Operative temperature and MRT output not consistent while requesting a different radiant temperature calculation type

[yzhou601]

Issue overview

EnergyPlus allows user to specify the "Mean Radiant Temperature Calculation Type" at People object, used for calculating the operative temperature and thermal comfort models. I used "AngleFactor" option and added "ComfortViewFactorAngles" object to list customized angle factors, I have found some unexpected behaviors while running my models:

1. I want to request the output variables for radiant temperatures and operative temperatures, there seems to be two level reporting (at zone level vs occupant level) variables: Zone Operative Temperature and Zone Thermal Comfort Operative Temperature (applies to mean radiant temperature too) and they didn't give the same results, which is quite confusing to me. It seems the zone level reporting always just use the default mean radiant temperature type ("EnclosureAveraged" probably?) since it didn't change when I change the mean radiant temperature type in People. Should they be more consistent to use the People MRT method since as far as I know, it's the only place to explicitly specify it? Is there a way to change the zone level MRT calculation type?

2. To report the operative temperature and MRT from Occupant level reporting, the thermal comfort model has to be completely defined, and the Zone Thermal Comfort Operative Temperature and Zone Thermal Comfort Mean Radiant Temperature only show up in RDD for specific thermal comfort models. I didn't try out all the thermal comfort models, but I noticed it didn't report MRT and operative temperature for AdaptiveASH55, but it is reported for Fanger.
   • Why can't we specify the Mean Radiant Temperature Calculation Type at People and request MRT and operative temperatures without a detailed thermal comfort model?
   • What's the reason that only a subset of thermal comfort models have these two outputs available for reporting?

FYI, I pasted the inputs from IDF that's related along with the full IDF attached on the bottom:

 People,
  occupants,                                     !- Name
  conditioned space 1,                     !- Zone or ZoneList or Space or SpaceList Name
  occupants schedule,                      !- Number of People Schedule Name
  People,                                           !- Number of People Calculation Method
  3,                                                    !- Number of People
  ,                                                      !- People per Floor Area {person/m2}
  ,                                                      !- Floor Area per Person {m2/person}
  0.314170909090909,                      !- Fraction Radiant
  0.563030303030303,                      !- Sensible Heat Fraction
  occupants activity schedule,          !- Activity Level Schedule Name
  0,                                                    !- Carbon Dioxide Generation Rate {m3/s-W}
  No,                                                 !- Enable ASHRAE 55 Comfort Warnings
  AngleFactor,                                   !- Mean Radiant Temperature Calculation Type
  AngleFactorList,                             !- Surface Name/Angle Factor List Name
  WORK_EFF_SCH,                            !- Work Efficiency Schedule Name
  ClothingInsulationSchedule,          !- Clothing Insulation Calculation Method
  ,                                                      !- Clothing Insulation Calculation Method Schedule Name
  CLOTHING_SCH,                            !- Clothing Insulation Schedule Name
  AIR_VELO_SCH,                              !- Air Velocity Schedule Name
  Fanger;                                          !- Thermal Comfort Model 1 Type
 
 ComfortViewFactorAngles,
  AngleFactorList,                            !- name of angle factor list
  Floor,                                            !- Surface name 1
  1.0,                                               !- Angle factor for surface 1
  partition wall mass,                      !- Surface name 2
  0,                                                  !- Angle factor for surface 2
  Ceiling,                                         !- Surface name 3
  0;                                                  !- Angle factor for surface 3

  Schedule:Compact,
    AIR_VELO_SCH,                          !- Name
    Any Number,                             !- Schedule Type Limits Name
    Through: 12/31,                        !- Field 1
    For: AllDays,                              !- Field 2
    Until: 24:00,0.5;                         !- Field 3

  Schedule:Compact,
    CLOTHING_SCH,                      !- Name
    Any Number,                           !- Schedule Type Limits Name
    Through: 04/30,                       !- Field 1
    For: AllDays,                             !- Field 2
    Until: 24:00,0.1,                        !- Field 3
    Through: 09/30,                       !- Field 5
    For: AllDays,                             !- Field 6
    Until: 24:00,0.1,                        !- Field 7
    Through: 12/31,                       !- Field 9
    For: AllDays,                             !- Field 10
    Until: 24:00,0.1;                        !- Field 11

  Schedule:Compact,
    WORK_EFF_SCH,                    !- Name
    Fraction,                                 !- Schedule Type Limits Name
    Through: 12/31,                     !- Field 1
    For: AllDays,                           !- Field 2
    Until: 24:00,0.5;                      !- Field 3

Operating System (Multiple choices)

Windows

Operating System Version

Windows 11

Version of EnergyPlus

25.1.0

Unmethours link or helpdesk ticket number

N/A

Defect file

in-OperativeTemp.idf.txt