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

Author

Listed:
  • Bárbara Torregrosa-Jaime

    (CYPE Ingenieros, S.A., Avda. Eusebio Sempere, 5, 03003 Alicante, Spain)

  • Pedro J. Martínez

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica y Energía, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain)

  • Benjamín González

    (CYPE Ingenieros, S.A., Avda. Eusebio Sempere, 5, 03003 Alicante, Spain)

  • Gaspar Payá-Ballester

    (CYPE Ingenieros, S.A., Avda. Eusebio Sempere, 5, 03003 Alicante, Spain)

Abstract

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are one possible tool to meet the objective that all new buildings must be nearly zero-energy buildings by 31 December 2020. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a methodology that centralizes building construction project information in a digital model promoting collaboration between all its agents. The objectives of this work were to develop a more precise model of the VRF system than the one available in EnergyPlus version 8.9 (US Department of Energy) and to study the operation of this system in an office building under different climates by implementing the building energy simulation in an Open BIM workflow. The percentage deviation between the estimation of the VRF energy consumption with the standard and the new model was 6.91% and 1.59% for cooling and heating respectively in the case of Barcelona and 3.27% and 0.97% respectively in the case of Madrid. The energy performance class of the analysed building was A for each climatic zone. The primary energy consumption of the office building equipped with the VRF system was of 65.8 kWh/(m 2 ·y) for the Mediterranean climate of Barcelona and 72.4 kWh/(m 2 ·y) for the Continental climate of Madrid.

Suggested Citation

  • Bárbara Torregrosa-Jaime & Pedro J. Martínez & Benjamín González & Gaspar Payá-Ballester, 2018. "Modelling of a Variable Refrigerant Flow System in EnergyPlus for Building Energy Simulation in an Open Building Information Modelling Environment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2018:i:1:p:22-:d:192467
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Bárbara Torregrosa-Jaime & Benjamín González & Pedro J. Martínez & Gaspar Payá-Ballester, 2018. "Analysis of the Operation of an Aerothermal Heat Pump in a Residential Building Using Building Information Modelling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Yu, Xinqiao & Yan, Da & Sun, Kaiyu & Hong, Tianzhen & Zhu, Dandan, 2016. "Comparative study of the cooling energy performance of variable refrigerant flow systems and variable air volume systems in office buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 725-736.
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