Rubin
BUILDING CONTROL
& SCADA
ABOUT
The devices can store and transmit variables and measured data to the centre or remote admin to ensure monitoring of the network parameters controlled by the system
lighting, ventilation, blinds, alarms, fire alarms, adjuster, etc.
Our goal is to create a hardware and software system that by using flexible expansion units, various data transfer routes, standard interfaces and advanced software solutions creates a system satisfying the largest possible audience, is flexible for further development and has complex functions to work with. By coordinating the operation of the various subsystems, we can reduce energy and each time use the most economical energy source while ensuring maximum comfort.
TECHNOLOGY
Intelligent control provide.
The node has its own intelligence that ensures coordinated control of the managed devices based on the sensors connected to the node. Signals from sensors connected to other nodes are also available via TCP/IP connection between the nodes. Node intelligence may be modified with appropriate authorisation and the control logic is fully customizable. Nodes can operate as part of a connected system or as standalone units; the operation of the system does not necessary require central management.
The node unit can use standard interfaces to communicate with properly prepared devices but can also control power consumer units directly. The unit has a module capable of measuring the amount of electric power consumed, which allows for continuous control over consumption. Additional units may be added to the node via the high-speed USB bus to satisfy any needs.
The smallest LEGO-type building blocks of the Rubin RUBICON system are the NODE units capable of operating separately and each equipped with its own modular CPU and the fully configurable I/O modules processing signals received from sensors (temperature, door/window opening, fire, motion, light, AC, current consumer, ventilation, heat control etc.). The modules communicate with each other using a USB bus. The 400 MHz CPU of the module is supported by 128 MB RAM and a micro SD card memory slot.
CASE STUDIES
Learn about our solutions!
Rubin RUBICON Biatorbágy Case Study Introduction
Description of the building
The building has 4 rooms that require temperature control and they all differ in area and the amount of heat generated in them.
The building has a climate control room with 3 air cooling units of 30,000 W each. They are suitable for air transmission without cooling. All three units use the same air channel, i.e. they are connected in parallel. Therefore, any inactive unit must be isolated from the active ones using a shutter to prevent air backflow.
The rooms to cool are connected to the common exhaust channel via a open/close shutter system with different number of units:
- Room 1 has 9 louvered air channels in 3 controller groups (2, 3 and 4 units)
- Room 2 has 2 louvered air channels in 2 controller groups (1 unit each)
- Room 3 has 2 louvered air channels in 2 controller groups (1 unit each)
- Room 4 has 4 louvered air channels in 3 controller groups (1, 1 and 2 units)
The rooms that require cooling are connected to the air inlet channel via inlet openings of the same diameters that are always open.
During active (compressor driven) cooling, the air inlet channel is connected to the outlet channels of the air conditioners via an open shutter while each of the two windows of this channel that connect to open air is blocked by a closed shutter. In that case the inlet air channel is pressurized.
During ventilation, the inlet air channel is closed off from the outlet channels of the air conditioners with a shutter and the hot air from the rooms is driven outdoors. Each of two windows of the inlet channel is connected to open air via an open shutter. This creates a vacuum in the inlet channel, which drives the cool open air into the rooms in proportion to the air extracted from the rooms.
The air change rate in the rooms is much lower with ventilation compared to active cooling with the same number of air conditioners. This reduced rate is caused by the vacuum-based inflow as well as the choking effect caused by the air filters cleaning the outdoor air.
The cooling air flow rate in the common air channels can be increased by turning on more air conditioners. This, however, involves shutting down the ventilators active at that moment otherwise the airflow in the units planned to be switched on causes backflow, which in turn prevents their launch due to the resulting overcurrent.
RUBICON Hardware implementation of control
System components:
- 1 piece of RUBICON CPU card
- 1 piece of 48/12 V, 48/5 V power supply card
- 3 piece of RUBICON IO cards (2 thermometers, 8 digital input and 12 digital output)
- 23 piece of 12V industrial relay switch
- 1 piece of 220/12V power supply for the relays
Software implementation
The application running in the RUBICON hardware module (control configuration) has been developed using the special purpose “RUBICON Designer” application.
We have created several control functions suitable for reuse in similar tasks. Like building blocks, these components can be used to create controls based on the same principle but with different designs to accommodate more rooms or fewer air conditioning units. These building blocks can be combined to control up to 10 rooms and 5 air conditioners with up to 5 shutter groups providing choking.
The configuration in Biatorbágy controls the cooling of 4 rooms with 3 air conditioners and, whenever possible, with ventilation. Each room has its own control to operate the shutters regulating air flow. Each room can have up to 5 shutters or shutter groups. Room temperature must be kept within the “expected temperature range”. The system first operates only the shutters and only when the temperature remains out of range does it send a signal to the central control unit that there is either not enough or too much cooling air. A central control algorithm controls the operation of air conditioners. It determines whether the outside air is suitable for ventilation or not. The central control unit also monitors room signals reporting either too little or too much cooling air and, based on those signals, decides to switch on or off additional air conditioners.
The central control is complemented with a special algorithm actually controlling the specific air conditioners. It monitors machine workload and turns on the least used unit. It coordinates the parallel launches of air conditioners, controls closing shutters preventing air backflow and the shutters switching between ventilation and cooling operating modes. Operation is supported by some additional controls.
The temperature averaging algorithm eliminates the uncertainty originating from the digital processing of thermometers. The temperature change and thermal trend algorithm determines the temperature change within the preset period and its tendency in °C/minute.
The initial parameters auxiliary control determines the air conditioner performance variation sequence or the room shutter combination sequence when the system is configured at start. Using these sequences, the central control can select the switches corresponding to the control grade. This function is activated when the status of an air conditioner changes to “forbidden” due to a failure or maintenance work. In that case the forbidden unit is removed from the air conditioner performance variation sequence and the central control logic no longer calculates with that unit. Shutter failure logic.
This logic does not participate directly in the control; however, it monitors the end-point signals of the shutters. If the signals do not match the expected (controlled) state, it sends an error report and may re-initiate a machine launch sequence. After multiple attempts, it can halt the system.
Another function monitors whether the doors of the rooms to be cooled are open, which could ruinthe efficiency of ventilation cooling. Therefore, if the function detects that a door is left open for an extended period of time, the system automatically switches to active cooling. As an additional service, the RUBICON controller also monitors the firewarning signals provided by an external system. In the event of a fire alarm the system closes all shutters and shuts down all machines.
System status can be monitored via a web interface and a similar, simple interface is available to configure or change the parameters that regulate system operations.
Made by Zoltán Ágoston
