Data-driven HVAC optimization
AssigneeThe Board of Arizona Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorsJonathan Sprinkle, Xiao Qin, Susan Lysecky
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Abstract
A system and method for data-driven HVAC optimization for outputting HVAC setpoints to a thermostat and determining a predicted HVAC usage of an HVAC unit based on the HVAC setpoints and an outdoor temperature. The system may further determine and output a predicted cost of the HVAC unit heating or cooling a structure based on the HVAC setpoints. The system may further select optimized HVAC setpoints such that the predicted cost is less than or equal to a user defined cost constraint and minimize deviation from user-preferred HVAC setpoints.
Claims21
A heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) management system, comprising:
- a monitor configured to receive a user defined cost constraint and one or more user-preferred temperature setpoints and to output one or more optimized temperature setpoints for a thermostat to control an HVAC unit such that the HVAC unit heats and/or cools a structure to the one or more optimized temperature setpoints;
- an HVAC prediction engine configured to determine a predicted HVAC usage of the HVAC unit based on an outdoor temperature for a geographic area that includes the structure and one or more temperature setpoints;
- a cost modeling unit configured to determine, based on the predicted HVAC usage and energy costs, a predicted cost to control the HVAC unit based on the one or more temperature setpoints;
- and
- an HVAC optimization engine configured to select one or more optimized temperature setpoints using an algorithm to generate an optimal solution to a mass balance equation such that the predicted cost to control the HVAC unit based on the one or more optimized temperature setpoints is less than or equal to the user defined cost constraint and temperature distance between the one or more user-preferred temperature setpoints and the one or more optimized temperature setpoints is minimized.
A method for managing heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), the method comprising:
- receiving a user defined cost constraint;
- receiving one or more user-preferred temperature setpoints for a thermostat to control an HVAC unit such that the HVAC unit heats and/or cools a structure to the one or more optimized temperature setpoints;
- determining a predicted HVAC usage of the HVAC unit based on an outdoor temperature for a geographic area that includes the structure and one or more temperature setpoints;
- determining, based on the predicted HVAC usage and energy costs, a predicted cost to control the HVAC unit based on one or more temperature setpoints;
- selecting one or more optimized temperature setpoints using an algorithm to generate an optimal solution to a mass balance equation such that the predicted cost to control the HVAC unit is less than or equal to a user defined cost constraint and temperature distance between one or more user-preferred temperature setpoints and the one or more optimized temperature setpoints is minimized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.