Decentralized control of parallel-connected chillers

This paper introduces a novel idea of a decentralized method for the optimal control of parallel-connected chillers in Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. In this decentralized control system, each chiller, equipped with a decentralized controller embedded with identical control algorithms, becomes a smart chiller and can communicate with others collaboratively to meet the control requirements and to be energy efficient. A decentralized optimal control algorithm is developed and validated through simulation for different cases, and further demonstrated through hardware application in an actual project in a factory of south China. Compared with the traditional centralized control method, this decentralized control method is much more flexible and more efficient.