A control system for controlling a air handling device comprising a temperature control component and an adsorption capacity control component

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a control system (200; 300; 400; 500) for controlling an air handling device (101) comprising a temperature control component (102) and a adsorption capacity control component (103); wherein the control system comprises a multi signal controller (210) for control of the temperature control component (102) and the adsorption capacity control component (103) of the air handling device (101), and wherein said multi-signal controller (210) comprises a feed forward component (211) arranged to determine control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device based on sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device.

Description

[0001] A control system for controlling a air handling device comprising a temperature control component and an adsorption capacity control component

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to a control system for controlling a temperature and adsorption capacity in a defined space. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a control system for controlling a temperature and adsorption capacity in a defined space as defined in the introductory parts of the independent claims.

[0004] Background art

[0005] Dehumidifiers with fresh air intake are designed to remove moisture from the air in a secluded space while also bringing in fresh air from outside. They are ideal for use in areas where both heating and cooling are required.

[0006] A heat exchanger can be used in a humidifier with fresh air intake to recover heat from the outgoing air and transfer it to the incoming air. This can help to reduce energy costs and improve indoor air quality by reducing the amount of energy required to heat or cool the incoming air. There are generally two types of air exchangers: Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) and Energy (or Enthalpy) Recovery Ventilators (ERVs). HRVs transfer heat from the outgoing air to the incoming air while ERVs transfer both heat and humidity.

[0007] There are many different types of dehumidifiers with fresh air intake available on the market. Generally, the humidifiers work by drawing in air from the room through a duct. The air may pass through the heat exchanger. Humidity is removed from the air and dry air is blown back out into the room. An air duct may be used to collect the water that has been removed from the air.

[0008] There are two main types of dehumidifiers: refrigerant, also known as compressor, and desiccant. Refrigerant dehumidifiers work by drawing in moist air over a cold coil, which cools the air below its dew point and causes the moisture to condense. The water is then collected in a container or drained away through a hose. Desiccant dehumidifiers work by passing moist air over a desiccant material that absorbs the moisture. In practice, characteristically, desiccant dehumidifiers work by adsorbing humidity from the process air stream with a desiccant wheel. Climate controlling systems with dehumidifier units used today are characteristically controlled with a PID controller that acts on sensor data. The control system reacts on the deviations in the controlled area and when the sensor data indicates that there is a deviation from desired characteristics, the controller acts to iterate towards the desired properties. This means that the user already has worse climate properties in their rooms or defined space before the control system acts on the deviation. The deviation in the defined space is the factor that starts the process of iterating the climate system to the desired values. Regardless of the source of the disturbance, the control system reacts identically.

[0009] A feedback control system is a part of a climate controlling systems that can be used for controlling and regulating temperature and humidity in a defined space, such as climate- controlled storages, environmental rooms or cold storage to mention a few. These controlling systems typically comprise several sensors within the defined space. The sensors are typically of different types for registering properties such as temperature or humidity within the controlled space. The sensor-generated data is compared to the preferred properties for the defined space and reacts on deviations. The system usually uses PID generators or similar to send signals to the processors which then regulate the climate inside the defined space in an iterative procedure.

[0010] Summary

[0011] There is a need for improvement of prior art air handling devices to solve the issue with preventing the climate properties in a defined space from deviating from the desired properties before the climate in the defined space actually changes.

[0012] The current existing solution to this problem is to use reactive control on one or several of the sensors in the defined space, which tries to minimize the existing damage. The reactive control are, as the name describes, reacting on the misalignments of the preferred and set properties in the defined room and the actual properties measured by the sensors inside of the room. However, this solution cannot prevent the misalignment without delay.

[0013] In the industry most costumers, which uses dehumidifiers, usually only has one or a few sensors in the room that measure the climate. This is inefficient and when a deviation in the room starts, the sensor or sensors will have a small chance to recognize the changes fast enough to have the possibility to keep the climate at the desired properties. To prevent this problem from occurring costumers use several sensors to be able to detect and flatten out deviations in the closed room or defined space. The room sensors can never be fully steadily controlled since the unit is always acting reactively. For customers with high accuracy demands with demand for low dew point applications, pharmaceutical or food applications for mentioning some, the ability to control the environment even more steadily then with current known solutions would add value. Increased control stability will also have a large impact on the energy efficiency, where we today use 80-150% additional energy due to poor control.

