An investigation of air and water dual adjustment decoupling control of surface heat exchanger

The terminal equipment of central cooling system accounts for a significant proportion of the total system's energy consumption. Therefore, it is important to reduce the terminal equipment energy consumption in central air conditioning system. In this study, the difference of the effect of the chilled water flow rate and air supply rate on the surface cooler during the heat transfer process is taken into full account. Matlab/Simulink simulation software is used to model and simulate the heat transfer of surface cooler of the main terminal equipment of air conditioning system. Simulation tests and experimental validations are conducted by using variable chilled water flow rate and variable air supply rate control mode separately. The experiment results show that the simulation model can effectively predict the heat transfer performance of heat exchanger. Further, the study introduced a dual feedback control mode, which synchronously regulates the chilled water flow rate and air supply rate. Also, under certain conditions, the complex heat transfer process of the surface cooler can be decoupled, and single variable control pattern is used to separately regulate the chilled water flow rate and air supply rate. This can effectively shorten the system regulation time, reduce overshoot and improve control performance

Accuracy of HVAC Load Predictions: Validation of EnergyPlus and DOE-2 using FLEXLAB Measurements

The aim of the project reported here was to better understand the level of accuracy of three building energy simulation (BES) engines (‘engines’) — EnergyPlus™, DOE-2.1e, and DOE-2.2 — by identifying and investigating significant deviations between the performance predicted by these engines and actual performance as measured in the FLEXLAB® test facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The specific test conditions included some of those prescribed in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140 - Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs. Detailed measurements of FLEXLAB performance, including indoor temperatures and heat fluxes and air-flow and water flow rates and temperatures in the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, together with hourly weather data, were recorded and used in analyzing the simulation results from EnergyPlus v8.8, DOE-2.2 v3.65 and DOE-2.1e v127. These engines are commonly used in the United States for building energy code compliance, federal, state, and utility incentives programs, as well as energy efficient design of new buildings and energy retrofit of existing buildings. Seven conventional overhead mixing ventilation scenarios were tested and each engine was found to have a similar level of agreement with the measurements of space-level heating and sensible cooling loads. These results provide useful information regarding the accuracy of these engines in predicting the cooling and heating load elements of whole building energy performance. This information is intended for practitioners who are concerned about transitioning between simulation tools with different engines and for managers of utility programs leveraging these tools for evaluating and/or projecting measure savings to be incentivized under their programs. The results of the comparisons of simulated and measured performance indicate that the predictions from all three engines are not significantly different. The 24-hour average value of the absolute mean bias indicates the likely magnitude of the error in any particular case. The average mean bias is reduced by cancelation of overprediction in one case by underprediction in another. The daytime absolute mean biases, which may be more important for both energy performance and occupant comfort, are ~6%, presumably because of the greater complexity involved in simulating in the presence of solar radiation. EnergyPlus typically overpredicts the cooling load and/or underpredicts the heating load by ~1.5% and the DOE-2 engines typically underpredict the cooling load by approximately the same amount. The Root Mean Square Error is relatively more sensitive to shorter term variations in the difference between predicted and measured loads; the three engines have similar values, ~10%, suggesting that the uncertainties in their predictions of peak loads may also be similar in magnitude. The implication of these results is that users, both designers and program analysts, can use EnergyPlus, DOE-2.1e, or DOE-2.2 to model conventional commercial buildings equipped with overhead mixing ventilation with a similar level of confidence. Further work is required to better understand the variability in the level of agreement between the engine predictions and FLEXLAB measurements, where a particular engine will agree well with FLEXLAB in some cases and not so well in others and another engine will agree or disagree in different cases. As the sources of this variability are identified and eliminated or reduced significantly, it is recommended that the experimental capabilities and methods developed in the study reported here should be applied to validating heating and cooling load calculations for spaces with different types of furniture and miscellaneous loads. These methods should then be applied to low energy space conditioning systems in EnergyPlus including, in particular, radiant slab and radiant ceiling panel cooling and heating systems and ‘mixed mode’ systems that combine mechanical cooling and natural ventilation systems, focusing on controls, including control of thermal mass. The work reported here addresses the conventional method of heating and cooling occupied spaces; other methods, such as the use of radiant heating and cooling systems have the potential to provide equivalent occupant comfort, or better, with lower energy consumption. These systems are addressed more explicitly in EnergyPlus but there is a need for empirical validation to give users the same level of confidence in modeling these systems that they have, or should have, in modeling conventional systems, based on the results presented here

Evaluating the impact of an enhanced energy performance standard on load-bearing masonry domestic construction: Understanding the gap between designed and real performance: lessons from Stamford Brook.

