Cai Research Group

Publications

Journal Papers:

  1. Jiang, Z. and Cai, J., Game-Theoretic Control of Flexible Loads of Building Clusters subject to Generic Marginal Cost Curves, IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 2024, under review.
  2. Cai, J. and Jiang, Z., Primal-Dual Distributed Control of Residential Load Aggregation for Distribution Voltage Regulation, Solar Energy, 2024, under review.
  3. Elhefny, A., Shabgard, H., Kaviani, R. and Cai, J., Unlocking the economic gains for high salinity brine treatment utilizing freeze desalination, Desalination, 2024, under review.
  4. Elhefny, A., Shabgard, H., Kaviani, R. and Cai, J., Thermochemical Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Direct Freeze Desalination Systems, Desalination, 2024, under revision.
  5. Kaviani, R., Shabgard, H., Elhefny, A., and Cai, J., Experimental and Theoretical Study of a Novel Freeze Desalination System with an Intermediate Cooling Liquid, Desalination, 2024, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2024.117381.
  6. Hlanze, P., Jiang, Z., Cai, J. and Shen, B., Model-Based Predictive Control of Multi-Stage Air-Source Heat Pumps Integrated with Phase Change Material-Embedded Ceilings, Applied Energy, 2023, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.120796.
  7. Liu, H. and Cai, J., Development of an accumulator liquid-level estimator to enable zero-superheat control and active charge management in vapor-compression systems, International Journal of Refrigeration, 2022, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2022.08.003.
  8. Zhang, H., Cai, J. and Braun, J.E. A Whole Building Life-Cycle Assessment Methodology and its Application for Carbon Footprint Analysis of U.S. Commercial Buildings, Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 2022, preprint. DOI: 10.1080/19401493.2022.2107071.
  9. Sanchez, J., Jiang, Z. and Cai, J., Modeling and Mitigating Lifetime Impact of Demand Responsive Control of HVAC Systems, Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 2022, preprint. DOI: 10.1080/19401493.2022.2094466.
  10. Jiang, Z., Hlanze, P. and Cai, J. Optimal Predictive Control of Phase Change Material-Based Energy Storage in Buildings via Mixed-Integer Convex Programming, Applied Thermal Engineering, 2022, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2022.118821.
  11. Liu, H., Cai, J. and Kim, D., A Hierarchical Gray-Box Dynamic Modeling Methodology for Direct-Expansion Cooling Systems to Support Control Stability Analysis, International Journal of Refrigeration, 2022, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2021.10.013.
  12. Elhefny, A., Jiang, Z. and Cai, J., Co-Simulation and Energy Management of Photovoltaic-Rich Residential Communities for Improved Distribution Voltage Support with Flexible Loads, Solar Energy, 2022, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.11.051.
  13. Hlanze, P., Elhefny, A., Jiang, Z., Cai, J. and Shabgard, H., In-Duct Phase Change Material-Based Energy Storage to Enhance Building Demand Flexibility, Applied Energy, 2022, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.118520.
  14. Liu, H. and Cai, J., Improved Superheat Control of Variable-Speed Vapor Compression Systems in Provision of Fast Load Balancing Services, International Journal of Refrigeration, 2021, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2021.08.028.
  15. Liu, H. and Cai, J., A Robust Gray-Box Modeling Methodology for Variable-Speed Direct-Expansion Systems with Limited Training Data, International Journal of Refrigeration, 2021, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2021.05.007.
  16. Cai, J., Optimal Building Thermal Load Scheduling for Simultaneous Participation in Energy and Frequency Regulation Markets, Energies, 2021, link.
  17. Jiang, Z., Cai, J. and Moses, P. Smoothing Control of Solar Photovoltaic Generation Using Building Thermal Loads, Applied Energy, 2020, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115523.
  18. Cai, J., Braun, J.E., Assessments of Demand Response Potential in Small Commercial Buildings across the United States, Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 2019.
  19. Cai, J., Braun, J.E., A Regulation Capacity Reset Strategy for HVAC Frequency Regulation Control, Energy and Buildings, 2019, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.12.018.
  20. Cai, J., Braun, J.E., Laboratory-Based Assessment of HVAC Equipment for Power Grid Frequency Regulation: Methods, Regulation Performance, Economics, Indoor Comfort and Energy Efficiency, Energy and Buildings, 2019, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.12.022.
  21. Cai, J., Zhang, H. and Jin, X., Aging-Aware Predictive Control of PV-Battery Assets in Buildings, Applied Energy, 2018, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.12.003.
  22. Cai, J., Braun, J.E., Assessments of Variable-Speed Equipment for Packaged Rooftop Units (RTUs) in the United States, Energy and Buildings, 2018, preprint. DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.01.007.
  23. Kim, D., Cai, J., Braun, J.E. and Ariyur, K.B., System Identification for Building Thermal Systems under the Presence of Unmeasured Disturbances in Closed Loop Operation: Theoretical Analysis and Application, Energy and Buildings, 2017.
  24. Zhang, H., Cai, J., Zhao, F., Fang, K. and Sutherland J.W., Operational optimization of a grid-connected factory with onsite photovoltaic and battery storage systems, Applied Energy, 2017.
  25. Cai, J., Braun, J.E., Kim, D. and Hu, J., General approaches for determining the savings potential of optimal control for cooling in commercial buildings having both energy and demand charges, Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 2016.
  26. Cai, J., Kim, D., Jaramillo, R., Braun, J.E. and Hu, J., A general multi-agent control approach for building energy system optimization, Energy and Buildings, 2016.
  27. Kim, D., Cai, J., Ariyur, K.B. and Braun, J.E., System Identification for Building Thermal Systems under the Presence of Unmeasured Disturbances in Closed Loop Operation: Lumped Disturbance Modeling Approach, Building and Environment, 2016.
  28. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., Gray-box modeling of multi-stage direct-expansion (DX) units to enable control system optimization, ASHRAE Transactions, 2015.
  29. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., An inverse hygrothermal model for multi-zone buildings, Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 2015.
  30. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., A generalized control heuristic and simplified model predictive control (MPC) strategy for direct-expansion (DX) air-conditioning systems, Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 2015.
  31. Kim, D., Braun, J.E., Cai, J. and Fugate, D.L., Development and Experimental Demonstration of a Plug-and-Play Multiple RTU Coordination Control Algorithm for Small/Medium Commercial Buildings, Energy and Buildings, 2015.
  32. Putta, V., Kim, D., Cai, J., Hu, J. and Braun, J.E., Dynamic Programming based Approaches to Optimal Rooftop Unit Coordination, Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 2015.

