blockController

Cooling tower controller

Information

Block that controls the cooling tower cells enabling status yTowSta, the supply isolation valve positions yIsoVal of each cell and the cell fan operating speed ySpeSet. This is implemented according to ASHRAE Guideline 36-2021, section 5.20.12. The section specifies sequences to control the cooling tower. It includes three subsequences:

Parameters

TypeNameDefaultDescription
Buildings.Controls.OBC.ASHRAE.G36.Plants.Chillers.Types.HeadPressureControlchiHeaPreConBuildings.Controls.OBC.ASHRAE.G36.Plants.Chillers.Types.HeadPressureControl.ByPlantChiller head pressure controlled type
IntegernChi2Total number of chillers
IntegernPlaSta5Total number of plant stages, including stage zero and the stages with a WSE, if applicable
IntegernTowCel2Total number of cooling tower cells
IntegernConWatPum2Total number of condenser water pumps
Buildings.Controls.OBC.ASHRAE.G36.Plants.Chillers.Types.TowerSpeedControlfanSpeConBuildings.Controls.OBC.ASHRAE.G36.Plants.Chillers.Types.TowerSpeedControl.CondenserWaterReturnTemperaureTower fan speed control type
Booleanhave_conWatRetConfanSpeCon == Buildings.Controls.OBC.ASHRAE.G36.Plants.Chillers.Types.TowerSpeedControl.CondenserWaterReturnTemperaureTrue: the fan speed is controlled to maintain the condenser water return temperature setpoint
BooleancloseCoupledPlantfalseTrue: the plant is close coupled, i.e. the pipe length from the chillers to cooling towers does not exceed approximately 100 feet
Booleanhave_WSEtrueFlag to indicate if the plant has waterside economizer
Nominal
RealdesCap1e6Plant design capacity
RealfanSpeMin0.1Minimum tower fan speed
Fan speed › WSE enabled
Real[nChi]chiMinCap{1e4, 1e4}Minimum cyclining load below which chiller will begin cycling
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleControllerintOpeConBuildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleController.PIController in the mode when WSE and chillers are enabled
RealkIntOpe1Gain of controller
RealTiIntOpe0.5Time constant of integrator block
RealTdIntOpe0.1Time constant of derivative block
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleControllerchiWatConBuildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleController.PIController in the mode when only WSE is enabled
RealkWSE1Gain of controller
RealTiWSE0.5Time constant of integrator block
RealTdWSE0.1Time constant of derivative block
Fan speed › Return temperature control
Real[nChi]minChiLif{12, 12}Minimum LIFT of each chiller
Real[nChi]TConWatSup_nominal{293.15, 293.15}Condenser water supply temperature (condenser entering) of each chiller
Real[nChi]TConWatRet_nominal{303.15, 303.15}Condenser water return temperature (condenser leaving) of each chiller
Real[nChi]TChiWatSupMin{278.15, 278.15}Lowest chilled water supply temperature oc each chiller
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleControllercouPlaConBuildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleController.PIType of coupled plant controller
RealkCouPla1Gain of controller
RealTiCouPla0.5Time constant of integrator block
RealTdCouPla0.1Time constant of derivative block
RealyCouPlaMax1Upper limit of output
RealyCouPlaMin0Lower limit of output
RealsamplePeriod30Period of sampling condenser water supply and return temperature difference
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleControllersupWatConBuildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Types.SimpleController.PICondenser supply water temperature controller for less coupled plant
RealkSupCon1Gain of controller
RealTiSupCon0.5Time constant of integrator block
RealTdSupCon0.1Time constant of derivative block
RealySupConMax1Upper limit of output
RealySupConMin0Lower limit of output
Fan speed › Advanced
RealspeChe0.005Lower threshold value to check fan or pump speed
RealiniPlaTim600Time to hold return temperature at initial setpoint after plant being enabled
RealramTim180Time to ramp return water temperature from initial value to setpoint
RealcheMinFanSpe300Threshold time for checking duration when tower fan equals to the minimum tower fan speed
RealcheMaxTowSpe300Threshold time for checking duration when any enabled chiller maximum cooling speed equals to the minimum tower fan speed
RealcheTowOff60Threshold time for checking duration when there is no enabled tower fan
Tower staging › Nominal
Real[nPlaSta]staVec{0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2}Plant stage vector, element value like x.5 means chiller stage x plus WSE
Tower staging
Integer[nPlaSta]towCelOnSet{0, 1, 1, 2, 2}Design number of tower fan cells that should be enabled, according to current chiller stage and WSE status
Tower staging › Isolation valves
Booleanhave_inlIsoValtrueTrue: tower cells have the inlet isolation valve
Booleanhave_outIsoValfalseTrue: tower cells have the outlet isolation valve
Booleanhave_endSwifalseTrue: tower cells isolatiove valve have the end switch feedback
RealchaTowCelIsoTim90Nominal time needed for open isolation valve of the tower cells
Makeup water
RealwatLevMin0.7Minimum cooling tower water level recommended by manufacturer
RealwatLevMax1Maximum cooling tower water level recommended by manufacturer

Connectors

TypeNameDefaultDescription
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInputuChiLoaCurrent cooling load
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInput[nChi]uChiVector of chiller proven on status: true=ON
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInputuWseWaterside economizer proven on status: true=ON
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInputTChiWatSupChilled water supply temperature
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInputTChiWatSupSetChilled water supply temperature setpoint
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInputreqPlaCapCurrent required plant capacity
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInput[nChi]uMaxSpeSetMaximum cooling tower speed setpoint from each chiller head pressure control loop
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInput[nTowCel]uTowStaVector of tower cell proven on status: true=running tower cell
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInputuPlaPlant enabling status
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInputTConWatRetCondenser water return temperature (condenser leaving)
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInput[nConWatPum]uConWatPumCurrent condenser water pump status
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInputTConWatSupCondenser water supply temperature (condenser entering)
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInputuEnaPlaTrue: plant is just enabled
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.IntegerInputuChiStaCurrent chiller stage
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.IntegerInputuChiStaSetChiller stage setpoint
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInputuTowStaChaCooling tower stage change command from plant staging process
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInput[nTowCel]u1InlIsoValOpeTower cells inlet isolation valve open end switch. True: the isolation valve is fully open
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInput[nTowCel]u1OutIsoValOpeTower cells outlet isolation valve open end switch. True: the isolation valve is fully open
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInput[nTowCel]u1InlIsoValCloTower cells inlet isolation valve close end switch. True: the isolation valve is fully closed
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanInput[nTowCel]u1OutIsoValCloTower cells outlet isolation valve close end switch. True: the isolation valve is fully closed
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealInputwatLevMeasured water level
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealOutputyLifMaxMaximum LIFT among enabled chillers
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealOutputyLifMinMinimum LIFT among enabled chillers
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealOutputTConWatRetSetCondenser water return temperature setpoint
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealOutputTConWatSupSetCondenser water supply temperature setpoint
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanOutputyLeaCelLead tower cell status setpoint
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanOutput[nTowCel]y1IsoValCooling tower cells isolation valve position
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanOutput[nTowCel]yTowStaVector of tower cells status setpoint
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.RealOutputySpeSetFan speed setpoint for enabled cell
Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Interfaces.BooleanOutputyMakUpMakeup water valve On-Off status

Revisions

  • September 14, 2019, by Jianjun Hu:
    First implementation.