Smart window with an embedded control system for thermal comfort in buildings in Mexico

Globally, buildings are responsible for 40% of the annual energy consumption, most of them using air-conditioning systems that emit gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. The purpose of this research was to design a proportional, integrating and differentiating (PID) control system for a fluid flowing in a double-skin facade (DSF) in Mexico to generate comfortable temperatures inside a building through heat transfer by circulating the fluid at the desired temperature through the cavity between the panes. Research has shown that the structure of the installed DSF with materials and measurements recommended by the manufacturer was not able to withstand a high-temperature fluid since heat shock occurs in the windows, so a redesign of the structure was made with stronger material and certain considerations. A DSF with a fluid at room temperature served as thermal insulation. The PID control algorithm programmed in the embedded system allowed it to keep the water at the desired temperature and to determine whether it was necessary to circulate fluid at high or low temperatures, consuming about 2000 Wh in the cold season and 3860 Wh in the hot season, which represents savings of 71% energy for the building, resulting in a lower power consumption and a low-emission system.