Abstract
This paper evaluates the potential energy use and peak demand savings associated with optimal controls of switchable transparent insulation systems (STIS) applied to smart windows for US residential buildings. The optimal controls are developed based on Genetic Algorithm (GA) to identify the automatic settings of the dynamic shades. First, switchable insulation systems and their operation mechanisms are briefly described when combined with smart windows. Then, the GA-based optimization approach is outlined to operate switchable insulation systems applied to windows for a prototypical US residential building. The optimized controls are implemented to reduce heating and cooling energy end-uses for a house located four US locations, during three representative days of swing, summer, and winter seasons. The performance of optimal controller is compared to that obtained using simplified rule-based control sets to operate the dynamic insulation systems. The analysis results indicate that optimized controls of STISs can save up to 81.8% in daily thermal loads compared to the simplified rule-set especially when dwellings are located in hot climates such as that of Phoenix, AZ. Moreover, optimally controlled STISs can reduce electrical peak demand by up to 49.8% compared to the simplified rule-set, indicating significant energy efficiency and demand response potentials of the SIS technology when applied to US residential buildings.
Highlights
A swing season for the switchable transparent insulation systems (STIS) and smart windows is achieved during 21st May, a swing seasonday daywith with mild weather conditions
The performance of Genetic Algorithm (GA)-based optimal settings is evaluated to operate switchable transparent insulation systems or STIS combined with smart windows to reduce the HVAC energy use for US residential buildings
The energy-efficiency potential for the STIS and smart windows is high for swing days when the weather is mild with opportunities for both free cooling and free heating
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Adaptive insulation systems this paper, the GA-based optimization approach is applied to operate switchable haveInbeen applied mostly to opaque building envelope elements (i.e., walls and roofs) insulation systems (SISs) both transparent and opaque in order to minimize the energy using several technologies including air flowing within the insulation layers or channels consumption of US residential buildings. Using several[47], technologies including air flowing within the insulation or channels investigated use ofofswitchable insulated systems windows internal attachments oriented in thethe direction heat transfer [45], phase changefor materials [46],as moving insulaoperated rule-based optimize the Recently, overall energy performance of buildings. The results smart glazing settings on both daily heating and cooling energy consumption and electrical of a series of sensitivity analyses are summarized to assess the impacts of optimizing STIS peak demand for representative US residential buildings. Operation of opaque switchable insulation system (SIS) is considered when applied to conventionally glazed windows
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