TELKOMNIKA, Vol. 11, No. 9, September 2013, pp.

5030~5036
e-ISSN: 2087-278X

5030

The Predictive Control Method of VAV Air Conditioning

System
Jiejia Li*, Xiaofeng Li, Yang Cao

School of Information and Control Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, 110168, Shenyang,
Liaoning, China
*Corresponding author, email: 814686683@qq.com

Abstract
Aiming at the characteristics which variable air volume air conditioning system is multi-variable,
nonlinear and uncertain system, normal fuzzy neural network is hard to meet the requirements which
dynamic control of multi-variable. In this paper, we put forward a recursive neural network predictive
control strategy based on wavelet neural network model. Through recursive wavelet neural network
predictor on line established controlled objects mathematical model, and using Elman neural network
controller on line corrected information we get, thus to improve control effect. The simulation results show
that recursive wavelet neural network predictive control has stronger robustness and adaptive ability, high
control precision, better and reliable control effect and other advantages.
Keywords: variable air volume aie conditioning (VAV) recursive wavelet neural network (RWNN) elman
neural network, predictive control.
Copyright 2013 Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Variable air volume (VAV) air conditioning system is a full air system of multi-variable
and nonlinear. In VAV air conditioning system, when the air conditioning load changes or indoor
air parameters set value changes, it will adjust air flow into the room automatically, and adjust
the air conditioning parameters to set value, to meet comfort and energy-saving requirements
[1]. Therefore, this paper puts forward a kind of recursive neural network predictive control
method based on T-S fuzzy model, to establish reference model online, to complete the
identification of systems dynamic characteristics, and using neural network control method to
improve control effect.

2. The Working Principle of VAV Air Conditioning System

Figure 1. Typical VAV System Working Principle Diagram

Received March 14, 2013; Revised May 31, 2013; Accepted June 14, 2013

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VAV air conditioning system is mainly composed of VAV air conditioning units and VAV
Box. The typical VAV system is shown in Figure 1. Its working principle is: According to control
requirements, it regulate new air volume, put air volume into VAV box, and then adjust VAV box
to complete control function. So, in order to achieve temperature control requirements, to
improve the comfort and energy saving effect, we need good control strategy to meet the needs
of people [2].

3. Application of Recursive Neural Network based on Wavelet Neural Network Model in

Predictive Control of VAV System
The VAV air conditioning control system structure is shown in Figure 2. In this paper
mainly completes temperature control of system. The controllers are composed of recursive
wavelet neural network predictor and RBF neural network controller [3]. The predictor uses the
characteristics which recursive neural network based on wavelet neural network model can
effective control non-linear, time-varying and uncertainty system, and predict objects future
output, and then according to the future output to adjust control strategy online, to achieve
optimal control of air conditioning [4].
This paper will complete the design of predictor and controller.Among them: r(k) is
temperature setting ; e(k) is temperature deviation between room temperature and temperature
setting; u (k ) is control output; y (k ) is output temperature; y * (k ) is predictive temperature; e1 is
the difference of control output. e2 is the error of output and predictive value;
e1

r (k )

e(k )
y (k )

u (k )

Z1
y (k )

e2

Figure 2. Structure Diagram of Control System

3.1. Recursive Neural Network based on Wavelet Neural Network Model Predictor Design
y * ( k 1)

Wj

H j ( k 1)

Vkj ( k 1)

Oi (k )
Wij

Wkj

x1 ( k )

xn (k )

x11 ( k 1)

xkj ( k 1)

x mm ( k 1)

Figure 3. Structure Diagram of Multi-input, Single Output Recursive Wavelet Neural Network
In this paper the design of predictor adopts recursive wavelet neural network. The structure
diagram is shown in Figure 3. In this network structure, the input of hidden layer is composed of

The Predictive Control Method of VAV Air Conditioning System (Jiejia LI)

