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On the Use of TRNSYS in a Solar Energy Technical Elective

As concerns about energy infrastructure, sustainability and security become ever more important to Americans, engineering schools that have not traditionally focused on energy are moving to address the topic more formally. At Baylor University, an “energy core” of technical electives is being developed, including courses on wind energy, solar energy, power systems, turbines and combustion engines. This paper documents the authors’ observations on the use of the TRNSYS simulation software package in a senior/graduate elective on solar energy. The paper gives examples of the types of projects students do using TRNSYS, how it can be used in the classroom, and some suggestions for educators considering its use in future courses. Comparisons are made between projects completed using general-purpose numerical simulation software such as MATLAB, to show how TRNSYS can help students investigate more complex systems in less time, if attention is paid to comprehension of first principles.