Method of air treatment for conditioning a space

Abstract

Method of operating an air treating unit which comprises: - a plurality of operating components arranged according to an air treatment sequence along which they follow one another between an external environment and an internal environment; each of the operating components has a carbon footprint and an operating set which defines its operating conditions; - a controller connected to each operating component to regulate its operating set according to an environmental setpoint representative of thermal and hygrometric conditions to be reached in the internal environment. The method is implemented by the controller and comprises a first logical layer, apt to operate the operating components by setting the relative operating sets, and a second logical layer, apt to carry out a simulation aimed at estimating the effect of the interaction of the operating components with air with which they interact according to their operating sets. The second logical layer is also apt to determine an optimal set for the operating sets, through said simulation and the first logical layer applies the optimal set provided by the first logical layer to the operating sets of the operating components.

Description

[0001] METHOD OF AIR TREATMENT FOR CONDITIONING A SPACE

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present invention refers to a method and an air treating unit or better known with the acronym AHU, which are used interchangeably in this text.

[0004] The present AHU is especially intended for conditioning an air flow for the regulation of air exchanges, temperature and humidity of the environment served. In particular, the present unit is intended for the environmental air-conditioning application, allowing to reduce operating costs, compared to traditional equipment, in terms of humidification water and / or its power supply.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Nowadays, in the field of air treating units it is known that they, in general, comprise:

[0007] - heating benches, apt to release heat to an air flow that passes through them; these can be heated by fossil fuel, for example by a gas burner, or by an air-liquid heat exchanger or by a resistance heat exchanger;

[0008] - cooling benches, apt to absorb heat from an air flow that passes through them, these may comprise a cold exchanger of a refrigeration cycle device;

[0009] - humidification benches, apt to increase the humidity of the air that passes through them by spraying the air flow with a water spray;

[0010] - sensible and / or latent energy recuperators, apt to reduce the energy and water (where there is also latent recovery) necessary for air conditioning;

[0011] - mixing benches of the renewal air, i.e. of the external air or air coming from another environment and having a quality equivalent to that of the filtered external air, with the air extracted from the environment served, able to save energy and water by exploiting the already conditioned extracted air;

[0012] - ventilation groups apt to regulate the air flows that pass through the aforementioned benches and, in particular, apt to regulate the air flows.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0014] The problem underlying the present solution is to minimize the operating consumption of an AHU by guaranteeing the desired values in the environment of minimum and maximum air exchanges, temperature and humidity.

[0015] The task of a method and of a unit of air treatment for conditioning a space, according to the present solution, is to solve this problem.

[0016] Within this task, one object of a method and of a unit of air treatment for conditioning a space, according to the present solution, is to simultaneously minimize the consumption of water from the water network, electricity and possibly fossil fuels where used in heating benches.

[0017] This task, as well as these and other purposes that will appear better in the following are achieved by a method and a unit of air treatment for conditioning a space according to the attached independent claims.

[0018] Detailed characteristics of a method and a unit of air treatment for conditioning a space according to the present solution are reported in the dependent claims.

[0019] Further characteristics and advantages of the present solution will result more from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a method and a unit of air treatment for conditioning a space according to the present solution, supported by the drawings proposed by way of indication and not limitation in the attached tables and listed below.

[0020] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows an example of an air treating unit (AHU) to condition an internal environment.

[0021] Figure 2 is a humidity-temperature diagram illustrating an operating condition of the air treating unit of Figure 1 .

[0022] Figure 3 is a humidity-temperature diagram illustrating an intermediate operating condition of the air treating unit of Figure 1 achievable by using the algorithm of the invention.

[0023] Figure 4 is a humidity-temperature diagram illustrating a final operating condition of the air treating unit of Figure 1 achievable by using the algorithm of the invention.

[0024] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present solution refers to a method of operating an air treating unit which comprises a plurality of operating components arranged according to an air treating sequence, along which they follow one another from a first operating component, which is the first of the plurality that interacts with the air coming from an external environment, to a last operating component, which is the last of the plurality that interacts with said air before it enters an internal environment.

[0026] During operation, the air treating unit is therefore configured to put the external environment and the internal environment in aeraulic communication and to condition the air that passes through it to obtain a desired temperature and a desired humidity of the internal environment.

[0027] In general, the air treating unit comprises a duct that develops between the external environment and the internal environment to put them in communication. The duct may be branched so as to put the external environment in communication with a plurality of internal environments or with a plurality of zones of the same internal environment or with a plurality of zones of a multitude of internal environments.

[0028] For the sake of simplicity, in the following description reference is made to an internal environment and an external environment, in general; however, it is understood that what is described applies mutatis mutandis to the case in which the air treating unit is in communication with a plurality of internal environments or with a plurality of zones of the same internal environment or with a plurality of zones of a multitude of internal environments.

[0029] Along the duct, in the air treating sequence, the operating components can be placed according to a sequence appropriate to the contingent installation needs of the air treating unit, in a manner known per se.

[0030] By way of non-exhaustive example, an operating component may alternatively, but not limited to, consist of:

[0031] - a fan or in a ventilation group, with these terms meaning means apt to impart an aeraulic stress to advance air along the duct and, for example, an axial flow fan;

[0032] - an air heating group that, in general, is configured to release heat to an air flow that passes through it or interferes with it and that may comprise a heat exchanger apt to release heat to air that laps it;

[0033] - an air cooling group which, in general, is configured to absorb heat from an air flow that passes through it or interferes with it and which may comprise a heat exchanger apt to absorp heat from air that laps it;

[0034] - a humidifier group that is configured to increase the humidity of an air flow that passes through it or that, in general, interferes with it; for example, according to a non-limiting aspect, the humidifier group may comprise a bench of nozzles through which nebulized water is introduced into the air that laps them;

[0035] - a mixing group, preferably made up of a mixing damper, apt to homogenize the thermo-hygrometric conditions of the air flow that passes through it by mixing the flow itself;

[0036] - a heat recovery group apt to transfer heat between two air flows that passes through it.

[0037] Each of the operating components has a carbon footprint and an operating set which defines operating conditions apt to influence the thermodynamic and / or fluid dynamic conditions of an air flow that, in use, interacts with it.

[0038] The carbon footprint of each operating component can be calculated in a manner known per se, which is caused:

[0039] • By the energy used by the device to work, or

[0040] • By the energy that the device, during operation, makes other devices absorb. For example, the heat exchanger recovers energy, but generates a pressure drop that causes a greater absorption of electricity by the fans, which determines its carbon footprint (“parasite”).

[0041] In both cases, the energy consumed by the device and / or the one that the device makes other devices absorb in excess (parasitic effect), is converted into primary energy in kWh and this in kg CO2-eq. (carbon footprint), by multiplying the primary energy by the conversion factor kg CO2-eq. / kWh that depends on the energy mix of the Country considered and specified by the user as input data of the algorithm.

[0042] The expression “operating set” means a set of parameters that determine the operation of the operating component and that can be set to obtain a desired effect of the operating component on the flow of air that passes through it.