Conference Papers:

  1. Elhefny, A., Shabgard, H., and Cai, J., Conceptual Design of a Hybrid Seawater Desalination System Combining Reverse Osmosis with Freeze Desalination and Evaporative Crystallization, 9th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference, 2024, to appear.
  2. Elhefny, A., Shabgard, H., and Cai, J., Thermo-Economic Analysis of a Direct Freeze Desalination System for Treating High Salinity Brines Utilizing an Intermediate Cooling Liquid, 9th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference, 2024, to appear.
  3. Sanchez, J. and Cai, J., Constrained Reinforcement Learning for Building Demand Response, American Control Conference, 2024, to appear.
  4. Jiang, Z., Cai, J., A Game-Theoretic Approach for Optimal Dispatch of Building Thermal Loads Subject to Linear-Plus-Exponential Marginal Price, 62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 2023.
  5. Shrestha, S., Moses, P. and Cai, J., Application of a Squirrel Cage Induction Machine as a Dynamometer for Motor Heat‐Run Tests, 3rd International Conference on Electrical, Computer, Communications and Mechatronics Engineering, 2023.
  6. Shen, B., Gluesenkamp, K., Li, Z. Cai, J., Hlanze, P. and Jiang, Z., Cold Climate Integrated Heat Pump with Energy Storage for Grid-Responsive Control, ASHRAE and SCANVAC HVAC Cold Climate Conference, 2023.
  7. Elhefny, A., Shabgard, H. and Cai, J., Optimal Freeze Desalination Configuration for Maximum Theoretical Energy Efficiency, 8th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference, 2023.
  8. Liu, H. and Cai, J., Accumulator Liquid-Level Estimator to Enable Zero-Superheat and Active Charge Control in Vapor-Compression Systems, 19th International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference, 2022.
  9. Jiang, Z. and Cai, J., A Potential Game Approach for Optimal Load Management of Demand-Side Aggregators, American Control Conference, 2022.
  10. Cai, J. and Jiang, Z., A Primal-Dual Distributed Control Strategy for Residential Thermal Loads to Enable Distribution Voltage Support, American Control Conference, 2022.
  11. Jiang, Z. and Cai, J., Game Theoretic Control of Thermal Loads in Demand Response Aggregators, American Control Conference, 2021.
  12. Shabgard, H., Parthasarathy, R., and Cai, J., Thermo-Economic Analysis of a Novel Eutectic Freeze Desalination System Using an Intermediate Cold Liquid, 6th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC), 2021.
  13. Cai, J. and Zhang, H., Predictive Control of Building Thermal Loads for Participation in Energy and Regulation Markets, American Control Conference, 2020.
  14. Jiang, Z. and Cai, J., Optimized Control of PCM-Based Storage Integrated in Building Air-Distribution Systems, American Control Conference, 2020.
  15. Hlanze, P., Jiang, Z., Cai, J., and Shabgard, H., Integration of Phase Change Material-Based Storage in Air Distribution Systems to Increase Building Power Flexibility, 6th International High Performance Buildings Conference, 2020.
  16. Zhang, H. and Cai, J., A Whole Building Life-Cycle Assessment Approach to Support Decision-Making for Sustainable Buildings, 6th International High Performance Buildings Conference, 2020.
  17. Liu, H. and Cai, J., A Gray-Box Dynamic Modeling Method for Variable-Speed Direct-Expansion Systems, 6th International High Performance Buildings Conference, 2020.
  18. Cai, J., Zhang, H., and Jin, X., Economic Model-Based Control of Sustainable Buildings with Photovoltaic (PV) and Battery Systems Considering Battery Degradation Costs, American Control Conference, 2018.
  19. Hou, X., Xiao, Y., Cai, J. and Hu, J., A differentially private distributed solution to model predictive control of multi-zone buildings, IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 2018.
  20. Cai, J., Lin, Y., and Braun, J.E., Laboratory Demonstration of Variable-Speed Packaged Air-Conditioning Units for Provision of Frequency Regulation Services, IEEE Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies, 2018.
  21. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., Laboratory Tests of HVAC Systems Providing Power Grid Ancillary Services, International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue, 2018.
  22. Kim, J., Cai, J., Braun, J.E. and Frank, S., Common Faults and Their Prioritization in Small Commercial Buildings, International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue, 2018.