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output of input layer and output of associated layer, [5] so recursive network structure has good
dynamic characteristics, for VAV air conditioning system which has dynamic, time-varying, nonlinear, uncertain system, it has good control effect.
The input layer of network has n neurons, this paper takes n=3, neurons of input layer
are x1(k), x2 (k) , x3 (k ) , on behalf of output u(k) of neural network controller, actual output delay

y(k 1) of controller object and the error y(k)y*(k) of objects actual output and predicted
output. Oi (k) is input layers output, i 1,2...n .Hidden layer and associated layer both have m
neurons. At k moment, output of hidden layer is H j (k 1) , so input of associated layer is
expressed as x kj ( k 1) H j ( k ) , is feedback gain [5]. Associated layers output is
Vkj ( k 1) .So, recursive wavelet neural networks output is:
m

j 1

i 1

k 1

y* (k 1) j ( ij Oi (k ) kjVkj (k 1) j )

(1)

j is wavelet functions translation coefficient, () is wavelet function. j is the

weight between hidden layer and output layer, ij is the weight between input layer andhidden
layer, kj is the weight between associated layer and hidden layer.
Take wavelet function

( x ) (1 x ) e
2

x2
2

(2)

Define the error performance index function of this network:

E

1
[ y ( k 1 ) y * ( k 1 )] 2
2

(3)

Among them, y ( k 1) and y * ( k 1) represent actual output and reference model

output of predictor, at k 1 moment.
The learning of parameters takes adapt gradient descent method, we can get:

j (k 1) j (k) j (k) [j (k) j (k 1)]

(4)

ij (k 1) ij (k) ij (k) [ij (k) ij (k 1)]

(5)

kj(k 1) kj(k) kj(k) [kj(k) kj(k 1)]

(6)

j (k 1) j (k) j (k) [ j (k) j (k 1)]

(7)

Among them:
6
m
m
E
E y*(k1)
j *

[y(k1)y*(k1)](ijOi (k)kjVkj(k1)j )
j y (k1) j
k1
j1 i1

(8)

m
n
m
E
E y*(k 1)
ij *

[y(k 1) y*(k 1)]j'(ijOi (k) kjVkj(k 1) j )Oi (k)

ij y (k 1) ij
j1
i1
k1

(9)

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m
n
m
E
E y*(k1)
kj *

[y(k1)y*(k 1)]j'(ijOi (k)kjVkj(k 1)j )Vkj(k 1)

kj y (k 1) kj
j1
i1
k1

m
n
m
E
E
y*(k 1)
*

[y(k 1) y*(k 1)]j'(ijOi (k) kjVkj(k 1) j )

j
y (k 1)
j
j1
i1
k1

is leaning rate, is inertial parameter, and ,

(10)

(11)

both in the range of (0,1) .

3.2. Elman Neural Network Controller Design

At present, Bp neural network is widely used in the VAV air conditioning control field,
but Bp neural network has the drawbacks of the slow convergence speed and easily getting into
local minimum. Elman neural network could not only have fast learning speed but also not easily
get into local minimum [6].
In addition to the input layer, hidden layer and output layer, Elman network has also a
unique structural unit which is used for memory of hidden-layer output at previous time, and it
can be thought as a step time-delay matrix. And the basic Elman network can be improved by
adding a self-feedback connection of a fixed-gain [7]. As shown in Figure 4.

y (k )

w( 3)

x(k )

w( 2)

w(1)

u (k 1)

Figure 4. Structure of Modified Elman Neural Network

x k x k 1 x k 1
cl
cl
l
Where

xcl k

is the output of structural unit and

(12)

xl k

is the output of hidden layer,

and is a self-feedback gain factor. It can simulate the high order system [8].
The nonlinear state space expression described by the modified Elman neural network
is:
(13)
xk f W 1 xc k W 2u k 1

xc k xk 1 xc k 1

y k g W 3 xk

For this paper, there are two input values, x1 is error value e , and

(14)
(15)

x2 is error variation

e . The output value is control value u (k ) [9].

The Predictive Control Method of VAV Air Conditioning System (Jiejia LI)

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e-ISSN: 2087-278X

Define the performance index function:

1
[ r ( k 1) y ( k 1)] 2
2

Ep

(16)

In formula, r (k 1) is desired output, y ( k 1) is systems actual output. Where define

y k 1 and r k 1 as actual output and expected output respectively.

