Grey box modelling and advanced control scheme for building heating systems

This dissertation is aimed at generating new knowledge on Recurrent Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems (RenFIS) and to explore its application in building automation. Inferential sensing is an attractive approach for modeling the behavior of dynamic processes. Inferential sensor based control strategies are applied to optimize the control of residential heating systems and demonstrate significant energy saving and comfort improvement. Despite the rapidly decreasing cost and improving accuracy of most temperature sensors, it is normally impractical to use a lot of sensors to measure the average air temperature because the wiring and instrumentation can be very expensive to install and maintain. To design a reliable inferential sensor, of fundamental importance is to build a simple and robust dynamic model of the system to be controlled. This dissertation presents the development of an innovative algorithm that is suitable for the robust black-box model. The algorithm is derived from ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System) and is referred to as RenFIS. Like all other modelling techniques, RenFIS performance is sensitive to the training data. In this study, RenFIS is used to model two different heating systems, hot water heating system and forced warm-air heating system. The training data is collected under different operational conditions. RenFIS gives better performance if trained with the data set representing overall qualities of the whole universe of the experimental data. The robustness analysis is conducted by introducing simulated noise to the training data. Results show that RenFIS is less sensitive than ANFIS to the quality of training data. The RenFIS based inferential sensor is then applied to design and inferential control algorithm that can improve the operation of residential heating systems. In current practice, the control of heating systems is based on measurement of the air temperature at one point within the building. The inferential control strategy developed through this study allows the control to be based on an estimate of the overall thermal performance. This is achieved through estimating the average room temperature using a RenFIS based inferential sensor and incorporating the estimate with conventional control technology. The performance of this control technology has been investigated through simulation study.