Design and simulation of a fuzzy controller for naturally ventilated buildings

• Published in: Building services engineering research & technology Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 33 - 53
• Main Authors: Marjanovic, Ljiljana, Eftekhari, Mahroo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications 01.02.2004; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Buildings; Controllers; Design; Fuzzy logic; Indoor air quality; Linguistics; Simulation; Temperature; Variables; Ventilation
• ISSN: 0143-6244; 1477-0849
• DOI: 10.1191/0143624404bt086oa

In this paper the design and validation process of a supervisory control for a single-sided naturally ventilated test room is described. The controller is based on fuzzy logic reasoning and sets of linguistic rules in the form of IF-THEN rules are used. The inputs to the controller are the outside wind speed, outside and inside temperatures. The output is the position of the opening. The basis of any fuzzy rule system is the inference engine responsible for the input's fuzzi® cation, fuzzy processing of the rule base and defuzzi® cation of the output. The choice of the inference engine, starting with the selection of input and output variables and their membership functions. Three rule bases of different complexity were developed and are presented and analysed here. Validation through simulation offers possibility of testing the controller under extreme conditions regardless of physical limitations of an experimental test cell. Simulations were performed for different typical levels of input parameters and also for extreme ctitious conditions. Simulations were carefully designed to allow simultaneous comparison of different controllers' performances. Simulation results have shown that all three controllers are capable of responding to the changes in outside conditions by adjusting the opening positions. They satisfy security requirements due to strong wind and successfully, in a stable manner respond to sudden changes in wind velocity and outdoor temperature. A controller with more membership functions and therefore a larger number of IF-THEN rules was more responsive to the changes in outside conditions.