Seasonal energy efficiency ratio

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The efficiency of air conditioners is often rated by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) which is
defined by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute in its standard AHRI 210/240,
Performance Rating of Unitary Air-Conditioning and Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment.[1]

The SEER rating of a unit is the cooling output during a typical cooling-season divided by the total electric
energy input during the same period. The higher the unit's SEER rating the more energy efficient it is. In the U.S.,
the SEER is the ratio of cooling in British thermal unit (BTU) to the energy consumed in watt-hours. The
coefficient of performance (COP), a more universal dimensionless measure of efficiency, is discussed in the
following section.

For example, consider a 5,000-British-thermal-unit-per-hour (1,500 W) air-conditioning unit, with a SEER of

10 BTU/W·h, operating for a total of 1000 hours during an annual cooling season (e.g., 8 hours per day for 125
days).

The annual total cooling output would be:

5000 BTU/h × 8 h/day × 125 days/year = 5,000,000 BTU/year

With a SEER of 10 BTU/W·h, the annual electrical energy usage would be about:

5,000,000 BTU/year / 10 BTU/W·h = 500,000 W·h/year

The average power usage may also be calculated more simply by:

Average power = (BTU/h) / (SEER) = 5000 / 10 = 500 W

If your electricity cost is 20¢/kW·h, then your cost per operating hour is:

0.5 kW * 20¢/kW·h = 10¢/h

Contents
1 Relationship of SEER to EER and COP
2 Theoretical maximum
3 US government SEER standards
3.1 US Government SEER Requirement Changes for 2015
4 Calculating the annual cost of electric energy for an air conditioner
5 Maximum SEER ratings
6 Heat Pumps
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

Relationship of SEER to EER and COP

The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of a particular cooling device is the ratio of output cooling (in BTU/h) to
input electrical power (in watts) at a given operating point. EER is generally calculated using a 95 °F outside
temp and an inside (actually return air) temp of 80 °F and 50% relative humidity. The EER is a more realistic
measurement of energy efficiency in warmer climates due to the high demand and higher cost of peak hour
electricity.

The EER is related to the coefficient of performance (COP) commonly used in thermodynamics, with the
primary difference being that the COP of a cooling device is unit-less, because the numerator and denominator
are expressed in the same units. The EER uses mixed units, so it is obtained by multiplying the COP by the
conversion factor from BTU/h to Watts: EER = 3.41214 × COP (see British thermal unit).

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is also the COP expressed in BTU/W·hr, but instead of being
evaluated at a single operating condition, it represents the expected overall performance for a typical year's
weather in a given location. The SEER is thus calculated with the same indoor temperature, but over a range of
outside temperatures from 65 °F (18 °C) to 104 °F (40 °C), with a certain specified percentage of time in each
of 8 bins spanning 5 °F (2.8 °C). There is no allowance for different climates in this rating, which is intended to
give an indication of how the EER is affected by a range of outside temperatures over the course of a cooling
season.

Typical EER for residential central cooling units = 0.875 × SEER. SEER is a higher value than EER for the same
equipment.[1]

A more detailed method for converting SEER to EER uses this formula:

EER = -0.02 × SEER² + 1.12 × SEER[2] Note that this method is used for benchmark modeling only
and is not appropriate for all climate conditions.[2]

A SEER of 13 is approximately equivalent to an EER of 11, and a COP of 3.2, which means that 3.2 units of
heat are removed from indoors per unit of energy used to run the air conditioner.

Theoretical maximum
The SEER and EER of an air conditioner are limited by the laws of thermodynamics. The refrigeration process
with the maximum possible efficiency is the Carnot cycle. The COP of an air conditioner using the Carnot cycle
is:

where is the indoor temperature and is the outdoor temperature. Both temperatures must be measured
using a thermodynamic temperature scale based at absolute zero such as Kelvin or Rankine. The EER is
calculated by multiplying the COP by 3.412 BTU/W·h as described above:

Assuming an outdoor temperature of 95 °F (35 °C) and an indoor temperature of 80 °F (27 °C), the above
equation gives (when temperatures are converted to Kelvin or Rankine) a COP of 36, or an EER of 120. This is
about 10 times more efficient than a typical home air conditioner available today.
The maximum EER decreases as the difference between the inside and outside air temperature increases, and
vice versa. In a desert climate where the outdoor temperature is 120 °F (49 °C), the maximum COP drops to
13, or an EER of 46 (for an indoor temperature of 80 °F (27 °C)).

The maximum SEER can be calculated by averaging the maximum EER over the range of expected
temperatures for the season.

