Multiple model software for airflow and thermal building simulation. A case study under tropical humid climate, in R\'eunion Island

TL;DR

This paper presents a flexible multi-model software, CODYRUN, for airflow and thermal building simulation tailored for tropical humid climates, enabling selective model use for improved accuracy and efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces a modular software structure allowing interchangeable physical models, optimizing precision and calculation time for tropical building simulations.

Findings

Sensitivity analysis of diffuse radiation on tilted surfaces.

Effective balance between model detail and computation time.

Successful case study in Reunion Island demonstrating model flexibility.

Abstract

The first purpose of our work has been to allow -as far as heat transfer modes, airflow calculation and meteorological data reconstitution are concerned- the integration of diverse interchangeable physical models in a single software tool for professional use, CODYRUN. The designer's objectives, precision requested and calculation time consideration, lead us to design a structure accepting selective use of models, taking into account multizone description and airflow patterns. With a building case study in Reunion Island, we first analyse the sensibility of the thermal model to diffuse radiation reconstitution on tilted surfaces. Then, a realistic balance between precision required and calculation time leads us to select detailed models for the zone of main interest, but to choose simplified models for the other zones.