Coordinated control of HVAC system using aggregated system demand

• US 9,851,727 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2015
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Simon, Emile C., Kouramas, Konstantinos, Mukherjee, Kushal, Cychowski, Marcin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US14/723,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 700276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/81 by controlling the air supply to heat-exchangers or bypass channels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/50 Load
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means

Abstract

A control system for an HVAC system having a plurality of HVAC components operably associated with one or more terminal units is provided. The control system includes a coordination module and a controller having a processor and a memory, the controller operably associated with the coordination module and in signal communication with the plurality of HVAC components. The controller is configured to determine an aggregated thermal demand of the HVAC system, determine, with the coordination module, an operational setpoint for at least one HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components based on the determined aggregated thermal demand, and send a signal indicative of each determined operational setpoint to each associated HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components.

Claims

1. An HVAC system comprising:

a plurality of HVAC components;

a plurality of terminal units, at least one terminal unit of the plurality of terminal units associated with each HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components;

a control system comprising;

a coordination module; and

a controller operably associated with the coordination module and in signal communication with the plurality of HVAC components and associated terminal units, the controller configured to;

determine an aggregated thermal demand of the HVAC system;

determine, with the coordination module, an operational setpoint for at least one HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components based on the determined aggregated thermal demand; and

send a signal indicative of each determined operational setpoint to each associated HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components;

wherein the plurality of HVAC components comprises a capacity generation plant, a fluid circulation pump, and ventilation equipment;

wherein the coordination module includes a cooling mode module and a heating mode module;

wherein determining the operational setpoint for at least one of the plurality of HVAC components comprises at least one of;

(i) determining one or more setpoints to be sent to the capacity generation plant, wherein the controller is configured to set the capacity generation plant to a minimum effort setpoint below a low demand threshold (La), increase the effort setpoint from the low demand threshold (La) to a high demand threshold (Ha) and to set a maximum effort setpoint beyond the high demand threshold (Ha);

(ii) determining one or more setpoints to be sent to the fluid circulation pump, wherein the controller is configured to set the pump to a minimum effort setpoint below a low demand threshold (Lb), increase the effort setpoint from the low demand threshold (Lb) to a high demand threshold (Hb) and to set a maximum effort setpoint beyond the high demand threshold (Hb);

(iii) determining one or more setpoints to be sent to the ventilation equipment that treats fresh air from outside, wherein when the capacity generation plant is operated in cooling mode, a supply air setpoint (SATsp) is determined by the sum of the maximum room air temperature setpoint amongst all zones and the air duct losses/gains, and wherein when the capacity generation plant is operated in heating mode, a supply air setpoint (SATsp) is determined by the sum of the minimum room air temperature setpoint amongst all zones and the air duct losses/gains.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to update the operational setpoints at predetermined time intervals.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the ventilation equipment comprises an air handling unit.

4. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein determining the aggregated thermal demand of the HVAC system comprises determining an aggregated thermal demand of the one or more terminal units.

5. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a plurality of HVAC components and a plurality of terminal units, at least one terminal unit of the plurality of terminal units associated with each HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components, a coordination module, and a controller operably associated with the coordination module and in signal communication with the plurality of HVAC components and the plurality of terminal units, the method comprising:

determining an aggregated thermal demand of the HVAC system;

determining, with the coordination module, an operational setpoint for at least one HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components based on the determined aggregated thermal demand; and

subsequently operating each HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components at the determined operational setpoint;

wherein the plurality of HVAC components comprises a capacity generation plant, a fluid circulation pump, and ventilation equipment;

wherein the coordination module includes a cooling mode module and a heating mode module;

wherein determining the operational setpoint for at least one of the plurality of HVAC components comprises at least one of;

(i) determining one or more setpoints to be sent to the capacity generation plant, wherein the controller is configured to set the capacity generation plant to a minimum effort setpoint below a low demand threshold (La), increase the effort setpoint from the low demand threshold (La) to a high demand threshold (Ha) and to set a maximum effort setpoint beyond the high demand threshold (Ha);

(ii) determining one or more setpoints to be sent to the fluid circulation pump, wherein the controller is configured to set the pump to a minimum effort setpoint below a low demand threshold (Lb), increase the effort setpoint from the low demand threshold (Lb) to a high demand threshold (Hb) and to set a maximum effort setpoint beyond the high demand threshold (Hb);

(iii) determining one or more setpoints to be sent to the ventilation equipment that treats fresh air from outside, wherein when the capacity generation plant is operated in cooling mode, a supply air setpoint (SATsp) is determined by the sum of the maximum room air temperature setpoint amongst all zones and the air duct losses/gains, and wherein when the capacity generation plant is operated in heating mode, a supply air setpoint (SATsp) is determined by the sum of the minimum room air temperature setpoint amongst all zones and the air duct losses/gains.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising updating the operational setpoints at predetermined time intervals.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the ventilation equipment comprises an air handling unit.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the operational setpoint for the capacity generation plant is a water temperature, the operational setpoint for the pump is a water pressure, and the operational setpoint for the air handling unit is a supply air temperature.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining an aggregated thermal demand comprises determining an aggregated thermal demand of the plurality of terminal units.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining an aggregated thermal demand of the HVAC system comprises:

determining if the capacity generation plant is being operated in a cooling mode or a heating mode;

measuring an air temperature of the zone; and

dividing the product of a number of the plurality terminal units operating in the cooling mode or the heating mode and the difference between a zone air temperature setpoint and a measured zone air temperature, by the total number of the plurality of terminal units associated with the plurality of HVAC components.