Conference Year
2021
Keywords
NIST, HVAC, Simluation
Abstract
The Intelligent Building Agents Laboratory (IBAL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will be used to experimentally study control strategies within the realm of commercial building air-conditioning systems. A simulation software (Klein, 2020) model of the IBAL has been created to help guide the experiments in the IBAL and to provide a software-based method of evaluating control strategies implemented in this facility. This simulation model is composed of the various components comprising the IBAL HVAC system such as heating coils, cooling coils, fans and dampers that can accurately simulate the actual component behavior under transient and off-design conditions. Additionally, pressure and airflow throughout the system are simulated to support associated controls for modulating damper positions and fan speeds. The resulting system simulation is flexible; it is possible to study the expected IBAL system response to forcing functions such as weather and loads under the influence of different control strategies. The initial controller included in the IBAL simulation model replicates the controls used in most commercial buildings. The resulting tool will be validated in the IBAL and allow NIST to test alternate, advanced control strategies quickly, providing guidance for the experimental work.