Stability index for connected equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building management systems face challenges in determining equipment stability efficiently, as they often require numerous data points and are specific to particular types of equipment, making it difficult to monitor and maintain various building devices effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced that calculates a stability index for building equipment by analyzing time series data, specifically using trapezoidal areas based on deviations from setpoints and filtering data based on energy consumption thresholds, allowing for automated responses such as maintenance scheduling and graphical representations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional methods are used to determine equipment stability, then measurement precision may be maintained, but device complexity and data processing requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential characteristic for stability determination by focusing solely on the deviation between setpoint and actual values of a single operational parameter. This eliminates the need to process numerous other parameters, significantly reducing system complexity while maintaining the ability to accurately determine equipment stability through the calculated stability index.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms multiple operational parameters into a single stability index parameter through mathematical calculation. By converting complex multi-parameter monitoring into a unified stability metric based on setpoint deviations, the system achieves accurate stability determination with reduced computational complexity and simpler data processing requirements.
2Measurement precision
If equipment-specific methods are used, then measurement precision for particular equipment types is improved, but adaptability to different equipment types decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal stability determination method that can be applied to various types of building equipment including chillers, boilers, and HVAC systems. The methodology uses a common approach of calculating setpoint deviations and stability indices that works across different equipment types, eliminating the need for equipment-specific customization while maintaining detection accuracy through the standardized stability index calculation.
3Measurement precision
If numerous data points are collected, then measurement precision improves, but loss of time for data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential data needed for stability determination - specifically the setpoint and actual values of operational parameters. By filtering out unnecessary data points and focusing solely on deviations from setpoints, the system achieves accurate stability assessment with minimal data processing time, eliminating the need to collect and process numerous redundant parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simplified calculation approach that processes only the necessary subset of data (setpoint deviations) rather than analyzing all available operational data. This partial action approach maintains measurement precision by focusing on the critical stability-indicating information while significantly reducing data processing time and computational resources required.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining a stability of a building device includes receiving time series data from building equipment regarding a first operational parameter of the building equipment, determining, for one or more time steps of the time series data, a deviation between a setpoint and a recorded value of the first operational parameter, calculating, for the one or more time steps, a trapezoidal area based on an absolute value of the deviation and a length of a time step, calculating a stability index value for the building equipment by summing the trapezoidal areas for a subset of the one or more time steps over a time horizon, and initiating an automated response based on the stability index value.