A novel high-dimensional sensor calibration framework integrating thermodynamic laws in complex HVAC systems

•A new sensor calibration method that requires no training data is established.•The framework effectively repairs high-dimensional sensor data.•The framework addresses the growing need for precise sensor calibration.•Simulated annealing outperformed five algorithms for robust calibration.•The method has been validated in a central cooling system in Hong Kong. Accurate calibration of sensors is critical for ensuring energy efficient operation of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings. Due to the high dimensionality of sensor data and the complexity of multiple-fault scenarios, calibrating sensors in large and complex HVAC systems presents significant challenges. To address this issue, this study introduces a novel sensor calibration framework that integrates thermodynamic laws for high-dimensional sensor calibration in complex HVAC systems. The traditional calibration method heavily relies on accurate data, making it difficult to apply in practical engineering projects. The innovative aspect of our method lies in its integration of thermodynamic laws, such as mass balance and energy conservation, with sensor calibration framework. This approach enables the framework to handle high-dimensional sensor measurements effectively without any training data. We compared five optimization algorithms and applied them to a central cooling system in Hong Kong. The results demonstrated that the simulated annealing (SA) is the most robust for solving the calibration problem, even in scenarios with up to 21 faulty sensors, with the calibrated sensor accuracy meeting the standards for conventional chiller plant operations. This novel framework provides a robust and reliable solution for high-dimensional sensor calibration in large and complex HVAC systems, addressing the growing need for precise sensor calibration as the number of installed sensors increases.