Cost optimization for buildings with hybrid ventilation systems

• US 9,892,472 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Ji, Kun, Lu, Yan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/763,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 700291, 700286, 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A method including: computing a total cost for a first zone in a building, wherein the total cost is equal to an actual energy cost of the first zone plus a thermal discomfort cost of the first zone; and heuristically optimizing the total cost to identify temperature setpoints for a mechanical heating/cooling system and a start time and an end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system, based on external weather data and occupancy data of the first zone.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

simulating energy consumption of the first zone for a predetermined time by using temperature setpoints, a start time and an end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system associated with the computed total cost;

heuristically optimizing a total cost associated with a first zone in a building to identify optimal temperature setpoints for a mechanical heating/cooling system and a start time and an end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system based on external weather data and occupancy data of the first zone,

wherein the total cost is based on an actual energy cost of the first zone plus a thermal discomfort cost of the first zone;

wherein the actual energy cost of the first zone is equal to electricity cost of the first zone for a predetermined time plus gas/oil cost of the first zone for the predetermined time;

wherein the thermal discomfort cost is a cost value lost due to discomfort of at least one person in the first zone as represented by the following equation;

Discomfort cost =(1−

RP)*pr_max*people,

wherein RP is relative performance of a person compared to maximum performance pr_max as a function of a thermal sensation value, pr_max is a maximum performance rate which indicates a maximum monetary value generated by the person at their full thermal comfort, a high RP indicates a high comfort level of the person and a low RP indicates a low comfort level of the person; and

wherein the thermal sensation value is determined by applying a comfort model to an operative temperature value for the first zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first zone includes at least one room.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the heuristic optimization includes repeating steps of computing a total cost and simulating energy consumption using different temperature setpoints, start times and end times of the mechanical heating/cooling system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal discomfort cost of the first zone is a cost value lost due to discomfort of at least one person in the first zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature setpoints include a temperature of the first zone for a minimum cooling cost or a temperature of the first zone for a minimum heating cost.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein windows in the first zone are closed at the start time of the mechanical heating/cooling system and the windows in first zone are opened at the end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system.

7. A system, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to;

simulate energy consumption of the first zone for a predetermined time by using temperature setpoints, a start time and an end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system associated with the computed cost;

heuristically optimize a total cost associated with a first zone in a building to identify temperature optimal setpoints for a mechanical heating/cooling system and a start time and an end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system based on external weather data and occupancy data of the first zone,

wherein the total cost is based on an actual energy cost of the first zone plus a thermal discomfort cost of the first zone;

wherein the actual energy cost of the first zone is equal to electricity cost of the first zone for a predetermined time plus gas/oil cost of the first zone for the predetermined time;

wherein the thermal discomfort cost is a monetary cost value lost due to discomfort of at least one person in the first zone as represented by the following equation;

Discomfort cost =(1−

RP)*pr_max*people,

wherein RP is relative performance of a person compared to maximum performance pr_max as a function of a thermal sensation voting value, pr_max is a maximum performance rate which indicates a maximum monetary value generated by the person at their full thermal comfort, a high RP indicates a high comfort level of the person and a low RP indicates a low comfort level of the person; and

wherein the thermal sensation value is determined by applying a comfort model to an operative temperature value for the first zone.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first zone includes at least one room.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the temperature set points include a temperature of the first zone for a minimum cooling cost or a temperature of the first zone for a minimum heating cost.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein windows in the first zone are closed at the start time of the mechanical heating/cooling system and the windows in first zone are opened at the end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to perform the steps of;

simulating energy consumption of the first zone for a predetermined time by using temperature setpoints, a start time and an end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system associated with the computed cost, prior to the step of heuristically optimizing;

heuristically optimizing a total cost associated with a first zone in a building to identify optimal temperature setpoints for a mechanical heating/cooling system and a start time and an end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system, based on external weather data and occupancy data of the first zone,

wherein the total cost is based on an actual energy cost of the first zone plus a thermal discomfort cost of the first zone;

wherein the actual energy cost of the first zone is equal to electricity cost of the first zone for a predetermined time plus gas/oil cost of the first zone for the predetermined time;

wherein the thermal discomfort cost is a monetary cost value lost due to discomfort of at least one person in the first zone as represented by the following equation;

Discomfort cost =(1−

RP)*pr_max*people,

wherein RP is relative performance of a person compared to maximum performance pr_max as a function of a thermal sensation voting value, pr_max is a maximum performance rate which indicates a maximum monetary value generated by the person at their full thermal comfort, a high RP indicates a high comfort level of the person and a low RP indicates a low comfort level of the person; and

wherein the thermal sensation value is determined by applying a comfort model to an operative temperature value for the first zone.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first zone includes at least one room.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the temperature setpoints include a temperature of the first zone for a minimum cooling cost or a temperature of the first zone for a minimum heating cost.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein windows in the first zone are closed at the start time of the mechanical heating/cooling system and the windows in first zone are opened at the end time of the mechanical heating/cooling system.