Abstract
Optimal cooling operation algorithm was developed based on a simulation case of a single family house model equipped with renewable energy facility. EnergyPlus simulation results were used as virtual test data. The model contained three energy storage elements: thermal heat capacity of the living room, chilled water storage tank, and battery. Their charging and discharging schedules were optimized so that daily electricity bill became minimal. As an optimization tool, linear programming was considered because it was possible to obtain results in real time. For its adoption, EnergyPlus-based house model had to be linearly approximated. Results of this study revealed that dynamic cooling load of the living room could be approximated by a linear RC model. Scheduling based on the linear programming was then compared to that by a nonlinear optimization algorithm which was made using GenOpt developed by a national lab in USA. They showed quite similar performances. Therefore, linear programming can be a practical solution to optimal operation scheduling if linear dynamic models are tuned to simulate their real equivalents with reasonable accuracy.
