Authors:
Wen-Tai Li
;
Kannan Thirugnanam
;
Wayes Tushar
;
Chau Yuen
and
Kristin L. Wood
Affiliation:
Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore
Keyword(s):
Solar Thermal, Optimal Scheduling, Online Algorithm, Hot Water Storage, Optimization.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Energy and Economy
;
Energy Management Systems (EMS)
;
Energy-Aware Systems and Technologies
;
Optimization Techniques for Efficient Energy Consumption
;
Scheduling and Switching Power Supplies
Abstract:
This paper investigates the operation of a solar thermal system in a building, and seeks to craft a solution that would reduce the cost of electricity to the building manager, while concurrently ensuring that the water demand and the temperature of water are conform to the requirement of the building occupants. In particular, two energy management mechanisms are studies for controlling the multiple heat pumps that are connected to the solar thermal system for providing the system with heat when there is not enough solar energy. In this context, two control strategies are proposed, on-demanding control (ODC) and optimal day-ahead scheduling (ODS) with different degrees of information such as the water demand, weather, and so on. Moreover, three different types of scenarios are considered based on solar energy generation pattern and hot water demand of a commercial facility, and optimal number and operation schedules of heat pumps are identified for each of the scenario. It is shown th
at the ODS approach is more effective in saving energy and related costs in comparison with the systems ODC approach if the information of the weather conditions and hot demands are available for next 24 hours, and the performance improvement is corroborated numerically.
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