Modern large shopping centers, business buildings, as well as homeowners' associations and private properties need constant technical control. Management of ventilation, water supply, power supply cannot be carried out without the help of special computer programs. They automatically control and change the operation of mechanisms, and in case of possible malfunctions and in emergency situations, the system gives an alarm signal. This building management system is called a "dispatching system". We will tell you more about how it is designed and installed in our article.
Dispatch system: operating principles
Modern control rooms are equipped with engineering systems control computers. They commute with controllers in server rooms and frequency converters on installed engineering equipment. Dispatch and automation systems are designed to make it easy to monitor building equipment.
With the help of a computer, the dispatcher at the enterprise, andthe owner or maintenance personnel in a private house, monitors the change in supply air temperature, pressure drops in pipes and controls other parameters of various equipment.
Remote control
Ventilation air handling units can be controlled remotely. By changing the opening percentage of the refrigerant valve, the supply air temperature can be influenced. The building management system remotely monitors the following facilities:
- Individual heating point.
- Main power distribution board and incoming switchgears.
- Indoor and outdoor lighting.
- Gas supply.
- Supply and exhaust ventilation units.
- Air conditioners and fan coil units.
- Water supply and sewerage.
- Water disposal system (drainage pits and storm sewers).
- Fire alarms and air pressure.
- Gas sensors for parking spaces.
- Building access control.
- Elevator and escalator equipment.
Initial preparation and commissioning
The installation of the described equipment should be considered at the stage of building construction. The design of dispatching systems is carried out by special contractors.
The project must provide for cable channels connecting all equipment for communication with the server. Signals from frequency converters, which are located on installations, pumps, power equipment and other systems, come to the server blocks via cable.
The server room should be placed in a separate, well-ventilated room to cool the power supplies and fans inside the server racks.
Installation work
Installation of dispatching systems is usually carried out by specially hired contractors. As a rule, they have their own ready-made projects, but they can also work on customer projects. Maintenance of the dispatching system at the stage of warranty service is carried out by the contractor who installed this equipment.
After the expiration of the warranty period, it is possible to control the work by the on-duty team. Typically, a low voltage engineer is responsible for maintaining the system. Different teams have their own set schedule, and the effectiveness of the work of weak currents with equipment depends on this.
Internal filling of the control system
There are several computer programs that control the equipment installed at the facility. Not so long ago, Honeywell and Johnson Controls programs were popular. Now new facilities usually install Siemens, Orion and other less common programs, as well as modified Honeywell and Johnson Controls.
Object dispatching systemrequires constant monitoring and updating. Usually, all systems are installed with a long warranty period, and later, at the end of the warranty period, the obligations for adjustment and maintenance are performed by the same contractors.
For elevator equipment, everything is installed depending on which contractor company installs and maintains elevator dispatch systems (Kone-Lift, ThyssenKrupp AG, Otis and others).
How a fire fighting system works
Automation is also installed on the devices of fire-fighting equipment. It is triggered by smoke from fire detectors and sends an alarm to the control room. The dispatcher on the monitor sees the location of the sensor and reports the incident to the duty shift.
If two smoke detectors are triggered, an immediate evacuation alarm will sound throughout the building. This will turn on the air boost system in the elevator shafts. The elevators will automatically descend to the first floor and open the doors without responding to calls or orders.
How automation is controlled
The equipment installed in the building contains sensors and instrumentation. They collect information about the state of the equipment and interact with the controllers, which transmit a signal to the automation system and the computer installed in the control room. The operator-dispatcher on the working monitor sees the status of the system and, if necessary, controls the installations.
Automatic ventilation regulates the set parameters according to the temperature settings inroom. If these are supply and exhaust units equipped with a heat exchanger, a heat exchanger and a cold circuit, the automation maintains the desired temperature by closing or opening the cold (hot) water valve or increasing the speed of the heat exchanger. The dispatcher observes all these changes on the monitor screen in the control room.
In the cold season, when the outdoor temperature drops below twenty degrees Celsius, it is possible to transfer the units to manual mode by the dispatcher or on-duty personnel to prevent freezing of the heat exchanger.
Setting the necessary parameters on his control panel (computer), the dispatcher monitors the changes and the process of the installations. Usually, leading engineers, taking care of the normal operation of the equipment, place the schedule and schedule of the ventilation units on a special stand or in the dispatcher's operational log. According to him, the dispatching system controls the processes of heat exchange and cooling.
Security systems
Speaking of dispatch control systems, one should not forget about special dispatch systems for the security structure. They are abbreviated as ACS (Access Control System). It does not communicate with the ventilation control system and other engineering equipment and is equipped with a special computer.
The control computer receives signals from all electromagnetic locks, turnstiles and other electronic readers, including the entry control system-exit of cars from the parking lot. All passes issued to employees and staff have numbers that can be used to determine at what time the employee passed through the turnstile or door equipped with a magnetic lock. All these data, also transmitted by magnetic sensors, are sent to a special access control dispatch computer.
The remote access control system is connected to the fire safety engineering system. In the event of an emergency, it will automatically unlock the doors of all emergency exits.
An important place in the operation of building management systems is taken by the uninterruptible power supply of the server. In the event of a power failure, it will save it to the dispatcher console and allow you to turn off the systems without losing data.
Where building management systems are used
No modern business center can do without building management systems. Even ordinary lighting in buildings is switched on through the dispatch system. In addition, security facilities play an important role in business centers. Hence, access control systems are also being installed. They ensure the operation of storage facilities, as well as entry and exit from parking spaces. The same applies to elevator and escalator equipment.
In any building, the installation of dispatching systems facilitates the work of on-duty personnel and saves energy resources, creating comfortable conditions in the premises
