Improving the efficiency of residential HVAC systems using computer-based power-electronic controls

Space heating and cooling are responsible for about 43% of energy consumption in the average American home [1]. That number can be reduced significantly through the use of a computer-based power-electronic control system. This paper describes one proposed solution, which uses a PC to control the motors in the system. The central PC uses wireless communications to coordinate fan and compressor speeds. The paper describes some new control concepts designed to implement demand-side management, and it shows how the system can be operated in a diagnostic mode that regularly checks for increased energy consumption resulting from degrading equipment conditions.