REFRIGERANT HEAT RECOVERY CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...... 1. When Is Heat Recovery Practical? 2. Where Can Recovered Heat Be Used? 8. How Much Heat Is Available? ......... 4. What Equipment Is Used To Recover Heat From Refrigerant? ...... . REFRIGERANT HEAT RECOVERY COILS” 5. What Are The Common Heat Recovery Arrangements? oe 6. How Is Coll Capacity Controlled? 7. What Are Some Heat Recovery Coil Applications? . 8. How Are The Coils Selected? ..... : CENTRIFUGAL FAN AIR COOLED CONDENSERS. ‘9. How Are Heat Recovery CFAC Units Applied? . 10. How Are Condensing Temperatures Within Dual Circuit CFAC Units Controlled? . a The Trane Company, in presenting these suggested energy conserving system design and application con- cepts, assumes no responsibilty for the performance or desirabiity of any resulting system design. This material is presented solely to promote and aid inthe implementation ‘of energy conserving practice within the industry. System design is the prerogative and responsibilty of the system - designer. - ©The Trane Company, 1983 La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601INTRODUCTION Heat recovery systems offer the opportunity to reduce ‘operating costs. Properly designed and applied, heat re- covery can reduce, or eliminate, the need for supplemental heating systems. ‘Many products are available for recovering heat rejected by refrigeration systems. ‘© Refrigerant heat recovery coils produce heated air. © Centrifugal fan air cooled condensers, through the man- agement of the heated air stream, can be used to re- cover or reject par, or all, of the available heat from a refrigeration system. * Desuperheaters, applied with reciprocating com- pressors, heat water. © Auxiliary'condenser options or dual condenser water chillers heat water, using as much of the available heat as needed. ‘The applications discussed in this manual are limited to those using refrigerant heat recovery coils and centrifugal fan air cooled condensers. Practical considerations for the selection and control of these heat recovery devices are covered in detail 1. When Is Heat Recovery Practical? Unless some kind of storage system is used, a large number of hours of simultaneous heating and cooling loads is necessary before refrigerant heat recovery can be ‘considered practical. Examples of such applications are: © Supermarkets ‘* Computer rooms Process applications ‘© Buildings that require simultaneous heating and cooling © Applications that require reheat for humidity control. 2. Where Can Recovered Heat Be Used? Recovered heat can be used toheat the building perimeter while the interior zones are being cooled. It may also be used for spot heating in doorways, locker rooms, stair wells, ete. ‘Another usage is in a humidity control application. To maintain space temperature, recovered heat can be used to reheat air leaving a cooling and dehumiditying coil. 3. How Much Heat Is Available? ‘The heat rejection rate of a refrigeration system deter- mines the availability of heat to recover. The heat rejection rales simply he sum ofthe system's gross cooing capac- ity and compressor power input (expressed in consistent terms). For example, the heat rejection rate of a compressor- chiller connected to an air cooled condenser, delivering 55 tons with a 60 KW compressor power input is: Capacity = ‘55 tons x 12 MBH/Ton = 660 MBH Compressor Power = 60 KW x 3.4 MBHIKW = 204 MBH Heat Rejection = 664 MBH ‘The compressor power requirement normally appears on the unit nameplate or in the manufacturer's published data, 4. What Equipment ts Used To Recover Heat From Refrigerant? ‘As discussed, the applications inthis manual are confined to those that use refrigerant heat recovery coils and centri gal fan air cooled condensers. Refrigerant Heat Recovery Coils FIGURE 1 (Figure 1) Refrigerant heat recovery coils are similar tothe familiar refrigeration cooling coil. The same fin and tube materials are used to construct both. They are available with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 tube rows. Variable series fin spacings, of both Prima-Flo and Sigma-Fio configurations, maximize coil performance and airside pressure drop options. Refrigerant heat recovery coils can have up to 12 individ- ual circuits. Individual circuits allow multiple compressorsO to be piped to a single col, while retaining the integrity of each system. Centrifugal Fan Air Cooled Condensers (Figure 2) The centrifugal fan air cooled condenser can be Controlled to recover all or any part ofthe available heat. Tho unit contains a condensing coll with liquid receiver, sight glass and relief valve. The coll is circuited for sub- cooling. External face and bypass dampers or dampered mixing boxes can be used to provide airside control of the con- densing temperature and the recovery of the heated air. FIGURE 2 Filter sections, along with most standard alr handling ac- cessories, may also