Air conditioning water system control simulation system and method

Abstract

The application provides an air conditioning water system control simulation system and method, the air conditioning water system control simulation system comprises a user interaction server, a virtual control system and a physical model of an air conditioning water system deployed on the same edge device, the physical model comprises a first substitution program for calling a target function and a second substitution program called by the target function; when the air conditioning water system control simulation is performed, the user interaction server acquires a control program corresponding to the target function written by a user and sends the control program to the virtual control system; and the virtual control system runs the control program based on the physical model to realize simulation test of the target function. Thus, the simulation test of the air conditioning water system is realized without physical simulation, so that the application can provide a reference for development of the water system control program, improve iteration efficiency of program development, verify reliability and stability of the control program in advance, and reduce the Bug rate in program development.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to an air conditioning water system control simulation system and method. Background Technology

[0002] As air conditioning water systems play an increasingly important role in building infrastructure and their functions become more complex, the application of intelligent algorithms such as energy-saving control and energy consumption planning is gradually maturing. However, this has led to longer on-site debugging times, and with the increasing complexity of control programs, the number of bugs in these programs is rising exponentially, hindering the introduction of new features in the future. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air conditioning water system control simulation system and method to verify the reliability and stability of the control program in advance and reduce the bug rate in program development.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an air conditioning water system control simulation system, including a user interaction server, a virtual control system and a physical model of the air conditioning water system deployed on the same edge device, wherein the physical model includes a first alternative program for calling a target function and a second alternative program for being called by the target function.

[0005] The user interaction server is used to obtain the control program corresponding to the target function written by the user and send the control program to the virtual control system; the virtual control system is used to run the control program based on the physical model to realize the simulation test of the target function.

[0006] Furthermore, the physical model is deployed in the edge device in the form of a linked library.

[0007] Furthermore, the virtual control system is also used to run the control program at a real-time or specified operating rate and exchange data with the physical model; the virtual control system and the physical model are synchronized and controlled in real time through inter-process communication (IPC) within the edge device.

[0008] Furthermore, the virtual control system is also used to run the control program based on the actual equipment of the air conditioning water system to verify the target function.

[0009] Furthermore, the user interaction server is also used to obtain test cases corresponding to the target function and send the test cases to the virtual control system; the virtual control system is also used to run the control program according to the test cases.

[0010] Furthermore, the user interaction server is also used to obtain the test data fed back by the physical model and send the test data to a preset fault diagnosis server so as to perform fault diagnosis of the target function through the fault diagnosis server.

[0011] Furthermore, the user interaction server is also used to transmit the control program to the actual control device connected to the edge device after the control program test of the target function passes.

[0012] Furthermore, the user interaction server is also used to transmit the control program to the actual control device via the RPC protocol.

[0013] Furthermore, the user interaction server is also used to obtain the actual data fed back by the actual control device and the test data fed back by the physical model, and to provide troubleshooting reminders when the actual data and the test data are inconsistent.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention also provide an air conditioning water system control simulation method, applied to the air conditioning water system control simulation system described in the first aspect, the air conditioning water system control simulation method comprising:

[0015] The user interaction server obtains the control program corresponding to the target function written by the user and sends the control program to the virtual control system.

[0016] The virtual control system runs the control program based on the physical model to achieve simulation testing of the target function.

[0017] Furthermore, the air conditioning water system control simulation method also includes:

[0018] The virtual control system runs the control program based on the actual equipment of the air conditioning water system to verify the target function.

[0019] Furthermore, after the virtual control system runs the control program based on the physical model to achieve the target function through simulation testing, the air conditioning water system control simulation method further includes:

[0020] The user interaction server obtains the test data fed back by the physical model and sends the test data to a preset fault diagnosis server so as to perform fault diagnosis of the target function through the fault diagnosis server.

[0021] The air conditioning water system control simulation system and method provided in this invention include a user interaction server, a virtual control system, and a physical model of the air conditioning water system deployed on the same edge device. The physical model includes a first alternative program that calls the target function and a second alternative program that is called by the target function. During the air conditioning water system control simulation, the user interaction server obtains the control program corresponding to the target function written by the user and sends the control program to the virtual control system. The virtual control system runs the control program based on the physical model to achieve simulation testing of the target function. This achieves physical-free simulation testing of the air conditioning water system. Therefore, the air conditioning water system control simulation system and method provided in this invention can provide a reference for the development of water system control programs, improve the iterative efficiency of program development, verify the reliability and stability of the control program in advance, and reduce the bug rate in program development. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioning water system control simulation system provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the system architecture of an air conditioning water system control simulation system provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the simulation principle of an air conditioning water system control simulation system provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the operation process of an air conditioning water system control simulation system provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a simulation method for controlling an air conditioning water system, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The main control components of an air conditioning water system include cooling towers, shut-off valves, and water pumps. Current main control system development for air conditioning water systems typically involves hardware such as PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) and DDCs (Direct Digital Controls). After the main control program is developed, if the hardware is not installed, there is no effective way to verify the completeness of the functionality; debugging can only be done after on-site installation. This development method fails to achieve agile development and is prone to introducing numerous bugs, requiring significant manpower for subsequent maintenance of the air conditioning water system hardware. Therefore, this invention provides an air conditioning water system control simulation system and method that enables physical simulation of the air conditioning water system, providing a reference for the development of water system control programs, improving the iterative efficiency of program development, verifying the reliability and stability of the program in advance, and reducing the bug rate during program development.

[0030] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, a detailed description of an air conditioning water system control simulation system disclosed in this embodiment of the invention will be provided first.

[0031] See Figure 1 The diagram shows a structural schematic of an air conditioning water system control simulation system. This system includes a user interaction server 101, a virtual control system 102, and a physical model 103 of the air conditioning water system, all deployed on the same edge device 100. The physical model 103 includes a first alternative program that calls a target function and a second alternative program that is called by the target function. The user interaction server 101 obtains the control program corresponding to the target function written by the user and sends the control program to the virtual control system 102. The virtual control system 102 runs the control program based on the physical model 103 to achieve simulation testing of the target function.

[0032] Specifically, the aforementioned user interaction server 101 can provide programming functionality. During the development phase of the air conditioning water system controller, users can write control programs in the edge device 100 via the user interaction server 101. These user-written control programs can include logic control programs and interface programs. The interface program is responsible for exchanging data with virtual or physical devices such as the physical model 103 and DA (digital-to-analog) / AD (analog-to-digital) data acquisition devices. The physical model 103 is a virtual device that can be installed on the edge device 100 as an application. The DA / AD data acquisition device can be either a virtual or physical device. The DA data acquisition device is used to output signals, such as the frequency signal of the pump (which can be controlled by current), while the AD data acquisition device is used to provide input signals.

[0033] After the user completes the control program on the edge device 100, the program function is tested in the same set of edge devices 100 through the virtual control system 102. The output of the control program can be given to the physical model 103 of the air conditioning water system in real time or in a user-specified manner, and the corresponding feedback data (test data) can be obtained to verify the control effect of the virtual control system 102.

[0034] The virtual control system 102 is a virtual device that can be installed on the edge device 100 in the form of an app. Optionally, the virtual control system 102 is also used to run the control program at a real-time or specified operating rate and exchange data with the physical model 103. Running the control program at a real-time operating rate can simulate the actual control process; running the control program at a user-specified operating rate can achieve high-speed system simulation. For example, the simulation of the control process throughout the year can be completed in a few minutes, which facilitates the analysis of parameters such as energy consumption of the air conditioning water system throughout the year.

[0035] Alternatively, the virtual control system 102 and the physical model 103 can be synchronized and controlled in real time via IPC (Inter-Process Communication) within the edge device 100. This approach has the advantage of high efficiency.

[0036] In the physical model 103 above, the first alternative program that calls the target function refers to the program that calls the control program, such as the program that calls the main unit load increase / decrease function of the water system by the decision-making equipment; the second alternative program that is called by the target function refers to the program that is called by the control program, such as the program that calls the valve switching, water pump switching, etc. by the main unit load increase / decrease function.

[0037] Optionally, the physical model 103 described above can be deployed in the edge device 100 in the form of a link library to achieve higher deployment efficiency. Here, a link library refers to a collection of extended links, including multiple small program modules that can be called, representing devices such as pumps, valves, and sensors in the air conditioning water system. For example, after the virtual control system 102 issues a control command to turn on the pump, the physical model 103 can provide feedback data such as environmental changes and pressure changes in the air conditioning water system.

[0038] The aforementioned air conditioning water system control simulation system, through a user interaction server 101, a virtual control system 102, and a physical model 103 of the air conditioning water system deployed on the same edge device 100, realizes the physical simulation test of the air conditioning water system. Therefore, it can provide a reference for the development of water system control programs, improve the iterative efficiency of program development, verify the reliability and stability of the control program in advance, and reduce the bug rate in program development.

[0039] Optionally, the aforementioned virtual control system 102 is also used to run a control program based on the actual equipment of the air conditioning water system to verify the target function. The output of the control program can be provided to the actual equipment of the air conditioning water system in real time or in a user-specified manner through the interface of the edge device 100, such as 485, BACnet, etc., and obtain corresponding feedback data to further verify the control effect of the virtual control system 102. The virtual control system 102 can be directly connected to the actual equipment through the interface of the edge device 100 (such as 485, BACnet, etc.) to test the quality of the actual equipment, such as applying a 50Hz speed to the pump valve to test whether the pump valve operates at the specified speed.

[0040] Optionally, the user interaction server 101 is further configured to obtain test cases corresponding to the target function and send the test cases to the virtual control system 102; the virtual control system 102 is further configured to run the control program according to the test cases.

[0041] A test case is a description of a testing task for a specific software product, reflecting the test plan, methods, techniques, and strategies. Its content includes test objectives, test environment, input data, test steps, expected results, and test scripts, ultimately forming a document. A test case can be considered a set of test inputs, execution conditions, and expected results compiled for a specific goal to verify whether a specific software requirement is met. Test cases can include test sets and baseline sets. A baseline refers to the fact that large-scale software projects are divided into multiple components, or configuration items. Each configuration item can be developed independently, with different progress and iteration counts. When the entire project is finalized, all configuration items need to be aggregated to complete overall testing and verification. At this point, the configuration items at different stages are combined to form a baseline, which is a version of the overall project.

[0042] Users can write test cases for the objects to be tested on the edge device 100 through the user interaction server 101, allowing the control program under test to run according to the user's settings, reducing excessive human intervention in the testing process. The edge device 100 can also load user-written test cases via a webpage, and the test cases can be transmitted to the edge device 100 in text format. In addition, test cases can also be used to analyze the output results.

[0043] Optionally, the aforementioned user interaction server 101 is also used to obtain test data fed back by the physical model 103 and send the test data to a preset fault diagnosis server for fault diagnosis of the target function. After the test cases are completed, the user can upload the test data to the diagnostic analysis platform (i.e., the fault diagnosis server) to evaluate the problems and faults in the control program, and use this data to correct the control program and improve its robustness.

[0044] Optionally, the aforementioned user interaction server 101 is also used to transmit the control program to the actual control device connected to the edge device 100 after the control program for the target function has passed testing. This achieves a one-stop solution for development-testing-deployment, directly applying the developed control program to the virtual control system 102 and the actual control device at the physical layer, reducing problems caused by differences in deployment platforms.

[0045] Optionally, the aforementioned user interaction server 101 is also used to transmit the control program to the actual control equipment via the RPC (Remote Procedure Call Protocol). After the functional code (i.e., the control program corresponding to the target function) has been tested and verified, the developed functional code can be directly transmitted to the actual control equipment such as DDC and PLC in the network via the RPC protocol to begin controlling the actual hardware.

[0046] RPC is a protocol that allows a program on a remote computer to request services over a network without needing to understand the underlying network technology. RPC offers the following advantages: 1. Improved system scalability; 2. Enhanced system maintainability and continuous delivery capabilities; 3. High system availability.

[0047] Optionally, the user interaction server 101 is also used to acquire actual data fed back by the actual control device and test data fed back by the physical model 103, and to provide troubleshooting reminders when the actual data and test data are inconsistent. The user interaction server 101 can compare the actual data and test data to determine whether they are consistent. If they are inconsistent, it indicates that there is a problem with the actual control device or the physical model 103, and the problem needs to be investigated.

[0048] When there is a discrepancy between the test data provided by the physical model 103 and the actual data provided by the actual control device, the problem may lie with either the physical model 103 or the actual control device. For example, it might be assumed that a 16-bit actual control device was deployed, but an 8-bit device was actually deployed, leading to a data overflow. Specific issues can be determined manually, such as checking for logical problems in the physical model 103. Furthermore, when the user interaction server 101 provides troubleshooting alerts, it can provide preconditions, the range and trend of the discrepancy, such as specifying the preconditions for operating at a certain temperature and for how long under cooling conditions.

[0049] Control programs deployed on actual control devices such as DDCs and PLCs can also interconnect with edge devices 100, which are also within the local area network, via the BACnet protocol. Through cross-validation between the physical model and the actual device, potential problems in the logic can be identified early, extending the lifespan of the air conditioning water system. BACnet is a communication protocol used in intelligent buildings, offering advantages such as reduced maintenance costs, easier installation than general industrial communication protocols, and significantly increased system scalability and compatibility.

[0050] To facilitate understanding the system architecture of the air conditioning water system control simulation system, please refer to... Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the system architecture of an air conditioning water system control simulation system. This system adopts a one-stop solution for program development, model testing, and program deployment: a user interaction server, a virtual control system APP, and a physical model APP are deployed on an edge device. Program development can be performed through the user interaction server, and the control program can be deployed to the virtual control system APP. Physical model-based testing can be conducted through the virtual control system APP, and the testing progress can be fed back to the user interaction server. The virtual control system APP and the physical model APP can be synchronized and controlled in real time through the IPC within the edge device. The user interaction server can also be used to deploy the control program on the actual control device, and the actual control device can also provide feedback data to the user interaction server, achieving cross-validation between the physical model and the actual device. Therefore, program development, physical model-based testing, and program deployment are all on a single platform. Furthermore, data interaction with a fault diagnosis service can be achieved through the user interaction server, which is provided by the aforementioned fault diagnosis server. This simulation testing method offers high security, and with professional technicians on-site, rapid troubleshooting of the equipment is possible.

[0051] To facilitate understanding the simulation principle of the air conditioning water system control simulation system, please refer to... Figure 3The diagram illustrates the simulation principle of an air conditioning water system control simulation system. Taking the edge device as an edge gateway as an example, a test framework is first constructed. This framework includes the source code (i.e., control program) of the water system control, the edge gateway test environment, and the physical model. The edge gateway test environment can include alternative programs that call the target function (such as time injection, fault injection, etc.) and test cases, in addition to the physical model. Then, a test condition input sequence is constructed, which refers to real physical environment parameters that change slowly over time, such as ambient temperature, ambient humidity, and state parameters of some modules (such as valve size, pump size, etc.). Based on the test framework and the test condition input sequence, accelerated or real-time operation is performed. In-loop verification is conducted through the physical model to achieve rapid simulation, and in-loop verification through actual equipment enables rapid fault testing of the actual equipment. Finally, the test results are evaluated through a fault diagnosis server.

[0052] To facilitate understanding of the operation of the air conditioning water system control simulation system, please refer to... Figure 4 The diagram illustrates the operation of an air conditioning water system control simulation system. Taking an edge device as an edge gateway as an example, alternative programs for calling the target function and alternative programs called by the target function can be written to determine the input and output signals of the target function. Test sets and baseline sets can be written, and then the edge gateway can be deployed based on the alternative programs for calling the target function, the alternative programs called by the target function, the test sets, and the baseline sets. Finally, on the deployed edge gateway, the control program is tested based on the test sets and baseline sets, and the test data analysis results are obtained. Additionally, the edge gateway can upload test data to the cloud (i.e., a fault diagnosis server) for fault diagnosis of the target function, facilitating remote viewing by users.

[0053] In this system, the substitute program that invokes the target function provides input signals to the target function, while the substitute program invoked by the target function provides both input and output signals. For example, switching a valve can cause changes in flow rate, temperature, and pressure. The substitute program invoked by the target function can calculate the changes based on the external load and feed them back to the target function's control program. For instance, the decision-making device invokes the main unit load adjustment function of the water system to obtain information about the external environment (such as temperature and humidity) and the current system status (how many main units are currently running, the overall load of the main units, etc.). Based on the start-up and shutdown control program, it makes a start-up and shutdown decision, i.e., selects a main unit for load adjustment.

[0054] In summary, the air conditioning water system control simulation system provided in this embodiment of the invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0055] 1. Based on edge hardware devices (i.e., edge devices), build and deploy a physical model of the air conditioning water system to enable rapid deployment and testing of controllers such as DDC and PLC.

[0056] 2. By first deploying test applications (i.e., virtual control systems) such as DDC and PLC in edge hardware devices, the control program can be quickly tested. Then, it can be deployed to the field DDC device (i.e., actual control device) via RPC protocol to achieve actual control.

[0057] 3. By deploying a user interaction environment in edge hardware devices, manual tests, including fault injection, signal simulation, and baseline testing, can be performed.