[0014] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to achieve a climate controlling system that is able to make the climate in a controlled space more stable.

[0015] The present disclosure relates to a control system for controlling an air handling device comprising a temperature control component and an adsorption capacity control component, wherein the control system comprises a multi signal controller for control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device, and wherein said multi-signal controller comprises a feed forward component arranged to determine control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device based on sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device.

[0016] With the presence of the feed forward component arranged to determine control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device based on sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device, the need for a feedback loop in the control system is removed or at least mitigated.

[0017] The adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device is for example a humidity adsorption control component and / or a gas, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), adsorption control component and / or Volatile Organic Compound, VOC, adsorption control component.

[0018] In practice the adsorption capacity control component comprises controllable adsorption equipment, such as controllable humidity adsorption equipment and / or controllable gas adsorption equipment, wherein the gas for example is carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or controllable VOC adsorption equipment. The term "adsorption capacity control component" refers to a component capable to control an adsorption capacity, i-e-capable to control the difference in content of the substance to be absorbed (such as humidity, CO2 or VOC) between inflow and outflow, times the flow rate.

[0019] In an embodiment, the multi signal controller further comprises a steady state calculator prediction tool for calculating the air handling device performance, wherein an output from the steady-state calculator prediction tool is operatively connected to an input of the feed forward component and wherein the feed-forward component is arranged to determine the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component also based on the calculated air handling device performance.

[0020] The steady-state calculator prediction tool is a tool that calculates the steady-state of a system. A steady-state is a state where the system does not change over time. In other words, the system has reached equilibrium. The steady state calculator prediction tool is for example implemented in software stored in a memory.

[0021] Thus, the steady-state calculation tool calculates the present state of the air handling device under the assumption that the system, i. e. the environment wherein the air handling device is operation, does not change over time and the feed forward component uses the sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device to determine the deviation in the state of the air handling device from the steady state and determines the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component based thereon.

[0022] Further embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0023] In at least some embodiments, desiccant rotor technology is used to significantly reduce energy costs whilst delivering precise climate conditions.

[0024] The systems may include energy recovery and / or desiccant dehumidification to control the air supplied.

[0025] The systems maintain the desired space temperature and adsorption condition while offering exceptional flexibility to respond to changing loads that occur. The systems have the ability to respond to wide fluctuations in temperature and humidity / gas level in an energy-efficient manner.

[0026] The present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description given below. The detailed description and specific examples disclose preferred embodiments of the disclosure by way of illustration only. Those skilled in the art understand from guidance in the detailed description that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the disclosure.

[0027] Hence, it is to be understood that the herein disclosed disclosure is not limited to the particular component parts of the device described or steps of the methods described since such device and method may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. It should be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claim, the articles "a", "an", "the", and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements unless the context explicitly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a unit" or "the unit" may include several devices, and the like. Furthermore, the words "comprising", "including", "containing" and similar wordings does not exclude other elements or steps.

[0028] Brief descriptions of the drawings

[0029] The above objects, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following illustrative and nonlimiting detailed description of example embodiments of the present disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Figure 1 shows a setup for control of a temperature and control of adsorption of for example humidity and / or gas in a defined space or environment.

[0031] Figure 2 is a block scheme illustrating a control system 200 for controlling an air handling device according to a first example-

[0032] Figure 3 is a block scheme illustrating a control system 300 for controlling an air handling device according to a second example-

[0033] Figure 4 is a block scheme illustrating a control system 400 for controlling an air handling device according to a third example- Figure 5 is a block scheme illustrating a control system 500 for controlling an air handling device according to a fourth example-

[0034] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating examples of methods 600 for controlling an air handling device comprising a temperature control component and an adsorption capacity control component.

