Development of a virtual metering method for characterizing energy flows in air handling units

摘要

This paper presents a novel virtual metering methodology for characterizing the energy flows in an air handling unit (AHU). Data from an operational AHU located in a large office building in Ottawa, Canada are used to develop a set of inverse greybox models. Model parameters are estimated using the genetic algorithm, and the accuracy of the models is assessed through a cross-validation approach. These models are used to develop virtual meters that can estimate the heat supplied and extracted by the heating and cooling coils of the AHU, respectively, and the heat gain from the supply fan. Furthermore, these models are used to estimate the outdoor airflow rate of the AHU - which is typically an unmeasured yet necessary quantity for controlling the indoor air quality in building operation. The potential of virtual meters to monitor building energy performance and support key operational decisions is discussed through illustrative examples.