Application of Optimization Technique to Control of Two Air-Conditioned Spaces

Abstract

For conventional heating, ventilating and conditioning control (HVAC) systems, a well-tuned PI controller has been considered adequate. It is, however, questionable whether the PI controller insures that the control system can be operated at the most efficient condition for energy consumption. In this paper, an optimization technique has been applied to a HVAC system, which consists of two air-conditioned rooms, an air-handling unit and PI controllers, by taking energy-savings into account. The dynamic models of the HVAC control system can be derived by applying physical laws to it. The simulation results suggest that the optimization technique enables an improvement of tracking property for a reference input in the transient state and also guarantees to make the control system consume the least energy.