SSC Modifications

For more information on the structure of a compute module in SSC, see the NREL wiki here. Modifications to the SSC project are found in this forked repository.

Adding a new module

By new module, I mean adding a new cmod file into the $DEVIR/ssc/ssc subfolder. There is a handy guide in the NREL github wiki, I have summarized some of the major steps. I have also added some linux-specific notes in addition to what is already in that wiki:

  • Create a new file named cmod_compute_module_name.cpp in the $DEVDIR/ssc/ssc subfolder of the ssc project (you can do this by copying, pasting, and renaming another compute module that you wish to emulate).

  • Add cmod_name.cpp to $DEVDIR/ssc/ssc/CMakeLists.txt

  • Compute modules must be listed twice in $DEVDIR/ssc/ssc/sscapi.cpp, once in each of these two methods:

    extern module_entry_info
static module_entry_info *module_table[]

  • Add cmod_name.o to $DEVDIR/ssc/build_android/Makefile-ssc under Objects

  • Add cmod_name.o to $DEVDIR/ssc/build_ios/Makefile-ssc under Objects

Note

The Makefile-ssc file was supposed to be in the $DEVDIR/ssc/build_linux subfolder but instead found it both in the ios and android subfolders. This is reflected in the steps above.

Adding a new solver or other file

These solvers and other files would be found in the $DEVIR/ssc/tcs subfolder. They can be solvers or util files with helper methods, etc. For instance, this is where I created a new child class of the pt_receiver that acts like a simplified nuclear reactor (found at $DEVIR/ssc/tcs/csp_solver_nuclear.cpp).

The same guidance applies from the wiki: start with an existing template and start modifying it from there. Make sure to find the parent/abstract class to understand the existing member functions and constructors, then overload them correctly.

When creating a new solver, the nomenclature seems to be to name it csp_solver_name then create both a .cpp and .h file with that same name. The header files declares member functions, variables, and structs while the .cpp file implements them.

After creating the two corresponding files, add them to SSC by following these steps:

  • Add csp_solver_name.o to $DEVIR/ssc/build_android/Makefile-tcs under Objects

  • Add csp_solver_name.o to $DEVIR/ssc/build_ios/Makefile-tcs under Objects

  • Add csp_solver_name.cpp and csp_solver_name.h to $DEVIR/ssc/tcs/CMakeLists.txt

No additional steps are necessary (you only add cmod module files to ssc_api, not solvers).

Creating new operating mode

  1. Add a new class to either tcs/csp_solver_core.h or tcs/csp_dual_solver_core.h * Should be a child of the C_operating_mode_core class * Needs a constructor (e.g., C_CR_OFF__PC_SB__TES_OFF__NUC_ON())) based on base class constructor. * Constructor requires operating modes for CSP and PC as well as solver modes for timestep and m_dot_tes * Might need either check_system_limits or handle_solver_error if the base class methods need to be overloaded

  2. Add implementations of constructors and methods in tcs/csp_solver_core.cpp or tcs/csp_dual_solver_core.cpp

  3. Add new operating mode to E_operating_modes or E_dual_operating_modes in the header file

  4. Add new operating mode class to the switch-case in get_pointer_to_op_mode