  23. Hou, X., Xiao, Y., Cai, J., Hu, J. and Braun, J.E., An agent-based control implementation for the coordination of multiple rooftop units, International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue, 2018.
  24. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., Energy and Economic Analysis of Variable-Speed Operation for Packaged Rooftop Units, ASHRAE Annual Conference, 2018.
  25. Cai, J., Zhang, H., Kim, D., Braun, J.E. and Hu, J., Convex Optimization-Based Control of Sustainable Communities with On-Site Photovoltaic (PV) and Batteries, IEEE Conference on Control Technology and Applications, 2017.
  26. Kim, D., Cai, J., Braun, J.E., Identification Approach to Alleviate Affect of Unmeasured Disturbances for MIMO Building Thermal Network Systems, American Control Conference, 2017.
  27. Hou, X., Xiao, Y., Cai, J., Hu, J. and Braun, J.E., Distributed Model Predictive Control via Proximal Jacobian ADMM for Building Control Applications, American Control Conference, 2017.
  28. Hou, X., Xiao, Y., Cai, J., Hu, J. and Braun, J.E., A Distributed Model Predictive Control Approach for Optimal Coordination of Multiple Thermal Zones in a Large Open Space, International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue, 2016.
  29. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., Self-Learning Backlash Inverse Control of Cooling or Heating Coil Valves Having Backlash Hysteresis, International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference at Purdue, 2016.
  30. Cai, J., Kurtulus, O. and Braun, J.E., Experimental Performance Investigation of Cooling or Heating Coil Valves and Their Impact on Temperature Controls, International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference at Purdue, 2016.
  31. Cai, J., Kim, D., Braun, J.E. and Hu, J., Optimizing zone temperature setpoint excitation to minimize training data for data-driven dynamic building models, American Control Conference, 2016.
  32. Cai, J., Braun, J.E., Kim, D. and Hu, J., A multi-agent control based demand response strategy for multi-zone buildings, American Control Conference, 2016.
  33. Cai, J., Kim, D., Braun, J.E. and Hu, J., Multi-agent control for centralized air conditioning systems serving multi-zone buildings, American Control Conference , 2015.
  34. Kim, D., Braun, J.E., Cai, J. and Hu, J., Development of a plug-play multiple RTU coordination control algorithm for small/medium commercial buildings, American Control Conference , 2015.
  35. Putta, V., Kim, D., Cai, J., Hu, J. and Braun, J.E., A Switched Dynamic Programming Approach towards Optimal Control of Multiple Rooftop Units, American Control Conference, 2015.
  36. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., A practical and scalable inverse modeling approach for multi-zone buildings, 9th International Conference on System Simulation in Buildings, 2014.
  37. Kim, D., Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., Comparisons of model structure and identification methods for multiple-RTU coordination, 9th International Conference on System Simulation in Buildings, 2014.
  38. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., A Heuristic Supply Air Temperature Reset Strategy for VAV Systems Employing Variable-Capacity DX Cooling Equipment, International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue, 2014.
  39. Putta, V., Kim, D., Cai, J., Hu, J. and Braun, J.E., Distributed Model Predictive Control for building HVAC systems: A Case Study, International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue, 2014.
  40. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., Efficient and Robust Training Methodology for Inverse Building Modeling, 5th National Conference of IBPSA-USA, 2012.
  41. Cai, J. and Braun, J.E., Efficient and Robust Training Methodology for Inverse Building Modeling and Its Application to A Multi-Zone Case Study, International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue, 2012.

DOE Technical Reports:

  • Kim, J., Cai, J., Braun, J.E. and Frank, S., Common Faults and Their Prioritization in Small Commercial Buildings, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Technical Report NREL/SR-5500-70136, 2018.
  • Cai, J., Braun, J.E. and Langner, M.R., Methodology to Assess No Touch Audit Software Using Field Data, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Technical Report NREL/TP–5500-67236, 2016.

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