Self-Adaptive PDLC Control Strategy With Smart Light Intensity Adjustment Using Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric Hybrid Energy Supply Technology

As an electronically controlled glass whose transmittance varies with voltage, polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) has the advantages of good privacy, high transmittance, fast response speed, and good heat shielding performance. It can be applied to electronically controlled building windows. However, PDLC needs to consume extra power, and electronically controlled PDLC has not yet been integrated with intelligent home environment control. In this article, we propose an adaptive variable voltage step-size fast control algorithm in field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based home environment control system, which is powered by photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid sources. The power supply voltage of the PDLC can be dynamically changed through the adaptive pulsewidth modulation (PWM) duty cycle adjustment technology to realize intelligent transmittance control, thereby improving the indoor lighting environment. Experimental results show that by applying the proposed algorithm, the indoor temperature is reduced by 2 °C, and the adaptive and stable regulation of the optimal indoor illumination of 500 Lux can be completed in less than 2.5 s. This article provides a feasible solution for the low-energy intelligent integrated control and monitoring of the modern home environment.