[0058] This invention also provides a simulation method for controlling an air conditioning water system, which is applied to the aforementioned air conditioning water system control simulation system. See also... Figure 5 The diagram shows a simulation method for controlling an air conditioning water system. This method mainly includes the following steps S502 to S504:

[0059] Step S502: The user interaction server obtains the control program corresponding to the target function written by the user and sends the control program to the virtual control system.

[0060] Step S504: The virtual control system runs the control program based on the physical model to achieve simulation testing of the target function.

[0061] In some possible embodiments, the specific process of step S504 above may be as follows: the virtual control system runs the control program at a real-time or specified operating rate and exchanges data with the physical model.

[0062] Furthermore, the above method also includes: a virtual control system based on the actual equipment operation control program of the air conditioning water system to verify the target function.

[0063] Furthermore, before step S504, the above method further includes: the user interaction server obtaining the test cases corresponding to the target function and sending the test cases to the virtual control system; step S504 can also be implemented through the following process: the virtual control system runs the control program according to the test cases.

[0064] Furthermore, after step S504, the above method further includes: the user interaction server obtaining the test data fed back by the physical model and sending the test data to a preset fault diagnosis server, so as to perform fault diagnosis of the target function through the fault diagnosis server.

[0065] Furthermore, after step S504, the above method further includes: after the control program test of the target function is passed, the user interaction server transmits the control program to the actual control device connected to the edge device.

[0066] Furthermore, after the user interaction server passes the control program test for the target function and transmits the control program to the actual control device connected to the edge device, the above method also includes: the user interaction server obtaining the actual data fed back by the actual control device and the test data fed back by the physical model, and when the actual data and the test data are inconsistent, it performs troubleshooting and alerts.

[0067] The air conditioning water system control simulation method provided in this embodiment has the same implementation principle and technical effect as the aforementioned air conditioning water system control simulation system embodiment. For the sake of brevity, any parts not mentioned in the air conditioning water system control simulation method embodiment can be referred to the corresponding content in the aforementioned air conditioning water system control simulation system embodiment.

[0068] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations; therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0069] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0070] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A simulation system for controlling an air conditioning water system, characterized in that, The physical model includes a user interaction server, a virtual control system, and an air conditioning water system deployed on the same edge device. The physical model includes a first alternative program that calls a target function and a second alternative program that is called by the target function. The first alternative program refers to the program that calls the control program, and the second alternative program refers to the program that is called by the control program. The user interaction server is used to obtain the control program corresponding to the target function written by the user, and send the control program to the virtual control system. The virtual control system is used to run the control program based on the physical model to achieve simulation testing of the target function.

2. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The physical model is deployed in the edge device via a linked library.

3. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The virtual control system is also used to run the control program at a real-time or specified operating rate and exchange data with the physical model; the virtual control system and the physical model are synchronized and controlled in real time through inter-process communication (IPC) within the edge device.

4. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The virtual control system is also used to run the control program based on the actual equipment of the air conditioning water system to verify the target function.

5. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The user interaction server is also used to obtain test cases corresponding to the target function and send the test cases to the virtual control system; the virtual control system is also used to run the control program according to the test cases.

6. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The user interaction server is also used to obtain the test data fed back by the physical model and send the test data to a preset fault diagnosis server so as to perform fault diagnosis of the target function through the fault diagnosis server.

7. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The user interaction server is also used to transmit the control program to the actual control device connected to the edge device after the control program of the target function has passed the test.

8. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The user interaction server is also used to transmit the control program to the actual control device via the RPC protocol.

9. The air conditioning water system control simulation system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The user interaction server is also used to obtain the actual data fed back by the actual control device and the test data fed back by the physical model, and to provide troubleshooting reminders when the actual data and the test data are inconsistent.

10. A simulation method for controlling an air conditioning water system, characterized in that, The air conditioning water system control simulation system applied to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the air conditioning water system control simulation method comprises: The user interaction server obtains the control program corresponding to the target function written by the user and sends the control program to the virtual control system. The virtual control system runs the control program based on the physical model to achieve simulation testing of the target function.

11. The air conditioning water system control simulation method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The air conditioning water system control simulation method also includes: The virtual control system runs the control program based on the actual equipment of the air conditioning water system to verify the target function.

12. The air conditioning water system control simulation method according to claim 10, characterized in that, After the virtual control system runs the control program based on the physical model to achieve the target function in a simulation test, the air conditioning water system control simulation method further includes: The user interaction server obtains the test data fed back by the physical model and sends the test data to a preset fault diagnosis server so as to perform fault diagnosis of the target function through the fault diagnosis server.

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