Diseño, construcción, monitorización y control de un módulo prototipo de edificación para ensayo de nuevos componentes y sistemas

摘要

In view of the difficulties with implementing the innovative components and systems conceived in the I3CON project on a dwelled building (because of their early stage of development), one of the main demonstration activities was building a Mock-up module to test the feasibility (in terms of physical integration and logical interoperability) of these components and systems, and evaluate their overall performance. The design of all the systems involved in the Mock-up has the aim to develop new and more efficient solutions for the common issues in housing and, at the same time, to allow the evaluation of these systems. The values to be measured and monitored are: water (hot and cold), electricity and energy consumptions; temperature (ambient and surface) and relative humidity degree, both indoor and outdoor; presence; water temperature and flow; CO2 concentration; and light level. This is done by means of a network of sensors, meters and actuators deployed throughout the Mock-up. The following components and systems have been developed by I3CON partners and are implemented in the Mock-up, namely: - Façade panels, by Dragados (DRA). - Electro-chromic windows, by Saint-Gobain Recherche (SGR). - Under-floor radiant heating, Water saving system and Domestic fire extinguishing system, by Uponor (UPO). - Multi-service trunking system, by the University of Loughborough (LOU). - Wireless sensor network, by Thales Research & Technologies (TRT). All these systems are controlled by the Building Operating System (BOS) developed by Lonix (LON). Besides, all that information handled by the BOS can be accessed through Mobile Productivity Tools developed by Intracom (ICOM) for carrying out operation and maintenance tasks. Regarding the architectural design of the Mock-up, the innovative effort has been aimed to the development of new prefabricated façade solutions adapting current manufacturing processes, such as the “Sandwich Framex” typology, and the improvement in the thermal and acoustical behaviour of the Mock-up envelope with passive strategies, e.g. by using Phase Change Materials (PCMs) or vegetation. The façade panels of the Mock-up were made up according to one of the following structural configurations, all of them making use of Glass-fibre Reinforced Concrete (GRC): - GRC Stud-frame: GRC shell attached to a metallic frame. Two panels feature this solution, with a special plasterboard interior sheathing enhanced with PCM micro-capsules whose behaviour will be compared to that of a conventional one. - GRC Sandwich: panel anchored to the main structure by means of cast-in channels and sliding bolt connections to accommodate the assembly tolerances. The innermost surface features a special pattern to improve the acoustical behaviour by diminishing the reverberation time. The outmost surface is covered with different kinds of light composite panels for aesthetics reasons. - Sandwich Framex: it is an evolution which comprises “indoor sandwich + metallic frame + external elements”. One of the main advantages of the Sandwich Framex is the flexibility of the external cladding, which may consist of a great variety of elements configured in a modular way over a common sub-structure (the steel frame) and can be installed so that they can be easily disassembled for maintenance or upgrade. Different external elements have been selected in response both to bio-climatic concepts and architectural trends, among others: photo-voltaic cells, vegetated modules and a variety of composite/laminated panels. Two of the Mock-up façades which are configured with this solution include, besides, PCM packed in plastic boxes within the sandwich core, in order to improve thermal behaviour. For the sake of a better thermal efficiency, visual comfort (in terms of glare) and privacy, an Electro-Chromic Glazing Unit (ECGU) has been provided in one of the Mock-up rooms. The ECGU is fitted into a standard window frame allowing electrical power and control cabling. The ECGU makes possible certain degrees of shading that are controlled by the BOS according to solar irradiance, presence and indoor temperature, and operated in conjunction with the HVAC system thanks to the integration of all the systems within the BOS. The Water Saving System consists in re-circulating the hot water only when it is needed. The system is connected to the sensor network in the building, and is activated whenever a person is within a predetermined area (kitchen or bathroom) or the water temperature inside the pipes is lower than a set value. Thanks to this solution, less water is wasted and there is less waiting time for hot water to be delivered. The Domestic Fire Extinguisher System stands out for its simplicity: the water supply for the toilet cistern passes through the sprinklers. Thus, every time the toilet is flushed, confirmation is provided that there is no impediment for the water to flow (e.g. incrustations due to hard water) and therefore the system would work if a fire started. The Under-Floor Heating (UFH) system has been installed over the floor concrete slab. Its main virtue is its reduced installation height which makes it especially suitable for renovation works. The use of Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) pipes for these systems, installed using the “pipe-in-pipe” method, facilitates the renovation of the pipes given the case. The Multi-Services Trunking System (MSTS) is a very innovative concept that comprises a set of runs for different kinds of media incorporated within a single vertical major artery and horizontal distribution nodes. The MSTS has been manufactured using rapid prototyping techniques, and a small portion has been installed in the Mock-up for proving the concept, delivering hot and cold water, air and electricity. Concerning the monitoring and control of the Mock-up, the following inputs are studied: - Consumptions measured with metering devices: Cold and hot water; Electricity. - Parameters measured by the WSN: CO2 concentration; Presence by means of Passive Infra-Red (PIR) technology; Relative Humidity (RH) degree; Light level; and Indoor ambient temperature. There is a gateway that converts the radio messages transmitted by the sensors into TCP/IP messages accessible from the BOS. - Sensors deployed at different layers of the façade panels: Ambient and surface temperatures; Relative humidity degree. They are intended to assess the overall performance of the envelope system, with a focus on the effect of PCMs and vegetation. - Parameters measured with wired sensors: Presence; Light level; Water temperature and flow in the pipes; and Ambient and surface temperature (indoor and outdoor). Based on the information gathered by the sensor network, the BOS controls the Mock-up handling the following signals: Readings from the metering devices; Inputs from the sensors located in the kitchen, the bathroom and the test rooms; Data from the HVAC and UFH systems (controlled individually for each room to allow comparisons between them), the heat pump and the water pumps (for consumption simulation); Signals from the façade panels’ temperature and relative humidity degree sensors. Remote access to the Mock-up monitoring and control systems is very important for the measurement plans. Internet connection plays an important role for accessing the data and carrying out dwelling usage simulations. Furthermore, the application of Mobile Productivity Tools (MPTs), for example a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) carried out by the maintenance staff, makes possible that any relevant information about the equipment installed in the building (i.e. the Mock-up), such as the assembly drawings, location in the building lay-out, and any data accessible from the BOS, will be available in real time for the operator working on site. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________