Mezi Research Group

Creating zoning approximations to building energy models using the Koopman operator
Michael Georgescu Bryan Eisenhower Igor Mezi

Department of Mechanical Engineering University of California, Santa Barbara SimBuild 2012 Madison, WI August 1st, 2012

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Introduction
When creating building energy models, approximations are made to manage model complexity. One approximation is zoning, i.e., how the volume of a building is divided into regions where properties are assumed to be uniform. In practice, creating zoning approximations is performed cut-and-try. A systematic approach to zoning is introduced and used to study how model accuracy is influenced by a coarser building representation.
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Modal Decompositions
In oscillatory systems, motion can be decomposed into normal modes. These modes depend on the structure, materials, and boundary conditions and express the motion of a system in terms of their characteristic behavior. Spring Mass System
Courtesy of Jiazeng Shan

Structures

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/2-dof-coupled/2-dof.html

http://www.lusas.com/case/bridge/images/bosphorus_mode_shapes.jpg

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Introduction (cont.)
Temperature output from a building simulation can also be decomposed into modes. With a modal decomposition, influential features a building temperature evolution can be identified. Zoning approximations are created by calculating modes produced by a building simulation, and determining approximations based off of similarities in these modes.

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The Koopman Operator

Given a finite dimensional nonlinear system (i.e. a building simulation) where with output The Koopman operator, U, is defined as:

x j +1 = f ( x j )

f :M M

g:M

Ug ( x j ) = g ( f ( x j )) = g ( x j +1 )

The infinite dimensional, linear operator captures nonlinear, finitedimensional dynamics Because the operator is unitary on the attractor, it can be studied through a spectral decomposition Spectral properties of the Koopman operator are used to study the evolution of observables produced by building simulations
[Mezi 2005, Nonlinear Dynamics] 4/16

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Koopman Modes
Because the operator is unitary, the eigenvalue equation holds Observables can be expressed in terms of eigenfunctions, k : M , and eigenvalues , , of the operator k

U k = k k

g ( x) = k k ( x)vk
k =1

g ( x)

is assumed to be in the span of eigenfunctions

g ( x), {vk }k =1

From this expression for are a set of vectors called Koopman modes, and are coefficients of the projections of observables onto the eigenfunctions of the Koopman operator. Koopman modes describe the dynamics of observables at different frequencies, and will be the basis for model order reduction of building models
[Mezi 2005, Nonlinear Dynamics] 5/16

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Koopman Modes (cont.)

g ( x) is in the span of eigenfunctions if x0
Note that is on the attractor

n 1 1 * g ( x) = lim ei 2j g ( x j ) n n j =0

1 n 1 i 2j Ug ( x) = lim e g ( f ( x j )) n n j =0
*

[0.5,0.5) ei 2j are eigenvalues g * is a harmonic average

n 1 1 * = e i 2 lim ei 2 ( j +1) g ( f ( x j )) = e i 2 g ( x) n n j =0

Koopman modes are calculated by taking harmonic averages of observables over the spatial field
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Temperature Data

Approach

Koopman Modes

Zoning Approximations

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Zoning Case Study

Name: Location: Size: Function: Floors: HVAC: Engineering Science Building Santa Barbara 80,500 Square Feet University Administration and Multifunctional Spaces 3 Combined mechanical and natural ventilation

Building model created of the Engineering Science Building Model parameters determined from design drawings and measurement
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Detailed Model Floorplan

# of Zones
Total Building Offices Clean Room Laboratories 191 94 14 49

Area (sqft)
80,500 15,000 10,000 21,000

Simulated Surfaces Simulated Windows

2247 478

Floor 1

Floor 2

Floor 3
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Koopman Operator Spectrum

Koopman modes are calculated based off of zone temperature Reduced zoning determined from modes which are largest in magnitude

Period Ma Mi Mea x n n
8760 Hrs 24 Hrs 12 Hrs 8 Hrs 6 Hrs 3.459 2.055 0.788 0.371 0.221 1.000 0.121 0.022 0.004 0.006 2.040 0.626 0.136 0.048 0.029
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Comparison of Koopman Modes

Koopman modes illustrate thermal behavior of zones at different time scales

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Creating Zoning Approximations

Zoning approximations are created by merging adjacent zones similar KM magnitude and phase

( xi ) ( x j ) < r
k

( ( xi )) ( ( x j )) < r
k k

xi and x j are adjacent zones

If zone xi and zone x j are within a pre-specified interval r, the zones are merged as one effective zone Shared walls of previously unmerged zones become internal masses to the new zone (if desired) By adjusting the value of r, models with a desired amount of zone coarseness can be created
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Detailed Model Floorplan

# of Zones
Total Building Offices Clean Room Laboratories 191 94 14 49

Area (sqft)
80,500 15,000 10,000 21,000

Simulated Surfaces Simulated Windows

2247 478

Floor 1

Floor 2

Floor 3
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Comparison of Zoning Approximations

N 191 Zones

112 Zones

60 Zones

Floor 3

Floor 2

Floor 1

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Results of Simplified Models

Each model was simulated with a continuously operating HVAC system (EnergyPlus Ideal Loads HVAC) Error is percentage difference in predicted HVAC energy
HVAC Prediction Error

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Summary
Using properties of the Koopman operator, a systematic approach to creating zoning approximations is shown A 191 zone model was reduced to 60 zones before a sharp increase occurs in the rate of prediction error With this method, neglecting the internal mass of unmodeled walls causes error to increase linearly Future work is to understand what causes fast growth of prediction error with coarser zoning

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Thank You Questions? mvgeorge@engineering.ucsb.edu

This work was partially funded by Army Research Office Grant W911NF11-1-0511, with program manager Dr. Sam Stanton Collaborators: Erika Eskenazi Valerie Eacret Kazimir Gasljevic Amorette Getty