[0043] The expression “setpoint” in the present description refers to a set of desired values of parameters that define a thermodynamic and / or fluid dynamic state of air; these desired values therefore substantially define a condition of the air that is intended to be reached by operating the operating component in accordance with the operating set.

[0044] In this sense, the environmental setpoint of the internal environment is to be understood as the set of desired values for example for the temperature and humidity of the environment, detected by provided sensors.

[0045] The operating set of each operating component is, likewise, to be understood as a set of desired values of the thermodynamic and / or fluid dynamic parameters that identify a state of the air downstream, or at the delivery, of the operating component.

[0046] For example, the operating setpoint of an operating component consisting of a fan comprises an air flow rate constituting an operating target of the fan.

[0047] Similarly, for example, the operating set of an operating component consisting of a heating group may comprise a temperature increase consisting of a target to be reached by the action of the heating group itself.

[0048] The expressions “input” and “output” referred to an operating component mean the actual conditions (measured, calculated or simulated) of the air upstream and, respectively, downstream of this operating component.

[0049] Thus, within the scope of the present description the input and output of an operating component correspond to the air conditions upstream and downstream, respectively, of the operating component and may be given by the true, effective and actual air conditions, e.g. measured, or may be given by the outcome of a simulation of the behaviour of the operating component.

[0050] In this case, the output corresponds to the conditions that the air is supposed to assume following the performance of the simulation in which the real behaviour of the operating component is virtually emulated with respect to an assumed input.

[0051] The air treating unit may comprise a controller that is connected to each operating component.

[0052] The controller is apt to regulate the operating set of the operating component according to an environmental setpoint which can be set by a user and which comprises a minimum value of air exchanges, a maximum value of air exchanges, temperature value and a humidity value to be reached in the internal environment.

[0053] The method of operating the air treating unit according to the present solution is implemented by the controller and comprises:

[0054] - a first logical layer that is apt to operate the operating components by setting the relative operating sets, and

[0055] - a second logical layer, apt to carry out a simulation aimed at estimating the effect of the interaction of the operating components with air with which they interact according to their operating sets; the second logical layer is also apt to determine an optimal set for the operating sets, through said simulation.

[0056] In accordance with the method according to the present solution, the first logical layer sets the operating set for each operating component equal to the optimal set.

[0057] Said simulation provides for simulating the behaviour of each operating component of the air treatment sequence according to a backward succession from the last to the first of said operating components, based on the environmental setpoint set for the internal environment and according to environmental conditions detected in the external environment.

[0058] The simulation is carried out cyclically and each cycle comprises an adaptation phase that provides for modifying the operating sets to optimize in hierarchical succession: temperature and humidity of the internal environment with respect to the environmental setpoint set for the internal environment; a first parameter representative of an operating cost of the air treating unit; a second parameter representative of a primary energy consumption of the air treating unit, during its operation; a third parameter representative of a cost of using water, during its operation; a fourth parameter representative of a fraction of air sucked in from the external environment and introduced into the internal environment by the air treating unit during its operation, compared to a quantity of total air treated by the air treating unit which comprises recirculated air in the internal environment. The expression “primary energy consumption of the air treating unit” means an estimated consumption of primary energy sources with respect to the actual consumption of electrical and / or thermal and / or mechanical energy of the air treating unit.

[0059] Such primary energy consumption, for example, is calculable or estimable as follows.

[0060] Primary energy from primary source = heat generated in the air / consumption efficiency of the device

[0061] • Example with hot coil whose water is heated with gas: heat released to air 10.85 (or other value, which represents the gas consumption efficiency of the device)

[0062] Primary energy from electricity = heat or cold generated in the air / power consumption efficiency of the device * PEF

[0063] • Consumption efficiency of the device = COP (heat pump heating) or EER (chiller cooling) o PEF = Primary Energy Factor, which converts electricity into primary energy used by the power plant to produce electricity

[0064] In other words, the implementation of the method according to the present solution provides that for each operating component an optimal set is provided, from the second logical layer, from which the first logical layer can extract the operating set of each operating component to optimize the operation of the air treating unit. The optimal set is calculated by successive iterations in which the operating sets of each operating component are modified to optimize in hierarchical sequence first the thermal and hygrometric conditions in the internal environment, i.e. the temperature and humidity of the internal environment, with respect to the environmental setpoint set for the internal environment; then the operating cost of the air treating unit; hence the primary energy consumption of the air treating unit; then the cost of using water from the air treating unit; and finally the fraction of air sucked in from the external environment, or even renewal air, and introduced into the internal environment by the air treating unit, compared to the total quantity of air treated by the air treating unit (which comprises air recirculated in the internal environment).

[0065] According to the method in accordance with the present solution, the second logical layer may comprise a mathematical model or virtual model of each operating component.

[0066] Each mathematical model is apt to emulate the behaviour of the operating component to provide -upon the execution of the simulation - a variation of thermodynamic and / or fluid dynamic conditions of the air which interacts with the operating component, depending on the operating set set for the operating component itself.

[0067] This variation consists of a difference between an input, representative of the air condition upstream of the operating component, and an output, representative of an air condition downstream of the operating component.

[0068] In detail, the simulation may comprise a phase A and a phase B implemented in sequence.

[0069] Phase A may provide for a sequential repetition of the following steps for each operating component, proceeding from the operating component upstream of the last operating component up to the first operating component of the air treating sequence: a step A1 , in which for an operating component N a temporary operating set is calculated such that, if this operating set were effectively achieved, it would follow that the input and the output of an operating component N+1 would be equal, which is an operating component directly downstream of the operating component N along the air treatment sequence, so that the operating component N+1 would have a zero interaction with the air; where for the last operating component of the air treatment sequence the output is set equal to the environmental set point net of the sensible and latent internal loads, which must be “deducted” from the environmental set point to obtain the output set point (temperature and humidity); a step A2 in which the output of the operating component N is calculated which would achieve a setting of the temporary operating set calculated in step A1 and which is assumed as output in the operating component N+1 .

[0070] In other words, in step A1 it is envisaged to identify, for all and every operating component, which operating set it should adopt so that the operating component directly downstream does not need to be active, in the sense that the latter would present an input already equal to the desired output.

[0071] This step is for example aimed at determining the operating set that should be adopted for each operating component to ensure that the operating component directly downstream would remain switched off because its own setpoint would be equal to its input.

[0072] It should be noted that following the application of the operating set calculated in step A1 , the operating conditions of the operating component, and therefore its output, may effectively vary to bring the output closer to the setpoint, however it can be envisaged that they are not varied for example because the output is - before the variation- already within an interval of tolerance values with respect to the setpoint or because the operating component does not have an adequate functional capacity to effectively implement the variation or, for example, because it has a too large a modulation step (from which it would follow that a variation of the operating conditions would generate a divergence instead of an approach of the output to the setpoint).

