OPTIMAL OPERATION OF AN EMBEDDED-PIPING FLOOR HEATING-SYSTEM WITH CONTROL INPUT CONSTRAINTS

Dynamic modelling and optimal control of an embedded-piping floor heat ing system is explored. The physical system consists of a single zone with serpentine tubes embedded in the floor slab. A gas-fired boiler s upplies hot water in the tubes. The input energy to the boiler and the mass flow rate of hot water circulating in the tubes is modulated. A numerical solution to the 24-hour optimal control problem, taking into consideration the capacity constraints of the floor heating system, i s found. Results show that, by proper choice of objective function, th e energy input to the boiler can be minimized while maintaining good z one temperature control. The implementation of the optimal trajectorie s using PI controllers is also shown. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.