LabVIEW based real time Monitoring of HVAC System for Residential Load

Abstract

This paper presents and discusses the performance evaluation, monitoring and analysis of a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system in a residence in Saudi Arabia. The installed air conditioning (A/C) system operates in extreme and severe weather conditions. The local area is characterized by a high level of ambient temperature, high irradiation, high humidity and frequent dust storms. The Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW) interface capabilities achieved several objectives such as system parameters measurements and performance evaluation of the A/C unit. The constructed LabVIEW engine displays the environmental parameters and the electrical variables such as in-house air temperature at several points, air flow, pressure humidity, out-side temperature, irradiation, wind speed, voltage, current and power on the front panel windows of the interface continuously. LabVIEW has shown good performance in communicating with several devices simultaneously and capability of displaying several variables behavior in real time manner. The designed virtual instrument (VI) filters executed different tasks on a priority basis. The online data display in multi-scale window frame is informative and educative. The online efficiency evaluation is useful for system operation and analysis. The developed system provided good support for research and educational purposes.