be used, REFRIGERANT HEAT RECOVERY COILS 5. What Are The Common Heat Recovery Coll ‘Arrangements? Refrigerant heat recovery coils are applied typically in two basic piping arrangements: * Series flow with the condenser ‘* Parallel flow with the condenser Series Flow ‘Advantages: (Figure 3) The advantages of the series flow arrangement are: © Simple system — no control valves required. * Oil return problems are minimized. * The quantty of refrigerant required is not greatly in- creased over that required by anon-heat recovery sys- tem. A side benefitis the standard receiver is normally adequate. FIGURE 3REFRIGERANT HEAT RECOVERY COILS Disadvantages: «tis generally not possible to recover all of the available heat with this arrangement. In series, tt is dificult to reduce the heat rejection capacity of the condenser to zero while there is refrigerant flow within its condensing tubes. © Itis not recommended that aheat recovery coil be piped in series with a water cooled condenser. Reftigerant condensed within the coil will impinge upon the con- denser tubes, causing erosion. Parallel Flow FIGURE 4 Advantages: (Figure 4) The advantages of the parallel flow arrangement are: © Virtually all of the available heat can be recovered. ‘© Since refrigerant control valves divert flow ar rangement, itis possible to exercise heat recovery con- trol from the refrigerant side of the device. Disadvantages: ‘* Anumber of expensive flow control valves are normally required. ‘* Frequently, additional refrigerant is required, necessi- tating an increase in receiver size. 4O 6. How Is Coil Capacity Controlled? Series Flow sornon FIGURE 5 Heat recovery capacity of the series flow arrangement can be controlled from either the airside or refrigerant side of the ooil. (Figure 5) Airside control is applied using face and bypass dampers. To establish the ITD (condensing temperature coil entering air temperature) needed to achieve heating capacity, a condenser capacity control package may be required. For example, assume a heat recovery coil and an air cooled condenser are piped in series. To determine the degree of condenser capacity control needed to produce the required heating effect, the following information must be known and plotted. (Figure 6) Fist, knowing the outdoor air temperature and the coincident cooling load at design heating conditions, the gross condenser and cooling system heat rejection rates versus condensing temperature can be plotted. In this example, the condenser balances the cooling system heat rejection rate (total heat available) at an 80 F condensing temperature. Next, knowing the design heating requirement, cfm and coil entering air temperature, the heat recovery coil capac- ity versus condensing temperature can be plotted. Locating the intersection of the design heating require- ment and the heat recovery coil capacity curve, the con- densing temperature needed to produce capacity is 100 F. However, this example condenser is capable of rejecting all ofthe heat at 80 F. Therefore, condenser capacity must eee EE NS I a] ‘conoensiua TEMP. (7 FIGURE 6 be reduced to a point where its capacity (A) added to the heat recovery coll capacity (B) equals the total heat avail- able (C). In this manner, the heat recovery coil and condenser pro- ortionally share the load at the condensing temperature needed to produce design heating capacity.REFRIGERANT HEAT RECOVERY COILS ear necoveny EVAPORATOR FIGURE 7 (Figure 7) Retigerant-side control, on the other hand, is applied using a 2-position, 3-way, diverting valve. The valve is installed in the compressor discharge line to divert hot gas to the coil, which is in series with the condenser, or directly to the condenser. Coil capacity is controlled by cy- cling the valve. Again, ITD is established by controlting condenser capacity. Note: Series flow, airside control is the simpliest, most trouble-free heat recovery coll arrangement. It is generally used when the heat recovery coil serves multiple refrig- eration systems. Airside control eliminates the need to valve each individual circuit. Parallel Flow ‘eCaVER FIGURE 8 ‘The capacity of the parallel flow, heat recovery arrange- (Figure 8) Refrigerant side control uses a 2-position, 3- ment is controlled from the refrigerant side of the coll. way, diverting valve. The valve diverts refrigerant into one 6or the other of the parallel circuits. Coil capacity is con- trolled by oycing the valve. Since the heat recovery coil and condenser circuits are in- dependent of one another, sharing only the subcooling cir- cut, virtually all of the available heat can be recovered. Note: When reftigerant-side control is applied to either the ‘series on parallel arrangement, the heat recovery coil and its associated pressure drop are removed from the circuit when heating is not required. 