Diagnostic tools of energy performance for supermarkets using Artificial Neural Network algorithms

Supermarket performance monitoring is of vital importance to ensure systems perform adequately and guarantee operating costs and energy use are kept at a minimum. Furthermore, advanced monitoring techniques can allow early detection of equipment faults that could disrupt store operation. This paper details the development of a tool for performance monitoring and fault detection for supermarkets focusing on evaluating the Store's Total Electricity Consumption as well as individual systems, such as Refrigeration, HVAC, Lighting and Boiler. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models are developed for each system to provide the energy baseline, which is modelled as a dependency between the energy consumption and suitable explanatory variables. The tool has two diagnostic levels. The first level broadly evaluates the systems performance, in terms of energy consumption, while the second level applies more rigorous criteria for fault detection of supermarket subsystems. A case study, using data from a store in Southeast England, is presented and results show remarkable accuracy for calculating hourly energy use, thus marking the ANN method as a viable tool for diagnosis purposes. Finally, the generic nature of the methodology approach allows the development and application to other stores, effectively offering a valuable analytical tool for better running of supermarkets

Modeling and Control of Reversible Air-to-water Heat Pumps

In this framework, the provision of modeling on a detailed thermodynamic modeling and the embedded architecture control is of paramount importance to achieve reliable control and operation. More specifically, the developed models should provide insights into (i) the ability of the RHP to quickly respond to the variation in the cooling and heating demand of the users (e.g., building load); (ii) the capability to adapt to the variation in the local while accounting for limits of the electric motor and the embedded controller, and (iii) the possibility to compare new control strategies aimed at improving the overall energy performance. The thesis compared different controls (e.g., proportional-integral for variable speed, and hysteresis controller for sequential control.) and they demonstrated that the modeling complexity of the system control has a significant impact on the key performance indicators, proving that this aspect should not be overlooked. For instance, for short-term operation, the modeling of the heat pump controller and the transient effects of the heat pump, such as cycling losses during start-up, are important

Research reports: 1990 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program

Reports on the research projects performed under the NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program are presented. The program was conducted by The University of Alabama and MSFC during the period from June 4, 1990 through August 10, 1990. Some of the topics covered include: (1) Space Shuttles; (2) Space Station Freedom; (3) information systems; (4) materials and processes; (4) Space Shuttle main engine; (5) aerospace sciences; (6) mathematical models; (7) mission operations; (8) systems analysis and integration; (9) systems control; (10) structures and dynamics; (11) aerospace safety; and (12) remote sensin

The Advantages of Fuzzy Control for Heat Pumps Systems

Application of fuzzy control has been observed in various engineering fields due to its ability to handle uncertainties and non-linearities. In this study, the advantages of using fuzzy control in heat pump systems are being investigated. Specifically, the performance of a heat pump system with a conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is being compared to that of a heat pump system with a fuzzy logic controller. It has been demonstrated by the results that the fuzzy control-based heat pump system offers better performance in terms of energy efficiency, temperature control, and overall system stability. This study contributes to the understanding of the potential benefits of fuzzy control-based heat pump systems and provides a foundation for further research in this area