An Energy-Saving Control Strategy on Central Air-Conditioning System

An energy-saving control strategy based on predictive control for central air-conditioning systems is proposed in this paper. The cold load model is developed to describe the dynamic characteristics of temperature control systems, and then parameters in the cold load model and in the central air-conditioning system model are estimated. Generalized predictive control (GPC) is used to establish an optimization model to minimize the consumption of energy and the control error of temperature. The simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, combined with quadratic programming, is adopted to solve the optimal problem. Contrasted with the simulation of traditional PID control, the results prove the effectiveness of this proposed strategy.

Optimum Energy Management of the Central Air-Conditioning System in Intelligent Buildings

An optimum energy saving scheduling strategy of the central air conditioning system in an intelligent building (IB) was proposed. Based on the system analysis a set of models of the central air conditioning system was established. The periodically autoregressive models (PARM) based on genetic algorithms (GA) were used to predict the next day’s cold load. The improved genetic algorithms (IGA) with stochastic real number coding were used to finish the optimum energy saving scheduling of the system. The simulation results for the building of the Liangmahe Plaza show that the proposed strategy can save energy up to about 24 5%.

Impact of summer office set air-conditioning temperature on energy consumption and thermal comfort

To explore the relationship between summer office set air-conditioning temperature and energy consumption related to air conditioning use to provide human thermal comfort,a comparison experiment was conducted in three similar offices at temperatures of 24,26 and 28 ℃ respectively. A thermal comfort questionnaire survey was conducted. It is demonstrated that air-conditioner energy consumption at the set temperature of 28 ℃ is 113% and 271% lower than at 26 ℃ and 24 ℃,respectively. A linear relationship exists between air-conditioner energy consumption and the indoor and outdoor temperature difference. When comfortably dressed,over 80% of research participants accept the set temperature of 28 ℃. The regression analysis leads to a neutral temperature of 26.2 ℃ and an acceptable temperature of 28.2 ℃ for over 80% of the research participants subjects,indicating that the current 26 ℃ set temperature for offices in summer,required by Chinese General Office of the State Council,can be increased to 28 ℃. Moreover,analysis of predicted mean vote(PMV) index shows that a set temperature of 27 ℃,not 26 ℃,is sufficiently comfortable for office staff wearing long-sleeve shirts,long pants and leather shoes.

Optimization of Finishing Process and Energy Savings in Denim Textile Facility

Denim is widely accepted among exported textile products due to its aesthetics, appearance, and fashion. Practitioners employed several physical or chemical treatments to improve denim qualities in denim finishing operations. So, several treatment processes, including enzymatic, bleaching, singeing, heat set, and ozone finish, are used, which made this processing more energy consumption and time-consuming. Therefore, it is significant to investigate how changing the chemicals and raw ingredients could improve the finishing process, which is environmentally and economically beneficial for sustainable production practices in the denim finishing process. This study’s research design comprises an experimental investigation in a denim plant in Bangladesh. Two different fabrics were chosen to analyze, determining the potential savings of finishing on the denim fabrics’ performance characteristics. By deducting singeing and heat-set processes, the researchers ran an experimental process by maintaining the same length of fabric. Then, the impacts of finishing process optimization on the mechanical, thermal, and comfort parameters of drape, stiffness, and tear strength were examined. The study’s findings demonstrated that this experiment increased productivity and reduced the finishing unit’s energy consumption without compromising the denim fabrics’ quality. This study significantly impacts environmental sustainability by preserving limited energy resources and manufacturing denim finishing processes.

Research on Energy-Saving Performance of Intermittent Heating for Rooms in Hot Summer&ColdWinter Zone

In the hot summer&cold winter zone in China,intermittent heating space for rooms is widely used.However,in comparison with continuous space heating,the energy-saving performance of intermittent space heating has not been sufficiently investigated.This paper studied the factors influencing the energy performance of intermittent heating for the representativeoffice inhot summer&coldwinter zone.Basedon theheatbalancemethod,adynamic thermalmodel of the intermittent heating roomwas built and tested by experiments.And then,it analyzed the total space heating load,the amount of energy saving and energy saving ratio of the intermittent heating under different preheating hours,occupation hours,required roomtemperatures,air change rates,overall heat transfer coefficients(U-value)of windows and wall materials.If the adjacent rooms were not heated,for a typical room occupied about 10 h a day,the energy-saving ratio of intermittent heating was about 30%compared with continuous heating.But the preheating power was higher than two times of continuous heating.The results also indicated that the occupation hours had a significant effect on energy saving amount and ratio,it should be noted that the energy saving ratio by intermittent heating was much lower than the unoccupied period ratio.Relative to other factors,the heating temperatures,room air change rates and U-value of windows,and room envelope materials had little effect on energy efficiency.If the adjacent rooms were heated in the same manner as the roomin question,the energy-saving ratio of the total load of intermittent heating was heavily reduced to 8.46%.

Research on the cooperative train control method in the metro system for energy saving

Purpose–To address the problem that the current train operation mode that train selects one of several offline pre-generated control schemes before the departure and operates following the scheme after the departure,energy-saving performance of the whole metro system cannot be guaranteed.Design/methodology/approach–A cooperative train control framework is formulated to regulate a novel train operation mode.The classic train four-phase control strategy is improved for generating specific energy-efficient control schemes for each train.An improved brute force(BF)algorithm with a two-layer searching idea is designed to solve the optimisation model of energy-efficient train control schemes.Findings–Case studies on the actual metro line in Guangzhou,China verify the effectiveness of the proposed train control methods compared with four-phase control strategy under different kinds of train operation scenarios and calculation parameters.The verification on the computation efficiency as well as accuracy of the proposed algorithm indicates that it meets the requirement of online optimisation.Originality/value–Most existing studies optimised energy-efficient train timetable or train control strategies through an offline process,which has a defect in coping with the disturbance or delays effectively and promptly during real-time train operation.This paper studies an online optimisation of cooperative train control based on the rolling optimisation idea,where energy-efficient train operation can be realised once train running time is determined,thus mitigating the impact of unpredictable operation situations on the energy-saving performance of trains.

Research on a TOPSIS energy efficiency evaluation system for crude oil gathering and transportation systems based on a GA-BP neural network

As the main link of ground engineering,crude oil gathering and transportation systems require huge energy consumption and complex structures.It is necessary to establish an energy efficiency evaluation system for crude oil gathering and transportation systems and identify the energy efficiency gaps.In this paper,the energy efficiency evaluation system of the crude oil gathering and transportation system in an oilfield in western China is established.Combined with the big data analysis method,the GA-BP neural network is used to establish the energy efficiency index prediction model for crude oil gathering and transportation systems.The comprehensive energy consumption,gas consumption,power consumption,energy utilization rate,heat utilization rate,and power utilization rate of crude oil gathering and transportation systems are predicted.Considering the efficiency and unit consumption index of the crude oil gathering and transportation system,the energy efficiency evaluation system of the crude oil gathering and transportation system is established based on a game theory combined weighting method and TOPSIS evaluation method,and the subjective weight is determined by the triangular fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.The entropy weight method determines the objective weight,and the combined weight of game theory combines subjectivity with objectivity to comprehensively evaluate the comprehensive energy efficiency of crude oil gathering and transportation systems and their subsystems.Finally,the weak links in energy utilization are identified,and energy conservation and consumption reduction are improved.The above research provides technical support for the green,efficient and intelligent development of crude oil gathering and transportation systems.

