This paper presents a model predictive control (MPC) framework to minimize the energy cost associated with the building heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system integrated with a micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) system. To this end, a MicroCSP model is developed and then integrated to the building model of an office building in Michigan Technological University. Then, an MPC framework is designed to optimize MicroCSP electrical and thermal energy flows for HVAC use in the building. The optimal control results show that the designed MPC framework reduces the HVAC energy cost by 37–42% for a sample sunny day by optimally utilizing the solar energy, compared to the HVAC system without MicroCSP with an MPC controller. The cost saving varies from 12% to 47% depending on seasonal weather variations.
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are omnipresent in modern buildings and are responsible for a considerable share of consumed energy and the electricity bill in buildings. On the other hand, solar energy is abundant and could be used to support the building HVAC system through cogeneration of electricity and heat. Micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) is a propitious solution for such applications that can be integrated into the building HVAC system to optimally provide both electricity and heat, on-demand via application of optimal control techniques. The use of thermal energy storage (TES) in MicroCSP adds dispatching capabilities to the MicroCSP energy production that will assist in optimal energy management in buildings. This work presents a review of the existing contributions on the combination of MicroCSP and HVAC systems in buildings and how it compares to other thermal-assisted HVAC applications. Different topologies and architectures for the integration of MicroCSP and building HVAC systems are proposed, and the components of standard MicroCSP systems with their control-oriented models are explained. Furthermore, this paper details the different control strategies to optimally manage the energy flow, both electrical and thermal, from the solar field to the building HVAC system to minimize energy consumption and/or operational cost.
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