TRNSYS is a transient systems simulation program with a modular structure. It recognizes a system description language in which the user specifies the components that constitute the system and the manner in which they are connected. The TRNSYS library includes many of the components commonly found in thermal and electrical energy systems, as well as component routines to handle input of weather data or other time-dependent forcing functions and output of simulation results. The modular nature of TRNSYS gives the program tremendous flexibility, and facilitates the addition to the program of mathematical models not included in the standard TRNSYS library. TRNSYS is well suited to detailed analyses of any system whose behaviour is dependent on the passage of time. TRNSYS has become reference software for researchers and engineers around the world. Main applications include: solar systems (solar thermal and photovoltaic systems), low energy buildings and HVAC systems, renewable energy systems, cogeneration, fuel cells.
Simulation Studio: The Graphical Interface for TRNSYS
Introduction :
The TRNSYS Simulation Studio, developed by the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment in Sophia Antipolis, France, was added to the TRNSYS package in 1996. In its first form the Simulation Studio (then known as "IISiBat" was a general simulation environment program that was been adapted to house the TRNSYS simulation software. With the release of TRNSYS 15, IISiBat became much more customized for TRNSYS's needs and with the release of TRNSYS 16, became a shell for the entire TRNSYS simulation process. These functions include creating and editing input files, creating new components, generating HTML based documentation, displaying listing and output files, plotting results, offering online help, running parametric simulations, and providing shortcuts for several repetitive tasks such as Fortran and C++ compiling and linking.
The figure above shows the Simulation Studio Assembly Panel used to create and work with TRNSYS simulations. This main window contains many descriptive icons with lines connecting them to form a system. Each icon represents a different component (eg. pump, solar collector, steam trap, etc.). The user drags the necessary icons into the Assembly Panel from the directory structure on the right. The user then creates links between components that share information. The lines connecting the icons represent the pipes and wires that connect the physical components. While several connections are possible between two components, just one link is displayed. To view or change the input and output connections, the user clicks on the link itself to view a detailed window. A series of Tools around the top and left borders of the Assembly Panel window allow the user to place icons onto the working area, connect the icons as necessary, run the simulation, access the editor, access the spreadsheet and plotting packages, and perform many other functions.
Double clicking on any of the links between components allows users to set the data that flows between the two in a link window.

Double clicking on one of the components itself allows users to obtain detailed information about the component, its origin and its underlying assumptions.
Creating A Simulation:
Simulations can be created based on a set of Templates and Wizards...

Simulations are built up from a library of existing components, documented and organized in the "Direct Access" menu...
Components are linked to one another in whatever way the system calls for using the linking tool...
As the simulation runs, ANY output variable from ANY component can be viewed in real time using the online plotter component...
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