US government SEER standards

SEER rating more accurately reflects overall system efficiency on a seasonal basis and EER reflects the system’s
energy efficiency at one specific operating condition. Both ratings are useful when choosing products, but the
same rating must be used for comparisons. As of January 2006, all residential air conditioners sold in the United
States must have a SEER of at least 13. ENERGY STAR qualified Central Air Conditioners must have a SEER
of at least 14.

Today, it is rare to see systems rated below SEER 9 in the United States because aging, existing units are being
replaced with new, higher efficiency units. The United States now requires that residential systems manufactured
after 2005 have a minimum SEER rating of 13, although window units are exempt from this law so their SEERs
are still around 10.

Substantial energy savings can be obtained from more efficient systems. For example by upgrading from SEER
9 to SEER 13, the power consumption is reduced by 30% (equal to 1 − 9/13). It is claimed that this can result
in an energy savings valued at up to US$300 per year depending on the usage rate and the cost of electricity.

With existing units that are still functional and well-maintained, when the time value of money is considered,
retaining existing units rather than proactively replacing them may be the most cost effective. However, the
efficiency of air conditioners can degrade significantly over time.[3] Therefore, maintenance (such as cleaning the
coils) should be performed regularly to keep their efficiencies as high as possible.

But when either replacing equipment, or specifying new installations, a variety of SEERs are available. For most
applications, the minimum or near-minimum SEER units are most cost effective, but the longer the cooling
seasons, the higher the electricity costs, and the longer the purchasers will own the systems, the more that
incrementally higher SEER units are justified. Residential split-system AC units of SEER 20 or more are now
available, but at substantial cost premiums over the standard SEER 13 units. The higher SEER units typically
have larger coils and multiple compressors, the cost reflects the additional complexity.

US Government SEER Requirement Changes for 2015

In 2011 the US Department of Energy (DOE) revised energy conservation rules to impose elevated minimum
standards and regional standards for residential HVAC systems.[4] The regional approach recognizes the
differences in cost-optimization resulting from regional climate differences. For example, there is little cost
benefits to having a very high SEER air conditioning unit in Maine, a state in the US Northeast.

Starting January 1, 2015, split system central air conditioners installed in the Southeastern Region of the United
States of America must be at least 14 SEER. The Southeastern Region includes the following states: Alabama,
Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Similarly, split system central air conditioners
installed in the Southwestern Region must be a minimum 14 SEER and 12.2 EER beginning on January 1, 2015.
The Southwestern Region consists of the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico. Split system
central air conditioners installed in all other states outside of the Southeastern and Southwestern regions must
continue to be a minimum of 13 SEER, which is the current national requirement.[4]
These new requirements are being challenged by industry trade groups.[5]

Calculating the annual cost of electric energy for an air

conditioner
Electric power is usually measured in kilowatt (kW). Electric energy is usually measured in kilowatt-hour
(kW·h). For example, if an electric load that draws 1.5 kW of electric power is operated for 8 hours, it uses 12
kW·h of electric energy. In the United States, a residential electric customer is charged based on the amount of
electric energy he or she uses. On the customer bill, the electric utility states the amount of electric energy, in
kilowatt-hour (kW·h), that the customer used since the last bill; and the cost of the electric energy per kilowatt-
hour (kW·h).

Air conditioner sizes are often given as "tons" of cooling, where 1 ton of cooling equals 12,000 BTU/h
(3.5 kW). 1 ton of cooling equals the amount of power that needs to be applied continuously, over a 24 hour
period, to melt 1 ton of ice. The annual cost of electric energy consumed by a 72,000 BTU/h (21 kW) (6 ton)
air conditioning unit, operating for 1000 hours per year, with a SEER rating of 10, and an electric energy cost of
$0.12 per kilowatt-hour (kW·h) is:

unit size, BTU/h × hours per year, h × energy cost, $/kW·h ÷ SEER, BTU/W·h ÷ 1000 W/kW

Example 1:

(72,000 BTU/h) × (1000 h) × ($0.12/kW·h) ÷ (10 BTU/W·h) ÷ (1000 W/kW) = $860

Example 2. A residence near Chicago has an air conditioner with a cooling capacity of 4 tons and an SEER
rating of 10. The unit is operated 120 days each year for 8 hours per day, and the electric energy cost is $0.10
per kilowatt-hour. What is the annual cost of the electric energy required to operate the air conditioner? First,
we convert tons of cooling to BTU/h:

(4 tons) × (12,000 BTU/h/ton) = 48,000 Btu/h.

The annual cost of the electric energy is:

(48,000 Btu/h) × (960 h/year) × ($0.10/kW·h) ÷ (10 BTU/W·h) ÷ (1000 kW/W) = $460

Maximum SEER ratings

Today there are mini-split (ductless) air conditioner units available with SEER ratings up to 27.2.[6] Traditional
AC systems with ducts have maximum SEER ratings slightly below these levels. Also, practically, central
systems will have an achieved energy efficiency ratio 10-20% lower than the nameplate rating due to the duct-
related losses.

