Decentralized model predictive control of a multi-evaporator air conditioning system

摘要

Temperature control of multiple zones with a multi-evaporator vapor compression system is a common problem in modern air conditioning. Due to the coupled system dynamics, standard decoupled controllers can interfere with each unit's performance. This paper proposes an architecture that is decentralized and modular, avoiding competing controllers and the practical difficulty of implementing a centralized controller. A model predictive control (MPC) supervisor calculates evaporator cooling and pressure setpoints for each zone, balancing temperature regulation with energy efficiency; these setpoints are tracked by local level controllers, which rely upon MPC's ability to respect constraints in order to maintain safe, efficient operation.