MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL OF ENERGY SYSTEMS FOR HEAT AND POWER APPLICATIONS

Building and transportation sectors together account for two-thirds of the total energy consumption in the US. There is a need to make these energy systems (i.e., buildings and vehicles) more energy efficient. One way to make grid-connected buildings more energy efficient is to integrate the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the building with a micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) sys- tem. Additionally, one way to make vehicles driven by internal combustion engine (ICE) more energy efficient is by integrating the ICE with a waste heat recovery (WHR) system. But, both the resulting energy systems need a smart supervisory controller, such as a model predictive controller (MPC), to optimally satisfy the en- ergy demand. Consequently, this dissertation centers on development of models and design of MPCs to optimally control the combined (i) building HVAC system and the MicroCSP system, and (ii) ICE system and the WHR system. In this PhD dissertation, MPCs are designed based on the (i) First Law of Thermo- dynamics (FLT), and (ii) Second Law of Thermodynamics (SLT) for each of the two energy systems. Maximizing the FLT efficiency of an energy system will minimise energy consumption of the system. MPC designed based on FLT efficiency are de- noted as energy based MPC (EMPC). Furthermore, maximizing the SLT efficiency of the energy system will maximise the available energy for a given energy input and a given surroundings. MPC designed based on SLT efficiency are denoted as exergy based MPC (XMPC). Optimal EMPC and XMPC are designed and applied to the combined building HVAC and MicroCSP system. In order to evaluate the designed EMPC and XMPC, a com- mon rule based controller (RBC) was designed and applied to the combined building HVAC and MicroCSP system. The results show that the building energy consump- tion reduces by 38% when EMPC is applied to the combined MicroCSP and building HVAC system instead of using the RBC. XMPC applied to the combined MicroCSP and building HVAC system reduces the building energy consumption by 45%, com- pared to when RBC is applied. Optimal EMPC and XMPC are designed and applied to the combined ICE and WHR system. The results show that the fuel consumption of the ICE reduces by 4% when WHR system is added to the ICE and when RBC is applied to both ICE and WHR systems. EMPC applied to the combined ICE and WHR system reduces the fuel consumption of the ICE by 6.2%, compared to when RBC is applied to ICE without WHR system. XMPC applied to the combined ICE and WHR system reduces the fuel consumption of the ICE by 7.2%, compared to when RBC is applied to ICE without WHR system

Integration and optimal control of microcsp with building hvac systems: Review and future directions

Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are omnipresent in modern buildings and are responsible for a considerable share of consumed energy and the electricity bill in buildings. On the other hand, solar energy is abundant and could be used to support the building HVAC system through cogeneration of electricity and heat. Micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) is a propitious solution for such applications that can be integrated into the building HVAC system to optimally provide both electricity and heat, on-demand via application of optimal control techniques. The use of thermal energy storage (TES) in MicroCSP adds dispatching capabilities to the MicroCSP energy production that will assist in optimal energy management in buildings. This work presents a review of the existing contributions on the combination of MicroCSP and HVAC systems in buildings and how it compares to other thermal-assisted HVAC applications. Different topologies and architectures for the integration of MicroCSP and building HVAC systems are proposed, and the components of standard MicroCSP systems with their control-oriented models are explained. Furthermore, this paper details the different control strategies to optimally manage the energy flow, both electrical and thermal, from the solar field to the building HVAC system to minimize energy consumption and/or operational cost

Deployment and control of adaptive building facades for energy generation, thermal insulation, ventilation and daylighting: A review

A major objective in the design and operation of buildings is to maintain occupant comfort without incurring significant energy use. Particularly in narrower-plan buildings, the thermophysical properties and behaviour of their façades are often an important determinant of internal conditions. Building facades have been, and are being, developed to adapt their heat and mass transfer characteristics to changes in weather conditions, number of occupants and occupant’s requirements and preferences. Both the wall and window elements of a facade can be engineered to (i) harness solar energy for photovoltaic electricity generation, heating, inducing ventilation and daylighting (ii) provide varying levels of thermal insulation and (iii) store energy. As an adaptive façade may need to provide each attribute to differing extents at particular times, achieving their optimal performance requires effective control. This paper reviews key aspects of current and emerging adaptive façade technologies. These include (i) mechanisms and technologies used to regulate heat and mass transfer flows, daylight, electricity and heat generation (ii) effectiveness and responsiveness of adaptive façades, (iii) appropriate control algorithms for adaptive facades and (iv) sensor information required for façade adaptations to maintain desired occupants’ comfort levels while minimising the energy use

