Development of a tool based on thermoeconomics for control and diagnosis building thermal facilities

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 239; p. 122304
• Main Authors: Picallo-Perez, Ana, Sala-Lizarraga, José M., Portillo-Valdes, Luis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.01.2022; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Boilers; Control systems; Cost accounting software; Energy conservation; Environmental impact; Exergy; Exergy analysis; Heating and DHW systems; Hot water heating; Mathematical analysis; Optimization; Thermoeconomics; Heating and DHW systems; Thermoeconomics; Exergy analysis; Cost accounting software
• ISSN: 0360-5442; 1873-6785
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.122304

This work develops a software to control and diagnose building thermal facilities based on thermoeconomics. It is tested with the data obtained from three building blocks in the Basque Country (northern Spain) with the aim of detecting the potential energy saving points and mitigating environmental impacts. Some obstacles, solved, are related to the insufficient number of probes and the inherent errors of sensors. Besides, new methodologies for performing a thermoeconomic dynamic analysis are described. Apart from this, the inefficiencies of components are quantified, a dynamic cost calculation of all flows is done and different operation modes are discussed. The outcomes of operation modes are discussed and their exergetic, economic and environmental average unit cost are calculated. In such way, the intervention of the control system is analysed and the operation modes with lower and higher fuel consumption are detected. The results show that domestic hot water (DHW) production has an average value of 13.72 c€/kWh and heating of 12.92 c€/kWh; in addition, boilers have 1,587 MWh of real losses. Besides, the operating modes dynamic analysis opens a new research line for thermoeconomics applications. This information is a key fact for control optimization searching the high performance of buildings. •A versatile thermoeconomic dynamic software is created for building thermal systems.•Exergy, exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental costs in real time were dynamically calculated.•Information needed for energy savings and environment impact mitigation is obtained.•Operation modes are individually analysed for the implementation of control strategies.