Stefan Hauer

Simulation of multi-domain energy systems based on the functional mock-up interface specification

Novel concepts for energy systems increasingly focus on solutions that go beyond the scope of traditional engineering domains. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of appropriate modeling and simulation tools for applications in energy-related multi-domain systems. However, well-established methods from other scientific and industrial areas provide promising approaches to overcome the associated challenges. This paper explores the applicability of the Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) specification within this context. To this end, a versatile simulation environment prototype is presented, which is dedicated to investigate and utilize the full range of possibilities offered by the FMI specification. The presented examples demonstrate the potential of including well-established tools and models from multiple domains with minimal effort into a modern FMI-based simulation framework.

Implementation of an automated building model generation tool

Building modeling and simulation are resource intensive tasks, mostly with respect to personnel time and therefore costs, which could benefit from automation. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in automating the task of building modeling, but due to the uniqueness of each building, automated building modeling solutions are very demanding. Consequently, commercial as well as open-source solutions have been made available in the past years, but really reliable solutions are very scarce. This paper presents an approach to automate the generation of thermal building models. A tool has been developed which serves as a base for future studies and improvements in the automatic model creation and calibration field, reducing the modeling effort and resources for thermal building models were reduced significantly. The output of the model generator supports the validation and analysis phase of ISO 50001 regarding forecasting the building performance for validation purposes. While building planners benefit the most from this approach, it will also be the basis to support other modeling approaches automatically which can be used for model-based controls in the field of Building Management.

An enhanced process model for the semi-automated deployment of Simulation-aided Building Controls

A Simulation-assisted Building Control (SaBC) system extends state-of-the-art building controls by modeling a buildings physical properties and using simulation to optimize its performance. In an SaBC, control strategies are first simulated, then the best alternative is selected and actuated by the building automation system. SaBCs enable highly efficient and grid-friendly buildings. Deploying these controls however is a complex process due to the uniqueness of each building along with an increasing complexity of building systems. Typically the deployment tasks are performed manually by highly specialized personnel, which results in a poorly documented and extremely scattered deployment process. This paper improves the workflow for the deployment of a Simulation-aided Building Control service suitable for supporting the operational phase of a building. Some tasks in the deployment process may benefit from machine support, especially data intensive, repetitive and error prone tasks. The proposed approach reduces the complexity of the setup procedure, decreases problems related to the uniqueness of the infrastructure and supports the documentation of the deployment process. As a consequence, the overall performance is improved, deployment costs are reduced with respect to both time and money, and the re-usability is increased.