[esp-r] Re: Open Source Software

[CleanTech Analytics]

Just a thought- you might want to include Energy Plus now that it is open
source  http://bigladdersoftware.com/epx/
And some other open source projects that might be bundled:
 <http://bigladdersoftware.com/epx/>
Radiance: http://radsite.lbl.gov/radiance/
jE+ http://sourceforge.net/projects/jeplus/
Genopt http://simulationresearch.lbl.gov/GO/
Open Foam: http://www.openfoam.com/

I have thought the way to modularly connect many modeling tools would be
through a common interface.. Please let me know how your project develops.



*Jeremiah D. Crossett*
*CleanTech Analytics*
*503-688-8951*
*www.cleantechanalytics.com* <http://www.cleantechanalytics.com>


*

This document may contain valuable information proprietary to CleanTech
Analytics which is private and confidential. It may not be shared, copied,
stored or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of
CleanTech Analytics
*



On Wed, Jul 18, 2012 at 11:46 AM, Jake Zwart <jake.zwart at sympatico.ca>wrote:

>
> Hi all,
>
> I have just finished a project where I needed to perform FEA analysis.  I
> ended up installing CAElinux as a dual boot option on my notebook, and
> using
> Salome-Meca, an open source product that has an FEA solver competitive with
> the higher end commercial programs along with a decent GUI base pre/post
> processor.
>
> I have used esp-r for performing simulations on my own home.  I have not
> used it for commercial or research purposes.  So I have some but not
> extensive knowledge of the program, but have followed the comments on this
> list.  The comments from a few years ago regarding the long term
> development
> of esp-r leads to this posting.
>
> Salome is a geometry creator and incorporates meshing tools.  It contains
> all the primitives of points, lines wires, faces, shells and solids.  A
> building, or a room could be considered a shell.  For the purposes of FEA
> or
> CFD computations, the program has a built in interface to meshers, and can
> also accept commercial meshers.  It is interfaced with Code-Aster to
> perform
> the FEA calculations.  Finally it will post-process the results.
>
> The interface is a modern look and feel graphical user interface.  All the
> commands that are used to build a geometrical structure are saved as a
> python script. Salome can dump the python script, which can be edited and
> then loaded again, for recalculation.
>
> Code-Aster, the FEA portion of the program, is actually a number of Fortran
> or C coded modules that are strung together in a python script.  This makes
> the program extremely modular, and one area can be changed without
> affecting
> any of the other modules.  Python stores the information output from each
> module for the next module to use.
>
> I have not used Code-Saturne (CFD program), but from what I can determine
> it
> uses python scripting similar to Code-Aster to control it.  Then there is
> another program called SYTHRES, about which I don't know much.
>
> The programs are all open source, and are also compatible with a number of
> other open source programs such as GMSH, for geometry and mesh creation and
> Paraview, a well developed US government open post-processor.  The FEA and
> CFD portions are actively developed by EDF the research arm of the French
> nuclear industry.  I believe Salome, the pre/post processor is also
> supported partially by the EDF team.
>
> There are both similarities and differences in the CFD/FEA world, compared
> to building envelope/plant simulation world.  Both require geometry input
> and post processing.  esp-r uses results from FEA analysis to give more
> accurate foundation heat loss results.  esp-r has a simple CFD module.
>
> Based on the comments from a few years ago, where there seemed to be
> interest in modernizing the programming and development environment of
> esp-r, and then learning about the above open source programs, it seemed
> that there might be synergy.  I expect it would require looking at the core
> computational engine of esp-r, breaking it out into individual blocks, and
> have each block called by a python script.  The current esp-r user
> interface
> can be maintained and/or ways sought to make Salome or other open source
> software work well for the pre-processing (building geometrical layout)
> stage.
>
> In this environment there would be options to use highly developed CFD and
> FEA code, chained together with building simulation code, to perform
> analysis that includes airflow in rooms and 3D heat transfer between the
> building or plant elements and the ground.
>
> I thought I would throw the concept out to see if there is any interest in
> discussing a building simulation program that is run from within a python
> script, and the flexiblity that it would allow, in a manner that would
> leverage existing open source tools to provide options in the CFD/FEA
> domains.
>
> Jake Zwart
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> esp-r mailing list
> esp-r at lists.strath.ac.uk
> http://lists.strath.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/esp-r
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.strath.ac.uk/archives/esp-r/attachments/20120718/1a967ffb/attachment.html