Systems and methods for cascaded model predictive control

US9852481B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Johnson Controls Technology Company · US

Inventors

• Robert D. Turney · Watertown, US
• Michael J. Wenzel · Grafton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 13, 2013
• Grant date: Dec 26, 2017
• Expiry date: Apr 18, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q20/145
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and systems to minimize energy cost in response to time-varying energy prices are presented for a variety of different pricing scenarios. A cascaded model predictive control system is disclosed comprising an inner controller and an outer controller. The inner controller controls power use using a derivative of a temperature setpoint and the outer controller controls temperature via a power setpoint or power deferral. An optimization procedure is used to minimize a cost function within a time horizon subject to temperature constraints, equality constraints, and demand charge constraints. Equality constraints are formulated using system model information and system state information whereas demand charge constraints are formulated using system state information and pricing information. A masking procedure is used to invalidate demand charge constraints for inactive pricing periods including peak, partial-peak, off-peak, critical-peak, and real-time.