragraph here. All *.tex files should be audited because I'm seeing additional references. Noted in this Unmet Hours post.

[mjwitte]

The Input Output Reference description for SetpointManager:MixedAir only mentions using it for controlling outdoor air economizers. It should also explain that it's used to adjust temperature setpoints for any component with a control node that is upstream of the fan.

(ref helpdesk ticket 16610)

[aaron-boranian]

The output variables listed for Steam:Humidifier:Gas still mention previous "Gas" options instead of "NaturalGas". For example, output variable is labelled as "Humidifier Gas Use Rate" instead of "Humidifier NaturalGas Rate".

Should likely check other output variable references to be updated from "Gas" to "NaturalGas".

[mjwitte]

In the I/O Reference, for HybridModel:Zone "Calculate Zone Internal Thermal Mass", there is no mention of where to find the output for average thermal mass. It is reported in the table report "Input Verification and Results Summary" subtable "Hybrid Model: Internal Thermal Mass". From example file HybridZoneModel.idf (which currently doesn't have an Output:Table:SummaryReports object):

Also should update the example file to generate this report.
Ref helpdesk ticket 16643.

[RKStrand]

In I/O Ref, page 2426 in V24.1, Table 1.61, there is an overlapping of columns that should be fixed: