Globally, ductless heat pumps are the standard method of heating and cooling residential and commercial buildings. In North America the post-war building boom favoured ducted systems but we since realized there are advantages to ductless systems, especially to cool.

For commercial applications, Variable Refrigerant Volume (or Flow) systems are quickly becoming an option of choice in North America. In Japan where VRV/F was invented in 1982 half of all small commercial buildings use this ductless system.

If you are in Ontario contact me at ductlessontario@gmail.com for design, pricing, selection, installation, or technical assistance. Posts here are provided for information purposes only and not necessarily endorsed.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Variable Refrigerant Flow-Heat Recovery Performance Characterization


by
Walt Hunt, Harshal Upadhye, and Ron Domitrovic, Electric Power Research Institute
Paul Delany and Bach Tsan, Southern California Edison
Mira Vowles, Bonneville Power Administration


ABSTRACT
Anecdotal suggestion and manufacturer provided data provides evidence that variable
refrigerant flow systems with heat recovery  (VRF-HR) provide a significant opportunity for
building energy savings under certain conditions.  Actual operational data showing the
performance of heat recovery systems under varying conditions is scarce.  This paper details the
testing of a VRF-HR system under laboratory controlled conditions,  revealing operational
characteristics.  A four-zone VRF-HR system was tested at specified  conditions with varying
degrees of connected combinations of cooling and heating demand.  

Results show system power draw, delivered capacity, and EER are dynamic with changes
in total connected load, ratio of cooling to heating, and system net operating mode (net cooling /
net heating).  The results of this work inform VRF designers, model developers and energy
efficiency practitioners interested in pursuing VRF as an HVAC resource.

[Continued...pdf]
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