Control system for building equipment with secondary strong prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing central plant systems face challenges in optimizing energy distribution across multiple subplants to minimize energy costs, particularly when considering real-time pricing and demand charges, due to the complexity of determining when and how to utilize each subplant effectively.
Innovation Solution
A central plant system that includes a chiller, sensors, and a control system to calculate an additional load factor based on supply water temperature measurements and setpoints, generating load allocations for subplants to optimize their operation and compensate for failures, thereby optimizing energy distribution and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thermal energy storage is used with real-time pricing and demand charges to shift production to low cost times, then energy costs are greatly decreased, but the control system complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future thermal energy loads and electricity prices in advance, allowing the optimization algorithm to pre-determine the optimal operating schedule for chillers and thermal energy storage systems before peak demand periods occur, thereby reducing energy costs without requiring complex real-time control adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic pricing signals and varying load conditions by using time-dependent optimization that adjusts chiller operation and thermal storage charging/discharging schedules based on predicted real-time pricing and demand charge structures, enabling cost reduction through adaptive operation rather than static control
2Reliability
If multiple subplants are used to serve building thermal energy loads, then system flexibility and reliability are improved, but determining optimal load distribution becomes difficult and challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the central plant into multiple independent subplants (chillers, thermal storage systems, heat recovery systems) that can operate autonomously, allowing the optimization algorithm to independently control each subplant's operation while maintaining overall system reliability through diversified operational pathways
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting the load factors and operating schedules of different subplants based on predicted energy costs, equipment efficiency characteristics, and thermal storage state of charge, enabling optimal load distribution across multiple subplants through parameter optimization rather than complex control logic
3Use of energy by moving object
If heat pump chillers are operated instead of conventional chillers and water heaters, then energy efficiency is improved during high energy prices, but the optimization of load distribution becomes even more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by incorporating multiple types of thermal energy production equipment (conventional chillers, heat pump chillers, water heaters, heat recovery systems) into a single optimized control framework that can dynamically select and coordinate the operation of different equipment types based on their relative efficiency and cost characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from predicted energy prices, actual equipment performance, and thermal storage state to continuously adjust the optimal operating point of heat pump chillers versus conventional equipment, simplifying the optimization by using predictive feedback rather than requiring complex real-time coordination of multiple equipment types
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling building equipment includes building equipment configured to output a resource having a measurable characteristic, a sensor configured obtain a measurement of the measurable characteristic, and a control system. The control system is configured to calculate an additional load factor based on the measurement of the measurable characteristic and a setpoint for the measurable characteristic, obtain an actual load for the building equipment, calculate an effective load based on the additional load factor and the actual load, generate load allocations for the building equipment based on the effective load, and control the building equipment to operate in accordance with the load allocations.