COMFEN 4.0
Knowledge Base
Last update:11/07/11 05:47 PM
Download
COMFEN
Release
Notes
(includes a list of changes to the program by version)
Send
feedback via email to
COMFENHelp@lbl.gov.
Also as bugs and comments are submitted by testers, they will be posted on this Knowledge
Base, so check here for the latest information about the program.
CONTENTS
INSTALLATION:
Installation
Issues -- Administrator
In
order to install the program with the Microsoft NT (4.0), 2000, and XP, you must
be Administrator on your machine. To check if you are Administrator, do the
following:
 |
Go
to Start, Settings, Control Panel, Users and
Passwords. |
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|
Find
the current username (yours) and look in the group column. It should say:
Administrators |
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|
If
the current username does NOT say Administrators, contact your IP
department to become Administrator, or to have someone with Administrator
privileges install the program on the machine. |
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Microsoft Windows 7: if you are installing COMFEN on a computer
with MS Windows 7, you may need to right click on the installation
program (in Explorer) and say "Run as Administrator" in order to
install the program. |
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Microsoft.NET must be on your computer
In order for COMFEN3 to work, you must have
Microsoft.NET on your computer. To determine whether you have Microsoft.NET,
go to the operating system directory (WINDOWS for Microsoft XP), and see if
there is a Microsoft.NET directory there:
Here is a link to the Microsoft.NET website:
http://www.microsoft.com/NET/
Click on the Download button at the top to
download an EXE which you can then run to have .NET installed on your
computer.
Installation
Directories by Operating System
The following structure shows where the program is installed depending
on your computer's operating system:
Microsoft XP:
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All
program files are initially installed into: |
c:\Program Files\LBNL\COMFEN3_1.
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User files
(or other files that may change) are copied (the first time you run
the program) into: |
c:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\LBNL\COMFEN3_1
This is where you would look for the project database (under the db
subdirectory) and EnergyPlus results files (under the results
subdirectory
Microsoft Windows 7:
|
|
All
program files are initially installed into: |
c:\Program Files
(x86)\LBNL\COMFEN3_1
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|
User files
(or other files that may change) are copied (the first time you run
the program) into: |
c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\LBNL\COMFEN3_1
This is where you would look for the project database (under the db
subdirectory) and EnergyPlus results files (under the results
subdirectory
Minimum
computer requirements:
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Pentium class or better. |
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At least 32 MB of random access memory (RAM). For optimal operation,
64 MB or more of RAM is preferrable. |
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Microsoft Windows 98TM, Windows 2000TM,
Windows XPTM, Windows METM,
or Windows NTTM.
(The program WILL NOT run with Windows 3.1TM, Windows NT 3.51TM
or Windows 95TM). |
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Hard disk drive with at least 40 MB of available disk space |
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|
Printer supported by Microsoft Windows (serial, parallel, or shared
over a network). |
|
|
Optics5 Note:
The latest version of
Optics5
that is available for download IS compatible with WINDOW 5.2. |
Reporting
Computer System Info to LBNL for Troubleshooting
Glazing System
Calculation Requires WINDOW 6
If you want to use the function in
the Glazing System Library to calculate U-factor, SHGC and Tvis, you need to
install the WINDOW 6 program as well
as COMFEN.
Microsoft.NET must be on your computer
In order for COMFEN3 to work, you must have
Microsoft.NET on your computer. To determine whether you have Microsoft.NET,
go to the operating system directory (WINDOWS for Microsoft XP), and see if
there is a Microsoft.NET directory there:
Here is a link to the Microsoft.NET website:
http://www.microsoft.com/NET/
Click on the Download button at the top to
download an EXE which you can then run to have .NET installed on your
computer.
back to top
TIPS
Building Types
The following building
types are available: Mid-Rise Residential, Hotel, Hospital (Patient Room), Retail, School (Classroom). The change to the program for these building
types is to change the operating schedules. The Building Type is set in the
by going to the Project / Properties menu.
Click here to download a PDF file that contains a description of the
schedules for the different Building Types
CSV Input for Creating Scenarios
It is now possible to import
a CSV file to create a scenario.
Click
here to download a PDF file that explains how to use this feature.
