Optimization strategy for joint operation of kitchen air-conditioning and fan based on energy consumption and comfort

Abstract

To improve the thermal comfort of kitchens in summer and reduce energy consumption, this paper proposes a comfort analysis method for kitchens under the coordinated operation of air-conditioning and fans.This method comprehensively considers kitchen thermal comfort and air age, and introduces a comprehensive evaluation value for kitchen comfort, aiming to quantify the overall comfort level and use it as an important indicator for energy consumption management. By combining orthogonal experiments with CFD simulation, this paper deeply explores the optimal structural parameter configuration of kitchen air-conditioning systems. Furthermore, this paper also presents comfort fitting curves for the combined operation of air-conditioning and fans under different energy consumption constraints, with the aim of minimizing energy consumption without sacrificing kitchen comfort. The research results show that the air-conditioning outlet airflow rate has the most significant impact on kitchen comfort. The optimal combination of air-conditioning parameters is a 45°supply angle, a 5 m³/min outlet airflow rate, and a 21 °C supply temperature. At the optimal air-conditioning structural parameters, turning on the fan can further enhance kitchen comfort. Under low, medium, and high fan speeds, the equivalent air-conditioning outlet airflow rates are respectively 4.34, 4.06, and 3.95 m³/min. The energy consumption under combined operation of the air-conditioning and fan can be reduced by 11.90 %, 16.43 %, and 17.70 %, respectively.