Comparison Study between Oil-Free Chiller and VRF/Split Unit, Air-cooled

& Water-cooled Chiller System

VRF/Split Unit and Oil-Free Chiller

VRF Air-cooled Split System Oil-Free Water/ Air Cooled
Chiller System

Individual • Yes • Yes

Control

Total Piping • Max. Refrigerant Piping • Chilled Water Piping

Length Length @ 175m Length (Unlimited)

• Max. Vertical Piping Run

@ 60 – 70m (Subjected
to Capacity Drop)

Indoor Unit • Restricted to the same • Flexible to Couple with

Coupling with Manufacturer / Brand of Any Manufacturer /
Outdoor Unit Indoor Unit at Exorbitant Brand and combination
Pricing in Future of Indoor Unit
Upgrading Exercise

Wired Remote • Yes. Able to limit • Yes. Able to limit

Controller temperature range temperature range
Temperature through proper setting through proper setting
Limit Setting

Combination • 120% – 130 % • 80% Adjustment Factor

Ratio between
• Higher Electrical Power / • Better System First Cost
Indoor &
Maximum Demand
Outdoor Unit

Water Piping • No Water Piping Needed • Yes, Water Piping is

Issue but instead required
Huge Amount of
Refrigerant circulating
around the building
which involves
• Using Chilled Water, it
Refrigerant Leakage and
Safety Concern
required. However
Water is still safer than
Refrigerant. Thus, no
safety concern.
eliminates the piping
length limitation and
performance de-ration
commonly faced by VRF
System
Re-partioning of • Repositioning of the • Chilled Water Piping can
Room Indoor Units is subjected be relocated to any
to the piping length position and location
limitation and could void without any length
the manufacturer’s limitation
warranty
• No Restriction in the
• Any upgrading / selection of indoor unit
modification works on type and Brand used for
the existing system have the upgrading /
to be bond with the modification works, thus
existing VRF Supplier resulted in Better Project
resulted in incompetent Cost Control
equipment pricing
Comparison between Oil-Free Chiller, Water-cooled and Air-cooled Chiller

Oil-Free
Technical Issues Water-cooled Chiller Air-cooled Chiller
Chiller

Hyper Low energy usage Low energy usage but

High energy usage
Energy Issue (Very High efficiency on bad efficiency on Part
(Low efficiency)
Part Load) Load
Efficiency (kW/RT) 0.495 0.815 1.10
- Yes (Water-cooled
Chiller)
Water usage Yes No
- No (Air-cooled
Chiller)
- Required (Water-
Mechanical Chiller cooled Chiller)
Required Not Required
Plant Room - Not Required (Air-
cooled Chiller)

Noise Pollution Quiet (65-72 dBA) Noisy (78-90 dBA) Noisy (78-95 dBA)

Cost of Maintenance
Maintenance Free High (yearly oil
(Oil related problem) High (yearly oil change)
change)

Wide range of tonnage

Tonnage availability For large tonnage For small tonnage
from low to high

Utility Cost Lowest energy Low energy usage High energy usage
usage

Oil Lubricate for the Oil Free Needed Needed

system

Performance De-rate No (Oil Free and Yes (de-rate 2% on Yes (de-rate 2% on

over Equipment Life Magnetic Bearing) compressor per year) compressor per year)
Span

Compressor Type Centrifugal Only Scroll, Reciprocating, Scroll, Reciprocating

Screw and Centrifugal and Screw
VSD Yes (Standard) Yes (By Option) No