ASHRAE Presentation: VRF Overview

Mitsubishi Electric
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©2011 Mitsubishi Electric& Electronics USA, Inc.

Agenda
General overview of VRF Technology

Review of Design Considerations

Benefits of VRF
Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF)
 Heat Pump
versus

Heat Pump with Heat Recovery

Heat Pump
Heat Pump

Outdoor Indoor Controls

Unit Units System
Heat Pump

Outdoor Indoor Controls

Unit Units System
Heat Pump Applications

Restaurants Lobbies Churches

Others?
Heat Pump with Heat Recovery
Simultaneous Cooling & Heating
Heat Pump with Heat Recovery
Simultaneous Cooling & Heating

Outdoor Branch Indoor Controls

Unit Circuit Units System
Controller
Heat Pump with Heat Recovery
Simultaneous Cooling & Heating

Branch
Outdoor Indoor Controls
Circuit
Unit Units System
Controller
Heat Pump with Heat Recovery Applications
Simultaneous Cooling & Heating

Schools Assisted Living Facility Offices

Others?
What is the purpose of each component?
 Outdoor Unit
• Controls compressor speed

• Controls condenser fan speed

• Controls pressure of refrigerant to maximize capacity and efficiency

 Branch Circuit (BC) Controller
• Separates refrigerant into gas and liquid

• Ensures units in heating receive superheated gas

• Ensures units in cooling receive sub-cooled liquid

 Indoor Units
• Sense the space temperature

• Contain a Linear Expansion Valve (LEV) that

automatically modulates

• Allow the precise amount of refrigerant through the

heat exchanger

• Filter and distributes air

 Controls System
• Integrated sequence of operation

• Takes input from the user and provides feedback to the system
 Piping Lengths
• There are piping considerations for:
▫ Total System Piping Length
▫ Intermediate Lengths
▫ Elevation Differentials

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 What are the benefits of VRF?
• Two-pipe System

• INVERTER Technology

• Multiple Indoor Units

• Variable Capacity System

• Zoning System

• Complete Control Offering

 Recall
What system type requires a Branch Circuit Controller?

Which system type cannot provide cooling and heating simultaneously to

connected units?

Is there any difference between the controls offered for Heat Pump Systems versus
those offered for Heat Pump with Heat Recovery?
 VRF Design Considerations

Equipment Layout Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency

 Equipment Layout

Equipment Layout Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency

 Ceiling Space
20 Ton System

Rectangular Ductwork (DX System) 40” x 20”

Round Ductwork (DX System) 30” Round

Piping (4-Pipe System) 3” CHWS&R, 3” HWS&R

Piping (VRF) 13/8” Gas 1 1/8” Liquid

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
Vertical Stack WSHPs

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
Water-source VRF

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Piping Lengths
• There are piping considerations for:
▫ Total System Piping Length
▫ Intermediate Lengths
▫ Elevation Differentials

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Condensation
• Outdoor Units
▫ Consider location of unit
▫ Consider area drains and floor stands

• BC Controller
▫ Drain pipe connection

• Indoor Units
▫ Drain pipe connections
▫ Some styles include standard condensate lift
mechanism
▫ All styles include contact for condensate alarm/safety
switch

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Diversity

Equipment Layout Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency

Solar Diversity
5 Tons
Morning

3 Tons 3 Tons
Morning Afternoon

5 Tons
Afternoon
What is the
block load?

What is the sum of

the zone peak
loads?

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
Occupant Diversity

WORK ROOM 103 OPEN OFFICE 101

CONFERENCE
105 COFFEE
105A

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
Occupant Diversity

WORK ROOM 103 OPEN OFFICE 101

What is the
CONFERENCE sum of the
105 COFFEE peaks?
105A
What is the
block load?

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
Building Diversity

HEATING

Waste Heat What

COOLING equipment is
running?

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Designing with Diversity
• Connected Capacity:
▫ Connect up to 150% of the outdoor unit capacity.

• Actual Capacity:
▫ The actual system capacity is the capacity of the
associated outdoor unit.

• A system cannot provide more than 100% of the

outdoor unit’s capacity.
Contact your local representative
when designing at greater than
110% connected capacity.

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Designing with Diversity
Example:
• Indoor units totaling 14 tons can be connected
to a 12 ton outdoor unit
▫ Connected Capacity = 14 Tons, 117%
▫ Actual Capacity = 12 Tons, 100%

• The maximum amount of cooling that can ever

be provided at a single instant is 12 tons
Contact your local representative
when designing at greater than
110% connected capacity.

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Ventilation

Equipment Layout Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency

 Ventilation
• Duct required Outside Air (OA) directly to space or indoor unit
▫ Always calculate entering coil temperatures

• Use Dedicated Outside Air System (DOAS),

Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), or
both to temper the air

• Adhere to local codes in designing ventilation

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Heating

Equipment Layout Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency

 Special Considerations for Heating
• Utilize manufacturer’s design software

• Minimize connected capacity for colder

climates

• Outside Air

• Consider Building Warm-up

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout
 Efficiency

Equipment Layout Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency

 Efficiency
• INVERTER-driven compressor matches compressor speed
exactly to load

• Simultaneous cooling and heating allows heat recovery

between zones

• All efficiency values now available via AHRI Directory

▫ http://www.ahridirectory.org

Equipment
Diversity Ventilation Heating Efficiency
Layout