[0073] As anticipated, the simulation may provide for a phase B, subsequent to phase A and comprising, in sequence: a step B1 in which a variation value is calculated for each operating component; the variation value is a function and - preferably - equal to the difference between the output of the operating component, assumed in step A1 and the output calculated in step A2; a step B2 in which the operating set of each operating component is modified by an amount corresponding to determining an output variation equal to the variation value; this is aimed at regulating the operation of the operating component so that its actual output can approach its setpoint; a step B3 in which an operating difference is calculated which is equal to a difference between the environmental setpoint and the thermal and hygrometric conditions of the internal environment, preferably of the temperature and humidity detected in the latter, which would result from the application to each operating component of the operating sets determined in phase B2; where step B3 comprises a calculation of the first parameter, of the second parameter, of the third parameter and of the fourth parameter of the air treating unit; a step B4 that provides for setting the operating set of each operating component in such a way that the output of said operating component does not vary when the occurred following conditions occur in succession:

[0074] - if the operating difference decreases or

[0075] - if, with the same operating difference, the first parameter decreases or

[0076] - if, with the same value of the first parameter, the second parameter decreases or

[0077] - if, with the same value of the second parameter, the third parameter decreases or

[0078] - if, with the same value of the third parameter, the fourth parameter grows Otherwise, step B4 provides for repeating steps B1 to B3 until the first parameter decreases or if, with the same value of the first parameter until the second parameter decreases or, with the same value of the second parameter, until the third parameter decreases or, with the same value of the third parameter, until the fourth parameter increases.

[0079] The air treating unit, in itself traditional may comprise one or more of each of the following operating components:

[0080] - a ventilation and extraction group, apt to impart an aeraulic stress to advance air along the duct and, preferably, an axial flow fan; - a heating group configured to release heat to an air flow that passes through it or interferes with it;

[0081] - a cooling group configured to absorb heat and, when required, to reduce humidity to a flow of air that passes through it or interferes with it;

[0082] - a humidifier group that is configured to increase the humidity of an air flow that passes through it or interferes with it;

[0083] - a mixing group, preferably made up of a mixing damper, apt to mix a secondary flow of recirculation air from the internal environment with a flow of fresh air from the external environment;

[0084] - a heat recovery group apt to transfer heat between an incoming flow and an outgoing flow of air which pass therethrough, for example (but not necessarily) in countercurrent.

[0085] In accordance with the method of the present solution, the operating set of a fan group may alternatively comprise

[0086] - a fixed operating regime, at which the operation of the fan group can be set by the controller or by setting the fan group itself, or

[0087] - an operating regime that can be modulated by the controller.

[0088] This operating regime is used to define the delivery flow rate of the fan group.

[0089] For each fan group, in general, the operating set can also comprise the setting of the following parameters:

[0090] - heating, for example in °C, that the air treated by the fan group undergoes as a result of the interaction with the latter;

[0091] - a primary energy factor, or Primary Energy Factor (PEF) representative of the ratio between the electricity consumed by the fan group and settable at values greater than or equal to zero.

[0092] The operating set of a heating group may comprise at least one parameter among

[0093] - a maximum thermal power that the heating group can release to air that interferes with it; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;

[0094] - a degree of by-pass representative of a ratio between bypass air and air being treated; this parameter can be settable to values of the interval [0, 1 ];

[0095] - a performance coefficient or COP, to be understood in the meaning per se customary in the conditioning sector; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;

[0096] - a modulation step representative of a fraction of the maximum thermal power by which the thermal power supplied to the air flow by the heating group during its operation can be modulated; this parameter can be set between a minimum power and a maximum power, for example be set to a value comprised in the interval [maximum power / 10A6, maximum power], where the expression “maximum power” means - limited to this interval - the maximum thermal power that the heating group is apt to release to air being treated that interferes with it;

[0097] - a cost of the energy consumed by the heating group, which can be set as a cost per unit of energy, for example as a ratio between a cost in a chosen currency per kWh of energy consumed;

[0098] - a primary energy factor, or Primary Energy Factor (PEF), representative of the energy consumption from the primary source of the heating group. The expression “bypass air” means air conveyed through the heating group so that it does not receive heat from the latter during its operation, i.e. so that it does not receive heat that the heating group is apt to transmit.

[0099] The expression “air being treated” means, on the other hand, air conveyed through the heating group so as to receive heat from the latter during its operation.

[0100] According to one aspect, which could occur in the heat recuperators, to implement a separation of an air flow entering the heating group so as to obtain a flow of bypass air and a flow of air being treated, it is for example possible to provide that the heating group has two passage channels, a first passage for the air being treated along which heat exchange means are provided which are apt to release heat to the air being treated which, by passing through the first passage, interfere with them.

[0101] For example, the heat exchange means may consist of a heat exchanger of a refrigerating machine, such as a heat pump, or a heat exchanger heated by a flow of hot gases deriving from combustion.

[0102] For example, in the heat recuperators, the second of the two passage channels, on the other hand, can keep the bypass air, which runs through it, thermally isolated from the heat exchange means so that this bypass air does not directly receive heat from the heat exchange means.

[0103] Structurally, the heating group may comprise, for example, a movable damper apt to partialize the air, which is fed to the heating group, directing it partly in the first passage and partly in the second passage.

[0104] The partialisation position of this damper can be preset by an operator or, more preferably, can be regulated - for example by means of a motorised drive - by means of the controller.

[0105] One or more heating groups may each comprise a pre-heating group and a postheating group for each of which the functional set may comprise the above parameters.

[0106] The operating set of a cooling group may comprise at least one parameter among

[0107] - a maximum thermal power that the heating group can absorb from air that interferes with it; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;

[0108] - a degree of by-pass representative of a ratio between bypass air and air being treated; this parameter can be settable to values comprised between 0 and 1 ;

[0109] - an energy efficiency index (EER), to be understood in the meaning per se customary in the refrigeration sector; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;

[0110] - a modulation step representative of a fraction of the maximum thermal power by which the thermal power absorbed from the air flow by the heating group during its operation can be modulated; [maximum power / 10A6, maximum power]

[0111] - a cost of the energy consumed by the cooling group, which can be set as a cost per unit of energy, for example as a ratio between a cost in a chosen currency per kWh of energy consumed;

[0112] - a primary energy factor, or Primary Energy Factor (PEF), representative of the energy consumption from the primary source of the cooling group; What is described for the bypass air and the air being treated concerning the heating group can be applied mutatis mutandis to the bypass air and the air being treated conveyed through the cooling group.