Energy performance assessment on central air-conditioning system of commercial building: A case study in China

Energy performance assessment on central air-conditioning system is essential to optimize operating, reduce operating costs, improve indoor environmental quality, and determine whether the retrofitting of the equipment is necessary. But it is difficult to evaluate it reasonably and comprehensively due to its complexity. A "holistic" approach was discussed to evaluate the energy performance of central air-conditioning system for an extra-large commercial building in a subtropical city. All procedures were described in detail, including field investigation method, field measurement instruments, data processing and data analyzing. The main factors affecting energy consumption of air-conditioning system were analyzed and the annual cooling-energy use intensity of this building was calculated and also compared with other shopping malls and other types of buildings in Guangzhou. And COP(coefficient of performance) of chiller, water transfer factor of chilled water system and cooling water system were taken into consideration. At last, the thermal comfort and indoor air quality issues were addressed. The results show that the chilled water pumps are over-sized and the indoor environmental quality should be improved. The purpose of this work is to provide reference for energy performance assessment method for air-conditioning system.

Experimental Study of Energy-Saving Air-Conditioner with Hot Water

Energy-saving air-conditioner with hot water is an air source heat pump air-conditioner,which can also supply hot water.The hot water is heated by a double pipe condenser connected with an air-cooled condenser in series in the system.This experiment of the energy-saving air-conditioner was carried out in the enthalpy-difference air-conditioner laboratory.The hot water temperature and the compressor's discharge and suction pressure were recorded in the working condition,where the ambient temperature was at 43 ℃,35 ℃,21 ℃,7 ℃,and 2 ℃ separately.The results showed that the system operated stably and reliably.This system can supply 240 L hot water at 50 ℃ in the whole year,and its coefficience of performance(COP)is much higher than the conventional air source heat pump system.Its energy conservation was proved by comparing the thermal efficiency with other sourece water heaters.

Analysis and Modeling of the Central Air-Conditioning System in Intelligent Buildings

The central air conditioning system in an intelligent building (IB) was analyzed and modeled in order to perform the optimization scheduling strategy of the central air conditioning system. A set of models proposed and a type of periodically autoregressive model (PAR) based on the improved genetic algorithms (IGA) were used to perform the optimum energy saving scheduling. The example of the Liangmahe Plaza was taken to show the effectiveness of the methods.

Strategies for Introducing Energy Saving Idea into Residential Planning and Design in Urban and Rural Areas of China

Currently,energy saving design has been conducted on single building but not on the whole residential community in urban and rural areas.So,the paper has proposed energy saving measures for residential planning from the perspective of site selection and layout of buildings.Specific measures are as follows.Firstly,buildings should be constructed on the sunny side and leeside;secondly,buildings on the south should be lower than those on the north;the east side of the building should be open while the west side should be closed;thirdly,climate protection unit should be set;fourthly,buildings should be of northsouth direction primarily,and the main room should be set on the east side and the assistant rooms or passage on the west side in the buildings of east-west direction;fifthly,it should select compact and wellarranged households and the units should not be combined in point and dislocation and jointing.

Experimental study and energy saving analysis of a novel radiant ceiling heating system

In order to have an in-depth understanding of the metal ceiling radiant panel with capillary tubes, a radiant ceiling heating system is constructed to study the actual heating performance and thermal comfort by experiments. In addition, the energy saving potential of the novel heating system is discussed in terms of the COP （coefficient of performance） of the ground source heat pump and the exergy efficiency of the radiant terminal. The results indicate that the heating system shows high thermal stability and thermal comfort. When the system reaches a stable condition, the radiant heat transfer accounts for 62.7% of the total heat transfer, and the total heat transfer can meet the heating demands of most buildings. Compared to a radiant floor heating system, it offers advantages in a shorter preheating time, a lower supply water temperature and a stronger heating capability. The COP of the ground source heat pump is increased greatly when the supply water temperature is 28 to 33 ℃, and the exergy efficiency of the metal ceiling with capillary tubes is 1.6 times that of the radiant floor when the reference temperature is 5 ℃ The novel radiant ceiling heating system shows a tremendous energy saving potential.