Additionally, there are ground-source residential AC units with SEER ratings up to 75.[7] However, ground
source heat pump effective efficiency is reliant on the temperature of the ground or water source used. Hot
climates have a much higher ground or surface water temperature than in cold climates and therefore will not be
able to achieve such efficiencies. Moreover, the ARI rating scheme for ground source heat pumps allows them
to largely ignore required pump power in their ratings, making the achievable SEER values often practically
lower than the highest efficiency air-source equipment-- particularly for air cooling. There are a variety of
technologies that will allow SEER and EER ratings to increase further in the near future.[8] Some of these
technologies include rotary compressors, inverters, DC brushless motors, variable-speed drives and integrated
systems.[8]

Heat Pumps
A refrigeration cycle can be operated as a heat pump to move heat from outdoors into a warmer house. When
operated in heating mode, a heat pump is typically more efficient than a resistance heater. This is because a
space heater can convert only the input electrical energy directly to output heat energy, while a heat pump also
transfers heat from outdoors. In heating mode, the coefficient of performance is the ratio of heat provided to the
energy used by the unit. An ideal resistance heater converting 100% of its input electricity to output heat would
have COP = 1, equivalent to a 3.4 EER. However, when a heat pump operates near its most inefficient outside
temperature, typically 0 °F (−18 °C), the heat pump's performance may be comparable to a resistance
heater.[citation needed]

Lower temperatures may cause a heat pump operate below the efficiency of a resistance heater, so conventional
heat pumps often include heater coils or auxiliary heating from LP or natural gas to prevent low efficiency
operation of the refrigeration cycle. "Cold climate" heat pumps are designed to optimize efficiency below 0°F. In
the case of cold climates, water or ground source heat pumps are the most efficient solution. They use the
relatively constant temperature of ground water or of water in a large buried loop to moderate the temperature
differences in summer and winter and improve performance year round. The heat pump cycle is reversed in the
summer to act as an air conditioner.

See also
Air conditioner
Air conditioning
Annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE)
Coefficient of performance
Energy Star
Heat pump
HSPF
HVAC
Thermal efficiency

References

1. ^ a b "ANSI/AHRI 210/240-2008: 2008 Standard for Performance Rating of Unitary Air-Conditioning & Air-
Source Heat Pump Equipment"
(http://www.ahrinet.org/App_Content/ahri/files/standards%20pdfs/ANSI%20standards%20pdfs/ANSI.AHRI%2
0Standard%20210-240-2008.pdf). Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute. 2008.
2. ^ a b "U.S. DOE Building America House Simulation Protocols, Revised October 2010"
(http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy11osti/49246.pdf). 2010.
3. ^ US Department of Energy Framework Public Meeting for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat
Pumps (June 12, 2008) at 35– 36 (transcript) [1]
(http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/pdfs/cac_public_mtg_transcript_061208.pdf).
4. ^ a b "DOE Finalizes New Energy Conservation Standards for Residential HVAC Appliances"
(https://www.acca.org/archives/industry-resources/government-affairs/hot-air/5808). 2011-10-26. Retrieved
2013-06-03.
5 ^ "DOE Backs Do n on Higher F rnace Efficienc Standards; Air Conditioning Standards also Being
 5. ^ "DOE Backs Down on Higher Furnace Efficiency Standards; Air Conditioning Standards also Being
Challenged" (http://greenbuildingelements.com/2013/05/05/guest-post-doe-backs-down-on-higher-furnace-
efficiency-standards-air-conditioning-standards-also-being-challenged/). 2013-05-03. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
6. ^ "Fujitsu Ductless Mini Splits: Wall Mounted Systems"
(http://www.fujitsugeneral.com/wallmountedRLS2_specs.htm). 2012.
7. ^ "Inverter Smart Source Unit Just Released up to 62.5 EER that’s up to 75 SEER"
(https://ingramswaterandair.com/press_news/inverter-smart-source-unit-just-released-up-to-62-5-eer-
that%E2%80%99s-up-to-75-seer.html). 2012.
8. ^ a b "How High Will SEER Go?"
(http://www.achrnews.com/Articles/Cover_Story/ca042ea2d95dc010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____). 2006.

External links
A new measure for the energy efficiency of heating and cooling devices (http://www.daikin.eu/corporate-
home/innovation-and-quality/leading-technologies/seasonal-efficiency/index.jsp) - Information from
Daikin on seasonal efficiency
Climate Impacts on Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) and Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
(SEER) for Air Source Heat Pumps (http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/html/FSEC-PF-413-04/)

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Categories: Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning

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