[0113] The operating set of a humidifier group comprises at least one parameter among

[0114] - a saturation efficiency, representative of the humidity saturation in the air treated by the humidification group, settable between 0% and 100%; an operating mode, settable between a) an on / off mode that provides for a state of activity, in which the humidification group introduces humidity into the air, and a state of inactivity, in which the humidification group does not introduce humidity into the air; or b) a regulation mode, where the quantity of humidity that can be introduced into the air can be set to a degree of modulation between the state of activity and the state of inactivity, i.e. in which a quantity of humidity is introduced into the air that is partial compared to that introduced in the state of activity; in general, it can be set in the interval [(Max-Min) / K, (Max-Min)] with K>1 , for example settable in the interval [(Max-Min) / 10A3, (Max-Min)];

[0115] - a maximum flow rate of water ejected into the air treated by the humidification group, for example expressed in kg / h, and settable by an operator or automatically by the controller;

[0116] - a minimum flow rate of water ejected into the air treated by the humidification group, for example expressed in kg / h, and that can be set between a zero value and a value equal to that of the maximum flow rate; an evaporation efficiency, representative of the fraction of water introduced into the air which interferes with the humidification group which effectively increases the humidity of said air;

[0117] - a degree of bleed-off - as occurs in evaporating packs (wet media) representative of the fraction of water introduced into the air which interferes with the humidification group and which is not absorbed as humidity by this air; this parameter being foreseen exclusively in the case of forecasting a recirculation of water not absorbed by the air towards the water introduced into the latter;

[0118] - a recovery factor which can be set between 0% and 100% of mains water that is demineralised and delivered to the humidifier (where a Recovery Factor of 100% indicates that the mains water is delivered as is to the humidifier); where the portion of such water equal to the recovery factor is fed back to the humidification group to be ejected into the air which interferes with it;

[0119] - a cost of mains water that can be set to a value greater than or equal to zero and can be expressed in terms of cost in economic currency per unit volume of water used;

[0120] - a primary energy factor, or Primary Energy Factor (PEF), representative of the energy consumption from the primary source of the cooling group, for example with respect to an electrical or gas supply;

[0121] - a specific power, i.e. a power necessary to generate 1 L / h of water nebulized or evaporated from the evaporating packets (wet media), which can be set, for example in kW / (L / h); - a cost of the energy consumed by the humidification group, which can be set as a cost per unit of energy, for example as a ratio between a cost in a chosen currency per kWh of energy consumed;

[0122] - a pressure drop of the air that passes through a droplet separator of the evaporation group located downstream of a nebulizer or an evaporating pack forming part of the evaporation group, both dry and wet; wherein said pressure drop can be set, for example at values greater than or equal to 0 Pa.

[0123] In general, in a manner known per se, said humidification group can be isothermal or adiabatic with evaporating pack, or adiabatic nebulizing.

[0124] In the case of an adiabatic humidification group with evaporating pack, the operating set may comprise, in detail:

[0125] - an evaporation efficiency, which can be set between 0% and 100% based on the structural and operating characteristics of the evaporating pack itself;

[0126] - the degree of bleed-off - which is a) settable between 0% and 100% of the water introduced into the air which interferes with the humidification group and that is not absorbed as humidity by this air and recirculated to the evaporating pack, or b) fixed equal to 0% in the absence of recirculation.

[0127] In accordance with the present method, the operating set of a mixing group may comprise at least one parameter among a minimum mixing rate Min, which can be set between a zero value and a unit value; - a maximum mixing rate Max which can be set between a value equal to the minimum mixing rate and a unit value;

[0128] - a modulation step which can be set in an interval [(Max-Min) / 10A3, (Max-Min)] and defining a quantity by which a mixing rate is variable by the controller between the minimum mixing rate Min and the maximum mixing rate Max.

[0129] “Mixing rate” means a quantity representative of a ratio between an air flow rate of a secondary flow, consisting of recirculation air from the internal environment with air coming from the external environment.

[0130] In other words, the mixing rate can represent a ratio between

[0131] - a quantity of air (secondary flow) that is introduced into the air treating unit by means of the mixing unit and that comes from the internal environment (as recirculation air) and

[0132] - from the external environment (as “fresh” air).

[0133] In general, depending on the specific implementation of the AHU, the secondary flow air that is mixed in the primary flow comes from the internal environment, in the case of applications intended for environmental air conditioning or ventilation. The operating set of a heat recovery group comprises at least one parameter among:

[0134] - a recovery efficiency representative of the quantity of heat from a flow of hot air exiting the internal environment and a flow of cold air entering the internal environment and settable between zero and a unit value which respectively correspond to a zero recovery or maximum of said quantity of heat; - a degree of by-pass representative of a ratio between bypass air, incoming flow or outgoing flow, and air being treated, incoming flow or outgoing flow; where the bypass air, incoming flow or outgoing flow, is conveyed through the heat recovery group so that it does not exchange heat respectively with the outgoing flow or the incoming flow; the air being treated, of the incoming flow or the outgoing flow, being instead conveyed through the heat recovery group so as to exchange heat with the outgoing flow or the incoming flow respectively; this parameter can be settable to values that are comprised between 0 and 1 ;

[0135] - a modulation step of said degree of bypass, representative of an amount by which said degree of by-pass can be modulated, of a flow rate of the thermal power supplied to the air flow by the heating group during its operation;

[0136] - a pressure drop of the air passing through the heat recovery group, for example both the by-pass and the heat exchange channels; where said pressure drop can be set, for example at values greater than or equal to 0 Pa.

[0137] In accordance with the present method, the second logical layer can carry out said simulation on the basis of a group of settings which comprise:

[0138] - climatic conditions of the external environment, which comprise a value of the temperature and humidity of air sucked in from the external environment;

[0139] - internal loads of sensible and / or latent heat;

[0140] - nominal delivery flow rate of the air to be introduced into the internal environment;

[0141] - nominal extraction flow rate of the air to be extracted from the internal environment;

[0142] - environmental setpoint comprising parameters representative of the thermal and hygrometric conditions of the internal environment, for example the average temperature and average humidity of the internal environment; constant or variable depending on the application;

[0143] - environment setpoint tolerances;

[0144] - minimum delivery temperature of the air introduced by the air treating unit into the internal environment;

[0145] - maximum delivery humidity of the air introduced by the air treating unit into the internal environment;

[0146] - carbon footprint of electricity production, for example expressed in kg C02-eq. / kWh;

[0147] Preferably, the climatic conditions of the external environment are detected by probes connected to the controller.

[0148] Said internal loads can be measured by detection means connected to the controller or predefined ones, by setting by an operator, at constant or variable values according to predefined functions set by an operator.

[0149] In other words, and in a nutshell, the second logical layer of the method according to the present solution performs a first operation and a second operation.

[0150] In the first operation, based on

[0151] - external climatic conditions (temperature, humidity) measured with probes;

[0152] - internal loads (sensible and latent) pre-defined based on the application or measured in some way, constant or variable;

[0153] - nominal delivery flow rate;

[0154] - nominal extraction flow rate;

[0155] - desired environmental setpoint (temperature, humidity), constant or variable depending on the application;

[0156] - tolerances of the environmental setpoint on temperature and humidity;

[0157] - minimum temperature delivered by the AHU;

[0158] - maximum humidity delivered by the AHU;

[0159] - carbon footprint of electricity production in kg CO2-eq. / kWh; calculates the setpoints of each individual operating component (temperature, humidity output) so that hierarchically: a) The environmental conditions are as close as possible to the desired setpoint in the environment (temperature, humidity); b) Alternatively, the operating cost of the AHU (electricity, gas, water) is minimised; c) Alternatively, the total primary energy of the AHU is minimized; d) Alternatively, the cost of water alone is minimised; e) Alternatively, the percentage of external air is maximised.