7. What Are Some Heat Recovery Coil Applications? Refrigerant heat recovery coils can be applied with air han- dlers, along with cooling and heating coils, to provide reheat and preheat functions. REHEAT 4H | O) i E FIGURE 9 (Figure 9) For example, when heat recovery is controlled {rom the refrigerant side, the reheat function is performed by simply installing the heat recovery coil on the leaving side of the cooling coil. FACE AND BYPASS RENEAT a FIGURE 10 (Figure 10) However, when the reheat coll serves multiple reftigeration circuits, its capacity is normally controlled {rom the airside. In this case, face and bypass dampers are used fo control the reheat function. O ZNANANAN UNG: 8 g || i PaaS 3 ©) ele & AIK 1 1 wll ONDE ees FIGURE 11 (Figure 11) When airside reheat control is applied to the ‘Trane Climate Changer, a coil module is required to house / the cooling coll. In addition, if the internal face and bypass () damper arrangementis used, a modified heat recovery coll is needed x 3 x on 5 ©) go i7 # aS . om ‘COI MODULE ea FIGURE 12 (Figure 12) However, ifthe full face area of the heat recov- ery coll is required, a Climate Changer extemal face and bypass damper assembly with bypass duct is required. ‘The modified and full coil dimensions that can be accom- modated by Climate Changer casings are contained in Trane Catalog DS CLCH-1, “Climate Changers, Tor- rivents, Cabinet Fans”. REHEAT-PREMEAT ig ar ‘coouNa con 2 FIGURE 13, (Figure 13) The reheat, preheat function can be performed by sandwiching the heat recovery coil between a he: coil and a DX cooling coil During the heating season, the heat recovery coil must serve a load(s) other than the one served by the idle up- stream cooling coil (such as refrigerated show cases, pro- ‘cess, computer room air conditioner, etc.). Note: in the preheat mode, the coil serves as a heat boost- er. The use of heat recovery coils to protect heating coils from freeze-up should be studied carefully. To provide such protection, a consistent cooling load, of sufficient ‘magnitude to provide an adequate air temperature rise, is needed.REFRIGERANT HEAT RECOVERY COILS 8. How Are The Coils Selected? Trane refrigerant heat recovery coils may be selected manually of using the computer selection program. In either case, the following information must be known before a coil selection can be made. © SCFM..is the mass airflow through the heat recovery coil at the heat recovery design condition. © Coll Size.xis the heat recovery coll width and length di- ‘mensions. These are established by the duct size or the size limitations of the air handler. Total Number Of Refrigerant Circuits...efers to the number of refigeration systems served by the coil. For example, if heat is to be recovered from a frozen food display case, a freezer and an air conditioning system, the heat recovery coil requires three refrigerant circuits. ‘Type Of Rettigerant Per Circuit..the refrigerant used in the system served by each coll circuit must be identified, Heat Available Per Circuit..usually the het recovery design condition is not concurrent with the cooling design condition. Therefore, i the refrigeration system- (6) has unloading (part load) capability, the heat avail- able at the heat recovery design condition is the sum of the cooling capacity(s) and compressor power input(s) at part load, ‘© Amount Of Heat To Be Recovered...is the design heat- ing requirement. © ITD (entering air temperature - condensing tem- perature)...to function properly, conventional refrig- eration systems require an 80 F (saturation), or higher, condensing temperature. Therefore, the heat recovery must not have the capacity to reduce the condens- ing temperature to an unacceptable level. For example, if the heat recovery design entering air condition is 30 F, the ITD specified must be at least 50 F (G0F-30F), This example ITD applies regardless ofthe percentage of available heat recovered. If all of the available heat is recovered, the large ITD will maintain the required condensing temperature and pressure. On the other hand, if only a part of the available heat is re~ covered, the large ITD will lead to the least costly coil selection. Note: The minimum condensing temperature and pres- sure are established on the basis ofthe full load liquid line pressure drop (both fiction and hydrostatic) and the subcooling availabe at the design heating outdoor am- bient temperature. Sufficient condensing pressure and subcooling must be available to overcome the liquid line pressure drop and still retain design liquid pressure and at least 5 F of sub- cooling at the expansion valve. Manual Selection ‘The manual procedure can be used to obtain a single se- lection of coil row and fin series for the given conditions. ‘Since the tables used in this procedure assume a fixed ini tial temperature difference and identical performance characteristics for R-12, R-500 and R-502, the selections tend to be conservative. ‘This method may be used to obtain a tentative selection Later, it can be optimized using the computer “Refrigerant