Hence:
y k 1
E P
ri ( k 1) y i ( k 1) i 3
rd k 1 y i k 1 g i' () x j k
3
ij
ij

Where

ij3

(17)

is the weight linking hidden neurons and output neurons.

Let,

i0 rd ( k 1) y i ( k 1) g i' ( ) ,

(18)

Then,

E P
i0 x j k
ij3

i 1, 2 , ..., m ;

E p x j k
E P

2
jq
x j k 2jq

i 1

0
i

j 1, 2, ..., n

ij3 f j' u q k 1

(19)

(20)

Let,

jh = i0 ij3 f j' ,
m

(21)

i 1

Then,

EP
h
= j uq k 1
2jq

j 1, 2,..., n; q 1, 2,..., r

m
E P
x j k
0 3
1 = i ij
jl i 1
1jl

Because

j 1, 2,..., n; l 1, 2,..., n

(22)

(23)

xc k depends on il1 ,

Hence,

x j k

r
n 1

f j ji x ci k 2ji u i k 1
1

jl i 1
i 1

n
x k

f j' x cl k 1ji ci 1
jl
i 1

n
x k 1

f j' xl k 1 1ji i 1
jl
i 1

1
jl

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KOMNIKA
Also
o,

ij

E p

(25)
(

ij

But the dependence of

o x l k 1 and
netwo
ork [10].
Hence,

x j k

1jl

ca
an be ignored
d in the modified Elman neural
n

'
'
= f j xcl k = xl k 1 f j

1jl

5035

(26)
(

Then the
e learning allgorithm will degenerate
e into the fo
ollowing stan
ndard BP lea
arning
algorrithm:

ij3
i0 x j k

i 1, 2,..., m;

2jq
jhuq k 1

j 1, 2,,..., n;

x j k

i 1

1jl

1jl i0 ij3

j 1, 2,...,
2 n
q 1, 2,..., r

j 1, 2,..., n;

l 1, 2,...., n

(27)
(
(28)
(

(29)
(

Wherre,

i0 y d i k y i k g i'

(30)
(

jhh i0 ij3 f j'

(31)
(

i 1

According to the above,

a
the dependence of
o

xl k 1 and 1jl caan be ignoredd.

Hence,
x j k
1jl

f j' x cl k

f j' x cl k f j' x l k 1 f j' x cl k 1

(32)
(
(33)
(

Then,
(34)
(
According
g to gradien
nt descent method,
m
we get
g iterative algorithm o
of outputs weight,
w
radial basis functiions center and
a radial ba
asis functions width.
Simulation and
a Conclus
sion
4. S
In order to verity the
e reasonable
eness of the
e control sch
heme. We m
made a simu
ulation
experriment. In th
his paper, control object is second--order lag model,
m
its tra
ansfer function is:

The Predictive
P
Con
ntrol Method
d of VAV Air Conditioning
C
g System (Jie
ejia LI)

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e--ISSN: 2087-278X

G (s)

kke s
. Take T1 14, T2 6, k 11, 10 , set desirred temperatture is
( T 1 s 1 )( T 2 s 1 )

24 C .The simulation compparison diagram of recuursive wavelet neural nnetwork preddictive

contrrol and comm
mon neural network contrrol is shown in
i Figure 5.

Fig
gure 5. Comp
parison Diagram of Recursive Wavele
et Neural Ne
etwork Predicctive Control and
Common Neural
N
Network Control

Figure 5 shows that: When the input tempe

erature chan
nges from 19 C to 25 C , the
eural networkk control is at
a about 1250
adjussting time of common ne
0s , and its oovershoot is large.
But recursive
r
wa
avelet neural network pre
edictive control has quicck response speed and small
oversshoot, and itts adjusting time is abou
ut 800s . The
erefore, recu
ursive wavelet neural ne
etwork
predictive contro
ol has better dynamic performance
p
e. So, recurrsive wavele
et neural ne
etwork
predictive control has small overshoot, short adjus
sting time, high
h
control precision, strong
s
robusstness and good control performance
p
e.

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