[0160] In the second operation, these setpoints of these operating components can then be searched for as follows. a. For each controlled device N, a temporary setpoint thereof is calculated so that the immediately downstream operating component N+1 is switched off, i.e. the temporary setpoint N = setpoint of the downstream controlled operating component N+1 - (sensible + latent loads) introduced by any uncontrolled intermediate devices between N and N+1 . In this way, if the operating component N guarantees the temporary setpoint in output, the operating component N+1 will have its own setpoint equal to its own input and will remain switched off. The output of the operating component N can however vary to get as close as possible to its temporary setpoint, but it is not said that the operating component is implemented in this sense by the controller; for example because the operating component is already at the temporary setpoint within the tolerances or because it does not have the possibility to do so (where the maximum capacity of the operating component is reached which is insufficient or the modulation step is too large). b. The variation of the output of the operating component N to reach the temporary setpoint is calculated. c. The output variation of the operating component N to reach the temporary setpoint is applied, de facto determining a new output. d. The output of the operating component N is propagated to the downstream devices, to each of which step “a.” is reapplied. e. The resulting environmental conditions are calculated. f. The setpoint of the operating component N is set equal to its output: i. If the distance of the resulting environmental conditions from the environmental setpoint decreases; ii. With the same distance, if the operating costs of the AHU decrease; iii. With the same operating costs, if the total primary energy of AHU decreases; iv. With the same primary energy, if the cost associated with used water decreases; v. With the same cost of water, if the percentage of external air increases.

[0161] This ensures that the setpoint of the operating component N determines the minimum distance of the environmental conditions from their setpoint or, alternatively, the minimum operating cost or, alternatively, the minimum total primary energy of AHU or, alternatively, the lowest cost of used water or, alternatively, the maximum percentage of external air introduced into the environment. g. The steps from “c.” to “f.” are repeated as long as: i. The distance of the environmental conditions from the ambient setpoint increases; ii. or, with equal distance, the operating cost of the AHU increases; iii. or, with the same operating cost, the total primary energy of AHU increases; iv. or, with the same primary energy, the cost associated with used water increases; v. or, with the same cost of water, the percentage of external air decreases.

[0162] When this occurs, or one of the two extremes of the modulation range is reached, the output variation of the operating component N referred to in step “c.” is halved and changed in sign. h. The steps from “c.” to “g.” are repeated until the output variation < modulation step, when this occurs, it is passed to the upstream operating component (N-1 ) and the steps from “a.” to “g.” are repeated. i. The steps from “a.” to “h.” are performed starting from the most downstream operating component N and proceeding backwards.

[0163] This method actually proceeds backwards starting from the most downstream operating component, but “involves” all the devices downstream of the generic operating component N at each variation in the output thereof. j. The output of the devices without setpoints is varied with a step related to the amplitude of the modulation range, possibly halved as described in step “g.”. k. Once the condition referred to in step “g.” for the upstream operating component occurs, the algorithm has found all the setpoints of each individual operating component (for example expressed as the temperature and humidity of the air delivered by this operating component) so that the environmental conditions are as close as possible to the desired setpoint in the environment (temperature, humidity), alternatively the operating cost of the AHU (electricity, gas, water) is minimized, alternatively the total primary energy of the AHU is minimized, alternatively the cost of water is minimized, alternatively the percentage of external air is maximized.

[0164] Thus, the present method may envisage starting again from the first operation of the second logical layer.

[0165] An example of application of the method of the invention to an air treating unit will now be illustrated considering the case where the physical quantities controlled are the humidity and the temperature of the air, which are two physical quantities that characterize the air and can be controlled with the method of the invention.

[0166] Consider a typical AHU system, for example the one illustrated in Figure 1 .

[0167] The values provided in the present example as well as the system structure of figure 1 serve only to illustrate how the method of the present invention could be implemented in a concrete case. However, the invention is not limited to the particular system of Figure 1 nor to the operating conditions of the various operating components shown.

[0168] The operating components illustrated in Figure 1 are indicated by respective abbreviations whose meaning is explained in the following table: This AHU (air treating unit) system takes an air flow ODA from an open environment and an air flow ETA from an enclosed environment and introduces an air flow SUP into the enclosed environment and discharges an air flow EXP into the open environment. The air flow sucked in from the enclosed environment is divided into a first portion EHA which is sent to a humidifier IEC and to an heat exchanger HE before being discharged into the environment; a second portion RCA is sent to a mixer MIA which mixes it with an air flow ODA coming from the open environment and passed through the heat exchanger HE. The quantity of air sent to the humidifier HU and to the mixer MIA is regulated via the air flow regulator CD, which can be for example a moving grate system.

[0169] From the mixer MIA the mixed air flow passes to a pre-heating coil PC that heats it, then to an adiabatic humidifier HU that increases its humidity and cools it; then to a cooling coil CC that cools it and decreases its humidity; then to a post-heating coil RC that heats it keeping humidity constant, and finally to a fan that introduces the air flow SUP into the enclosed environment.

[0170] The AHU system is therefore configured as an ordered succession of a plurality of operating components that are arranged according to an air treatment sequence starting from the fan that sucks in an air flow ODA coming from an external environment, to a last operating component of the plurality of operating components arranged in said ordered succession, i.e. the fan that interacts with the airflow SUP before it enters an internal environment. Each of these operating components has a respective operating set that defines its operating conditions, which influence the thermodynamic and / or fluid dynamic conditions of the airflow that, by passing through the operating component, interacts with it. The operating sets of the operating components are controlled by means of a controller (not shown) which is connected to each operating component to regulate its respective operating set. The objective of the controller is to regulate the operating sets of the operating components so as to reach the desired set point of the air flow effectively introduced into the internal environment, i.e. the desired temperature and humidity conditions in the internal environment.

[0171] Suppose that, in order to obtain an air flow SUP with certain temperature and humidity characteristics (these characteristics as a whole will hereinafter be referred to as “set points”), the AHU system is working as illustrated in the temperature humidity diagram in Figure 2. An air flow ODA is taken from an open environment at a temperature of about -8 °C and a humidity of about 0.0020 kgv / kgda and must be heated up to a temperature of about 22 °C and a humidity of about 0.0080 kgv / kgda. The set point is indicated from a point in figure 2 and must be reached with a tolerance indicated by a rectangle SPACE that comprises it in the middle. An air flow coming from an internal environment has a temperature of about 23 °C and a humidity of about 0.0080 kgv / kgda. For the sake of simplicity, consider the case where the humidifier IEC is switched off whereby the air flow IEC has the same temperature and humidity properties as the air flow RCA, whereby the points representing the properties of these flows coincide in the diagram of Figure 2. Through the heat exchanger HE, the air flow IEC releases its heat to the air flow ODA coming from the open environment and a corresponding air flow EXP at a temperature of about 7 °C and a humidity of about 0.0060 kgv / kgda is discharged to the outside. Correspondingly, the air flow ODA coming from the external environment is heated to a temperature of about 11 °C without increasing its humidity, which remains at about 0.0020 kgv / kgda, thus forming an air flow X that is supplied to the mixer MIA. The air flow that is formed in the mixer MIA will have a temperature of about 20 °C and a humidity of about 0.0070 kgv / kgda.

