Patent attributes
A planning tool used to facilitate more efficient design of a central plant is configured to provide an advanced user interface. The user interface includes a symbol palette with selectable symbols that represent resource suppliers, subplants, energy loads, and resource storage devices associated with a central plant. The user interface allows users to drag these symbols onto a workspace and form various connections between the symbols. The user interface provides feedback to the user and prevents improper connections by evaluating user inputs according to a set of rules. The rules define valid relationships between the resource suppliers, subplants, energy loads, and resource storage devices. The user interface also allows users to specify equipment contained within the subplants. After a central plant model is created via the user interface, users can simulate operation of a central plant according to the model for planning, budgeting, and/or design considerations.
