Development of a variable refrigerant flow system emulator to host the second World Championship in Cybernetic Building Optimization

Abstract

This paper introduces an emulator developed to assess the operational characteristics of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) for the second World Championship in Cybernetic Building Optimization (WCCBO). The emulator utilizes BACnet communication and provides a realistic simulation for evaluating energy conservation and comfort in buildings with VRF systems. Herein, we discuss the building specifications for calculation, operation of the emulator, calculation method for the vertical temperature distribution, dissatisfactory rate calculation, and consideration of championship rules. Notably, a thermal preference model was developed for predicting the thermal sensation of occupants and adjusting the dissatisfaction rate based on their ability to control the indoor environment. In addition, we developed a method for calculating the total scores during the WCCBO and devised a suitable network structure for score registration. The results of this study highlight the importance of personal control and impact of drafts on thermal comfort. This paper presents a meta-level methodology to determine the best operation for each specific VRF system for a future world championship, whose planning is underway and will be conducted to accumulate information on optimal operations.