Energy saving analysis of a hybrid ground-coupled heat pump project

A hybrid ground-coupled heat pump（HGCHP）project in Nanjing,China is chosen to analyze the building energy-consumption properties in terms of different control strategies,building envelope and the terminal air-conditioning system.The HGCHP uses a supplemental heat rejecter to dissipate extra thermal energy to guarantee underground soil heat balance.The software EnergyPlus is employed to simulate the project and design the heat flow of the cooling tower and the borehole heat exchanger（BHE）.Then two feasible control strategies for the cooling tower and the borehole heat exchanger are proposed.The energy-saving potential of the building envelope is analyzed in terms of the surface color of the wall/roof.With the same terminal system,it is found that in the cooling season the heat flow of the insulated building with black wall/roof is 1.2 times more than that with white wall/roof.With the same insulated building and gray wall/roof,it is concluded that the heat pump units for a primary air fan-coil system show an annual energy consumption increase of 44.7 GJ compared with a radiant floor system.

Low-carbon and Energy-saving Designs Preserving Primitive Ecological Conditions——With the Planning of Ancient Banyan Park in Mengshan County,Guangxi,China as a Case Study

It was proposed that park planning should be based on local economic development,should focus on the preservation of primitive ecological conditions and the application of low-carbon and energy-saving concepts.The planning of Ancient Banyan Park in Mengshan County by following the principles of respecting local history and culture,improving functions and supporting facilities,human-centered,overall planning and all-around consideration,respecting characteristics of the local area(the planning site),satisfying operation requirements of the park,applying low-carbon and energy-saving concepts,and avoiding over-engineering,aimed at protecting natural images of the park,primitive history,culture and characteristics of the local area and providing a space for local residents' various activities.Modern aesthetic forms were combined,cultural connotation of natural environment stressed to build a landscape space system of the Ancient Banyan Park that matches well with environment of the planning site.The park was designed into 4 functional areas:sport area,fitness plaza area,garden recreational area and ancient banyan cultural area.Different functions of these subareas were taken into consideration to create conservation-minded garden landscapes which were both independent and unified.

Energy-saving Architectural Designs for Relocation Residential Districts in North Jiangsu Province of China

By investigating present relocation residential districts for peasants whose houses are removed for the unified planning of rural areas in north Jiangsu Province, as well as residents' feelings about the environment of residential district, main architectural structures and energy consumption conditions, the indoor thermal environment, use of main heating and cooling facilities, residents' satisfaction on the acoustical and luminous environment, major space-enclosing structures and calculation of energy-saving designs are analyzed, and suggestions are given for the architectural design of relocation residential districts in the study area. It is stressed that the relationship between energy conservation and architectural layout, orientation, lighting, ventilation, selection of enclosing-structure materials, facade, color and style should be properly handled in the planning, and the focus is to control building orientation and shape coefficient, on the basis of which energy-saving designs of windows, exterior walls and roofs can be done. Energy consumption of present residential buildings is calculated and analyzed to bring forth new ideas to the energy-saving designs for relocation residential districts in north Jiangsu Province, and establish an architectural energy-saving system suitable for climatic and natural conditions of north Jiangsu to instruct the energy-saving designs of relocation residential districts in the study area.

Freezing on demand: A new concept for mine safety and energy savings in wet underground mines

The artificial ground freezing(AGF)systems are designed to operate continuously for an extended period of time to control the groundwater seepage and to strengthen the groundwater structure surrounding excavation areas.This mode of operation requires a massive amount of energy to sustain the thickness of the frozen body.Therefore,it is of great interest to propose new concepts to reduce energy consumption while providing sufficient structural stability and safe operation.This paper discusses the principle of the freezing on demand(FoD)by means of experiment and mathematical model.A lab-scale rig that mimics the AGF process is conceived and developed.The setup is equipped with more than 80 thermocouples,flow-meters,and advanced instrumentation system to analyze the performance of the AGF process under the FoD concept.A mathematical model has been derived,validated,and utilized to simulate the transient FoD concept.The results suggest that the overall energy saving notably depends on the coolant’s temperature;the energy saving increases while decreasing the coolant inlet temperature.Moreover,applying the FoD concept in an AGF system leads to a significant drop in energy consumption.

