Variable refrigerant flow

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Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) is an HVAC technology.[1]

VRF uses refrigerant as the cooling and heating medium, and allows one outdoor condensing unit to be connected to multiple indoor fan-coil units (FCUs), each individually controllable by its user, while modulating the amount of refrigerant being sent to each evaporator. By operating at varying speeds, VRF units work only at the needed rate allowing for substantial energy savings at partial-load conditions. Heat recovery VRF technology allows individual indoor units to heat or cool as required, while the compressor load benefits from the internal heat recovery. Energy savings of up to 55% are predicted over comparable unitary equipment.[2] [1] VRF is typically implemented with the use of an Air conditioner inverter which adds an DC inverter to the compressor in order to support variable motor speed and thus variable refrigerant flow rather than on/off operation.

An engineer estimated in 2009 that a VRF system cost 20 to 40 percent more than a traditional split/heat pump HVAC system to install, but opined that operating costs are potentially at least 10 percent lower. He speculated that the cost differences might be recovered in five years.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thornton, Brian (December 2012). "Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems". General Services Administration (US Federal Government type=pdf). http://www.gsa.gov/portal/mediaId/169771/fileName/GPG_VRF_Report_-_FINAL_DRAFT_4-16-13. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  2. ↑ "Variable Refrigerant Flow". 
  3. ↑ "New and Cool: Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems". AIArchitect (American Institute of Architects). 2009-04-10. Retrieved 2013-08-06. 

External links

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