User Interface & Defining Sim File Set
The Hone Tool is a development environment for defining and working with optimisation worksheets. An optimisation worksheet provides a link between the problem domain and the optimisation algorithm.
When the Hone Tool is launched the user can create a blank optimisation worksheet by selecting the “Add Optimisation Worksheet” option from the Project menu. Components must then be added to the worksheet to define the optimisation problem. An initial, empty, worksheet is shown below. Components need to be added to define the optimisation run.
Typically the Hone Tool will be employed to find a solution to a particular class of problem. For example, the application of ‘design options’ to my current model in order to minimise operational energy.
The tool can be thought of as having two roles. The application to design a new optimisation worksheet and the application from which from which an optimisation run can be launched and monitored.
Workflow
The following steps are required to run a Hone study:
1. Define simulation file set: Create Apache simulation file (APR File) to be used as base model for optimisation study.
Note: a room group called Hone is required to be present in the VE model, any rooms in this group will have detailed room variables output after running the Hone analysis.
2. Open Elements and link to APR file: Create Model Inputs and Outputs and create parameters and variables files.
3. Open Hone and link to APR file – Start the optimisation program and link to the relevant VE base model file (APR) and Import Parameters and Variables.
4. Specify the objective and complete the Hone worksheet – Specify the appropriate objective/target functions (e.g. energy) to be optimised and then start the Optimisation Study.
Defining Simulation File Set from VE
To initiate an Apache simulation in a Parametric analysis requires firstly the creation of an Apache input file (APR). This input files contains all the model data necessary for simulations to be run at a later time. The Apache input files can be created within the VE’s ApacheSim view as illustrated below.
1. Ensure that the Apache module is accessed
2. Clicking on “ApacheSim (Dynamic Simulation)” will produce the “Apache Simulation” dialogue.
3. To create the APR file, simply click on “Add to Queue”. This will prompt message stating that the APR file has been created and saved in the root directory of the model.
