Energy Consumption of the VAC System for Subway Stations: A Model Based on Theoretical Analysis and its Engineering Application

Abstract

With the continuous expansion of the subway scale, the amount of energy consumed by subway stations has become a concern, among which the energy consumption of ventilation and air-conditioning (VAC) system takes a large proportion. There are many former studies concentrated on this topic. However, the problems of previous studies are obvious, such as time-consuming and unclear practical meaning of the energy model. This study has proposed a model based on theoretical analysis and focused on the energy model of the VAC system for underground subway stations. The energy model consists of the model for the cooling load and the energy efficient ratio. In this model, basic station information and environmental parameters should be tested and inputted. Then with the help of simple simulation tools, Subway Thermal Environment Simulation Software (STESS), the energy consumption of the station can be fast estimated by the model proposed in this paper. This model can be applied to determine the energy-saving potential of changing operation pattern and adopting energy-saving technologies, which gives guidance to the energy-saving retrofit of the station.