This report is aimed at those with interests in the procurement, design and construction of new dwellings both now and in the coming years as the Government’s increasingly stringent targets for low and zero carbon housing approach. It conveys the results of a research project, carried out between 2001 and 2008, that was designed to evaluate the extent to which low carbon housing standards can be achieved in the context of a large commercial housing development. The research was led by Leeds Metropolitan University in collaboration with University College London and was based on the Stamford Brook development in Altrincham, Cheshire. The project partners were the National Trust, Redrow and Taylor Wimpey and some 60 percent of the planned 700 dwelling development has been completed up to June 2008. As the UK house building industry and its suppliers grapple with the challenges of achieving zero carbon housing by 2016, the lessons arising from this project are timely and of considerable value. Stamford Brook has demonstrated that designing masonry dwellings to achieve an enhanced energy standard is feasible and that a number of innovative approaches, particularly in the area of airtightness, can be successful. The dwellings, as built, exceed the Building Regulations requirements in force at the time but tests on the completed dwellings and longer term monitoring of performance has shown that, overall, energy consumption and carbon emissions, under standard occupancy, are around 20 to 25 percent higher than design predictions. In the case of heat loss, the discrepancy can be much higher. The report contains much evidence of considerable potential but points out that realising the design potential requires a fundamental reappraisal of processes within the industry from design and construction to the relationship with its supply chain and the development of the workforce. The researchers conclude that, even when builders try hard, current mainstream technical and organisational practices together with industry cultures present barriers to consistent delivery of low and zero carbon performance. They suggest that the underlying reasons for this are deeply embedded at all levels of the house building industry. They point out also that without fundamental change in processes and cultures, technological innovations, whether they be based on traditional construction or modern methods are unlikely to reach their full potential. The report sets out a series of wide ranging implications for new housing in the UK, which are given in Chapter 14 and concludes by firmly declaring that cooperation between government, developers, supply chains, educators and researchers will be crucial to improvement. The recommendations in this report are already being put into practice by the researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University and University College London in their teaching and in further research projects. The implications of the work have been discussed across the industry at a series of workshops undertaken in 2008 as part of the LowCarb4Real project (see http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/as/cebe/projects/lowcarb4real/index.htm). In addition, the learning is having an impact on the work of the developers (Redrow and Taylor Wimpey) who, with remarkable foresight and enthusiasm, hosted the project. This report seeks to make the findings more widely available and is offered for consideration by everyone who has a part to play in making low and zero carbon housing a reality

A CRS oedometer cell for unsaturated and non-isothermal tests

Research into the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior of unsaturated soils and the effect of strain rate on their mechanical responses requires employment of advanced laboratory testing systems and procedures as well as protocols of correcting the measured data in order to account for errors associated with complex test conditions and apparatus calibrations. This paper presents design and calibration of an innovative constant-rate-of-strain (CRS) oedometer cell for characterization of the THM behavior of soils under combined non-isothermal and unsaturated conditions. The advanced oedometer cell enables for simultaneous control of temperature, suction, and stress state within the soil specimens. Temperatures of 20 to 200° C is applied through a tubular heating element placed at the base of the soil specimen. Suction is controlled using axis-translation technique, and measured using both axis-translation and two high-capacity tensiometers (HCTs) accommodated on the periphery of the specimen. The performance of the new cell is assessed based on a set of tests performed on clay specimens and its merits and advantages are discussed in detail

Rankine Cycle efficiency gain using thermoelectric heat pumps

The Rankine cycle remains the dominant method of thermal plant electricity generation in the world today. The cycle was described over 150 years ago and significant performance advances continue to be realised. On-going metallurgy research has enabled the operating pressure and temperature of the boiler and turbine to be increased, thereby improving the cycle efficiency. The ubiquitous use of the Rankine cycle on a massive scale in conjunction with fossil fuels as the energy source continues to motivate further efficiency improvements in the cycle.<p></p> Previous work established a theoretical basis for the use of thermoelectric heat pumps (THPs) in the condensation process of the Rankine cycle to positively impact cycle efficiency. The work presented here experimentally validates this prior work and provides performance metrics for current commercially available THPs and quantifies how their use can increase the efficiency of the Rankine cycle as implemented in a large power plant.<p></p> A commercial THP is characterised to obtain its Coefficient of Performance (COP) variation with input current and the amount of thermal energy transported. A larger-scale system comprising of a multistage thermoelectric heat pump is then considered, demonstrating that using commonly available THPs a fuel load reduction of over 1.5% is achievable for a typical generating set whilst simultaneously increasing the overall plant cycle efficiency from 44.9% to 45.05%.<p></p> The paper concludes with a cost-benefit analysis of the system, showing that over a four year period the saving in fuel used can easily re-coup the capital cost incurred by the addition of the condenser heat pump

Investigation on thermal-hydraulic performance of outdoor heat exchanger in air sources heat pump

A plethora of findings exists on the decreasing heat transfer performance of ASHP under frosting condition. This study investigates, using field and laboratory experiments, the frosting behavior and heat transfer performance of fin-tube exchangers. Findings from our initial observation revealed the severity of frosting phenomenon during winter in hot summer and cold winter zone of China; for avoiding the lower COP, defrosting period of ASHP was not longer than 60 min. The results showed that the basic tube surface temperature decreases with running time and remains stable after 70 min, and an adverse pressure drop ensued. The findings, thereby suggests a 70 min defrosting period in ASHP. Comparing jH/fH and COP between exchangers revealed an improved performance of plain fin-tube exchanger over that of louver fin-tube exchanger in all the test conditions. Therefore, under frosting condition, plain fin-tube heat exchanger provides a superior thermal-hydraulic performance over louver fin-tube heat exchanger. Findings from this study will help designers and facility managers in taking a more informed decision when selecting heat exchanger types for ASHP