Abstract:

Understanding the operation HVAC systems is not simple for students because they are dynamic systems. That is, each of the elements of the system, behave according to existing conditions whose values are functions of time.

The learning experience discussed in this work has been developed within the context of the subject 'Air-conditioning' given in the second year of the degree of Industrial Engineering in the second half of 2010/11. At this stage, students have been used to working with static systems but not with Dynamic systems, these involve a change in mindset, but it is essential to work on it since to calculate the optimal design have to model the system dynamically. The operation of the system is a function of variables such as temperature, radiation, humidity ...and these environmental parameters are transient conditions.

This study describes the methodology of learning that has been used in the teaching of renewable heating and cooling systems by using TRNSYS simulation. It will be showed examples and finally the opinion that students have about this method.

The results are highly satisfactory and show that students prefer teaching methods such as that have been described in this work. Although it requires additional effort by the teacher since it is necessary to develop extra material explaining the functioning of the software.

Keywords:

Simulation, engineering education, competences.