Experimental Long-Term Investigation of Model Predictive Heat Pump Control in Residential Buildings with Photovoltaic Power Generation

This article presents a 125-day experiment to investigate model predictive heat pump control. The experiment was performed in two parallel operated systems with identical components during the heating season. One of the systems was operated by a standard controller and thus represented a reference to evaluate the model predictive control. Both test rigs were heated by an air-source heat pump which is influenced by real weather conditions. A single-family house model depending on weather measurement data ensured a realistic heat consumption in the test rigs. The adapted model predictive control algorithm aimed to minimize the operational costs of the heat pump. The evaluation of the measurement results showed that the electrical energy demand of the heat pump can be reduced and the coefficient of performance can be increased by applying the model predictive controller. Furthermore, the self-consumption of photovoltaic electricity, which is calculated by means of a photovoltaic model and global radiation measurement data, was more than doubled. Consequently, the energy costs of heat pump operation were reduced by 9.0% in comparison to the reference and assuming German energy prices. The results were further compared to the scientific literature and short-term measurements were performed with the same experimental setup. The dependence of the measurement results on the weather conditions and the weather forecasting quality are shown. It was found that the duration of experiments should be as long as possible for a comprehensive evaluation of the model predictive control potential

Classification, experimental assessment, modeling methods and evaluation metrics of Trombe walls

Solar energy building applications are attracting increasing attention from researchers, engineers, businessmen and officials due to their significant benefits in sustainable development, such as energy saving, cost reduction and environmental protection. Trombe wall, as a classical passive solar heating technique, has been studied for many years. A variety of concepts, methodologies and experiences have been developed during relevant research. Especially in recent years, numerous studies on Trombe wall have been published, which implies a rising attention to this technique. This review focuses on the classification, experimental assessment, modeling methods, and evaluation metrics for Trombe wall. In detail, nine types of Trombe walls are introduced according to their materials, structures and functions. Four experimental methods and two modeling methods of Trombe wall are discussed based on their functions, advantages, disadvantages, and applicability. Three aspects of evaluation metrics for Trombe wall are summarized in terms of technique, economy and environment. Moreover, the current and future research of Trombe wall are discussed at the end. The authors consider this article would be useful for their peers and can facilitate the technical development of Trombe wall

Model-based predictive control for optimal MicroCSP operation integrated with building HVAC systems

This paper presents a model predictive control (MPC) framework to minimize the energy consumption and the energy cost of the building heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system integrated with a micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) system that cogenerates electricity and heat. The mathematical model of a MicroCSP system is derived and integrated into the building thermal model of an office building at Michigan Technological University. Then, the MPC framework is used to optimize thermal energy storage (TES) system usage, the energy conversion in the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), and the thermal energy flows to the HVAC system. The MPC results for energy and cost savings show the significance of understanding system dynamics and designing a real-time predictive controller to maximize the benefits of MicroCSP thermal and electrical energies production. Indeed, the designed MPC framework provided 37% energy saving and 70% cost saving compared to the conventional rule-based controller (RBC). Furthermore, the MicroCSP integration into the building HVAC is compared to the alternative of integrating photovoltaic (PV) panels and battery energy storage (BES) system to address the building HVAC needs. The results show the MicroCSP system outperforms PV solar panels for energy saving, while the PV panels outperform the MicroCSP system for cost saving when dynamic pricing is applied

Model Predictive Control for MicroCSP Integration into a Building HVAC System

© 2018 IEEE. Micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) is a promising technology that uses solar energy to provide electrical energy and thermal energy for use in buildings. This paper presents a model predictive control (MPC) framework to minimize the energy consumption of the building heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system by integrating it with a microCSP. To this end, a microCSP model is developed and then integrated to the building model of an office building in Michigan Technological University. The designed MPC framework optimizes thermal energy storage (TES) usage and thermal energy flows from the heat pumps to the building rooms. The optimal control results show that the integration of microCSP to the building HVAC system reduces the HVAC energy consumption by almost half (4752%) by optimally utilizing the solar energy. The designed MPC framework provides 46% energy saving, compared to a heuristically designed rule-based controller for the combined HVAC and microCSP systems