Synchronized Physical and Analytical Flow System Models

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing a physical computer aided design (CAD) model comprising a plurality of physical objects in a flow system. Each of the plurality of physical objects are joined at one or more physical linkages. An analytical model of the flow system is generated based on the one or more physical linkages. And one of the analytical model or the physical CAD model is automatically updated to reflect a change to the other.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a flow diagram illustrating a technique for creating physical and analytical CAD models of a flow system.

FIG. 1B shows an example of a graphical user interface for viewing and manipulating one or more computer aided design models.

FIG. 2 shows an element properties dialog for defining and modifying properties of objects in a physical model.

FIG. 3 shows the addition of flow terminals to rooms.

FIG. 4 shows the addition of flow equipment to a physical model and the designation of a flow system.

FIG. 5A shows automatically generated physical connections based on logical connections between terminals and equipment in a physical model.

FIG. 5B illustrates analytical connection points associated with physical linkages in the physical model of the flow system of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a user interface for viewing and manipulating properties of a flow system.

FIG. 7 shows an example properties dialog for viewing and manipulating properties of one or more objects in a physical model of a flow system.

FIG. 8 illustrates return terminals in a flow system.

FIG. 9 shows a further example of the system browser for viewing and manipulating properties of a flow system including return diffusers.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a properties dialog for automatically sizing one or more physical connections in a physical model of a flow system.

FIG. 11 shows automatically generated physical connections along with walls of rooms in a 3D view.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a conversion settings dialog for viewing, manipulating, and defining properties of one or more physical connections.

FIG. 13 shows a physical model of a flow system reflecting new conversion settings.

FIG. 14 shows an example of adding and modifying flexible physical connections.

FIG. 15 shows an example of adding and modifying subsystems of a flow system.

FIG. 16 shows another example of the system browser for viewing and manipulating properties of a flow system including subsystems.

FIG. 17 shows an example of routing automatically generated physical connections.

FIG. 18 shows another example of routing automatically generated physical connections.

FIG. 19 is a system diagram showing an example of a system for viewing and manipulating a model of a flow system.

FIG. 20 is a flow diagram of an example of a process for generating and automatically updating an analytical representation of a flow system.

FIG. 21 is a flow diagram of an example of a process for automatically routing physical connections in a flow system and analyzing the flow system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising: providing a physical computer aided design (CAD) model comprising a plurality of physical objects in a flow system, each of the plurality of physical objects joined at one or more physical linkages;generating an analytical model of the flow system based on the one or more physical linkages; andautomatically updating one of the analytical model or the physical CAD model to reflect a change to the other.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where: the flow system is one of: an airflow system, a fluid flow system or an electrical system.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: performing an analysis of the flow system based on the analytical model.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where: the analysis includes determining flow, static pressure, velocity, or pressure loss.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where: a flow system incorporates one or more flow subsystems.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a size for a physical object in the plurality of physical objects based on one or more of flow velocity, flow friction, or a size constraint.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where: a physical object is one of flow equipment, a diffuser, a return diffuser, an exhaust terminal, an exhaust fan, a duct, a pipe, an electrical cable or a fitting.

8. A computer implemented method, comprising: providing a physical computer aided design (CAD) model of a flow system, the model incorporating one or more flow terminals and one or more rooms, each of the one or more flow terminals associated with a room in the one or more rooms;automatically routing one or more physical connections between the flow system terminals; andanalyzing the flow system based on the one or more physical connections and one or more properties of each room.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, where: the analyzing utilizes an analytical model; andautomatically updating one of the analytical model or the physical CAD model to reflect a change to the other.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: accepting user input designating the one or more flow terminals as the flow system.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8, where: analyzing includes determining flow or static pressure for the flow system.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 8, where: the flow system includes flow equipment to provide water or air to, or extract water or air from, the flow system terminals.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 8, where: a room property is one of: required airflow, required water flow, or required electrical current.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 8, where: a flow terminal is one of: a diffuser, a return diffuser, an exhaust terminal, an exhaust fan, a cooling coil, or a heating coil.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 8, where: a physical connection is a duct, a pipe, and electrical cable or a fitting.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: determining a size for a physical connection in the one or more physical connections based on one or more of flow velocity, flow friction, or a size constraint.

17. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: providing a physical computer aided design (CAD) model comprising a plurality of physical objects in a flow system, each of the plurality of physical objects joined at one or more physical linkages;generating an analytical model of the flow system based on the one or more physical linkages; andautomatically updating one of the analytical model or the physical CAD model to reflect a change to the other.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, where: the flow system is one of: an airflow system, a fluid flow system or an electrical system.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: performing an analysis of the flow system based on the analytical model.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: determining a size for a physical object in the plurality of physical objects based on one or more of flow velocity, flow friction, or a size constraint.

21. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: providing a physical computer aided design (CAD) model of a flow system, the model incorporating one or more flow terminals and one or more rooms, each of the one or more flow terminals associated with a room in the one or more rooms;automatically routing one or more physical connections between the flow system terminals; andanalyzing the flow system based on the one or more physical connections and one or more properties of each room.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, where: the analyzing utilizes an analytical model; andfurther operable to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising automatically updating one of the analytical model or the physical CAD model to reflect a change to the other.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: accepting user input designating the one or more flow terminals as the flow system.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, where: analyzing includes determining flow or static pressure for the flow system.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, where: the flow system includes flow equipment to provide water or air to, or extract water or air from, the flow system terminals.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, where: a room property is one of: required airflow, required water flow, or required electrical current.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, where: a flow terminal is one of: a diffuser, a return diffuser, an exhaust terminal, an exhaust fan, a cooling coil, or a heating coil.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, where: a physical connection is a duct, a pipe, and electrical cable or a fitting.

29. The computer program product of claim 21, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: automatically determining a size for a physical connection in the one or more physical connections based on one or more of flow velocity, flow friction, or a size constraint.