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Release Notes
didierthevenard edited this page Dec 7, 2018
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Software Release Change Log for CASSYS
Added capability to read albedo from climate file, fixed bugs, and updated the interface.
- Albedo can be read from climate file (can apply to either the site albedo or the bifacial model albedo).
- Paths to climate and output files are now stored relative to workbook. This makes the exchange of models between users easier.
- Fixed the calculation of the row blocking factor for beam and ground-reflected irradiance for systems with unlimited rows case and cell-based shading, and for diffuse irradiance for all systems with unlimited rows.
- Fixed issue with climate files wrapping around the end of the year, for example in the case of a simulation that runs from July 1 to June 30.
- In Details sheet, force format of all cells (except the timestamps) to 'General'.
- Bifacial option set to No by default for new systems; when option is selected, default values are provided for the model.
- Horizon profile set to No by default for new systems.
- Bifacial entry added to the left-side menu of the Intro sheet.
- ASTM 2848 regression does not make program crash after the simulation is run (it was crashing because of the absence of loss diagram XML file).
- When ASTM 2848 regression is selected, tracker or collector parameters are not visible in Output sheet.
- When loading a csyx file and the weather file cannot be found, fields in the Climate File sheet are not blanked out anymore, they are left to the value specified in the csyx file. This enables the user to locate the file without having to re-define all its fields.
- Selections in the Output File sheet are cleared before loading a new csyx file.
- Summary sheet was not visible for simulations with N/A values in the Details sheet.
- Near shading was not disabled for fixed or seasonal tilt systems, leading to incorrect values of energy produced.
Changes to support import of multiple PAN and OND files at once, update of the built-in database, and made other more minor improvements to fix bugs and make the program stronger.
- Added LID and Ageing losses.
- Improved calculation of gamma by using bisection rather than Newton-Raphson algorithm; this increases the stability of the program with certain types of modules.
- Removed reading of mVco from PV module data since that value is actually not used by the program.
- Changed subs to functions so that they don’t appear in the list of macros for the workbook.
- Allowed import of multiple PAN and OND files at once.
- Updated built-in database with the most recent Canadian Solar modules (2018/Q2).
- Changed format of csyx file to match how the data is organized in tabs in the interface.
- Changed format of PV module database to accommodate new modules and their information (gamma, mugamma, bifaciality factor, IAM).
- Changed code to prevent users from saving the workbook. Save or SaveAs now must be run from code in the ToolsModule module.
- Allow user to ‘save’ database of modules of inverters (actually saves the entire workbook).
- Changed default values of limiting angle for single axis trackers to 60°.
- Changed default value of AC losses to 0.7% of nominal AC power.
- Added LID and Ageing losses.
- Fixed issues caused by the loss diagram when running the program in Radiation or ASTM 2848 mode.
Small changes in the engine and interface and bug fixes as follows:
- Removed warning when CellArea is not defined in the *.csyx file – this module parameter is actually not used
- Limit module temperature to values above -30 C to prevent unrealistic temperature values from percolating through the rest of the model
- Fixed issue with recalculation of array operating point once the voltage is determined; this was causing the mismatch losses to be improperly calculated by the program.
- Added calculation of tracker rotation angle for E-W and N-S single axis trackers.
- Fixed improper calculation of inverter state for bipolar inverters.
- Fixed cell colour issues for axis slope and azimuth for E-W and N-S single axis trackers
- Improved format of cells in Details tab
All the following changes were made to accommodate the bifacial model. The bifacial model implemented is adapted from the NREL model at https://github.com/NREL/bifacialvf
- GroundShading class added to calculate a profile of global (beam and diffuse) irradiance for ground between rows
- BackTilter class added to calculate components of back side irradiance (diffuse, rear front-panel-reflected, ground-reflected, and beam) using view factors. Implemented for fixed tilt and single axis tracking systems
- Transpose global back side irradiance to front, weighted by the bifaciality factor
- Modify Shading class to calculate back side shading limit angle, profile angle, and shading fraction
- Modify Tracker class to recalculate ground clearance at each time step for single axis trackers
- Small calculation error in energy loss due to voltage too low
- Bifacial sheet for user to detail bifacial parameters: ground clearance, structural blocking factor, transmission factor, bifaciality factor, and inter-row albedo
- Output sheet to include several bifacial outputs
- Loss Diagram to include bifacial gains
- Exported PDF report to include printing of bifacial model
- ToolsModule module to hold development tools, including the new ShowRangeNames and HideRangeNames macros
- Significant changes in InputFileSht to handle TMY3 and EPW files better
- Resolved problems with the saving of monthly information for albedo, bifacial albedo, and soiling in SiteSht, SaveModule, LoadModule
- Addressed issues with locking and shading of cells for tracking configurations in OrientationAndShadingSht
- Spectral Effects class added to calculate a very crude spectral correction value, which is applied to the effective irradiance reaching the PV cell
- Spectral sheet to allow user to define a spectral correction curve, based on clearness index
- Loss Diagram and Output sheets to include spectral gains/losses
- Issue where monthly albedo values were not saved correctly to .csyx
- Issue with PDF report generation
- Issues with loss diagram
- Issues with EPW and TMY3 readers
- Issue with DOMDocument reader
- Loss Diagram class added to read and output system losses
- GridConnectedSystems class restructured and changes made to GetInverterStatus function
- MetReader given EPW file reading capabilities
- PVArray class given additional calculations for previously uncalculated losses
- Slight modification to some irradiance and power calculations
- Loss Diagram sheet added to CASSYS interface for simulation outputs
- EPW weather compatibility added
- PDF summary export button added to the summary sheet
- Issue with uploading some OND files fixed
- Error Log: Now refreshes before each simulation
- Inverter Database: Fixed issue with user added .OND files not being visible in the selector on the Systems Sheet
- AC wiring loss calculations are now completed in their own class as opposed to being carried out in the Inverter class.
