CH-99-13-4 -- A Commercial-Scale University HVAC Laboratory PDF

A commercial-building-scale HVAC research laboratory has been constructed and commissioned at the Engineering Center of the University of Colorado, Boulder. This laboratory replaces a similar off-campus facility constructed in 1988-89. The present paper discusses

• laboratory design,
• laboratory mechanical systems,
• data acquisition system,
• recent research projects, and
• recent educational applications.

Emphasis in the paper is on computer applications to data acquisition, describing the new data acquisition system installed in 1998 along with computer applications for advanced controls. The lab is the first BACNET^™ compatible, full-scale HVAC laboratory in the United States. Use of the facility for both research and teaching is discussed.

Units: I-P