[0172] For the sake of simplicity, suppose that the post-heating coil PC is switched off whereby the air flow exiting it has the same temperature and humidity properties as the air flow generated by the mixer MIA: for this reason, on the diagram in Figure 2, the points MIA and PC that represent the properties of these two air flows coincide. The adiabatic humidifier HU humidifies the air flow coming from the preheating coil PC and generates an air flow at a temperature of about 15 °C and a humidity of about 0.0090 kgv / kgda. A cooling coil CC cools the air flow coming from the humidifier HU and generates an air flow with a temperature of about 12 °C and a humidity of about 0.0085 kgv / kgda. A post-heating coil RC heats the air flow coming from the cooling coil CC by about 6 °C, bringing it to a temperature of about 18 °C and maintaining the humidity value of about 0.0085 kgv / kgda. Finally, a fan generates the air flow SUP to be introduced into the enclosed environment. Due to uncontrollable processes that generate the sensible and latent internal loads, the air flow that effectively enters the enclosed environment will not have exactly the same temperature and humidity characteristics as the air flow SUP, but will typically have a higher humidity and temperature. The difference in temperature and humidity characteristics of the air effectively introduced into the enclosed environment and of the air flow SUP is represented in Figure 2 by a final segment in ascent, to indicate the fact that the temperature and humidity of the air introduced into the enclosed environment are higher than those of the air flow SUP. The AHU system of Figure 1 operating in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 introduces an air flow into the enclosed environment with temperature and humidity characteristics that fall within the tolerance interval SPACE of the desired set point SET.

[0173] Suppose one wants to reduce the energy consumption of the AHU system of Figure 1 by modifying the operation of the various elements illustrated by means of the method of the invention. To this end, the controller, by implementing the method of the invention, will carry out a simulation to see the effect of a modification in the operating conditions of the penultimate component, i.e. of the post-heating coil RC, which is immediately upstream of the last component, which is the fan that interacts with the air flow SUP before it enters the internal environment. The post-heating coil RC consumes energy, so the controller as a first step will carry out a simulation to see whether the desired set point SET can be reached by reducing the operation of the coil RC.

[0174] For example, suppose the controller tries to simulate the operation of the AHU system by switching off the post-heating coil RC. In this case, the overall energy consumption of the AHU system is reduced, which is a desirable effect, but the tolerance condition SPACE imposed on the set point SET is not met because the air flow exiting the post-heating coil RC has the same properties as the air flow exiting the cooling coil CC, so the final segment in slight ascent, which in the diagram in figure 2 goes from the point RC to the end point, is translated to the left so as to start from the point indicated with CC. The condition on the set point SET is not met because the humidity value would still fall within the tolerance interval of the set point SET, but the temperature value would be about 6 °C (the temperature jump that was previously introduced by the post-heating coil RC) lower than that desired.

[0175] The algorithm tries to simulate a modification in the operating set (i.e. the operating conditions) of the operating component (the cooling coil CC) immediately upstream of the one that has just been modified (the post-heating coil RC), leaving the newly modified operating set of the last operating component unchanged, i.e. leaving the post-heating coil RC switched off. In this case, the points HU, RC and CC in the humidity -temperature diagram coincide and therefore the final segment in slight ascent, which in the diagram of figure 2 goes from the point RC to the end point, will be translated so as to start from the point HU. The air flow exiting the post-heating coil RC has the same properties as the air flow exiting the humidifier HU, so this intervention on the operating condition of the cooling coil CC has approached to the tolerance interval SPACE of the set point SET the point that identifies the temperature and humidity conditions of the air flow entering the internal environment. After setting in a simulated manner the shutdown of the cooling coil CC, the algorithm tries to modify the operation of the post-heating coil RC to see if the condition SPACE can be met on the set point SET. By simulating the re-ignition of the post-heating coil RC, the algorithm realizes that it is not possible to meet the condition SPACE imposed on the set point SET because the final humidity (i.e. the air flow introduced into the internal environment) is too high. The algorithm again simulates the shutdown of the postheating coil RC and tries to modify the operating set of the humidifier HU, which is the operating component immediately upstream of the cooling coil CC, keeping both the post-heating coil RC and the cooling coil CC switched off. By modifying the operating set of the humidifier HU, for example so that it generates an air flow having humidity of about 0.0080 kgv / kgda and temperature of about 17 °C, the point that will describe the conditions of the air introduced into the internal environment will be close to the set point SET, but will be slightly shifted to the right (temperature too high) with respect to the tolerance interval SPACE. To reach the set point SET, the algorithm will maintain the newly modified operating set of the humidifier HU and retry to modify the operation of the post-heating coil RC. Switching on the post-heating coil RC will worsen the final result (because it further heats the air introduced into the internal environment moving away from the set point SET), then the simulation algorithm will keep the post-heating coil RC switched off and try to modify the operating conditions of the cooling coil CC (i.e. switch it on). This leads to a diagram like the one illustrated in Figure 3, in which the tolerance SPACE on the set point SET is met (the final segment in slight ascent ends within the tolerance interval SPACE of the set point SET) by keeping the cooling coil CC switched on and switching off the post-heating coil RC.

[0176] The new operating condition found therefore meets the limits imposed on the set point SET and at the same time reduces energy consumption compared to the operating condition of figure 2, because it has reduced the consumption of the cooling coil CC and of the post-heating coil RC (in the exemplified case it has even zeroed the consumption).

[0177] The method of the invention allows to further improve this result because, starting from this simulated condition in which the energy consumption has been reduced, the algorithm simulates the effects of a modification in the operation of the mixer MIA, which is the operating component immediately upstream of the last component (the humidifier HU) of which the operating set has been modified, reducing the flow rate of the air flow RCA that from the internal environment ETA is introduced into the mixer MIA. The result will be that the operating point of the mixer MIA will pass from a temperature of about 20 °C and a humidity of about 0.0070 kgv / kgda, to a temperature of about 19 °C and a humidity of about 0.0060 kgv / kgda. At this point, the algorithm will begin again to simulate operating modifications of the operating components in cascade with respect to the mixer MIA, always going backwards from the penultimate of the ordered succession of operating components, i.e. from the post-heating coil RC, to the cooling coil CC and to the humidifier HU. Thanks to this backward procedure, the algorithm, through a simulation, will also be able to find other operating conditions of the operating components that allow to meet the tolerance SPACE imposed on the set point SET, but it will discover that, by keeping the post-heating RC and cooling CC coils switched off, with the simulated operating set for the mixer MIA it is possible to meet the limits SPACE set on the set point SET by adjusting the operating set of the humidifier HU in order to reach the diagram in Figure 4.