[0035] Detailed description

[0036] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred example embodiments of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in other forms and should not be construed as limited to the herein disclosed embodiments. The disclosed embodiments are provided to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to the skilled person.

[0037] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a set-up 100 for control of an air handling device 101 which is controlled with respect to both temperature and adsorption of for example humidity and / or gas in an environment 104. Thus, the air handling device comprises a temperature control component and an adsorption capacity control component.

[0038] In practice the temperature control component comprises controllable equipment for heating and / or cooling. In practice the adsorption capacity control component comprises adsorption equipment with a controllable capacity.

[0039] The environment is characteristically a secluded space such as a room or a plurality of rooms in a building.

[0040] The air handling device 101 will in the following be described in relation to a dehumidifier with a fresh air intake 105. However, this is only example. The air handling device can have any type of adsorption capacity control component, including the humidity control component examples as illustrated below. Other examples of adsorption capacity control component in the air handling device comprise adsorption capacity control components in the form of gas adsorption control components such as carbon dioxide (CO2), adsorption control components.

[0041] The fresh air intake may be flowing through a fresh air duct. The dehumidifiers with fresh air intake 105 is designed to remove humidity from the air in the secluded space while also bringing in fresh air from outside. They are ideal for use in areas where both heating and cooling may be required.

[0042] Further, in the illustrated example of air handling device, return air 106 may be taken from the secluded space and entering the fresh air flow before entering the air handling device. The return air may be flowing through a return air duct. The return air may pass through a heat exchanger. The air entering the dehumidifier, in this case, the fresh air together with the return air, is generally denoted process air.

[0043] Further, a second air flow is arranged to flow through the dehumidifier in an opposite direction. This second air flow is a heated air flow and is generally called a regenerated airflow. In figure 1, reference 107 denoting a heated air flow, usually named a regenerated air inlet of the dehumidifier with fresh air intake. The regenerated air inlet may be flowing through a regenerated air inlet duct. Reference 108 denotes in figure 1 a regenerated air outlet duct of the dehumidifier with fresh air intake. The regenerated air inlet may be flowing through a regenerated air duct.

[0044] The regenerated inlet air duct of the dehumidifier is in the illustrated example provided with a heater such as a heat exchanger 109. Using a heat exchanger can help to reduce energy costs and improve indoor air quality by reducing the amount of energy required to heat or cool the incoming air. There are two types of air exchangers: Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) and Energy (or Enthalpy) Recovery Ventilators (ERVs). HRVs transfer heat from the outgoing air to the incoming air while ERVs transfer both heat and moisture.

[0045] The process air moves past a rotating desiccant rotor or wheel, wherein humidity is removed during the passage. The air may be drawn by a fan for example operated by an electric motor. Dry air is blown back out into the room. In the illustrated example reference 110 denotes supply air blown back into the room. An air duct may be used to collect the water that has been removed from the air.

[0046] Simultaneously, the second airflow of regenerated air is blown through the wheel in an opposite direction.

[0047] The regenerated airflow 107 can be obtained from the fresh air intake 105 and / or the supply air 110 and / or a purge outlet of the desiccant rotor or wheel (not illustrated.). For example, the regenerated airflow is a combination of air from the fresh air intake 105 and the purge outlet from the desiccant rotor or wheel. The regenerated air outlet 108 of the dehumidifier with fresh air intake may for example lead somewhere outside the system, for example outdoors. The air of the regenerated air outlet 108 may be processed in a heat exchanger.

[0048] Characteristically the wheel is divided into four quadrants. The process air is flowing through three of the quadrants while the regenerated air is flowing through the fourth quadrant of the wheel.

[0049] The desiccant rotor or wheel is a device that is used to remove moisture from the air. It is characteristically constructed from a finely fluted structure that provides a big surface area for the airflow through the unit. This structure is characteristically comprising or impregnated with a water absorbing desiccant material. The desiccant material may be a desiccant salt - usually silica gel - which absorbs the moisture from the air while passing through the wheel. The desiccant wheel allows the dehumidifier unit to remove the moisture to the levels required by the process it has been designed to serve.

