Navigating Contextual Complexity with Graph Visualization
specific projection of the ontology that informed it . The parameters associated with each device include information about the location of devices in a system of assemblies , where each assembly is a device comprised of other devices . The connections include both material flows ( e . g ., Hot Water ) as well as containment ( part of ) relationships . It is possible to automatically generate arbitrarily detailed diagrams of real-world systems , so long as the required meta-data , and tools for visualization ( e . g ., suitable icons ) are defined . Devices in the chain can be represented by icons or pictures rather than simple boxes .
Figure 4 – 16 illustrates the simple model with simulated run-time data . The connections can now be further enhanced using the data about material flow , the status of valves and devices , as well as other instruments such as temperature and position controls . In this example , the heating valve is closed ( 0 %) and no hot water is flowing to the heating coil . The cooling valve is open , and the pump is operating , so flow is enabled . Similarly , the Supply Air Fan is operating , and air is flowing over the coils . At runtime , active flows can be animated for faster comprehension .
The graph in Figure 4-16 is interactive . Portions can be collapsed or expanded as needed for comprehension . In a typical control system , information about the status of a pump might not be displayed on the same screen as the schematic of an air handler , because the pump is controlled by another system . Using generated graph layouts , we can provide faster access to information about the pump , enabling the user to expand or collapse the Chilled Water System and Hot Water System to get more detail as needed without changing focus away from the Air Handling System .
Most control systems still consist of manually crafted screens that tie the control system ( sensors , status indicators and actuators ) to visual components . Typically , this level of system information is only available to the building operators . Definitive data measuring the impact that more flexible system displays deliver for facility operators has not been collected .
90 February 2025