2022 Summer: Core Research Internship Challenge
Opportunity Description
Prescriptive Data is focused on providing cost savings and enhanced thermal comfort in built spaces through the intersection of Operational Technology (OT) with Information Technology (IT). With its flagship product Nantum OS, Prescriptive Data has responded to market demand for a next-generation building management platform that cultivates the full potential of the building operator by combining institutional knowledge with data-driven insights from IoT, big data, and the latest advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Prescriptive Data designs its solutions by collaborating with building operators and engineers and maintains a living lab of over 10 million square feet of New York real estate in which it vets new concepts, technologies, sensors, and applications.
Prescriptive Data’s Core Research Team directs and implements an organization's research and development policies, objectives, and initiatives with a focus on extending Artificial Intelligence methodologies, computational techniques, methods and tools in the domain of smart-building technology.
This challenge is designed to help college researchers incorporate their knowledge and experience into the real-world problems tackling energy efficiency and many other aspects of a sustainable and smart built environment. Additionally, it aims to help researchers identify potential paths for their own research, gaps between academia and industry, as well as areas of significance they can continue to improve on.
This challenge aims to select multiple candidates for Prescriptive Data’s Core Research Team Summer Internship Program. The winners of the challenge will spend the summer at Prescriptive Data, earning $30,000.
Challenge: Static Pressure & Supply Air Temp. Optimization for an Air Handling Unit (AHU)
Authors: Gulai Shen, Ali Mehmani
Contact: RSCH@prescriptivedata.io
Introduction
A typical Air Handling Unit (AHU) with Variable Air Volumes (VAV) transfers cooled air that passes through the Chilled Water (CHW) coils to the interior spaces during cooling seasons. A typical system can be simplified and visualized (see image).
To control a system like this, multiple setpoints can be adjusted according to the conditions of weather and building. Considering the following parts:
Chilled Water (CHW) Pump: it pumps chilled water from the chiller to the CHW coils and returns back to the chiller, absorbing the heat in the air though the coils.
CHW Valve: it modulates the amount of CHW through the coil. A 100% open CHW valve means that is insufficient cooling to that specific AHU, and a 0% open CHW valve means the AHU needs 0 cooling. It is desired to have the valve wide but not fully open (95-98%) for maximum efficiency.
Cooling/CHW Coil: it is like a shell and tube heat exchanger which exchanges heat between air and CHW to cool down the air before it reaches the air conditioned spaces.
Supply Fan: AHU fan circulates the air, bringing cooled and fresh air to space and extracting hot air from the space. A typical AHU sees one fan or one supply fan and one return fan.
Supply Air Damper: one AHU can have multiple dampers located at each of the terminal boxes. Terminal boxes with dampers can control the amount of air into the spaces, thus are called Variable Air Volumes (VAV). Similar to the CHW valve, a 100% open damper means that is insufficient cooking to that specific terminal box, and a 0% open damper means the terminal box does not need cooling.
Once submitted, the Core Research team will send you required data and functions.
Questions?
Contact Ali or Gulai at RSCH@prescriptivedata.io
