The project ALMMA, led by the Thermal Energy and Building Performance Department at IREC, came to an end this 2024. The core of the project revolved around advanced algorithms for the monitoring and management of HVAC systems, and in particular heat pumps. More specifically, ALMMA consists of two components that were developed along the project:

• A model predictive control algorithm (MPC), which controls the production of heating, cooling and domestic hot water in an optimal way, considering variable electricity tariffs, weather and occupancy predictions. Its optimization features, along with built-in models of the systems, enable to reduce the energy bills due to the use of heat pumps.
• A fault detection and diagnosis algorithm (FDD), which monitors constantly the efficiency of the heat pump (its COP, Coefficient of Performance) and alerts the users in case of detecting an efficiency drop. It also proposes a diagnosis of the potential fault, for example if it is due to a small leakage or fouling of the fan situated outside. This helps discovering soft faults that would otherwise go unnoticed, targeting better the actions of maintenance, improving the real efficiency of the heat pump in operation and prolonging its lifetime.

We joined the forces of the two algorithms into a single prototype, able to monitor and control heat pump systems in a more efficient manner. The prototype, integrated in a simple piece of hardware, was first tested in the SEILAB laboratory of IREC in Tarragona with a real heat pump run in the climate chamber to simulate various climate conditions.  Afterwards, it was deployed in a real building, a block of flats situated in Palma de Mallorca. Our ALMMA prototype controlled the centralized installation that produces the domestic hot water (DHW) for the more than 100 households of the building. This successful implementation demonstrated the strategy deployed by the MPC algorithm, heating the accumulation tanks when there was available production of local renewable energy (photovoltaic panels installed on the roof), or when the price of electricity was lower during the night off-peak hours.

As the project was financed through the PRODUCTE category of the Knowledge Industry call from the AGAUR, one important component was also to initiate a reflection on how to turn this prototype into a potential product for future commercialization. To this end, a formation in entrepreneurship was provided by AGAUR to the team and enabled to draw the outline of a potential business model adapted to the specificities of ALMMA. The future developments will center in consolidating the ALMMA product for various applications, according to this outlined strategy.

In line with this strategy, a new image of ALMMA was developed to catalyze its commercial potential as a product disruptor. The brand of ALMMA resulted in a new logotype along with a branding manual.

The project is supported by the Departament de Recerca i Universitats from Generalitat de Catalunya.