Integration and Optimal Control of MicroCSP with Building HVAC Systems: Review and Future Directions

Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are omnipresent in modern buildings and are responsible for a considerable share of consumed energy and the electricity bill in buildings. On the other hand, solar energy is abundant and could be used to support the building HVAC system through cogeneration of electricity and heat. Micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) is a propitious solution for such applications that can be integrated into the building HVAC system to optimally provide both electricity and heat, on-demand via application of optimal control techniques. The use of thermal energy storage (TES) in MicroCSP adds dispatching capabilities to the MicroCSP energy production that will assist in optimal energy management in buildings. This work presents a review of the existing contributions on the combination of MicroCSP and HVAC systems in buildings and how it compares to other thermal-assisted HVAC applications. Different topologies and architectures for the integration of MicroCSP and building HVAC systems are proposed, and the components of standard MicroCSP systems with their control-oriented models are explained. Furthermore, this paper details the different control strategies to optimally manage the energy flow, both electrical and thermal, from the solar field to the building HVAC system to minimize energy consumption and/or operational cost.

Automated summary

This paper reviews existing research on the combination of MicroCSP and building HVAC systems, and compares it to other thermal-assisted HVAC applications. Different topologies for integrating MicroCSP and building HVAC systems are proposed, alongside explanations of components and control-oriented models of standard MicroCSP systems. Additionally, various control strategies are detailed to optimally manage energy flow from the solar field to the building HVAC system to minimize energy consumption and operational costs.