Thermal Comfort Based Predictive Controllers for Building Heating Systems

This work is focused on indoor thermal comfort control problem in buildings equipped with HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems. The occupants thermal comfort is addressed here by a comfort zone in the psychrometric chart and the PMV (Predict Mean Vote) index. In this context, three control algorithms are proposed by using only-one-actuator system associated to a heating equipment. The methods are based on the model predictive control scheme and on the improvement of indices related to occupants thermal comfort sensation. Simulation results - obtained by using the weather data file for the city of Curitiba, Brazil - are presented to validate the proposed methodology in terms of room air temperature, relative humidity and PMV control.