Influence of Thermal Energy Storage and Heat Pump Parametrization for Demand-Side-Management in a Nearly-Zero-Energy-Building using Model Predictive Control

in Energy and Buildings (2020), 226

The rollout of the supply dependent generators wind turbines and photovoltaics leads to a flexibility demand that can be adressed from the consumer side, via Demand-Side-Management, as well. In single ... [more ▼]

The rollout of the supply dependent generators wind turbines and photovoltaics leads to a flexibility demand that can be adressed from the consumer side, via Demand-Side-Management, as well. In single family houses, the heat pump, in combination with thermal energy storage, can shift their energy comsumption according to price signals in order to reduce consumer costs. This paper analyses the impact of different heat storage sizes and heat pump powers on cost savings and shifting potential, focussing on the Luxembourgish context, when variable electricity prices based on the electricity market are applied. A model predictive controller determines the cost-optimal operating cycles of the heat pump. The building’s heat demand is predicted with the help of a neural network. The results of the parametric study show significant differences in energy efficiency and cost savings. Furthermore limitations of taking advantage of variable electicity prices due to the price structure are disclosed. The cost savings however do not give a sufficient incentive for the consumer to invest in optimizing the heating system for Demand-Side-Management purposes. By consequence, the potential and the efficiency of Demand-Side-Management are limited and further incentives are necessary. [less ▲]

Field tests of centralized and decentralized ventilation units inresidential buildings – Specific fan power, heat recovery efficiency,shortcuts and volume flow unbalances

in Energy and Buildings (2016), 116(2016), 376-383

tThe energy efficient operation of mechanical ventilation systems depends on various parameters. InLuxembourg, field tests with 20 centralized and 60 decentralized mechanical ventilation systems insingle ... [more ▼]

tThe energy efficient operation of mechanical ventilation systems depends on various parameters. InLuxembourg, field tests with 20 centralized and 60 decentralized mechanical ventilation systems insingle- and multi-family homes were conducted in order to measure the actual performance of thosesystems in occupied buildings. The considered parameters were: Main air flows, internal and externalrecirculation, sensitivity to differential pressure, specific fan power and heat recovery efficiency. In manycases, the performance of the ventilation units was lower than expected. The systems showed deviationsbetween supply and exhaust flows of up to 60%. In particular, the air flow in decentralized units wasstrongly influenced by pressure differences between the inside and outside due to wind or stack effectswhich leads to a decreased heat recovery efficiency. The total mean recirculation ratio was 6.5%, with astandard deviation of 12.5% for centralized and 13 ± 6.2% for decentralized devices. As a consequence,the delivered flow of fresh air is smaller by the amount of recirculation. The specific fan power, theratio between air flow and power consumption, was measured with 0.475 ± 0.37 Wh/m3for centralizedand 0.22 ± 0.023 Wh/m3for decentralized systems. The lower value for the decentralized systems canbe explained by lower pressure losses due to the lack of ductwork. The heat recovery efficiency was0.65 ± 0.24 for centralized systems and 0.7 ± 0.17 for decentralized systems which is significantly lowerthan nominal values provided by the manufacturers. The results of this study show that the overall energyefficiency of ventilation devices installed in residential buildings under real working conditions are oftenlower than expected. These findings could possibly serve as indicators for future research & developmentat manufacturer and commissioning level. [less ▲]

Field Study on the Energy Consumption of School Buildings in Luxembourg

in Energy and Buildings (2014)

Buildings account for 40 % of total energy consumption and 35 % of the total CO2 emitted in the EU. In consequence, there is an enormous energy saving potential and the European Union requires from all EU ... [more ▼]

Buildings account for 40 % of total energy consumption and 35 % of the total CO2 emitted in the EU. In consequence, there is an enormous energy saving potential and the European Union requires from all EU member states to save energy in this sector. Hence, reducing the energy consumption of buildings represents an essential component of environmental protection efforts. Furthermore, the new European directive 2010/31/EU requires that the member states tighten national standards and draw up national plans to increase the number of “nearly zero-energy buildings”. Well-planned energy-saving strategies presume knowledge of specific characteristics of the current national building stock. Therefore, the implementation of a process to support systematic data collection, classification and analysis of the energy consumption of buildings will become increasingly important during the coming years. In the field study described below we analyzed the energy consumption of 68 school buildings in Luxembourg. A separate collation of electricity and heat energy consumptions allowed to make a detailed analysis of specific energy parameters. Clustered according to energy sources, the new buildings were analyzed from a statistical point of view. We defined the energy relevant parameters such as energy standards, the purpose of use of the buildings or whether they had canteens. [less ▲]