Heat Recovery Coil Selection” program. Refer to Trane Catalog DS COIL-3, “Refrigerant Heat Re- covery Coils”, for coil data and manual selection examples. Computer Selection ‘The name given the Trane computer heat recovery coil se- lection program is HCOL. Taking into account the actual condensing temperature within each circuit and the specific properties of R12, R- 22, R-500 and R-502, the program selects six coll row and {in series combinations that will meet or exceed the speci- fled heating capacity. In addition, the program output includes the coil airside pressure drop and the refrigerant pressure drop (RPD in psi) by circuit. ‘When selecting a coil for a series piped arrangement (an unvalved arrangement that js controlled by face and bypass dampers) it is important that the pressure drop within the coil circuits not be excessive, Ifthe “heat available per circuit” value was determined on the basis of part load, the RPD printed out by the program is based on part load operation. To determine the full load pressure drop, the appropriate factor from Table 1 must be applied. ‘Table 1 - RPD Full Load Factors Part Load | 100% Ht. Recovery | 60% Hi. Recovery (6) Factor ZO 10, 33 is 33 50, 50 40 87 27 23. 75 20 18 For example, assume the heat available calculation was based on 33 percent of full oad and 50 percent of the avail- ‘able heat's tobe recovered. From the table, the correction factor is 8.3. ‘Assuming that the RPD printed out for this circu the full load RPD equals .38 x 8.3 or 3.2 psi. 88 psi,“To avoid penalizing he cooling performance of the series connected coil should not exceed 15 psi. connected system when heating Is not required, the full oC) toad pressure drop within each heat recovery coll circuit The coll options and data made avaiable by the program Enc ncteseaa bat permit the designer to optimize his selection from both a first cost and operating cost standpoint. ‘On the other hand, the RPD within the circuits of a parallel CENTRIFUGAL FAN AIR COOLED CONDENSERS (CFAC) ‘9.How Are Heat Recovery CFAC Units Applied? EAS O) Uh = onan, ie ™ Xl cages SP ole RAAF ae 4. Oo FIGURE 14 Two applications of the CFAC condenser used commonly to recover all or part of the available heat are discussed. (Figure 14) The system shown uses two air mixing boxes to direct airflow. When there is no call for heat, the outdoor ‘and exhaust air dampers are opened fully, conducting 100 percent outdoor air through the condenser. On a demand for heating, the supply and return dampers are modulated, directing heated supply airto and return air from the condi- tioned space. Once the outdoor and exhaust air dampers have closed and the supply and return dampers have ‘opened fully, additional capacity can be provided by sup- plemental, duct mounted heating modules. The damper operators of both mixing boxes should have the spring return feature to cause the outdoor and exhaust air dampers to fallin the closed position. ‘To compensate for the variations in air temperature seen by the condenser coil, face and bypass dampers are used to modulate flow, thereby stabilizing condenser pressure. ‘These dampers are positioned by refrigerant pressure ac- tuated operators that receive their actuating pressure from the liquid line,CENTRIFUGAL FAN AIR COOLED CONDENSERS (Figure 15) A suggested heating control scheme is illus- trated. In his example, itis assumed that the heated airis provided to a space other than the one served by the air conditioner, ‘Start-up of the air conditioner is initiated when the cooling thermostat (TC1) closes, energizing the evaporator fan contactor (MS1). In turn, the normally open MS1 contacts close, energizing the compressor contactor (MS2). Ener- izing MS2 closes its normally open and opens its normally closed contacts. One set of normally open contacts ener- izes the condenser fan contactor (MS3) while the other set energizes the damper operator control circuit. The room thermostat (TC2) then modulates the damper oper- ators of mixing boxes #1 and #2, as needed, to divert warm air to and return air from the conditioned space. Once the supply air damper of mixing box #2 has been driven to the fully open position, closing the exhaust damp- er, the end switch of operator #2 closes. Supplemental heat is then brought on, as needed, by room thermostat TC3 through the closed MS3 auxiliary contacts. When the air conditioner is shutdown, the opening of the MS2 contacts de-energizes the condenser fan contactor (MS3) and the damper operator control circuit. Assuming they are spring return devices, the operators close the out- FIGURE 15 ‘door and exhaust dampers and open the supply and return dampers of the mixing boxes. This closes the end switch of damper operator #2. In this shutdown condition, a need for heat closes space thermostat TC3, energizing condenser fan contactor MS3 through the normally closed contacts of MS2. The closing of the MS3 auxiliary contacts brings on the