- Author
-
Kelly, G. E.
|
May, W. B.
|
Kao, J. Y.
|
Park, C.
- Title
- Guidelines for Using Emulators to Evaluate the Performance of Energy Management and Control Systems.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
-
NISTIR 4991,
November 1992,
58 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
emulator
|
algorithms
|
building/HVAC/plant system
|
building energy management system
|
energy management and control system
|
performance evaluation
|
simulation
|
test and rating methodology
|
occupants
- Abstract
- A Building Energy Management System (BEMS) is that portion of a Building Automation System (BAS) that control the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings. Its performance is directly related to the amount of energy consumed in a building and the comfort of the building occupants. One approach to evaluating the performance of an BEMS is through the use of an Emulator. This is a special computer/data acquisition system that is connected to the sensor inputs and command outputs of the BEMS. It replaces the HVAC system and building and uses a computer program to simulate their response to BEMS commands. The BEMS, through its supervisory and/or direct digital control algorithms, then controls the simulated building/HVAC system as if it were an actual one. At the same time the Emulator evaluates the performance of the BEMS in terms of the energy consumed by the simulated building, the degree of comfort maintained in the simulated space, response time, accuracy, etc. This report contains guidelines for using Emulators to evaluate an BEMS. An overview of the hardware and software found in a typical BEMS is presented, followed by information on: setting up an BEMS and an Emulator, evaluating system/command and DDC software, and methodologies for testing BEMS applicaton algorithms. Considerations are also presented for evaluating an BEMS' programming capabilities, DDC control loop performance, and for rating different aspects of an BEMS's performance.