[0050] In practice, the desiccant dehumidifiers work by adsorbing moisture from the process air stream using the desiccant wheel. The moisture content of the wheel increases as the process air is dried. The wheel constantly rotates to remove the moisture, while the heated second air stream pushed through it in an opposite direction. The rotor brings the moist desiccant to the reactivation air stream to heat it up. Humidity is then expelled from the desiccant material as water vapor.

[0051] Further, set-up 100 comprises at least one sensor obtaining sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device. The sensors comprise at least one of an air handling device regenerated outlet air sensor 111 an air handling device regenerated inlet air sensor 112 an air handling device fresh air inlet sensor 113, an air handling device return air sensor 114 and an air handling device supply air sensor 115, sensor data for obtaining a reactivation outlet temperature profile from sensors 116 at reactivation outlet of the desiccant wheel.

[0052] Further, the set-up 100 comprises a control system 200 for controlling said air handling device

[0053] 101. The control system comprises a temperature control component and a humidity control component. The control system comprises a multi signal controller for control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device. The multi-signal controller comprises a feed forward component arranged to determine control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device based on sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device.

[0054] The control system 200 is arranged to receive sensor data from at least one sensor as indicated above relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device.

[0055] The control system 200 may further be arranged to receive sensor data relating to sensor data from at least one room sensor 117. The control system may be further arranged to receive data indicating a set room temperature. In the illustrated example, the control system is arranged to receive data indicating a difference between a measured and a set room temperature.

[0056] Further the control system is arranged to process input data and to provide at least one control signal for control of the air handling device. The control data comprise for example a control signal for control of a wheel speed of the air handling device, and / or a control signal for control of at least one air fan of the air handling device, and / or a control signal for control of a heater of the air handling device.

[0057] Examples of implementations of the control system are illustrated in figures 2-5.

[0058] Figure 1 shows an example of a control system for controlling temperature and humidity in a defined space. The control system comprises a multi signal controller comprising a feed forward component modifying the input signals based on humidity outlet data and / or temperature outlet data

[0059] Figures 2-5 illustrate examples of a control systems 200, 300, 400, 500 for controlling an air handling device 101 comprising a temperature control component 102 and an adsorption capacity control component, such as a humidity control component 103. The control system comprises a multi signal controller 210 for control of the temperature control component 102 and the humidity control component 103 of the air handling device 101. The multi-signal controller 210 comprises a feed forward component 211 arranged to determine control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device based on sensor data 212 relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device.

[0060] Characteristically, the fast forward component is a controller which does not comprise an integrator component.

[0061] The feed forward component may comprise a temperature and / or humidity model of the environment of the defined space.

[0062] The temperature and / or humidity model may be pre-built for example at installation of the system (parameter tuning) and / or the model may be adaptive (self-learning control).

[0063] The temperature and / or humidity model may be implemented in different ways.

[0064] In a first example, the temperature and / or humidity model is based on classical control theory (often including both a feedback and a feed forward functionality) that deals with the behaviour of dynamical systems with inputs, and how their behaviour is modified by feedback, using the Laplace transform as a basic tool to model such systems. The feed forward component allows the controller to anticipate the effect of future disturbances on the system. It is used to improve the performance of the system by reducing the effect of disturbances on the system.

[0065] In a second example, a trained machine learning model and / or any artificial intelligence is used, wherein the model has been trained on a variety of input signals. The machine learning model may be pre-built for example at installation of the system (parameter tuning) and / or the model may be adaptive (self-learning control).

[0066] In a third example, Model predictive control, MPC, is used. MPC is an optimal control technique in which the calculated control actions minimize a cost function for a constrained dynamical system over a finite, receding horizon. At each time step, an MPC controller receives or estimates the current state of the system. MPC is a model-based predictive control method that uses a process model to predict the future behavior of the controlled system. By solving a potentially constrained optimization problem, MPC determines the control law implicitly. The sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device comprises sensor data from at least one of an air handling device regenerated outlet air sensor an air handling device regenerated inlet air sensor an air handling device fresh air inlet sensor, an air handling device return air sensor and an air handling device supply air sensor, sensor data for obtaining a reactivation outlet temperature profile.

