Hotfix #4265 following #3863 - Do not translate ControllerList if no external controllers for AirLoopHVACDedicatedOutdoorAirSystem

[jmarrec]

Pull request overview

• Fixes Empty AirLoopHVAC:ControllerList created for AirLoopHVAC:DedicatedOutdoorAirSystem at forward translation #4265 following Addresses #3728, add new DOAS to AHU objects #3863 - Do not translate ControllerList if no external controllers for AirLoopHVACDedicatedOutdoorAirSystem

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[jmarrec]

This is the actual fix. The ControllerList is translated only if we have work to do. This is based on how I understand E+ expects it...

[jmarrec]

@eringold Could you try this branch with your specific application and let me know if that solves it please?

[eringold]

@jmarrec of course, thanks for jumping on this!

[jmarrec]

@kbenne I removed this, as it's actually unused.

[joseph-robertson]

@jmarrec So this was a case of the eplus idd permitted it but there is no example idf that demonstrates it?

[eringold]

@joseph-robertson essentially yes. The only eplus example file with AirLoopHVAC:DOAS is 'SmallOffice_CentralDOAS.idf' which has water coils on the AirLoopHVAC:OAS, so that ControllerList was populated.

[jmarrec]

@joseph-robertson Yeah it's a weird corner case. The only example in E+ is SmallOffice_CentralDOAS.idf. and it has this:

  AirLoopHVAC:DedicatedOutdoorAirSystem,
    AirLoopHVAC DOAS,        !- Name
    AirLoopDOAS OA system,   !- AirLoopHVAC:OutdoorAirSystem Name
   [...]

  AirLoopHVAC:OutdoorAirSystem,
    AirLoopDOAS OA system,   !- Name
    OA Sys 1 Controllers,    !- Controller List Name
    OA Sys 1 Equipment,      !- Outdoor Air Equipment List Name
    OA Sys 1 Avail List;     !- Availability Manager List Name

  AirLoopHVAC:ControllerList,
    OA Sys 1 Controllers,    !- Name
    Controller:WaterCoil,    !- Controller 1 Object Type
    OA CC Controller 1,      !- Controller 1 Name
    Controller:WaterCoil,    !- Controller 2 Object Type
    OA HC Controller 1;      !- Controller 2 Name

So it has a control list, but because it has coils... If you look at the E+ idd, there is a hint that you may need to omit it...

AirLoopHVAC:OutdoorAirSystem,
       \memo Outdoor air subsystem for an AirLoopHVAC. Includes an outdoor air mixing box and
       \memo optional outdoor air conditioning equipment such as heat recovery, preheat, and precool
       \memo coils. From the perspective of the primary air loop the outdoor air system is treated
       \memo as a single component.
       \min-fields 3
   A1, \field Name
       \required-field
       \type alpha
       \reference-class-name validBranchEquipmentTypes
       \reference validBranchEquipmentNames
   A2, \field Controller List Name
+       \note Enter the name of an AirLoopHVAC:ControllerList object or blank if this object is used in
+       \note AirLoopHVAC:DedicatedOutdoorAirSystem.
       \type object-list
       \object-list ControllerLists

If you ask me, E+ should just not complain if you provide a ControllerList but it references nothing... Except the ControllerList has \min-fields 3, so the InputParser complains...

[ci-commercialbuildings]

CI Results for bab7db5:

• Ubuntu 18.04:

  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+bab7db5d0d-Ubuntu-18.04.deb
  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+bab7db5d0d-Ubuntu-18.04.tar.gz

• Ubuntu 20.04:

  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+bab7db5d0d-Ubuntu-20.04.deb
  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+bab7db5d0d-Ubuntu-20.04.tar.gz

• Darwin:

  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+bab7db5d0d-Darwin.dmg
  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+bab7db5d0d-Darwin.tar.gz

• Windows:

  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+88dc03dc58-Windows.exe
  • OpenStudio-3.1.1-alpha+88dc03dc58-Windows.tar.gz

[eringold]

@jmarrec this works - a ControllerList is not created when no components that require it are on the OAS.

Now, since an OutdoorAirMixer is not listed in the AirLoopHVAC:OAS referenced by the AirLoopHVAC:DOAS, if you don't add any components to the DOAS's OAS, you will end up with an empty AirLoopHVAC:OutdoorAirSystem:EquipmentList, which will cause the sim to fail. But since the point of the DOAS is to contain HVAC components, I'm not sure OpenStudio needs to protect against that case. Just thought I'd mention.