Coordinated control of hvac system using aggregated system demand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349772-A1
Application number	US-201514723911-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

1 . A control system for an HVAC system having a plurality of HVAC components operably associated with one or more terminal units, the control system comprising:
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 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.

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

3 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components comprises a capacity generation plant, a fluid circulation pump, and ventilation equipment.

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

5 . The control system of claim 4 , wherein the coordination module includes a cooling mode module and a heating mode module.

6 . The control 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.

7 . An HVAC system comprising:
a plurality of HVAC components; at least one terminal unit associated with each HVAC component of the plurality of HVAC components; 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 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.

8 . The HVAC system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to update the operational setpoints at predetermined time intervals.

9 . The HVAC system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components comprises a capacity generation plant, a fluid circulation pump, and ventilation equipment.

10 . The HVAC system of claim 9 , wherein the ventilation equipment comprises an air handling unit.

11 . The HVAC system of claim 10 , wherein the coordination module includes a cooling mode module and a heating mode module.

12 . The HVAC system of claim 7 , wherein determining the aggregated thermal demand of the HVAC system comprises determining an aggregated thermal demand of the one or more terminal units.

13 . A method of controlling an HVAC system having a plurality of HVAC components, at least one terminal unit 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 associated 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.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising updating the operational setpoints at predetermined time intervals.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components comprises a capacity generation plant, a fluid circulation pump, and ventilation equipment.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the ventilation equipment comprises an air handling unit.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the coordination module includes a cooling mode sub-module and a heating mode sub-module.

18 . The method of claim 16 , 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.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said determining an aggregated thermal demand comprises determining an aggregated thermal demand of the one or more terminal units.

20 . The method of claim 15 , 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 the number of terminal units of the one or more 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 terminal units associated with the plurality of HVAC components.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Simon Emile C
• Kouramas Konstantinos
• Mukherjee Kushal
• Cychowski Marcin T

Classifications

• G05D23/1934

  each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means · CPC title

• G05D23/1917 Primary

  using digital means · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• F24F11/54

  using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers · CPC title

• F24F11/30

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title