Calibration of a central cooling plant model using manufacturer's data and measured input parameters and comparison with measured performance

Several approaches for model calibration are used by consultants and researchers. For buildings with large mechanical cooling plants, the measurement of relevant parameters, the identification of performance values/curves, and their use in the model calibration should receive more attention, especially when the model is intended for ongoing commissioning. These additional steps are presented in this paper using as a case study a university campus central cooling plant. A fair agreement was obtained between measurements and predictions with the calibrated model for water temperature at key locations, the electric power input of cooling equipment, and the coefficient of performance (COP) of chillers and various groups of equipment. The case study proved that it is possible to develop a calibrated model using measurements and manufacturer data, without modifying by trial-and-error some variables or using stochastic approaches.

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