Application of an energy management and control system to assess the potential of different control strategies in HVAC systems

The significant and continuous increment in the global electricity consumption is asking for energy saving strategies. Efficient control for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC) is the most cost-effective way to minimize the use of energy in buildings. In this framework, an energy management and control system (EMCS) has been developed to schedule electricity end-uses in the campus of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), Spain. This paper presents an evaluation performed by using the EMCS of different control strategies for HVAC split systems. It analyzed the effect of different schedules for a common air-conditioning device and demand response strategies are tested in several situations. The economic saving is calculated taking into account the electricity contract clauses. Finally, a test is made for the control of a group of similar devices in order to reduce the maximum peak power in consumption and to obtain a flexible load shape with the HVAC loads. The studies are then extrapolated to a larger system, the whole University campus, for which energy and economic savings are quantified.

Research highlights▶ Basic actions can reduce environmental impact of the use of energy. ▶ Closing the windows or adjusting the set point temperature of HVAC devices are some examples. ▶ Control actions performed by an EMCS in the HVAC systems can be also used. ▶ Some control actions are pre-heating during off-peak periods, switching off at midday, and switching off in advance in the evenings.