This paper describes a new approach to the control of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. The fundamental concept of the new approach is that the controller learns to predict the actual thermal sensation of the specific occupant by tuning parameters of a model of the occupant’s thermal sensation. The parameters are adjusted with respect to thermal sensation ratings acquired from the specific occupant and measurements of physical variables that affect thermal sensation so that with time the model accurately reflects the thermal sensation of the specific occupant. From a lumped-parameter model of a singleroom enclosure, it is shown that the stability of the nominal system can be maintained by utilizing a priori information about the parameters of the thermal sensation model. The method is implemented on a ductless, split-system heat pump. Experiments using human subjects verify the feasibility of the method.
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September 1994
Research Papers
User-Adaptable Comfort Control for HVAC Systems
Clifford C. Federspiel,
Clifford C. Federspiel
Center for Information-Driven Mechanical Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139
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Haruhiko Asada
Haruhiko Asada
Center for Information-Driven Mechanical Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139
Search for other works by this author on:
Clifford C. Federspiel
Center for Information-Driven Mechanical Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139
Haruhiko Asada
Center for Information-Driven Mechanical Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control. Sep 1994, 116(3): 474-486 (13 pages)
Published Online: September 1, 1994
Article history
Received:
September 1, 1991
Revised:
May 1, 1993
Online:
March 17, 2008
Citation
Federspiel, C. C., and Asada, H. (September 1, 1994). "User-Adaptable Comfort Control for HVAC Systems." ASME. J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control. September 1994; 116(3): 474–486. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2899242
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