- Orientations and shading: User can now specify panel tilt for two seasons and CASSYS will adjust calculations and resulting outputs.
- Climate file: When running simulation the engine will be able to detect and skip over a user specified number of unusable rows. If there is more than the specified number of unusable rows, the program will stop running.
- Implemented capability to run simulations iteratively, but is not active as of this release.
- Transformer sheet now allows for user input of either CASSYS values or PVsyst equivalent values.
- AC wiring loss can now be modelled at either Standard Test Conditions or at nominal inverter power rating. This may be specified by the user in the system sheet. Previously, simulations were completed assuming STC.
- Orientation and shading sheet now has an additional user selection option: Fixed Tilt with Seasonal Adjustment. This allows the user to specify panel tilt angles for summer and winter seasons. Summer and winter start dates are indicated by user input.
- Climate file sheet now allows a user to specify a number of unreadable rows within the selected climate file.
- It is now possible to import .PAN and .OND files from all versions of PVsyst.
- ASTM E2848 Mode: ASTM E2848 mode is now available as a simulation mode. Users can now simulate system performance using coefficients determined as defined by the ASTM E2848 standard. The reference guide has been updated to document and explain the calculation of system power.
- Simulation mode is now modularized: Simulation configuration and calculations are handled by individual classes (e.g. GridConnected.cs) to simplify how the simulation proceeds and the correct outputs are calculated. This improves and enforces a structure to further development of new simulation modes.
- ASTM E2848 Mode: ASTM E2848 mode now available from Intro page. A new sheet has been added to accept user input and write them into the CASSYS project file (.csyx).
- Hide temperature and wind speed as available outputs in Radiation mode (as they are not available).
- Horizon: Users can specify horizon profiles in one degree increments and CASSYS will calculate the horizon shading factors
- Transformer power loss model: now quadratic with respect to input power as per physical models guide (changed from v 0.9.3)
- Calculated module temperature: incorrect calculation when convective heat transfer constant and wind speed were provided; calculation now matches physical models guide.
- TM3 files are now read and simulated correctly; previously the temperature columns were interpreted incorrectly.
- Added the ability to specify a horizon at 1⁰ intervals in the azimuth, and simulate horizon shading effects
- Reading of OND and PAN files: now reads PAN and OND files compatible with PVsyst < v6.4.
- Added code to csyx: to improve backward compatibility
- Added a new method of transformer definition, that enables users to define the transformer with physically meaningful inputs (specifically related to the transformer test documentation)
- CSV formatting issue: changing “Rows to skip” now dictates the determination of the timestamp at which data begins (“data begins at” cell)
- Climate file preview reset: Preview now resets if an invalid column number is selected
- Summary sheet shown: the summary sheet is not shown unless a summary is created
- Several usability improvements
- Trackers: CASSYS now has the capability to simulate systems that use trackers to optimize the incidence angle and maximize incoming radiation. Backtracking strategies can also be implemented for a few tracker types. Tracker limitations can also be specified by the user in the interface.
- Shading Model: The shading model has been extended as appropriate to the different array types. The cell based shading model is implemented for trackers where multi-row parameters can be defined.
- Radiation Mode: To enable radiation modelling without system definitions, a new mode can be selected from the Intro sheet that eliminates the need for the user to skip through pages and allows valid outputs to be requested from the program.
- Inverters: Mono-phase inverters can now be simulated using CASSYS (previously limited to Bi/Tri-Phase)
- Output File Scheme: The CSYX file only contains outputs requested by the user and not the entire list as in previous versions. This allows for easier automation and better readability of the CSYX file.
- Lat/Long Definition: Values for Lat and Long close to the equator caused incorrect conversion between decimal and deg,min,sec format
- PVArray Model: Users can now specify an IAM Profile in 5° increments (Version 0.9.1)
- Simulation: Users can now perform irradiance calculations (Transposition, De-transposition) without defining a system
- Radiation Processing: Users can now specify the tilt of the irradiance measurement device (if different than the tilt of the array)
- Radiation Processing: Negative irradiance values read from the climate file would not refresh till the next positive value was encountered
- Shading for Fixed Tilt Array: Incorrect Diffuse and Albedo shading factors have now been fixed
- PVArray Model: Change in modelling the thermal coefficient of the diode ideality factor Note: This value was previously fixed at -0.001 /°C
- Climate File Sheet: Accepts Meter tilt and Azimuth in the event they do not match the array tilt
- Losses: Allows specification of IAM Profile in accordance with Simulation Engine changes above
- Several usability improvements
- Module/Inverter Selection: Selected Inverter and Modules would not load properly if imported from PAN or OND files.
First version of CASSYS