Tag: Controls

Vehicle to Building Integration

Vehicle to Building Integration

Vehicle to Building Integration

01/08/18

“How can we integrate electric vehicles with buildings energy systems?”

 

With the ascent of building integrated renewable energy, the need for storage is now more important than ever. However, current forms can be quite expensive and difficult to implement. So how can we use our engineering mindset to think outside of the box for this problem? Well, many people now own electric vehicles, which have onboard batteries. So what if we were to connect these batteries to homes, enabling a quick and portable storage solution for renewable energy? Well, this technology is known as Vehicle to Building Integration, and will be a hot topic in the coming decade. V2B is very similar to Vehicle to Grid Systems, except that they work with buildings instead of grids

DOE VOLTTRON

DOE VOLTTRON

DOE VOLTTRON

01/05/17

“How can we make an application based framework for sensing and control?”

 

The modern world of engineering is evolving more and more towards the internet of things. However, most appliances nowadays use proprietary means to connect with each other. This makes building a truly open internet of things nearly impossible! However, the good people for the U.S Department of Energy want to fix this, specifically in the area of energy utilization with the use of a little technology known as VOLTTRON. VOLTTRON is an application framework that software developers can use to import and manage data and actions collected by devices. This allows for greater control over their efficiency and can support real-time agent-based communications. VOLTTRON is language agnostic, meaning that it can be written in any desired programming language, making it easier for developers to get their hands on it. VOLTTRON has a wide range of appliances, from utility research to building automation systems and even to vehicle-grid integration!

Remote Terminal Units

Remote Terminal Units

Remote Terminal Units

01/04/17

“How can we implement a distributed control system?”

 

Distributed Control Systems are famous for their ability to transmit data and control the physical world over distant ranges. However, how exactly can we implement these systems in real life, without making the components too expensive? Well, let’s use our scientific mindset to find out. We know that microcontrollers can send and receive information on a rapid basis. And these microcontrollers can then connect to one another to form a greater network. So what if we were to simply use these microcontrollers as the interface for distributed control systems? Well, these special microcontrollers are called Remote Terminal Units.  Remote Terminal Units can be likened to the tentacles of an octopus, each a separate part of a grander control system.

BACnet

BACnet

BACnet

01/02/17

“What is the communications protocol for building automation systems?”

 

Building automation systems are amazing for optimizing building energy systems. However, in order to operate, they need their own communications protocol. So how can we use our engineering mindset to solve this problem? Well, after many years of research, the good engineers of ASHRAE have been able to develop a protocol known as BACnet. BACnet stands for Building Automation and Control network and is the standard for all BAS systems.

Building Automation Systems

Building Automation Systems

Building Automation Systems

12/27/17

“How can we make an intelligent building?”

 

With the advent of the internet of things, automation has become a very trendy topic. Due to its generalized nature, it can be applied to almost anything. And buildings are no exception. Building Automation Systems are computerized networks that take input from temperature, pressure, and humidity sensors to actualize adjust internal settings in the building,. This includes adjusting the HVAC setpoints and air handler settings. Building Automation Systems are often referred to as smart buildings and can pave the way to the future in energy efficiency.

Nonintrusive Load Monitoring

Nonintrusive Load Monitoring

Nonintrusive Load Monitoring

11/26/17

“How can we determine the appliances in a building just from its energy consumption?”

 

As Engineers, it would be very useful to analyze the types of appliances within a building. However, doing so requires a heavy upfront investment in a large multitude of sensors.

 

Or does it?

 

After many years of research, Engineers and Scientists have developed a method known as Nonintrusive Load Monitoring, which takes in data from a building’s energy uses, parses out all of the patterns, and recognizes which appliances are in the unit. Although novel and affordable, one serious drawback with this technology is privacy concerns, since large organizations will be able to snoop in on the appliances that an individual possesses.

Air Handling Units

Air Handling Units

Air Handling Units

11/12/17

“How can we regulate the flow of air in a building’s ductwork?”

 

Air in a building ductwork needs to be regulated and circulated in order for our HVAC systems to work. However, this can not be done automatically and requires a machine to do so. So how can we use our engineering mindsets to solve this problem? Well, what if we were to simply construct a machine that can take in air, heat or cool it with a coil, and then return it as circulated air? Well, this is the fundamental idea behind an air handling unit and has become a staple of buildings worldwide. Air handling units often have integrated control systems to assist in dealing with complex environments

Variable Speed Drives

Variable Speed Drives

Variable Speed Drives

11/04/17

“How can we implement powerful yet controllable motors for industrial processes?”

 

Industrial motors are marvelous for being able to coordinate highly intricate processes in an efficient manner. However, sometimes we may need to adjust the speed on these machines using traditional models. So how can we use our knowledge of industrial control systems and our engineering mindset to achieve this? Well, let’s get down to the basics. We know that controllers can be used to provide feedback to electric devices, such as motors. So what if we were to simply implement a controller based motor into industrial processes? Well, this is the fundamental idea behind variable speed drives, which are commonly used as energy savers in pump and fan appliances.

Intelligent Electronic Devices

Intelligent Electronic Devices

Intelligent Electronic Devices

11/03/17

“How can we control circuit elements using microprocessors?”

 

Electronic circuits are the bloodlines that power modern infrastructure. However, these elements have been traditionally controlled in a non-centralized manner, hampering efforts for growth. So how can we use our engineering mindset to solve this problem? Well, what if we were to simply implement microcontrollers to take in information from sensors and actuate on commands, such as breaking a circuit? Well, this is the idea behind Intelligent Electronic Devices and are quickly becoming an important component of industrial control systems.