[0067] The feed-forward use of sensor information from sensors arranged at the air handling device and / or inlets / outlets thereof allows the control system to act proactively rather than reactively.

[0068] When it comes to the sensor data for obtaining a temperature react outlet profile, this set-up is characteristically used when the air handling device is a desiccant air handling device. The reactivation outlet temperature profile provides a "fingerprint" of the wheel's condition and ability to act on disturbances.

[0069] The multi signal controller 210 may further comprise a steady state calculator prediction tool 213 for calculating the air handling device performance. An output from the steady-state calculator prediction tool 213 is operatively connected to an input of the feed forward component 211. The feed-forward component is then arranged to determine the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component also based on the calculated air handling device performance.

[0070] The steady-state calculator prediction tool is a tool that calculates the steady-state of a system. A steady-state is a state where the system does not change over time. In other words, the system has reached equilibrium. The steady state calculator prediction tool is for example implemented in software stored in a memory. There are several types of steady-state calculators such as defining equations of continuity without an accumulation term (for example Ordinary Differential Equations) and directly calculate the steady state conditions, or defining the equations of continuity including an accumulation term (for example Partial Differential Equations) that are run to a tolerance criterion for a small accumulation of mass and energy.. Thus, the steady-state calculation tool calculates the present state of the air handling device under the assumption that the system, i.e. the environment in which the air handling device is operating, does not change over time and the feed forward component uses the sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device to determine the deviation in the state of the air handling device from the steady state and determines the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component based thereon.

[0071] In the example where the air handling device is a desiccant air handling device, the steady state calculator prediction tool is arranged to calculate the air handling device wheel performance.

[0072] The steady state calculator prediction tool thus calculates the remaining unknown parameters from a steady state perspective described above given all other parameters are known. The remaining parameters could be for example outlet air conditions from the desiccant air handling device, or regeneration air heater power for a specific desiccant air handling device capacity.

[0073] The steady-state calculation tool 213 is arranged to determine the present state of the air handling device based on received input data 214.

[0074] The steady state calculator prediction tool may be arranged to receive input data in the form of at least inlet measurement data for

[0075] • the humidity control component of the air handling device and

[0076] • the temperature control component [of the air handling device and to calculate the air handling device performance based thereon.

[0077] The steady state calculator prediction tool may further be arranged to receive at least one of the following input data

[0078] • temperature of heater outlet, THO

[0079] • revolution per time unit of the wheel,

[0080] • volume of flow in reactivation outlet

[0081] • volume of flow process. and to calculate the air handling device performance based thereon. In figures 3 - 5, examples of the control system 300, 400, 500 for controlling an air handling device 101 comprising a temperature control component 102 and a humidity control component 103 are illustrated, comprising a feedback part 320, 420, 520.

[0082] Characteristically, at least when the sensor data related to the measured quantity of the air handling device and / or an internal state of the air handling device is outside an operating range for the temperature and / or humidity model of the environment of the defined space of the fast forward component, the feedback part of the control system is arranged to support the feed forward component in control. Alternatively, operation is switched to the feedback part of the control system when outside an operating range for the temperature and / or humidity model. It may not even be needed to detect when outside the operating range for the temperature and / or humidity model. Characteristically, when the feed forward component of the system provides acceptable control, the input signals to the feedback part of the system are equal to or close to zero and consequently the operation of the feedback part of the system is then negligible.

[0083] In the examples of figures 3 - 5, the feed-back part comprises a first processing unit 321 arranged to receive a measured reactivation outlet temperature profile (TRO profile_measured) of the air handling device and to determine a first additional control signal based on the received measured temperature react outlet profile and a corresponding calculated measure for the temperature react outlet profile (TRO profile_set) of the air handling device. The first additional control signal is fed to the feed forward component. The feed forward component is arranged to determine the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device also based on the first additional control signal.

