Development of network control platform for energy saving of fan coil units

This paper presents a networked platform for fuzzy control of FCUs, which has strong extension ability, a friendly user interface and a web-based database. By means of Mamdani type fuzzy rules and functioning fuzzy subset inference methods, the duty ratio fuzzy algorithm is demonstrated using mathematical formulas and a serial of logic operations. Then, the proposed networked platform with the web-based database has been applied on the 39th floor in Jinjiang creative building in Chengdu, and the implementation process is detailed with the developed smart thermostat which is able to communicate with the programmable logic controller based on Modbus-RTU protocol. Finally, the duty ratio fuzzy control method is carried out in the proposed networked platform, and results indicate that the proposed networked platform for fuzzy control of fan coil units improves the automation level and the energy efficiency based on the networked integration technology, and it has a strong application potential for terminal devices of multi-zone HVAC units.