tuesday september 26th - ashrae bostonashraeboston.org/resources/documents/presentations/ashrae...

JS Rancourt

DXS New England [Daikin]

Tuesday September 26th 2017

Main Program:

Overview and Discussion of VRF Technology

Greg Hosselbarth

Mitsubishi Electric

AGENDA

Introduction - Global

VRF 101

Energy Efficiency & Operational costs

Capital costs

VRF in New England

Local Market Trends

How to layout a competitive system

Refrigerant Safety Code

Your presenter : Jean-Samuel (JS) Rancourt

Principal of DXS New England, an HTS company

Specializes exclusively in Daikin VRV technology

[email protected]

1982

1987

2001

1973 – Global oil crises

1979 – New energy efficiency laws passes in Japan

1980 – Chiller design engineers challenged with making a higher efficiency chiller

1982 - 1984 – The worlds first VRF Systems are launched in Japan

1984 - 1987 – VRF introduced to European and Middle Eastern markets

Early 2000’s – VRF is introduced to North America

MAJOR WORLDWIDE VRF INSTALLS

VRF : 3-6,000 Tons

82,000 sq.ft. 100,000 sq.ft. 1,105,000 sq.ft.

420,000 sq.ft. 1,306,000 sq.ft.

700,000 sq.ft.

Low utility rates

Existing AC market / solutions

ASHRAE 15

Fear of distributed refrigerant

Fear of air source heat pump heating

VRF’s delay to North America

Most major North America HVAC brands are now partnered with an Asian based VRF manufacturer

[outright acquisitions, IP acquisitions, joint ventures or private labelling]

Some major VRF manufacturers sell into North America under their own brand

VRF is continuing to be the fastest growing segment of the North American HVAC market

What changed since early 2000’s?

Utility rates

Still relatively low, but in general, focus on energy efficiency is increasing

Large incentives now helping offset the current utility rates

ASHRAE 15

The RCL limit was doubled since then (26 lbs / 1000 vs 13 lbs / 1000)

The requirements can be handled if designed properly

Fear of air-source heat pump heating

There is now good precedence of VRF handling all heating requirements

effectively and efficiently (in even colder climates)

Fear of distributed refrigerant

Better understanding of R-410a, ASHRAE 15, and of the risks

Precedence

VRF is no longer ‘the new technology’ in North America

Large, very large buildings being fully served by VRF, all over the USA & Canada

VRF Applications

K-12

Office

Medical Office Building

Hospital / Healthcare (critical cooling or admin areas)

Residence

Assisted living

Condo amenity / retail / podiums

Condo suites (low / mid / high rise)

University

Hotel

Retail

WWTPs

AGENDA


VRF 101


Capital costs

VRF in New England

Local Market Trends



VRF technology delivers all heating and cooling needs

to your building via outdoor machines directly connected

to indoor fan coils using small refrigerant pipes.

VRF 101

Choose from a long list of indoor unit options

Exposed, concealed, horizontal, vertical etc.

Each indoor unit has an Electronic Expansion Valve which

Throttles refrigerant flow based on actual load.

VRF 101

Indoor units

Small copper pipes (1/4” to 1-3/8”).

Moves heat around with 10 times less fluid than water

And with 180 times less fluid than air.

Reduce ductwork substantially; size them only for fresh air.

Small flexible copper pipes vs larger water piping

VRF 101

Refrigerant Piping

VRF 101

Outdoor machines

Inverter (variable speed) scroll compressors.

Central controller monitors and reacts to all indoor unit

expansion valves, and throttles inverter compressor.

Hence, Variable Refrigerant Flow

Heat Pump vs Heat Recovery VRF

Heat Pump

System is either in heating OR cooling

Ie. Indoor units cannot provide cooling if system is in heating

*Fast & Automatic system switch over*

Indoor units still have independent set point control

Heat

Heat

Heat


Heat Recovery

Indoor units can heat or cool independently

CoolHeat

Fan Only

Transfer of heat


2-Pipe Traditional 3-pipe Multi Port 3-Pipe

Another VRF option – Water-Cooled VRF

A water-source heat pump

system with centralized

high efficiency VRF

compressors.

Ideal for Hi-Rise

residential, hotel and

office construction.

Ideal for extreme cold

climate.

Compatible with Geothermal

One centralized

condenser water riser.

Centralized VRF

compressors on each floor

Small refrigerant pipes from

compressors to VRF fan coils

Return AirSupply Air

8” deep

horizontal fan coil

AGENDA


VRF 101


Capital costs

VRF in New England

Local Market Trends



Let’s talk about Energy Efficiency – VRF vs Conventional systems

Energy Efficiency Operational Costs

Cooling

Heating

More efficient than most

Need a good optimized

central plant to beat VRF

Lower than most

Need a good optimized

central plant to beat VRF

MUCH more efficient than

any other alternative

(by 3X, 4X, 5X etc.)

