Abstract
In recent years, the energy consumption of office buildings has been increasing. In particular, HVAC systems account for a high proportion of the total energy consumption. One factor that increases the energy consumption is the control problem with classical control. Recently, it is expected to establish a control method for air-conditioning systems using model predictive control (MPC), which is one of the modern control methods. Therefore, this study aims to show the effectiveness of MPC as a new control method to replace classical control based on coupled simulation of CFD, air-conditioning system, and MPC. In this paper, we outlined MPC and this coupled simulation method, and also conducted case study on two types of control methods, PID and MPC, for a VAV system. By comparison with PID control, the control performance of MPC was improved, especially when the air-conditioning system started up and the load fluctuated, and the effectiveness of MPC in air-conditioning control was confirmed. As a prediction model of MPC, we used a step response model created using CFD analysis, and by incorporating this model into the control law of MPC, it was confirmed that not only the sensor temperature but also the office space can be controlled to the set temperature.
