Parameter optimization for operation of a bed-based task/ambient air conditioning (TAC) system to achieve a thermally neutral environment with minimum energy use

The purpose of this paper is to optimize the operating parameters such as: supply air temperature, supply air flow rate and supply air humidity, for a bed-based task/ambient air conditioning (TAC) system installed in an experimental bedroom with two total insulation values of beddings and bed to obtain a thermally neutral sleeping environment with minimum energy use. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was applied to calculate the values of predicted mean vote (PMV) and energy utilization coefficient (EUC) based on conditions of 16 simulation cases. From the simulation results, the design of experiment method was applied to identify operating parameters, individually or combined, that could significantly affect thermal neutrality and energy use for the bedroom environment to establish linear regression models for PMV and EUC. These models were used to obtain the optimum operating parameters of the bed-based TAC system. These models were validated by comparing the obtained optimization results using the models with the predicted results given by the CFD method. The results suggested that for a bed-based TAC system at a specified total insulation value of beddings and bed, a lower energy use can be achieved through adjusting operating parameters while the thermal comfort is maintained.