[0084] The first processing unit 321 is in an example implemented as a processor and memory implementing an algorithm arranged to determine the first additional control signal determined as a function of the measured reactivation outlet temperature profile of the air handling device and the corresponding calculated measure for the reactivation outlet temperature profile of the air handling device. In an example, the first processing unit is implemented as a regulator, such as a PID regulator.

[0085] The feed-back part comprises further or instead a second processing unit 322. The second processing unit 322 is arranged to receive a measured moisture process outlet value (MPO_measured) of the air handling device and a set moisture process outlet value (MPO_set) of the air handling device and to determine a second additional control signal based thereon. The second additional control signal is fed to the feed forward component. The feed forward component is arranged to determine the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device also based on the second additional control signal.

[0086] The second processing unit 322 is in an example implemented as a regulator, such as a PID regulator.

[0087] In the examples of figures 4 - 5, the feed-back part 420 comprises instead or in addition to the first and / or second processing units a third processing unit 423 arranged to receive a difference between a measured humidity (MRoom_measured) or measured gas content such as CO2 content or measured Volatile Organic Compounds, VOC, content in said defined space, and a set room humidity (MRoom_Set) or set gas content such as CO2Content or set Volatile Organic Compounds, VOC, content, and to determine based thereon a value for modification of at least the control signal value relating to control of the humidity / adsorption capacity control component. The control signal values modified with the determined value for modification of at least the control signal value relating to control of the humidity control component are used in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device.

[0088] The third processing unit 323 is in an example implemented as a regulator, such as a PID regulator.

[0089] In the examples of figure 5, the feed-back part 520 comprises instead or in addition to the first and / or second and / or third processing units a fourth processing unit 524.

[0090] The fourth processing unit 524 arranged to receive a difference between a measured temperature control component outlet (THO) of the air handling device and a value related to a calculated temperature control component outlet determined by the feed forward component, and to determine based thereon a value for modification of at least the control signal value relating to control of the temperature control component. The output of the fourth processing unit 524 is arranged to control the temperature control component. The fourth processing unit 324 is in an example implemented as a regulator, such as a PID regulator.

[0091] In figure 6, a method 600 for controlling an air handling device comprising a temperature control component and a humidity control component. The method comprises obtaining 601 sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device, feeding 602 the obtained sensor data to a feed-forward component of a controller determining 603 control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device based on the obtained sensor data., and controlling 604 the temperature control component and the humidity control component of the air handling device.

[0092] The method may further be arranged to provide control in accordance to examples of figures 1-5 as disclosed herein.

[0093] The method is characteristically computer implemented and performed by one or a plurality of processors.

[0094] Figure 7 shows graphs 700 illustrating results from a test which has been carried out to compare use of traditional feedback technology with the feed forward technology as disclosed herein, wherein the feed forward component has been implemented using Model Predictive Control, MPC technology.

[0095] Curves 701 show how a value for Moisture Process Outlet, MPO, varies over time using conventional PID technology. Curves 702 show how the value for Moisture Process Outlet, MPO, varies over time using a feed forward component implemented using Model Predictive Control, MPC technology.

[0096] A setpoint for the Moisture Process Outlet is illustrated by reference 703. Further curves 704 show how the temperature process outlet varies with time.

[0097] As can be seen from the graphs, the curves 702 for Moisture Process Outlet, MPO using a feed forward component implemented using Model Predictive Control, MPC technology follows a change in the setpoint for the Moisture Process Outlet is illustrated by cuve 703 faster than if using conventional PID technology as illustrated in curve 701.

[0098] The graphs 700 show that the Moisture Process Outlet follows the setpoint quicker than in conventional PID technology without introducing instability.

