Development and validation of online models with parameter estimation for a building zone with VAV system

• Published in: Energy and buildings Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 13 - 22
• Main Authors: Wen, Jin, Smith, Theodore F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building technical equipments; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Environmental engineering; Exact sciences and technology; HVAC system; Online modeling; Parameter estimation; Recursive least square method; Variable air volume system; Variable air volume system; Parameter estimation; Recursive least square method; Online modeling; HVAC system; Air conditioning; Sensitivity analysis; On line; Forecast model; Modeling; Building equipment; Heating; Least squares method; Experimentation; Ventilation
• ISSN: 0378-7788
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2006.04.016

The energy consumption by building heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems has evoked increasing attention to promote energy efficient control and operation of HVAC systems. Application of advanced control and operation strategies requires robust online system models. In this study, online models with parameter estimation for a building zone with a variable air volume system, which is one of the most common HVAC systems, are developed and validated using experimental data. Building zone temperature and zone entering air flow are modeled based on physical rules and only the measurements that are commonly available in a commercial building are used. Various validation experiments were performed using a real-building test facility to examine the prediction accuracies for system outputs. Using the online system models with parameter estimation, the prediction errors for all validation experiments are less than 0.28 °C for temperature outputs, and less than 84.9 m 3/h for air flow outputs. The online models can be further used for local and supervisory control, as well as fault detection applications.