Study on shift schedule saving energy of automatic transmission of ground vehicles

To improve ground vehicle efficiency, shift schedule energy saving was proposed for the ground vehicle automatic transmission by studying the function of the torque converter and transmission in the vehicular drivetrain. The shift schedule can keep the torque converter working in the high efficiency range under all the working conditions except in the low efficiency range on the left when the transmission worked at the lowest shift, and in the low efficiency range on the right when the transmission worked at the highest shift. The shift quality key factors were analysed. The automatic trans-mission's bench-test adopting this shift schedule was made on the automatic transmission's test-bed. The experimental results showed that the shift schedule was correct and that the shift quality was controllable.

Energy Saving Cooperative Communication over Fading Channels with Relay Selection and Power Control

In order to save energy and make more efficient use of wireless channel, this article puts forward an energy saving cooperative relaying scheme which actuates the cooperative transmis- sion only when the feedback from the destination indicates failure of the direct transmission. The proposed scheme selects the optimal relay and its corresponding transmission power in each time slot based on channel condition and residual ener- gy with the objective of minimizing energy con- sumption and extending network lifetime. In the study, the f＇mite-state Markov channel model is used to characterize the correlation structure of channel fading in wireless networks, and the pro- cedure of relay selection and transmission power decision is formulated as a M arkov decision process. Numerical and simulation results show that the proposed scheme consumes less energy and prolongs the network lifetime.

Self-sustained Oscillation Pulsed Air Blowing System for Energy Saving

Currently, many studies have been made for years on dimensions of pneumatic nozzle, which influence the flow characteristic of blowing system. For the purpose of outputting the same blowing force, the supply pressure could be reduced by decreasing the ratio of length to diameter of nozzle. The friction between high speed air and pipe wall would be reduced if the nozzle is designed to be converging shape comparing with straight shape. But the volume flow and pressure, discussed in these studies, do not describe energy loss of the blowing system directly. Pneumatic power is an innovative principle to estimate pneumatic system’s energy consumption directly. Based on the above principle, a pulse blowing method is put forward for saving energy. A flow experiment is carried out, in which the high speed air flows from the pulse blowing system and continuous blowing system respectively to a plate with grease on top. Supply pressure and the volume of air used for removing the grease are measured to calculate energy consumption. From the experiment result, the pulse blowing system performs to conserve energy comparing with the continuous blowing system. The frequency and duty ratio of pulse flow influence the blowing characteristic. The pulse blowing system performs to be the most efficient at the specified frequency and duty ratio. Then a pneumatic self-oscillated method based on air operated valve is put forward to generate pulse flow. A simulation is made about dynamic modeling the air operated valve and calculating the motion of the valve core and output pressure. The simulation result verifies the system to be able to generate pulse flow, and predicts the key parameters of the frequency and duty ratio measured by experiment well. Finally, on the basis of simplifying and solution of the pulse blowing system’s mathematic model, the relationship between system’s frequency duty ratio and the dimensions of components is simply described with four algebraic equations. The system could be designed with specified frequency and duty ratio according to the four equations. This study provides theoretical basis for designing energy-saving air blowing system.

Thermodynamic Analysis,Simulation and Optimization on Energy Savings of Ideal Internal Thermally Coupled Distillation Columns

Internal thermally coupled distillation columns (ITCDIC) are the frontier of distillation energy saving research. In this paper, a novel energy saving model of ideal ITCDIC and a simulation algorithm are presented,upon which a series of comparative studies on energy savings with conventional distillation columns are carried out. Furthermore, we present an optimization model of ideal ITCDIC, which can be used to achieve the maximum energy saving and find the optimal design parameters directly. The binary system of benzene-toluene is adopted for the illustrative example of simulation and optimization. The results show that the maximum energy saving of ITCDIC is 52.25% (compared with energy consumption of conventional distillation under the minimum reflux ratio operation); the optimal design parameters are obtained, where the rectifying section pressure and the feed thermal condition are Pr=0.3006 MPa and q=0.5107 respectively.