System and method for testing a building control system that controls and monitors environmental conditions in a building
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building systems for controlling and monitoring environmental conditions in buildings lack an efficient and scalable solution for integrating and testing various components, leading to complexity and increased costs in deployment and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A modular building control system featuring an integrated rack with slidable field panels and a testing system that includes a story board to mimic HVAC components, allowing for independent configuration and testing of the system components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional building control systems are used to control and monitor environmental conditions, then the system can perform basic functions, but the system lacks scalability and efficiency in integrating and testing various components
Solution Approach 1:
The building control system is divided into modular components including controller modules, relay modules, I/O modules, and power supply modules that can be independently configured and tested. Each module is housed in separate field panels that can be independently assembled and tested before integration into the complete system, enabling scalable deployment without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A story board is provided that includes a schematic illustration depicting HVAC system components and instruments mounted at locations adjacent to the depicted components. The story board creates a visual copy or representation of the actual system architecture, allowing testers to simulate and test control logic without requiring the complete physical HVAC system to be installed and operational.
2Productivity
If complete building control systems are deployed without modular testing capabilities, then the system can be installed, but testing and configuration become time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
Individual field panels containing specific functional modules (controller, relay, I/O, power supply) are pre-assembled and can be tested independently before being integrated into the complete building control system. This preliminary testing of discrete modules identifies and resolves issues early in the deployment process, significantly reducing the time required for system-wide testing and commissioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The story board serves as an intermediary testing device that simulates HVAC system components and provides a simplified interface for testing control logic. Rather than requiring the complete physical HVAC system to be installed and operational for testing purposes, the story board creates a standalone testing environment that accelerates the validation process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional integration methods are used for building control components, then components can be connected, but uniformity and scalability across different deployments are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The field panels are designed with universal mounting structures and standardized interfaces that accommodate different module types (controller, relay, I/O, power supply) in a consistent framework. This universal design enables the same panel architecture to be used across different building sizes and configurations, ensuring uniformity in system integration while reducing deployment costs through standardized manufacturing and installation procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is provided that facilitates testing a building control system. The system may include at least one rack including: a housing; a terminal panel; and a plurality of slidable field panels mounted in the housing in side-by-side relation. The terminal panel may includes a plurality of connection terminals that are wired to respective component terminals of a plurality of components mounted to the field panels. Each field panel may be configured to independently slide at least partially out of a front side opening of the housing via a plurality of slides mounted to each field panel and to the housing. The system may also include at least one story board including: a schematic illustration mounted to a frame that depicts components of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; and a plurality of instruments mounted to the frame at locations on the illustration adjacent the depicted components of the HVAC system, which instruments receive inputs from and provide outputs to the building control system through wires connected to the connection terminals of the at least one rack, so as to mimic aspects of an HVAC system in order to test the configuration of the building control system in the at least one rack.