With the addition of the Glazed Wall Assembly, there are now two different
formats for the CSV input files:
File Locations
COMFEN has a somewhat complicated system for where files are located. Here are
two links for more information:
back to top
Venetian Blind Slat
Angle Definition
The diagram below shows is the definition of
slat angle for venetian blinds, from the Energy Plus Input / Output Reference Manual,
which is different than the definition in WINDOW 6 (to be reconciled in the
future):
KNOWN ISSUES
Between
Blind Slat Width Greater than Glazing System Gap
Energy Plus crashes when if the slat width of
a between-glass venetian blind is greater than the width of the gap in the
glazing system. When defining a venetian blind, make sure to make the slat width
less than the glazing system width.
COMFEN 4
database is not compatible with COMFEN 3.1 program
If you open a COMFEN 3.1 database (such as
COMFEN.sqlite) in COMFEN 4.0, you will not be able to open that database again
in COMFEN 3.1. If you want to continue to open the database in COMFEN 3.1, save
a copy of it before opening it in COMFEN 4.0
Using
COMFEN 3.1 databases in COMFEN 4
There are several database changes between
COMFEN 3 and COMFEN 4, and it is somewhat problematic in terms of opening a
COMFEN 3.1 database with COMFEN 4. Here are some things to watch out for:
-
Wall and Material Libraries:
When COMFEN 4.0 opens a COMFEN 3.1 database, the default Wall and Material
Library entries are automatically added to the 3.1 database. In addition,
the Location Library is updated with new Wall Constructions. Therefore,
changes to the
Wall R-value (in the Location Library) made in the COMFEN 3.1 database are
over-written when you import that database into COMFEN 4.0, which has the
new ASHRAE walls. So you may need to update your Wall Library references in
the Location Library.
-
Recalculate Results: When you
open a COMFEN 3 database with COMFEN 4, you should recalculate the results.
This should be obvious, because in most cases the results will not be shown
in the results tabs, but even if they are, the scenarios should be
recalculated because many of the operating schedules changed for the
different Building Types.
-
Building Types: If your old DB had a Project with Building Type =
Hospital, this Building Type is not available on COMFEN 4.0, and you will
get an appropriate warning message if you try to recalculate the scenarios
-
Frame Library: If you used any frames with U-factor > 6.2 Watts/m2-K
(1.1 Btu/h-ft2-F) in COMFEN 3 and then import the DB to COMFEN 4, these
frames should be deleted or the U-factors changed, because COMFEN can only
model frames with a maximum U-factor = 6.2 Watts/m2-K (1.1 Btu/h-ft2-F). If
you do model a frame with a U-factor > 6.2 Watts/m2-K (1.1 Btu/h-ft2-F), the
program will cap the Frame U-factor at 6.2 Watts/m2-K (1.1 Btu/h-ft2-F).
This limitation has been imposed on COMFEN due to limitations in Energy Plus
to model highly conductive frames.
-
Site to Source Multiplier: The default Site To Source Multiplier has
been changed from 3.18 to 1.0. So keep this in mind when you are
recalculating the results in 3.1 databases, where the results would
originally have had the multiplier of 3.18. You may want to change the
default and recalculate the results.
Site To
Source Multiplier -- changing it does not invalidate results
Changing the Site to Source multiplier (in
COMFEN\Preferences) does not invalidate the results, so make sure to recalculate
the Scenarios if you change this value.
BUG
FIXES
Project
North No Longer Restricted to 30 degrees
Project North (found in File / Project
Properties) is used to offset the cardinal orientation of a facade by the degree
value entered. In previous versions, the rotation is restricted to +
30
degrees-- this has been fixed, so that now the Project North values can be
values from 180 degrees to -180 degrees (inclusive).
Radiance Rendering
on Windows XP Operating Systems
There was a problem generating the BSDF
files for Radiance on the Windowx XP operating system, which has been fixed with
version 4.0.47
GWA Input
Screen Scroll Bars
For low resolution monitors (such as on
laptops) the Glazed Wall Assembly input screen now has scroll bars so that you
can get to the Done and Cancel buttons at the bottom. This has been fixed in
4.0.47
