System and method for calculating the thermal mass of a building
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A system for controlling a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
- one or more server computers comprising computer hardware, the one or more server computers configured to receive inside temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by at least one HVAC system;
one or more databases that store the inside temperature measurements over time, the one or more databases accesses by the one or more server computers;
wherein the one or more server computers are located remotely from the first location, the one or more server computers configured to receive outside temperature measurements from at least one source other than the HVAC system,wherein the one or more server computers are configured to calculate one or more predicted rates of change in temperature at the first location based on status of the HVAC system, and based on the outside temperature measurements, wherein the one or more predicted rates of change predict a speed a temperature inside the first location will change in response to changes in outside temperature; and
wherein the one or more server computers are further configured to determine whether to direct the HVAC control system to pre-cool the first structure based on the one or more predicted rates of change prior to directing the HVAC control system to reduce electricity demand.
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Abstract
The invention comprises a system for calculating a value for the effective thermal mass of a building. The climate control system obtains temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by the climate system. One or more processors receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than the control system and compare the temperature measurements from the first location with expected temperature measurements. The expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements obtained by said HVAC control system and said outside temperature measurements. The processors then calculate one or more rates of change in temperature at said first location.
185 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for controlling a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
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one or more server computers comprising computer hardware, the one or more server computers configured to receive inside temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by at least one HVAC system; one or more databases that store the inside temperature measurements over time, the one or more databases accesses by the one or more server computers; wherein the one or more server computers are located remotely from the first location, the one or more server computers configured to receive outside temperature measurements from at least one source other than the HVAC system, wherein the one or more server computers are configured to calculate one or more predicted rates of change in temperature at the first location based on status of the HVAC system, and based on the outside temperature measurements, wherein the one or more predicted rates of change predict a speed a temperature inside the first location will change in response to changes in outside temperature; and wherein the one or more server computers are further configured to determine whether to direct the HVAC control system to pre-cool the first structure based on the one or more predicted rates of change prior to directing the HVAC control system to reduce electricity demand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for controlling a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that comprises:
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receiving inside temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by at least one HVAC system; storing in one or more databases the inside temperature measurements over time; receiving outside temperature measurements from at least one source other than the HVAC system; calculating with one or more server computers comprising computer hardware, one or more predicted rates of change in temperature at the first location based on the status of the HVAC system, and based on outside temperature measurements, wherein the one or more predicted rates of change predicts a speed a temperature inside the first location will change in response to changes in outside temperature; and determining with the one or more server computers whether to direct the HVAC control system to pre-cool the first structure based on the one or more predicted rates of change prior to directing the HVAC control system to reduce electricity demand. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification