Dimension-reduced Optimization of Multi-zone Thermostatically Controlled Loads

Abstract

This study proposes a computationally efficient method for optimizing multi-zone thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) by leveraging dimensionality reduction through an auto-encoder. We develop a multi-task learning framework to jointly represent latent variables and formulate a state-space model based on observed TCL operation data. This significantly reduces the dimensionality of TCL variables and states while preserving critical nonlinear interdependencies in TCL control. To address various application scenarios, we introduce optimization algorithms based on system identification (OptIden) and system simulation (OptSim) tailored to the latent variable representation. These approaches employ automatic differentiation and zeroth-order techniques, respectively, for efficient implementation. We evaluate the proposed method using a 90-zone apartment prototype, comparing its performance to traditional high-dimensional optimization. Results demonstrate that our approach effectively reduces control costs while achieving significantly higher computational efficiency.