[0099] The person skilled in the art realizes that the present disclosure is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. The person skilled in the art further realizes that modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. Additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A control system (200, 300, 400, 500) for controlling an air handling device (101) comprising a temperature control component (102) and an adsorption capacity control component (103); wherein the control system comprises a multi signal controller (210) for control of the temperature control component (102) and the adsorption capacity control component (103) of the air handling device (101), and wherein said multi-signal controller (210) comprises a feed forward component (211) arranged to determine control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device based on sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the multi signal controller (210) further comprises a steady state calculator prediction tool (213) for calculating the air handling device performance, wherein an output from the steady-state calculator prediction tool (213) is operatively connected to an input of the feed forward component (211) and wherein the feed-forward component (211) is arranged to determine the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component (102) and the adsorption capacity control component (103) also based on the calculated air handling device performance.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein the steady state calculator prediction tool (213) is arranged to receive at least inlet measurement data for• the adsorption capacity control component 103 and• the temperature control component 102 and to calculate the air handling device performance based thereon.

4. The control system according to any of the claims 2 or 3, wherein the air handling device(101) is a desiccant air handling device and wherein the steady state calculator prediction tool (213) is arranged to calculate the air handling device wheel performance.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein the sensor data relating to the measured quantity at the air handling device comprises sensor data for obtaining a temperature react outlet profile from sensors (116) at a reactivation outlet of the desiccant wheel.

6. The control system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device comprises sensor data from at least one of an air handling device regenerated outlet air sensor (111) an air handling device regenerated inlet air sensor (112) an air handling device fresh air inlet sensor (113), an air handling device return air sensor (114) and an air handling device supply air sensor (115).

7. The control system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the feed forward component (212) comprises a temperature and / or adsorption capacity model of the environment of the defined space.

8. The control system according to claim 7, wherein the temperature and / or adsorption capacity model is pre-built for example at installation of the system and / or wherein the model is adaptive9. The control system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a feedback part.

10. The control system according to claim 9, wherein at least when the sensor data related to the measured quantity of the air handling device is outside an operating range for the temperature and / or adsorption capacity model of the environment of the defined space of the fast forward component, the control system is arranged to activate the feedback part of the control system.

11. The control system according claim 9 or 10, wherein the feedback part comprises a first processing unit (321) arranged to receive a measured temperature react outlet profile of the air handling device and to determine a first additional control signal based on the received measured temperature react outlet profile and a corresponding calculated measure for the temperature react outlet profile of the air handling device, wherein the first additional control signal is fed to the feed forward component, and wherein the feed forward component (212) is arranged to determine the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device also based on the first additional control signal.

12. The control system according to any of the claims 9 to 11, wherein the feedback part comprises a second processing unit (322) arranged to receive a measured moisture process outlet value of the air handling device and a set moisture process outlet value of the air handling device and to determine a second additional control signal based thereon, wherein the second additional control signal is fed to the feed forward component, and wherein the feed forward component (212) is arranged to determine the control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device also based on the second additional control signal.

13. The control system according to any of the claims 9 - 12, wherein the feedback part comprises a third processing unit (423) arranged to receive a difference between a measured adsorption capacity in said defined space, and a setpoint for the adsorption capacity , and to determine based thereon a value formodification of at least the control signal value relating to control of the adsorption capacity control component. wherein the control signal values modified with the determined value for modification of at least the control signal value relating to control of the adsorption capacity control component are used in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device.

14. The control system according to any of the claims 9 - 13, wherein the feedback part comprises a fourth processing unit (524) arranged to receive a difference between a measured temperature control component outlet [THO] of the air handling device and a value related to a calculated temperature control component outlet determined by the feed forward component, and to determine based thereon a value for modification of at least the control signal value relating to control of the temperature control component wherein the output of the fourth processing unit (524)is arranged to control the temperature control component.

15. The control system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the feed forward component is pre built and / or parameter tuned and arranged to operate based on classical control theory that deals with the behaviour of dynamical systems and / or a trained machine learning model and / or a Model predictive controller (MPC).

16. A method (600) for controlling an air handling device comprising a temperature control component and a adsorption capacity control component; said method comprises obtaining (601) sensor data relating to a measured quantity at the air handling device, feeding (602) the obtained sensor data to a feed-forward component of a controllerdetermining (603) control signal values for use in control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device based on the obtained sensor data, obtaining control signals for control of the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device, and controlling (604) the temperature control component and the adsorption capacity control component of the air handling device.

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