Systems and methods for controlling equipment based on chiller efficiency assessments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chiller sensors degrade over time, leading to inaccurate data that affects the accuracy of coefficient of performance (COP) determination, which can result in inefficient operation and financial loss due to incorrect chiller scheduling.
Innovation Solution
Perform an energy balance check on chillers, select a reference chiller with optimal energy balance, and use a machine learning model trained on this chiller's energy flow to determine which energy flow metric to use for COP determination, thereby identifying the efficiency of the chiller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensor data is used for COP determination, then chiller efficiency can be measured, but sensor degradation leads to inaccurate data and incorrect COP determination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an energy balance check as an intermediary mechanism to validate sensor data before COP determination. The system performs energy balance verification on input data from sensors, and only uses data that passes the balance check for COP calculation. This intermediary step filters out degraded or inaccurate sensor readings, resolving the contradiction between needing sensor data for measurement and dealing with sensor degradation over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using the energy balance check results to control whether sensor data is accepted for COP determination. When the energy balance check fails, the system rejects the corresponding sensor data and may trigger alerts for sensor replacement. This feedback loop ensures that only reliable data contributes to COP determination, maintaining measurement precision despite sensor aging.
2Productivity
If chiller scheduling is based on inaccurate COP data, then operational decisions can be made, but efficiency optimization is compromised leading to financial loss
Solution Approach 1:
The energy balance check serves as an intermediary validation layer between raw sensor data and COP determination used for scheduling decisions. By filtering data through this balance verification step, the system ensures that scheduling decisions are based on accurate COP values, preventing financial losses from suboptimal chiller selection while maintaining efficient operational decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for assessing an efficiency of a chiller. The method includes: performing, using a processor of a computer system, an energy balance check on operational data of a chiller in a chiller group; selecting, using the processor and based on the energy balance check, a reference chiller from one or more other chillers in the chiller group, wherein an energy flow of the reference chiller has a best energy balance amongst the one or more other chillers; determining, using the processor and reference operational data from the reference chiller, the efficiency of the chiller; and performing, based on the determined efficiency of the chiller, an action with respect to a chiller plant containing the chiller. Other aspects are described and claimed.