Controlling device and method for HVAC system

This application claims priority to Taiwanese Application Serial No. 102145813, filed on Dec. 12, 2013. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to controlling devices and methods, and, in particular, to a controlling device and method for an HVAC system.

2. Description of Related Art

The air conditioning system is used for controlling and maintaining temperature, humidity, pressure, wind, and cleanness inside a building in a predetermined range to make personnel live comfortably inside an environment of the building. A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is one of the air conditioning systems as know by person having ordinary skills in the art.

However, as traditional controlling method of air conditioning systems is predetermined in fixed values, therefore, it can not be applied to suit the measure to local conditions in different situations. If the predetermined fixed values are not appropriately set up, not only the environment thermal comfort inside a building is reduced, but also power consumption of an air conditioning system is increased without considering environment factors in many ways.

Meanwhile, as environmental protection issues raise, everyone is dedicated to energy conservation and carbon reduction. In ordinary daily life, an air conditioning system takes a great majority ratio of power consumption, and it would make a major progress, if the air conditioning system proceeds energy-saving.

Therefore, it would be problems to be solved that are how to take indoor environment factors such as temperature, humidity into consideration, and to maintain environment thermal comfort for indoor personnel and reduce power consumption in the same time.

The present disclosure discloses a controlling device used for controlling an HVAC system that modulates an indoor environment of a building. The controlling device comprises a building heat load module configured for establishing a building heat load model according to building envelope data; a data collecting module that collects field information data and setup data; an optimization module that integrates the building heat load model, the field information data, and the setup data to produce optimal setup data by optimal computation; and a controller that controls the HVAC system to modulate the indoor environment of the building.

The present disclosure discloses a controlling method for an HVAC system used that modulates an indoor environment of a building. The controlling method comprises collecting building envelope data to establish a building heat load model, and collecting field information data and setup data; integrating the building heat load model, the field information data, and the setup data to produce optimal setup data by optimal computation; and controlling the HVAC system to modulate the indoor environment of the building according to the optimal setup data.

FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture of a controlling device according to the present disclosure for an HVAC system;

FIG. 2A illustrates a controlling device for an HVAC system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B illustrates a controlling device for an HVAC system in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2C illustrates a controlling device for an HVAC system in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a controlling method for an HVAC system according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a controlling device and a method for an HVAC system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture of a controlling device according to the present disclosure for an HVAC system. The controlling device for an HVAC system 9 comprises a data collecting module 13 , a building heat load module 16 , an optimization module 17 , and a controller 18 .

The data collecting module 13 is used for collecting field information data and setup data. The field information data is (are), for example, hazard gas concentration (such as CO, CO 2 ), and/or room temperature, and/or room humidity, and/or power consumption of the HVAC system 9 . The setup data is, for example, a predetermined indoor temperature which is a predetermined value of a remote controller for operating an air conditioner or a fan.

The building heat load module 16 is used for collecting building envelope data in order to establish a building heat load model. The building envelope data are, for example, properties of building material which are used for forming an indoor space, and area value of the building material. Besides, the building envelope data are stored in a database (not shown).

The optimization module 17 integrates the building heat load model, the field information data, and the setup data to produce optimal setup data by optimal computation automatically or manually. For example, a control algorithm based on Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) or Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) is used to proceed the optimizing computing. The control algorithm might be H2, H∞, or hybrid type H2/H∞.

Given a stable and proper transfer function G(jω), its H2 norm is as follows

It mainly guarantees the energy minimization of systems.

Given a stable and proper transfer function G(jω), its H∞ norm as follows

It mainly guarantees the stability of systems.

According to the optimal setup data, the controller 18 controls the HVAC system 9 to modulate the indoor environment of the building for achieving functions of saving power consumption of the HVAC system 9 , and of maintaining indoor thermal comfort.

Besides, the controlling device according to the present disclosure which is used for an HVAC system 9 further comprises a communication module. The building heat load module 16 may be located in a remote area, and transmits data to the optimization module 17 through the communication module. In an embodiment, the building heat load module 16 and the optimization module 17 are located in a remote area, and transmit data to the controller 18 and the data collecting module 13 through the communication module.

FIG. 2A illustrates a controlling device for an HVAC system 9 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The controlling device comprises a sensor 21 , a setting device 22 , a data collecting module 23 , a database 24 , a communication module 25 , a building heat load module 26 , an optimization module 27 , and a controller 28 .

The data collecting module 13 is used for collecting field information data obtained by the sensor 21 which senses indoor environment of a building. The setting device 22 sets predetermined data of the indoor environment of the building, and power consumption 29 of the HVAC system 9 . The field information data may be gases concentration, for example, CO 2 concentration, and/or room temperature, and/or room humidity, and the predetermined data is the predetermined indoor temperature.

The database 24 is used for storing building envelope data, for example, building materials used in indoor space, such as walls, ceilings, floors, window and door material properties, and areas of building materials, wherein building materials properties are total thermal conductivity coefficient and thermal resistance.

The communication module 25 receives the building envelope data stored in the database 24 through the Internet 8 , and transmits them to the building heat load module 26 .

The building heat load module 26 collects building envelope data to establish a building heat load model, wherein the calculation for establishing the building heat load model is

d ⁢ d ⁢ ⁢ t ⁢ T in = - UA mc ⁢ T in + 1 mc ⁢ Q in + UA m ⁢ ⁢ c ⁢ T out ,

where A is the area of the building material, U is a heat transfer coefficient of the building material, T in is the indoor temperature, T out is the outdoor temperature, Q is the heat, m is the mass, c is the specific heat, wherein the calculation of the U value is

U = 1 ∑ R ,

and R is the thermal resistance of the building material according to Approved Document L Part 1A (2006 edition) sets the following ‘reasonable limits’. Approved Document L Part 1A (2006 edition) relates to the conservation of fuel and power in dwellings, and pages 18 and 19 of this document describe the calculation of ‘U-values.’

The optimization module 27 integrates the building heat load model, the field information data, and the setup data to produce optimal setup data by optimal computation automatically or manually. A control algorithm based on LQR or LQG is used to proceed the optimizing computing. The control algorithm may be, for example, H2, H∞, or hybrid type H2/H∞.

According to the optimal setup data obtained by the optimization module 27 , the controller 28 controls the HVAC system 9 to modulate indoor temperature, and/or indoor humidity, and/or air flow of the HVAC system 9 to maintain thermal comfort of indoor environment. And as described in the above, the data collecting module 23 takes the power consumption 9 of the HVAC system 9 into consideration as a considered factor of the optimization module 27 to achieve an effect of controlling power consumption.

Besides, the controlling device for an HVAC system 9 can locate the database 24 in a cloud base, and the database 24 transmits data through the Internet 8 to a control equipment, which integrates the data collecting module 23 , the communication module 25 , the building heat load module 26 , the optimization module 27 , and the controller 28 .

FIG. 2B illustrates a controlling device for an HVAC system 9 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The building heat load module 26 and the database 24 are simultaneously located in the cloud environment, and transmit data through the Internet 8 to a control equipment 2 ′, which integrates the data collecting module 23 , the communication module 25 , the optimization module 27 , and a controller 28 .

FIG. 2C illustrates a controlling device for an HVAC system 9 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The building heat load module 26 , the optimization module 27 , and the database 24 are located in the cloud environment, and transmit data through the Internet 8 to a control equipment 2 ″, which integrates the data collecting module 23 , the communication module 25 , and the controller 28 .

Based on three different embodiment types as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C , the user can apply different equipments according to different indoor space factors and his/her demand, and, furthermore, the different equipments can be modified as to fit different commercial types to promote effect of economic benefits.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a controlling method for an HVAC system according to the present disclosure. Firstly, in step S 31 , the building envelope data are collected to establish the building heat load model, and the field information data and setup data are collected.

Secondly, in step S 32 , the building heat load model, the field information data, and the setup data are integrated to produce optimal setup data by optimal computation automatically or manually.

Finally, in step S 33 , the HVAC system is controlled for modulating the indoor environment of the building according to the optimal setup data.

FIG. 4 illustrates a controlling device and a method for an HVAC system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The database 24 stores building envelope data such as indoor building materials and materials properties. The building heat load module 46 collects the building envelope data through the Internet 8 to establish a building heat load model, wherein the calculation for establishing building heat load model is

Besides, a plurality of data collecting modules 43 are located in an indoor space for collecting field information data such as indoor temperature and indoor humidity 431 , and collecting predetermined data such as a predetermined indoor temperature, gas concentration (for example, CO 2 concentration) 433 , and power consumption 29 of the HVAC system 9 . If the gas concentration is detected and over a predetermined value through a determining procedure 434 , the plurality of data collecting modules 43 transmit to the controller 48 information indicating that the gas concentration is high, in order to modulate the indoor gas concentration to the predetermined value. If the gas concentration is detected to be below a predetermined value through the determining procedure 434 , the plurality of data collecting modules 43 continue collecting data of the gas concentration.

Besides, the optimization model 47 integrates the building heat load model, the field information data, and the setup data to produce optimal setup data by optimal computation automatically or manually by using a control algorithm, for example, H2, or H∞, based on LQR or LQG, and to transmit the optimal setup data to the controller 48 .

According to the optimal setup data, the controller 48 controls the HVAC system 9 to modulate indoor temperature, and/or indoor humidity, and/or air flow output of the HVAC system 9 to maintain thermal comfort of indoor environment and to control the power consumption of the HVAC system 9 .

As described in the above expression, the present disclosure discloses a controlling device and method for an HVAC system. Under a prerequisite, without sacrificing the thermal comfort of indoor environment for the human body, an operation of the HVAC system is controlled to effectively achieve functions of controlling the power consumption and maintaining environment thermal comfort.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.