A fuzzy control system based on the human sensation of thermal comfort

Unlike the majority of the existing residential heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) control systems which are considered as temperature control problems, this paper presents a new HVAC control technique that is based on the human sensation of thermal comfort. The proposed HVAC control strategy goal is not to maintain a constant indoor air temperature but a constant indoor thermal comfort. This is realized by the implementation of a fuzzy reasoning that takes into account the vagueness and the subjectivity of the human sensation of thermal comfort in the formulation of the control action that should be applied to the HVAC system in order to bring the indoor climate into comfort conditions. Simulation results show that the proposed control strategy makes it possible to maximize both thermal comfort of the occupants and the energy economy of HVAC systems