***Not necessarily lower

than other systems***

VRF uses a different and

more expensive fuel:

Electricity

More efficient than all Usually lower or equal

VRF Energy Efficiency – AHRI 1230

EER (95F) IEER COP (47°F) COP (17°F) SCHE

System full load cooling

operation

System seasonal cooling

efficiency

Full Load Heating

Performance at 47°F

Full Load Heating

Performance at 17°F

Simul-taneous

Cooling and Heating

Efficiency (approx 50-

50%)

In 2010, IEER (Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio) replaced IPLV

(Integrated Part Load Performance) as the means to measure part load

performance of commercial HVAC systems over 65,000 Btu/h

https://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridirectory/pages/vrfhp/defaultSearch.aspx

https://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridirectory/pages/vrfhp/defaultSearch.aspx

VRF Energy Efficiency – AHRI 1230

ASHRAE 90.1 2013

Typical VRF HP

Energy efficiency of electric heat pumps come from the high COPs

COP at -13°F: ~2

Blended average COP in our climate is ~3

*** We need an iCOP! ***

Heating Coefficient of Performance at 47°F, 17°F, and -13°F

Electric Heat Pump heating in our Climate

AGENDA


VRF 101


Capital costs

VRF in New England

Local Market Trends



Let’s talk about capital costs – VRF vs Conventional systems

Equipment Cost Installation costs

Early 2000’s

2017

High compared to global

VRF equipment prices

All imported, low

competition

Very high

Contracting community

unfamiliar with VRF and

pricing

VRF equipment prices

have dropped and

reached global levels

Continuously dropping and

slowly getting in line with

overseas VRF install costs

Need a contractor with

VRF install experience

VRF is now much more price competitive than it used to be

Capital

Cost

Per

Unit

$

Size of building 100 Tons

(~50k sq.ft.)1,000 Tons

(~500k sq.ft)

4-Pipe Fan Coil

2-Pipe Fan CoilWater-Source Heat Pumps

Water-Cooled VRF

Air-Cooled HR VRF

Air-Cooled HP VRF

Massachusetts – Largest VRF incentives in the country

Motivation: Clean Heating, green house gas reduction

Funding: $30M from 2015-2020

VRF program launch: April 2017

Rebate amounts: $800-$1,200 / Ton

(up to $1,400 for public/non-profit and $2,000 for affordable housing)

MassCEC VRF Rebate Program [Paid to building owner]

Motivation: From utilities, kW reductions

Funding: Not specified

VRF program launch: September 2017

Rebate amounts: $250 / Ton

Mass Save VRF Rebate Program [upstream]

AGENDA


VRF 101


Capital costs

VRF in New England

Local Market Trends



Variable Refrigerant Flow

Greg HosselbarthRegional Manager - Commercial Sales

Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating

508-688-9836

[email protected]

Agenda

• VRF in New England

• Local Market Trends

• Lay out a competitive system

• Refrigerant Safety Code

The local progression of VRF

Spot Heating and Cooling

Energy conscious

owners

Historic Renovations

General New Construction and Retrofits

Electrification


Energy conscious

owners



Electrification


• VRF as sole source heat

• Inverter driven compressor efficiency

• LEED

• Net Zero


Energy conscious

owners



Electrification


• Refrigerant piping vs. ductwork


Energy conscious

owners



Electrification


• Cost competitive with traditional systems

• Easy to zone/control

• Base Building/TI

Local Market Trends

• Greenhouse gas reduction

• Net-Zero

• Passive House

• Living Building Challenge


Energy conscious

owners



Electrification

Laying out VRF for competitive bidding

Selection Software

Schedule Corrected Capacity

Schedule job specific accessories

Execution Specs

ASHRAE 15/34

What is ASHRAE 15?

What is ASHRAE 34?

Refrigerant Concentration Limit“the refrigerant concentration limit, in air,

determined in accordance with this standard

and intended to reduce the risks of acute

toxicity asphyxiation and flammability hazards

in normally occupied, enclosed spaces”

RCL can be expressed inppm v/v

g/m3

lb/Mcf (or lb/1000 ft3)

RCL

International Mechanical CodeIMC-2006 sets R-410A RCL as 10 lbs/MCFIMC-2009 revisions raises RCL to 25 lbs/MCF

ISO-5149ISO-5149 sets R-410A RCL as 18.7 lbs/MCF

ASHRAE 15ASHRAE 15 does not reference R-410AASHRAE 15 references ASHRAE 34ASHRAE 34 sets R-410A RCL as 26 lbs/MCF

Determination of RCL

Refrigerant Management Example

ElectricalRoom

Janitor

Closet

Lobby/

Waiting Room

ConferenceRoom

Office #1

Office #2

Cubicle Area

Open WorkRoom

Bathroom

Bathroom

Refrigerant Management Example

ElectricalRoom

Janitor

Closet

Lobby/

Waiting Room

ConferenceRoom

Office #1

Office #2

Cubicle Area

Open WorkRoom

Bathroom

Bathroom

12ton

RCL Calculation

Option 1 - Separate small rooms

ElectricalRoom

Janitor

Closet

Lobby/

Waiting Room

ConferenceRoom

Office #1

Office #2

Cubicle Area

Open WorkRoom

Bathroom

Bathroom

12ton

Option 2: Split Refrigerant Circuit

ElectricalRoom

Janitor

Closet

Lobby/

Waiting Room

ConferenceRoom

Office #1

Office #2

Cubicle Area

Open WorkRoom

Bathroom

Bathroom

6ton

6ton

Option 3: Increase Volume with

Connected spaces

ElectricalRoom

Janitor

Closet

Lobby/

Waiting Room

ConferenceRoom

Office #1

Office #2

Cubicle Area

Open WorkRoom

Bathroom

Bathroom

12ton

HVAC ductwork

Option 3: Increase Volume with

Connected spaces

ElectricalRoom

Janitor

Closet

Lobby/

Waiting Room

ConferenceRoom

Office #1

Office #2

Cubicle Area

Open WorkRoom

Bathroom

Bathroom

12ton

HVAC ductwork

Permanent opening

•ISO: A total opening area more than 0.15% of the floor area at a low

position with another room/space, the two rooms/space are

considered as one

•ASHRAE: Permanent Openings or HVAC ducts

Connected Spaces

Less piping = Less Charge

100ft of main piping could add 10-20lbs of refrigerant

Alternative Option – Use less piping

Questions??

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