supplemental heat. T BEE . FIGURE 16 sienran (Figure 16) A heat recovery design that can accommodate low ambient start-up is shown. Head pressure is controlled by modulating the dampers of mixing boxes #1 and #2. The dampers are positioned from the condenser coil entering air temperature. By mixing varying quantities of warm return or bypass air with ‘outdoor air, stable condensing temperatures can be main- tained at very low ambients, Heated airis supplied the conditioned space by mixing box #3 and the supply air damper. The retum damper of mixingbox #3 and the supply alr damper are normally closed. On ‘call for heating, the supply air damper modulates toward then open position, Simultaneously, the return and bypass ‘dampers of mixing box #3 modulate, opening the return and closing the bypass. After the supply air damper has opened fully, any additional heating need can be satisfied by a supplemental heating module. (Figure 17) The following is a suitable control scheme for this low ambient start-up, heat recovery system. FIGURE 17 Similar to the previous system, start-up of the air condi- tioner is initiated when thermostat TC1 closes, energizing the evaporator fan contactor MS1. In turn, the normally ‘open MS1 contacts close, energizing the compressor con tactor (MS2). The now energized MS2 closes its normally ‘open and opens its normally closed contacts. One set of normally open MS2 contacts energizes the condenser fan contactor (MS3) while the other set energizes the con- denser entering air temperature control circuit. The enter- ing air temperature controller (TC2) then modulates the damper operators of mixing boxes #1 and #2, as needed, to hold the entering mixed air temperature at some value above the minimum 60 F. Inaddtion, energizing the fan contactor closes its auxiliary contacts (MS3), powering the room temperature control circuit. In tum, the room temperature controller (TC3) mod- Ulates the supply damper and the return-bypass damper operators in accordance with the heating demand. ‘Once the supply air damper has been driven to the fully ‘open position, the end switch of operator #4 closes. The ‘supplemental heating relay can then be energized, as re- quired, by room thermostat TC4 through the closed MS3 auxiliary contacts. " When the air conditioner is ‘shutdown, the opening of the MS2 and MS3 auxiliary contacts de-energizes the damper control circuits. Assuming that they are spring retum de- vices, the operators close the supply air damper plus the retum damper of mixing box #3 which, in tum, opens the bypass. In addition, the outdoor and exhaust dampers of mixing boxes #1 and #2 close, opening the return and di- verting dampers. In this shutdown condition, a need for heat closes room thermostat TC4, energizing condenser fan contactor MS3 through the normally closed contacts of MS2. Energizing MSS closes its contacts that are in series with the room temperature control circuits. Sensing the need for heat, ‘TC3 causes operators #3 and #4 to open the supply and return air dampers. When the supply air damper is open fully, the end switch of operator #4 closes, completing the circuit to the supplemental heating relay. 10. How Are Condensing Temperatures Within Dual Circuit CFAC Units Controlled? Dual circuit, CFAC condensers must have some form of condensing pressure control if the col willbe exposed toa 60 F, or less, air temperature, ‘The systom that operates capacity control dampers from condensing pressure is not satisfactory. The reason is, in the dual circuit application, the condensing pressures of two independent and possibly unequally loaded systems must be considered, A simple system of condensing pressure control for this dual circuit application is one that modulates condenser airflow, using either face and bypass dampers or fan inlet vanes, in response to coil entering air temperature. For example, consider a system similar to the one illus: trated in Figure 14, that controls condensing pressure through airflow modulation ¢ -CCCCC ee @ “Cc ER | EXTERNG COND. AM EMP.) FIGURE 18 (Figure 18) A suggested flow rate versus entering alr tem- perature is shown. Scheduling the alr flow rate in this manner can provide a satisfactory condensing tem-CENTRIFUGAL FAN AIR COOLED CONDENSERS perature for the systems connected to each of the circuits, down toan entering airtemperature of approximately 35 F. To broaden the operating range to include lower tem- peratures, the installation of a “low ambient” kit on each ‘compressor unitis required. The kit consists of a timer that Jumpers the low pressure control for approximately 2 minutes at startup. “Low ambient” kits are available for ‘most compressor — evaporator units as a factory installed option. Combining the effects ofthe “iow ambient” kit and variable alifiow, the operating range can be extended to 0 F. For startup at below zero temperatures, a system that pro- Vides warm return or bypass air is required.