Graphical Variable-Speed Device Selection for Part-Load HVAC
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional HVAC systems face inefficiencies and resource wastage due to improper equipment selection, leading to instability and poor occupant comfort at part-load conditions, as they are often designed for maximum load scenarios, resulting in unnecessary energy consumption and potential equipment replacement.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for selecting variable speed devices based on a graphical interface that displays correlated parameters, allowing users to select points on a graph representing selection ranges, thereby optimizing device selection for part-load conditions and improving energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If equipment is designed for maximum load conditions, then it can handle peak demands, but it operates inefficiently at part-load conditions causing energy wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies variable speed drives to pumps and motors, enabling dynamic adjustment of operating speed based on actual load conditions. This allows equipment to operate efficiently across a range of loads rather than being fixed at maximum capacity, resolving the contradiction between handling peak loads and minimizing part-load energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters (speed, flow rate, head) of pumping equipment to match actual system demands. By adjusting these parameters dynamically rather than operating at fixed maximum settings, the system achieves both peak load capability and part-load efficiency
2Reliability
If equipment is oversized for maximum load, then it can meet peak requirements, but it causes instability and poor performance at part-load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Variable speed control allows the system to dynamically adjust pump speed to match part-load conditions, preventing the instability that occurs with oversized equipment operating far from its design point. This maintains system stability across the full operating range
3Loss of time
If conventional selection methods are used, then equipment can be selected quickly, but it results in improper sizing and resource wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a software tool with graphical interface that acts as an intermediary between the user and complex pump selection calculations. This tool automates the selection process, providing accurate sizing based on system parameters while reducing manual calculation time and avoiding improper equipment selection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical selection methods with computer-based software tools that perform automated calculations and provide graphical visualization of pump performance curves, enabling faster and more accurate equipment selection
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer system, and computer readable medium for facilitating selection from a plurality of devices, each device defined by a selection range dependent on at least a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter and the second parameter being correlated. The method includes: displaying on a graphical interface screen a graph of the first parameter versus the second parameter, the graph having displayed thereon a plurality of regions representing the selection ranges, receiving selection of at least a point of the graph from an indicator overlaid onto the graph and which is moveable on the graphical interface screen based on control from an input device, and in response to the selection, displaying on the graph only the regions which are relevant to the selected point.