MAEN4400 Automation in Building Course description

The main goal of automation systems in buildings is to ensure the right indoor climate for the lowest possible energy consumption. The subject will provide a deep understanding of control principles at different levels in building automation. Furthermore, general and special system solutions that combine heating, cooling, heat pump and ground source heating / cooling will be reviewed in a common integrated solution. The course gives an introduction to relevant programming tools for developing simulators of control systems.

Content:

• Automation engineering, including control engineering and logical control
• PLC programming (programmable logic control)
• Mathematical modeling of thermal systems
• Process dynamics
• Simulation of indoor climate systems (using IDA-ICE)
• Control structures for indoor climate systems
• Building automation technology, including ITB (Integrated Technical Building systems)

None.

After completing this course, the student has the following learning outcomes, as defined in knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has knowledge about

• control principles and methods
• algorithm and operation of relevant control functions including PID controller (PID = proportional+integral+derivative), on/off controller, MPC controller (MPC = model-predictive control)
• principles of relevant automation hardware
• bus systems and central operating control systems
• relevant sensors and actuators
• alternative control systems for heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting.
• mathematical modeling and simulation of ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems with regard to control

Skills

The student can

• apply scientific methods for solving problems in control and building automation
• consider indoor climate, energy use and operating costs related to automation systems integrated in buildings
• choose the right methods for control and regulation of heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems
• calculate the maximum capacity of the contracting bodies and find the curve shape of the characteristics
• calculate and evaluate time constant for various components of control systems
• draw and describe block diagram and Piping and Instrument Diagram (P&ID) for control systems
• tune PID controllers for fast and stable control
• perform stability analysis of control systems
• analyze central operational control systems in operation and come up with the right measures to improve indoor climate functions and reduce energy consumption and operating costs

General competence

The student can

• plan and execute projects that include management, regulation and building automation
• contribute to innovation and be contributors in innovation processes
• understand documentation about building automation system
• is able to communicate with building automation professionals

Lectures, exercises, lab work, project work, and self study.

The following coursework requirements must be approved in order for the student to take the exam:

5 written deliveries, which are individual and/or group-based. All work requirements must be approved in order to be admitted to the exam.

Part-exam with the following components:

Part 1 Individual written multiple choice exam of three hours, which counts 70%.

Part 2 Project work in groups of three to five students and which counts 30 percent. Report, implementation, oral and visual presentation in group are considered. In group work, the students’ different contributions must be reflected in the submitted work. Normally, all members of the group receive the same grade, but in exceptional cases, individual grades may be assigned within groups after further assessment. In such cases, all students in the relevant group will be informed that grades will be given individually before the grades are published.

Exam part 1) Exam results can be appealed.

Exam part 2) Project result cannot be appealed.

Both parts of the examination must be graded pass/E or better in order to pass the course.

In case of a new and postponed individual written examination, an oral examination form may be applied. If an oral examination is applied for a new and postponed examination, this cannot be appealed.

Exam part 1: No aids, but relevant information (formulas etc.) will be given in the exam paper. A hand held calculator that can't communicate can be used.

Exam Part 2: All.

Graded scale A-F

Part 1 An internal sensor.

Part 2 Two internal sensors.

External censorship is used regularly.