Toward Optimal Design of a Factory Air Conditioning System Based on Energy Consumption Prediction

The Make-up Air Unit (MAU) is an air conditioning system which plays an important role in serving semiconductor cleanrooms. It provides constant temperature and humidity for fresh air through various sections, including fresh air filtration, preheating, precooling, humidification, recooling, reheating, air supply, and high-efficiency filtration. However, the commonly used PID control method of the MAU indicates a deficiency in energy consumption. Hence, this research introduces a proactive energy-saving optimization control method based on machine learning and intelligent optimization algorithms. Firstly, the machine learning methods are used to train historical data of the MAU, resulting in a data-driven prediction model of energy consumption for the system. Subsequently, the customized genetic algorithm (GA) is used to optimize energy in cold and hot water systems. It facilitates the dynamic adjustment of the regulating valve opening for the cold and hot water coil in the fresh air unit, responding to real-time variations in outdoor air conditions. Meanwhile, it ensures that the supply air temperature and humidification adhere to specified requirements, thereby reducing the energy consumption associated with cold and hot water usage in the MAU. The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm can provide significant energy conservation in the MAU.