[0178] By comparing the two diagrams in Figures 2, 3 and 4, it can be seen that the temperature and humidity conditions of the air effectively introduced into the internal environment comply with the tolerance SPACE on the set point SET. However, the algorithm of the invention managed - through the simulation performed backwards - to find a set of operating sets of the various operating components of the air treating unit AHU, in particular of the post-heating coil RC (which has been switched off), of the cooling coil CC (which has been switched off), of the humidifier HU (which must humidify less) and of the mixer MIA (which must receive less airfrom the internal environment), which allow to meet the limits SPACE on the set point SET while reducing energy consumption, which was the goal that was initially set.

[0179] On the basis of the indications given in the present description, the method of the present invention can be implemented to modify the operation of a generic AHU system by meeting the tolerance constraints SPACE imposed on the set point SET of air introduced into an enclosed environment and at the same time meeting other objectives, in order of importance, such as for example: a first parameter representative of an operating cost of the air treating unit; a second parameter representative of a primary energy consumption of the air treating unit, during its operation; - a third parameter representative of a cost of using water of the air treating unit, during its operation; a fourth parameter representative of a fraction of air sucked in from the external environment and introduced into the internal environment by the air treating unit during its operation, compared to a quantity of total air treated by the air treating unit which comprises recirculated air in the internal environment.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A method of operating an air treating unit to condition an internal environment, said treating unit comprising:- an ordered succession of a plurality of operating components- arranged according to an air treatment sequence from a first operating component of said plurality, which is the first of said ordered succession and which interacts with air coming from an external environment, to a last operating component of said plurality, which is the last of said ordered succession that interacts with said air before it enters an internal environment;- each operating component of the operating components has a carbon footprint and a respective operating set which defines operating conditions of the operating component apt to influence thermodynamic and / or fluid dynamic conditions of an air flow which, in use, interacts with the operating component;- a controller connected to each operating component to regulate its respective operating set according to an environmental setpoint to be reached, wherein said environmental setpoint can be set by a user and is representative of thermal and hygrometric conditions to be reached in the internal environment, wherein said respective operating set can be increased / decreased by said controller by a respective discrete step that is multiple or equal to a respective minimum increase / decrease of the respective operating component; wherein said method is implemented by said controller and comprises afirst logical layer of operations for operating said operating components by setting the respective operating sets, and a second logical layer of operations for carrying out a simulation aimed at estimating an effect of interactions of said operating components with air with which they interact according to the respective operating sets of the operating components and to determine a respective optimal set for each operating set of the operating sets, through said simulation; wherein said first logical layer comprises the operation of setting the operating set for each operating component equal to said respective optimal set; wherein said simulation comprises the operation of simulating an operation of the air treating unit after having increased / decreased by said respective discrete step the operating set of an operating component of the air treating sequence according to a backward sequence from the last to the first of said operating components of the ordered succession based on the environmental setpoint set for the internal environment and according to environmental conditions detected in the external environment; where said simulation is cyclically carried out and each cycle of said simulation comprises an adaptation phase to modify the operating sets to optimize in hierarchical succession:- a difference in operation between thermal and hygrometric conditions of the internal environment with respect to the environmental setpoint set for the internal environment;- a first parameter representative of an operating cost of the air treating unit;- a second parameter representative of a primary energy consumption of the air treating unit, during its operation;- a third parameter representative of a cost of using water of the air treating unit, during its operation;- a fourth parameter representative of a fraction of air sucked in from the external environment and introduced into the internal environment by the air treating unit during its operation, compared to a quantity of total air treated by the air treating unit which comprises recirculated air in the internal environment.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein the second logical layer of operations performs said simulation using a respective mathematical model for each operating component; wherein each mathematical model is suitable for estimating values of parameters of the operation of the respective operating component to provide - upon execution of said simulation - an estimate of variation of thermodynamic and / or fluid dynamic conditions of the air, which interacts with the operating component, depending on the set of operation set for said operating component; said variation consists of a difference between an input, representative of the air condition upstream of the operating component, and an output, representative of an air condition downstream of the operating component; said simulation comprises a phase A which provides for a sequential repetition of the following steps for all the operating components of saidordered succession, proceeding from the operating component upstream of the last operating component to the first operating component of the air treating sequence:- a step A1 , wherein for a generic operating component of post N in said succession of operating components a temporary operating set is calculated such that, if effectively achieved by the operating component of post N, it would follow that the input and the output of an operating component of post N+1 in said succession of operating components would be equal, which is directly downstream of the operating component N along the air treatment sequence; where for the last operating component of the air treatment sequence the output is set equal to the environmental setpoint;- a step A2 in which the output of the operating component N is calculated which would achieve by increasing / decreasing by said respective discrete step the simulated operating set of the operating component N so that the operating difference is minimal between the output of the operating component N, with the simulated operating set, from the output that the operating component N would have with a setting of the temporary operating set calculated in step A1 and which is assumed as output in the operating component N+1 ; where said simulation provides for a phase B, subsequent to said phase A and which comprises, in sequence: a step B1 in which a respective variation value is calculated for each operating component, wherein the respective variation value is equalto the difference between the output of said operating component, assumed in said step A1 , and the output of said operating component calculated in said step A2;- a step B2 in which the operating set of each operating component is modified by an increase / decrease corresponding to determining an output variation equal to said respective variation value;- a step B3 in which an operating difference is calculated that is equal to a difference between the environmental setpoint and thermal and hygrometric conditions of the internal environment that would result from the application to each operating component of the operating sets determined in phase B2; wherein step B3 comprises a calculation of the first parameter, of the second parameter, of the third parameter and of the fourth parameter of the air treating unit; a step B4 which provides for setting the operating set of each operating component if said operating difference decreases or if, with the same operating difference, the first parameter decreases or if, with the same value of the first parameter, the second parameter decreases or if, with the same value of the second parameter, the third parameter decreases or if, with the same value of the third parameter, the fourth parameter increases otherwise planning to repeat steps from B1 to B3 until the first parameter decreases or if, with the same value of the first parameter until the second parameter decreases or, with the same value of the second parameter, until the third parameter decreases or, with the same value of the third parameter, until the fourth parameter increases.