ICP DAS's new HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) system of Hukou factory originated from that the old HVAC system could not fit the need for the staff expansion. So in 2006, ICP DAS planned to add equipments, and use the hardware & software products, developed and produced by ICP DAS, in addition to verify the hardware and software stability, also to allow R&D personnel to accumulate the engineering experience and to understand the applicability of the products. After three months of system tuning and testing, the new-add host and the old host in the new HVAC system began the running test in 2007. There are still some projects continuing to improve the system (operation efficiency, power demand, pricing, etc.), but not affect the actual operation of the new HVAC system. The following description is to briefly introduce this new HVAC system.
= Security Mechanism =
Normal Operating Process Check
The checking process follows the equipment operating process set by the air-condition technical expert to assure RUN/STOP sequence between devices of the system via the Script syntax, which is similar to VB Script, in the Smart 4 software to avoid the equipment damage due to the RUN/STOP sequence errors.
Abnormal Operation Process Check
While operating, any equipment damage from
various conditions (human mis-operation, equipment expiration or violent change of the external environment, etc.) may
cause the pipeline system breakdown, or even the HVAC host breakdown. Thus, using the Script syntax of the Smart 4 software, we provide some emergency treatment approaches for system to follow when different states occur, such as different equipments abrupt malfunction or sensor failure causing an error feedback. Usually, when any such judging condition occurs, the system will switch to emergency shutdown procedures. In the consequent projects, we also plan to increase the pipeline pressure monitoring to enhance the security of the entire system.
= Energy-Saving Mechanism =
Ice-Making Process of the Old System
Using off-peak hours and appointed schedule, the old system starts daily at a fixed time and stops when finishing an appointed schedule. There is a temperature sensor in the HVAC host to detect the temperature difference between input and output water. When the difference is very small in a pre-set period, HVAC Host will stop the ice-making process, but all pumps and other equipments will keep running until the end of the appointed schedule.
Ice-making Process of the New System
In addition to using off-peak hours and appointed schedule, the new HVAC system adds some detecting conditions to end the ice-making process such as the upper limit of ice-making capacity and the temperature condition of the input/output water in the ice storage tank. The new HVAC system allows users to set regular workdays and special holidays depending on various industries and some temporarily flexible holidays, not for traditional workdays only. To prepare for the first weekday after the holiday, system will begin the ice-making process in the last day of the holiday to prevent from ice shortage on the first workday.
The ice-making capacity forecast of HVAC system can reduce huge electricity consumption, because the best system efficiency is the ice storage capacity made in the day before can just be used up in the end of the day. Therefore, the new HVAC system predicts the capacity utilization rate of the ice on the next day according to the capacity utilization rate of the ice in the last few days, environment temperature and the heat insulation effect of the ice tank to achieve the optimum system efficiency.
Ice-melting Process of the Old System
In the old system, the ice-melting process is based on the operator's experience and the weather conditions to fine-tune the valve opening by operator several times a day.
Ice-melting Process of the New HVAC System
In the new HVAC system, the system automatically fine-tunes the valve opening to the heat exchangers and the sub-pipeline by the software built-in PID function and the brine temperature inside the pipeline. About ice-melting capacity forecast, the system operates a second HVAC Host intermittently when the using rate is higher than predicted curves slope rate in order to keep the system using up the ice capacity in the end of the day.
= Management Mechanism =
Provide six levels for user-defining to more than 10 types of permission management. Export Send necessary data to database in the pre-set time or by operator decision. Export system events and work shift records to database, record equipments status during operation.
Hardware
Controller:
The Air Conditioner and The Fans Page
