Air-Conditioning Power Estimation With Field-Calibrated Lookup Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for estimating electrical power consumption of air-conditioning systems do not accurately account for actual field installation conditions, varying operating conditions, aging of components, heat losses, and faulty measurement devices.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses a power meter to periodically adjust and calibrate an estimation lookup table, which is generated during initial installation and updated during maintenance phases. This lookup table can extrapolate or interpolate missing power meter readings and serve as a counter-check for the accuracy of the power meter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If power consumption lookup tables are predefined based on laboratory test results or technical specification sheets, then the estimation method is simple and easy to implement, but the accuracy of power consumption estimation deteriorates due to not accounting for actual field installation conditions, varying operating conditions, component aging, and heat losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the lookup table parameters based on actual field measurements. The system collects real power consumption data from power meters and actual running parameters from the air-conditioning system, then recalibrates the lookup table to reflect real-world conditions including component aging, installation variations, and environmental factors, thereby maintaining high accuracy without complex calculations
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where actual power meter readings are continuously compared with estimated values from the lookup table. The deviations are used to periodically recalibrate and update the lookup table, ensuring that the estimation model adapts to changing conditions such as component aging and environmental variations, thus improving measurement precision over time
2Device complexity
If power consumption is estimated using component nominal running conditions and technical specification sheets, then the estimation method requires minimal additional equipment, but the reliability deteriorates due to faulty measurement devices and inability to account for actual field conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-calibration by using its own operational data. The lookup table is automatically updated using actual running parameters and power consumption measurements from the system itself, eliminating the need for external calibration equipment or complex measurement devices while maintaining high reliability through continuous adaptation to actual field conditions
3Productivity
If calculation of real-time power consumption is performed by assuming steady state operating conditions, then the calculation method is computationally simple, but the accuracy deteriorates due to inability to account for varying operating conditions and transient states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static lookup table into a dynamic model that adapts to varying operating conditions. By periodically recalibrating the lookup table with actual field data including transient states and varying environmental conditions, the system maintains computational simplicity while accurately capturing dynamic behavior that steady-state assumptions would miss
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method for estimating electrical energy consumption of an air-conditioning system comprising the steps of: (a.) receiving a first set of running parameters from an indoor unit of the air-conditioning system; (b.) receiving a second set of running parameters from an outdoor unit of the air-conditioning system; (c.) calculating a capacity parameter for the indoor unit based on the first set of running parameters; (d.) obtaining readings from a power meter associated with the air-conditioning system; (e.) deriving a lookup table based on the capacity parameter, the second set of running parameters, and the readings from the power meter; and (f.) updating the capacity parameter in the lookup table based on readings obtained from the power meter.