Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Modeling of Air handling Unit for Wireless Monitoring
EPA Grant Number: SU835693Title: Modeling of Air handling Unit for Wireless Monitoring
Investigators: Razban, Ali , Edalatnoor, Arash , Li, Jing , Amini, Amin
Institution: Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2014 through August 14, 2015
Project Amount: $14,941
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The main goal of this project was to achieve a reduction in energy consumption through air handling unit (AHU) system performance improvement while considering occupant comfort lev- el. The objectives were to: 1) identify the key parameters of the AHU that can be efficiently, ac- curately, and thoroughly enhanced in a building’s energy assessment; 2) develop the wireless energy performance and consumption monitoring system (WEPCMS); and 3) improve energy efficiency with reference to ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The AHU subsystems have been identified and the thermodynamic modeling of the individual subsystem of the commercial AHU has been developed as shown in figure (1). Furthermore, the list of required data collection parameters for the model has been identified and additional sensors for data collection, and Engineering Equation Solver (EES) for modeling analysis have been purchased. The complete AHU system model is going to be EES to predict the system behavior.
Real-time wireless monitoring and data collection was another part of the scope of this project. A Fully Functioning Device (FFD) has been installed to transmit parameters data from the AHU. The wireless system (the multihop sensor network design) is able to collect the AHU parameters as given figure (2). The proposed wireless system is a low rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPANs) which is utilized by IEEE 802.15.4 networking topologies.
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Fig. 1: Air handling unit subsystem diagram
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Fig. 2. Multihop sensor network design
Conclusions:
We are currently half way through the project, the phase one of the project is expected to be completed by August 31, 2015. So far, the project is on track, the initial model- ing of each sub-system has been completed. We have also acquired additional sensors for data collection. The model of the individual sub-system will be inputted to EES for engineering anal- ysis. The overall model of the complete system will be completed in phase one of the project. The wireless monitoring system is under development. To show the capability of the wireless system, we have taken some preliminary data from AHU system of an Engineering building on campus as given in figure (3).
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Fig. 3: Data and information received by wireless system (Plot by Matlab)
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Air handling Unit (AHU), energy consumption, efficiency, mod- eling, control, energy conservation, wireless monitoring, HVAC system, energy saving, effi- ciency improvementThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.