SE-14-C012 -- A Tool for Evaluating Fault Detection and Diagnostic Methods for Fan Coil Units PDF

Dynamic simulation software tools are needed for the research and development of improved methods for automatic control and automated faultdetection and diagnosis of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These tools must generate data that accurately simulate thereal data that instruments would record from both fault-free and faulty dynamic operation of HVAC systems and equipment. Fan coil units(FCU) are simple, economical devices used extensively in the HVAC systems of commercial, institutional and multifamily residential buildings.However, very little has been reported in the literature to improve their design and operation. There has also been a lack of dynamic simulationtool development focusing on FCUs. The work here develops a tool to simulate data from FCUs operating dynamically under faulty and fault-freeconditions. A comprehensive and systematic validation procedure, using data collected experimentally from real FCUs in a laboratory, is used tovalidate the tool under both faulty and fault-free operating conditions in different seasons. The validated tool not only predicts real-world FCUbehavior under different control strategies, but it also predicts symptoms associated with various faults, as well as the effects those faults have onsystem performance and occupant comfort.