Real-time Monitoring and Diagnostic
Solution for an HVAC System
ECE Team 169
Anthony Bellantoni (EE)
Greg Carmichael (EngrPhys)
Joe Grassi (EE)
Sponsored by: Qualtech Systems Inc.
Advisor: Professor John Chandy
Presentation Outline
• Project Goals
• Brief Explanation of Qualtech Systems, Inc.
• Overview of TEAMS Software
• HVAC Explanation
• Updated and Completed Model
• Overview of Detecting a Failure
• Project Timeline & Budget
• Project Limitations
• Lessons Learned
Project Goals
• Fix & Build Upon Previous Incomplete Senior
Design Project
- Update Diagnostic HVAC Model for ITEB
• Obtain real-time data from the building sensors
- Develop Failure-Detection Code
• Combine model and code to detect for faults in
real-time.
Qualtech Systems, Inc.
•Located in East Hartford, Connecticut (Founded
in 1993)
• Provide advanced system health management,
integrated diagnostics and telemaintenance
• Works on any system
• Helps improve equipment productivity
•TEAMS - Testability Engineering and
Maintenance System
TEAMS
• Testability Engineering and Maintenance
•
System
Consists of Multiple Components
•
•
•
Designer
RDS
o Remote Diagnostic Server
RT
o “Real-Time” Data Collection
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TEAMS - Designer
• Used to create a model of a system,
including components with their respective
test points
• Can be used to model any complex system
(e.g.-MRI, Car, Building, etc.)
TEAMS - RDS
• Online Server that connects all components
of TEAMS software
• Decides Which Component is Most Likely
Failing From the Designer
– Provides Possible Solutions during Manual
Maintenance
• Stores information gathered for future
analyses
TEAMS - RT
• Provides Diagnostics in Real-Time
• Connects Developed Code with Generated
Sensor Values to RDS
– Allows for constant connection
What is HVAC?
• Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
• Processes Air in a Building, Vehicle, or Other
Structure
– Maximize Occupant(s) Comfort Of Enclosed Area
• Range from “Central Air” in Residential Homes to
Complex Multi-Building Systems
ITE HVAC System
• Basement (Heat Exchanger)
– Tunnel to COGEN plant
• Penthouse (Air Handler)
• VAV (Variable Air Volume)
– One For Each Room
– Measured on Every Floor at Every Point in
System
ITE Penthouse Schematic
VAV Schematic
Procedure – ITEB Schematic
3rd Floor Schematics
Procedure - Designer
Last Year’s Designer Model
Our Updated Designer Model
Procedure - RDS
• RDS Photos
Procedure – RT
Procedure – Detecting Failures
Failure Detection Code Process
1) Extract sensor values from text file and
determine whether or not a failure is occurring
2) Export results file into TEAMS-RT
3) TEAMS-RT combines test results with our
model and determines possible failure points
How to Determine a Failure
•
•
•
•
•
•
Set threshold value for maximum deviation from
set point
Cannot assume failure after one test
Initiate a counter to determine number of tests in
a row that fail
If consecutive tests trend toward the set point,
counter returns to 0
If deviation from the set point is less than the
maximum allowed, counter returns to 0
If n tests in a row fail and do not approach set
point, assume failure
Failure-Detection Method
Sensor 1
Sensor 2
Sensor n
Temperature
Humidity
Extract sensor data from
txt, determine if failure
occurs, then store in
either 'pass' or 'fail' txt
file.
Export results to
TEAMS-RT
Project Budget
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Budget.jpg
Project Timeline
Task
Software access
Gather & Review
Schematics
Research HVAC
Update TEAMS
Designer Model
Learn C++
Syntax
Develop FailureDetection Code
Merge Code
With Model in
SDK and RDS
Test - Debug Cleanup
September
October
November
December January February March April
Final Tasks
• Connect our Failure Results with
TEAMS RT
• Connecting RT with RDS
Project Limitations
• Obtaining access to actual sensor values
• Maintenance cost/time value for each
component
o
No access to maintenance costs held by
UConn Facilities
• Restricted to remote server for TEAMS
Lessons Learned
• TEAMS is capable of modeling large
systems
– Difficult for beginners and requires expert
knowledge to build
• HVAC systems are complex
• Prepare for setbacks
– Information from facilities
– Remote server issues
Questions