An online fault diagnosis tool of VAV terminals for building management and control systems

Proper design, reliable control and health of variable–air–volume (VAV) terminals are essential for reliable operation and energy efficiency of VAV air-conditioning systems. This paper presents an online fault diagnosis tool for pressure-independent VAV terminals and its implementation. The fault diagnosis tool is developed using a robust fault detection and diagnosis strategy for VAV terminals. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) control chart with estimated process parameters is utilized to detect faults in VAV terminals. A rule-based fault classifier is designed and utilized to find the sources of faults in VAV terminals. The fault diagnosis tool relies only upon the sensor data and control signals that are commonly available in building management control systems (BMCS). The fault diagnosis tool can be installed in BMCS to online read the operating data of all VAV terminals in a building through local area network and diagnose faults of VAV terminals in the building. The fault diagnosis tool has been validated in a large-scale office building located in Hong Kong and can effectively find all faults occurring in VAV terminals.

► An online fault diagnosis tool is developed for VAV terminals to improve energy and control performances.
► CUSUM control charts with estimated process parameters to detect faults in VAV terminals.
► A rule-based fault classifier with expert rules and fault isolation algorithms to diagnose faults in VAV terminals.
► A technical approach to implement online fault detection and diagnosis for VAV terminals in large-scale office buildings.