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2 wherein each operating component alternatively consists of:- a ventilation and extraction group, apt to impart an aeraulic stress to advance air along the duct and, preferably, an axial flow fan;- a heating group configured to release heat to an air flow that passes through it or interferes with it;- a cooling group configured to absorb heat from an air flow that passes through it or interferes with it;- a humidifier group that is configured to increase the humidity of an air flow that passes through it or interferes with it;- a mixing group, preferably made up of a mixing damper, apt to mix a secondary flow of recirculation air from the internal environment or a flow of fresh air from the external environment, with a primary flow of air that passes through it;- a heat recovery group apt to transfer heat between an incoming flow and an outgoing flow of air which pass therethrough in countercurrent; where the operating set of a heating group alternatively comprises a fixed operating regime during operation of the fan group and which can be set, or an operating regime that can be modulated by the controller; where the operating set of a heating group comprises at least one parameter among a maximum thermal power that the heating group can release to air that interferes with it; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;- a degree of by-pass representative of a ratio between bypass air and air being treated; where the bypass air is conveyed through the heating group so that it does not receive heat from the latter during its operation; the air being treated being instead conveyed through the heating group so as to receive heat from the latter during its operation; this parameter can be settable to values comprised between 0 and 1 ;- a performance coefficient or COP, to be understood in the meaning per se customary in the refrigeration sector; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;- a modulation step representative of a fraction of the maximum thermal power by which the thermal power supplied to the air flow by the heating group during its operation can be modulated; [maximum power / 10A6, maximum power]- a cost of the energy consumed by the heating group, which can be set as a cost per unit of energy, for example as a ratio between a cost in a chosen currency per kWh of energy consumed;- a primary energy factor, or Primary Energy Factor (PEF), representative of the energy consumption from the primary source of the heating group; where the operating set of a cooling group comprises at least one parameter among- a maximum thermal power that the heating group can absorb from air that interferes with it; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;- a degree of by-pass representative of a ratio between bypass air and air being treated; where the bypass air is conveyed through the cooling group so that it does not release heat to the latter during its operation; the air being treated being instead conveyed through the cooling group so as to receive heat from the latter during its operation; this parameter can be settable to values comprised between 0 and 1 ;- an energy efficiency index (EER), to be understood in the meaning per se customary in the refrigeration sector; this parameter can be settable to values greater than or equal to zero;- a modulation step representative of a fraction of the maximum thermal power by which the thermal power absorbed from the air flow by the heating group during its operation can be modulated; [maximum power / 10A6, maximum power]- a cost of the energy consumed by the cooling group, which can be set as a cost per unit of energy, for example as a ratio between a cost in a chosen currency per kWh of energy consumed;- a primary energy factor, or Primary Energy Factor (PEF), representative of the energy consumption from the primarysource of the cooling group; where the operating set of a humidifier group comprises at least one parameter among- a saturation efficiency, representative of the humidity saturation in the air treated by the humidification group, settable between 0% and 100%;- an operating mode, which can be set between a state of activity and a state of inactivity, in which the humidification group respectively introduces humidity into the air treated by the modulation group or does not introduce it, or which can be set to a degree of modulation between the state of activity and the state of inactivity, in which a quantity of humidity is introduced into the air which is partial compared to that introduced in the state of activity; settable in the range [(Max-Min) / 10A3, (Max- Min)]- a maximum flow rate of water ejected into the air treated by the humidification group, for example expressed in kg / h, and settable;- a minimum flow rate of water ejected into the air treated by the humidification group, for example expressed in kg / h, and that can be set between a zero value and a value equal to that of the maximum flow rate;- an Evaporation Efficiency: settable between 0% and 100% and representative of the fraction of water introduced into the airwhich interferes with the humidification group which effectively increases the humidity of this air;- a degree of bleed-off that can be set between 0% and 100% of the water introduced into the air which interferes with the humidification group and which is not absorbed as humidity by this air; this parameter being foreseen exclusively in the case of forecasting a recirculation of water not absorbed by the air towards the water introduced into the latter;- a recovery factor, which can be set between 0% and 100% of the water introduced into the air which interferes with the humidification group and which is not absorbed as humidity by this air; where the portion of this water equal to the recovery factor is fed back to the humidification group to be ejected into the air that interferes with it;- a cost of mains water that can be set to a value of 0 greater than or equal to zero and can be expressed as in terms of cost in economic currency per unit volume of water used;- a primary energy factor, or Primary Energy Factor (PEF), representative of the energy consumption from the primary source of the cooling group Electricity / gas supply:- a specific power, i.e. a power necessary to generate 1 L / h of steam, which can be set, for example in kW / (L / h);- a cost of the energy consumed by the humidification group, which can be set as a cost per unit of energy, for example as aratio between a cost in a chosen currency per kWh of energy consumed;- a pressure drop of the air that passes through a droplet separator of the evaporation group located downstream of a nebulizer or an evaporating pack forming part of the evaporation group; wherein said pressure drop can be set, for example at values greater than or equal to 0 Pa; where the operating set of a mixing group comprises at least one parameter among- a minimum mixing rate Min that can be set between a zero value and a unit value; wherein the minimum mixing rate Min is representative of a ratio between an air flow rate of a secondary flow, consisting of recirculation air from the internal environment or air coming from the external environment, with an air flow rate of a primary air flow which passes through the mixing group;- a maximum mixing rate Max that can be set between a value equal to the minimum mixing rate Min and a unit value; where at a minimum mixing rate Min or at a maximum mixing rate of a consequent unit value that the mixing group releases into the air treating unit only said secondary flow cancelling out the primary flow;- a modulation step which can be set in an interval [(Max-Min) / 10A3, (Max-Min)] and defining a quantity by which a mixing rate is variable by the controller between the minimum mixing rate Min and the maximum mixing rate Max;where the operating set of a heat recovery group comprises at least one parameter among:- a recovery efficiency representative of the quantity of heat from a flow of hot air exiting the internal environment and a flow of cold air entering the internal environment and settable between zero and a unit value which respectively correspond to a zero recovery or maximum of said quantity of heat;- a degree of by-pass representative of a ratio between bypass air, incoming flow or outgoing flow, and air being treated, incoming flow or outgoing flow; where the bypass air, incoming flow or outgoing flow, is conveyed through the heat recovery group so that it does not exchange heat respectively with the outgoing flow or the incoming flow; the air being treated, of the incoming flow or the outgoing flow, being instead conveyed through the heat recovery group so as to exchange heat with the outgoing flow or the incoming flow respectively; this parameter can be settable to values that are comprised between 0 and 1 ;- a modulation step of said degree of bypass, representative of an amount by which said degree of by-pass can be modulated, of a flow rate of the thermal power supplied to the air flow by the heating group during its operation;- a pressure drop in air passing through the heat recovery group; wherein said pressure drop can be set, for example at values greater than or equal to 0 Pa.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein said second logical layer carries out said simulation on the basis of a group of settings which comprise:- climatic conditions of the external environment, which comprise a value of the temperature and humidity of air sucked in from the external environment;- internal loads of sensible and / or latent heat;- nominal delivery flow rate;- nominal extraction flow rate;- environmental setpoint comprising parameters representative of the thermal and hygrometric conditions of the internal environment, for example the average temperature and average humidity of the internal environment;- environment setpoint tolerances;- minimum delivery temperature of the air introduced by the air treating unit into the internal environment;- maximum delivery humidity of the air introduced by the air treating unit into the internal environment;- carbon footprint of electricity production, for example expressed in kg C02-eq. / kWh;5. Method according to claim 4, wherein: the climatic conditions of the external environment are detected by probes connected to the controller; the internal loads are measured by detection means connected to thecontroller or predefined, by setting by an operator, at constant or variable values according to predefined functions set by an operator.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said simulation is performed considering the humidity and the temperature of air that interacts with the operating components of the air treating unit.

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