THERM 5.2:  Feature List 

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Last update:11/06/03 11:31 AM

This version of THERM 5.2 is approved for use with the NFRC 2001 program standards. 

Questions? Send e-mail to ThermHelp@lbl.gov

Updates from THERM 5.1 to THERM 5.2

THERM 5.2.14 has the following features and bug fixes (click here for complete version bug fix list):

Bug Fixes

General

Program would slow down and eventually crash after being used for a long period due to a resource memory leak. This has been fixed.

Added the program version number that the file was calculated with in both the File/Properties dialog box as well as the Report.

Implemented the ASTM SI-10 conversion units for converting from SI (WINDOW5's native units) to IP.

Glazing Systems

Fixed problem with open end of glazing system cavity emissivity -- was being set to 0.9, is not being set to 1.0 

Material Library

This version of the program ships with the NFRC 101 materials in the Material Library, with the exception of 2 materials which are still in the process of being corrected and approved:

Polyisocyanurate / Polyurethane - Faced Sheathing (conductivity is being corrected)

Polyisocyanurate / Polyurethane Unfaced Board (conductivity is being corrected)

Anodized Aluminum has been added (the emissivity of this material has been determined by the NFRC 101 Task Group)

The Material Library can be downloaded separately for use with THERM 5.1 if desired

Added ability for users to delete protected records from the Material Library

Numeric Display Precision

Fixed another problem with the precision of numbers in THERM, where in the Boundary condition library -10 Celsius would display as -9.9999

U-value Calculation -- Projected Frame Dimension:

There are 2 new options for the projected dimension for U-factors:

Projected in Glass Plane
Custom Rotation

If there is a glazing system in the THERM file, Projected in Glass Plane is now the default. This allows you to rotate the glazing system without changing the U-factor, other than artifacts of the mesh since the mesh works on a 90 degree grid. Custom Rotation allows you to project the U-factor lengths onto an arbitrary angle from vertical. This currently requires a recalculation to update the results

Multiple Glazing Option Calculations

Glazing systems no longer have to have unique names -- the program will append the Glazing System ID on to the Glazing System Name in the Boundary Conditions

All glazing system options should now have the correct emissivities for all surfaces

The emissivities should now be correct for the top and bottom of the glazing cavities of multiple glazing option files for the Condensation Index calculation

Boundary conditions were sometimes becoming confused (such as not putting the NFRC Exterior on the glass). These cases should all be fixed.

For a file with multiple glazing options defined, clicking the Update button to reload the glazing systems from WINDOW5 will now update all the glazing options not just the base case file glazing system.

Condensation Index Calculations

The CI on/off logic has been changed somewhat. Now, if you have CI turned on for a Jamb, the program warns that it won't simulate CI (after the U-factor simulation) but doesn't automatically turn off the CI option the way it used to (it was confusing because it would turn off the CI preference but leave the CI boundaries inside the glazing system). There is no penalty for having CR turned on for vertical components (such as jambs) because the program will not model CI for those.

For Multiple Glazing Options, the program does not put up the above mentioned message during the simulations, but instead writes them to the Calc Manager log. Again, there is no penalty for having CI turned on for vertical components because the program will not model CI for those.


Updates from THERM 5.0 to THERM 5.1

In General

Program no longer requires that the simulation results be saved in order to import the CR results into WINDOW 5.

Fixed several problems that were resulting in files crashing the program.

Frame Cavities

Added ability to change emissivities for any boundary segment in a frame cavity

Boundary Conditions

Program now picks up the emissivity values for the boundary conditions from the adjacent materials

Improvements in boundary condition generation, particularly when existing boundary conditions have been changed or deleted. Program now has three options to pick from when generating boundary conditions to accommodate all the possibilities.


Updates from THERM 2.1a to THERM 5.0:

updated algorithms consistent with ASHRAE SPC142 and ISO15099
Ability to read either WINDOW 4.1 (glzsys.w4 files) or WINDOW 5.0 databases (w5.mdb files)
AutoEnclosure feature for radiation enclosures, which includes automatic calculation of boundary conditions for radiation enclosures
Automatic calculation of both Condensation Resistance and U-value for models with the Condensation Resistance feature activated
Boundary Condition and Material libraries that reflect new ISO 15099 conditions
Automatic frame cavity temperature, heat flow direction and emissivity calculations based on ISO 15099

NOTE: THERM 2.1a CANNOT read THERM 5.1 files, so do not expect to make files in THERM 5.1 and then be able to import them into THERM 2.1a.

THERM 2.1a:  Feature List

THERM 2.1a is a bug-fix release based primarily on feedback from THERM 2.1 users. We converted the code to double precision and added in a check which will is intended to catch any unforseen similar issues in the future. Going to double precision affects some answers (on the order of 0.1%) - this is less of an effect than starting at mesh parameter of 6 vs starting at mesh parameter of 8 (with all results getting to an EEN of less than 10%.)

This version is a significant improvement because of the technical improvements above as well as the following operational bugs which have been corrected.

NEW IN THERM 2.1a:

Multiple Glazing Options feature made more robust, based on feedback from users
Fixed bug with linked materials, including problems with triple glazed glazing systems and links to glazing cavities
Fixed a few minor problems with the Custom Gap feature
Fixed problems relating to files submitted by simulators -- a flood fill problem, etc.
Improved program behavior when multiple glazing systems are selected
Program now automatically fixes W4.1 glazing systems that used to crash the program
Fixed Radiation Enclosure bug
Fixed sorting by date in the Calculation Manager Log, and also fixed a bug that caused the program to crash
Improved program behavior when multiple frame cavities are selected
Fixed problem with Boundary Conditions being created inside the W4.1 glazing system, such as in Dividers

NEW IN THERM 2.1:

PROGRAM SETTINGS

Preferences:

All in one menu option now rather than two
Settings persist across THERM sessions (T2W files are created when a file is saved and when files are run in Multiple Glazing Options).
Added "Automatically display results after simulation"
Added "Auto Recover every ___ minutes

DRAWING:

Bucket fill:
Click on the bucket fill toolbar, pick a material, and fill the void.

Toolbar:
The following changes have been made to the toolbar:

Added "Eye Dropper" toolbar button (explained below)
Added "Show Results" toolbar button (toggles the results display)
Added "Show U-factors" toolbar button
Toolbar "Tips" now display a label explaining the use for each toolbar button.

Eye Dropper Tool:
Allows user to select a material in an existing polygon, and then change the material in an existing polygon or fill a void with that material.

Edit/Undo:
It is now possible to undo (one level) a change to a material or boundary condition