Modeling and Robust Optimization of Commercial Air-Water HVAC System

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems consume a large amount of building energy consumption. HVAC systems have multiple varieties and configurations. One type of commercial HVAC systems that has not received enough attention is air-water systems. These systems are commonly used in office buildings and hotels where a higher degree of temperature control is needed. Few works have considered the modeling and optimization of this type of system. This article aims at providing a convex model for an air-water HVAC system. Moreover, a way to compensate for modeling and approximation errors and handling the uncertainties is provided. This is achieved through the use of the adjustable robust optimization theory. The aim of the optimization is to minimize the energy consumption while ensuring the temperature comfort. Both deterministic and robust formulations are provided, tested, and compared. The results showed that the temperature comfort can be ensured while considering modeling approximations and uncertainties.