Control system for building equipment with dynamic capacity constraints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023350365-A1
Application number	US-202217733786-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2022
Priority date	Apr 29, 2022
Publication date	Nov 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes providing a control algorithm that may include a constraint constraining production of the equipment below maximum values for a plurality of time steps, and dynamically adjusting the constraint by updating the maximum values as a function of predicted values of a dynamic variable for the plurality of time step. The dynamic variable affects an actual maximum production of the equipment. The method includes determining control decisions for the plurality of time steps by executing the control algorithm and controlling the equipment in accordance with the control decisions.

First claim

What is claimed IS:

1 . A method for controlling equipment, comprising:
providing a control algorithm comprising a constraint constraining production of the equipment below maximum values for a plurality of time steps; dynamically adjusting the constraint by updating the maximum values as a function of predicted values of a dynamic variable for the plurality of time steps, wherein the dynamic variable affects an actual maximum production of the equipment; and determining control decisions for the plurality of time steps by executing the control algorithm; and controlling the equipment in accordance with the control decisions.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises predicting the predicted values of the dynamic variable based on a weather forecast.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the predicted values of the dynamic variable from a weather forecast.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the equipment is a chiller and the dynamic variable is a proxy for lift.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic variable is an outdoor air temperature.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining standard equipment specification data published by a manufacturer and indicative of equipment performance under different operating conditions; and finding parameters of the function based on the standard equipment specification data.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising affecting the dynamic variable by operating additional equipment, wherein executing the control algorithm further comprises determining additional control decisions for the additional equipment.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the maximum values as the function of the dynamic variable comprises applying the function to a value of the dynamic variable and a maximum consumption of the equipment.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the maximum consumption is a maximum electrical power usage of the equipment.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the control algorithm comprises performing an optimization subject to the constraint, wherein the control decisions are target value for the production of the equipment.

11 . A system, comprising:
equipment operable to produce a resource; and circuitry programmed to:
provide a control algorithm comprising a constraint constraining production of the equipment below maximum values for a plurality of time steps;
dynamically adjust the constraint by updating the maximum values as a function of predicted values of a dynamic variable for the plurality of time steps, wherein the dynamic variable affects an actual maximum production of the equipment; and
determine control decisions for the plurality of time steps by executing the control algorithm and
controlling the equipment in accordance with the control decisions.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the equipment is a chiller and the dynamic variable affects lift of the chiller.

13 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising additional equipment configured to produce the resource, wherein the control algorithm allocates a demand for the resource across the equipment and the additional equipment.

14 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising additional equipment operable to affect the dynamic variable, wherein the circuitry is programmed to coordinate operation of the equipment and the additional equipment based on a dependence of the dynamic variable on control decisions by the circuitry for the additional equipment.

15 . A method of coordinating operation of a first equipment unit and a second equipment unit, comprising:
determining a first relationship between production of the first equipment unit, consumption of the first equipment unit, and a dynamic variable; determining a second relationship between the dynamic variable and a control decision for the second equipment unit; coordinating operations of the first equipment unit and the second equipment unit by performing an optimization subject to one or more constraints defined based on the first relationship and the second relationship.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first equipment unit is a chiller and the second equipment unit is a cooling tower.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more constraints comprises a constraint on at least one of consumption or production of the first equipment unit dependent on the first relationship.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein performing the optimization outputs target production amounts for the first equipment unit and the control decision for the second equipment unit.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the second relationship further comprises determining a dependence of the second relationship on a weather variable.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the first relationship is performed using equipment specification data published by a manufacturer.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP

Inventors

• Wenzel Michael J
• Alanqar Anas W I
• Asmus Matthew J
• Baumgartner Ryan A
• Beaty Ryan C
• Schlagenhaft Shawn A
• Noboa Homero L
• Vitullo Steven R

Classifications

• G05B19/042 Primary

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J3/00 Primary

  Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks · CPC title

• G05B2219/2639

  Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low · CPC title

• G05B19/0426

  Programming the control sequence · CPC title