Performance Assessment of A Variable Refrigerant Flow Heat Pump Air Conditioning System

Performance Assessment of a Variable Refrigerant
Flow Heat Pump Air Conditioning System
Daikin VRV® System
1018446
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13524559
Performance Assessment of a Variable Refrigerant Flow
Heat Pump Air Conditioning System
Daikin VRV® System
1018446
Technical Update, December 2008
EPRI Project Manager
K. Amarnath
ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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Electric Power Research Institute
Redwood Electric
University of Maryland
This is an EPRI Technical Update report. A Technical Update report is intended as an informal report of
continuing research, a meeting, or a topical study. It is not a final EPRI technical report.
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Copyright © 2008 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
13524559
CITATIONS
This document was prepared by
942 Corridor Park Blvd.
Knoxville, TN 37932
Principal Investigators
T. Geist
C. Trueblood
J. Robinson
Redwood Electric
1921 Stonebrook Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37923
Principal Investigator
R. Domitrovic
With support from

University of Maryland
4164 Glenn L. Martin Hall
College Park, MD 20742
Principal Investigators
R. Radermacher
T. Aynur
J. Muehlbauer
This document describes research sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
This publication is a corporate document that should be cited in the literature in the following
manner:
Performance Assessment of a Variable Refrigerant Flow Heat Pump Air Conditioning System:
Daikin VRV® System. EPRI, Palo Alto, CA: 2008. 1018446.
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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology uses smart integrated controls, variable speed drives,
and refrigerant piping to provide energy efficiency, flexible operation, ease of installation, low
noise, zone control, and comfort through all-electric technology. This report describes and
documents the construction, performance, and application of a heat pump air conditioning
®
system that uses VRF technology—the Daikin VRV system. This variable refrigerant volume
(VRV) system is manufactured by Daikin Industries Ltd., located in Osaka, Japan. The Daikin
VRV® system is designed to provide cooling to interior spaces by circulating refrigerant using
copper pipes and individual evaporator coils as opposed to ducted cool air. This report describes
the various subsystems within the Daikin VRV® system, system operation, results of
characterization tests, and issues related to installation, application, and occupants’ comfort.
Results and Findings

This technical update provides specific information on the application and installation of the
®
Daikin VRV system in nine offices within EPRI’s Knoxville, Tennessee, campus. The Daikin
®
VRV system was straightforward to install, performed quietly during its operation, and provided
the required cooling load and comfort to occupants. An EPRI survey found that the occupants in
general preferred this VRF system to the existing ducted system.
Three different types of indoor units were installed, with the ceiling mount being the most
preferred. Several occupants with wall mount units complained of discomfort because of cool air
blowing directly on them. Under very specific stated conditions, the Daikin VRV® system
exhibited significantly better efficiency than the ducted split system. In fact, in comparisons over
a designated four-hour period, the average energy efficiency ratio of the Daikin VRV® system
was 22%, 30%, and 41% higher than the ducted split system. During the same operating
conditions, energy consumed by the Daikin VRV® system decreased by 48%, 9%, and 41%
respectively.
Challenges and Objective(s)

This report is of value to utility personnel who are interested in providing incentives for energy-
efficient air conditioning technologies to commercial facilities. Alternative air conditioning
technologies have the potential to provide cooling to office space at a lower cost and with more
comfort than traditional ducted systems. The objective of this project was to develop and
implement a test method that will serve as the basis for field testing VRF systems as part of
EPRI’s Industry Demonstration Project on energy efficiency. While this report documents the
installation and some performance metrics for the installed system, additional work is needed to
quantify the performance over one or more cooling seasons. Such an assessment would enable
EPRI to correlate the performance over a wider variety of operating conditions and to benchmark
the reliability of the system over time. Moreover, additional work is needed to benchmark the
performance of the VRF system both with and without ice storage. This work is expected to take
place in 2009. The target audiences for this research include utility engineers and managers who
have interest in programs designed to achieve peak shifting or load reduction through widespread
implementation of more efficient heat pump air conditioning technologies. More efficient air
conditioners are of particular interest for peak load reduction, given the direct relationship
between temperature and air conditioning load.
13524559 v
Applications, Values, and Use
Applications for VRF technology include both single-level light commercial office space as well
as high-rise buildings. This technology is widely adopted in both Asia and Europe, and foreign
manufactures have targeted the United States as a potential high-growth area. Several leading
Japanese manufacturers have either purchased major U.S.-based air conditioning manufacturers
or have signed partnership agreements. Moreover, the past several years have seen significant
announcements and marketing efforts to stimulate market growth and acceptance of VRF
technology within the United States.
EPRI Perspective
By providing utilities with a technical understanding of the performance and application of VRF
technology, EPRI is enabling them to better service numerous key customers, especially in the
commercial sector. With knowledge of this state-of-the-art technology, electric utilities are in a
unique position to help their clients value and implement new air conditioning solutions. Such
solutions may be more efficient and cost-effective than ones based on traditional technology.
Approach
This report documents evaluations of VRF technology. Specifically, the project team installed a
®
Daikin VRV system, with the goal of conditioning eight offices and one vestibule space within
EPRI’s Knoxville campus. A complete instrumentation package provided more than 170
measurement points. The goals of the installation were to benchmark performance and learn
through firsthand experience the installation challenges associated with VRF technology.
Keywords
Energy Efficiency
Commercial Buildings
Space Conditioning Systems
Heat Pumps
Variable Refrigerant Flow Technology
Occupant Comfort
13524559 vi
ABSTRACT
This report describes and documents the construction, performance, and application of a heat
pump air conditioning system that uses variable refrigerant flow. The system, which is called
®
the Daikin VRV system, is manufactured by Daikin Industries Ltd., located in Osaka, Japan.
The system is designed to provide cooling to interior spaces by circulating refrigerant using
copper pipes and individual evaporator coils as opposed to ducted cool air. This report describes
the various subsystems within the Daikin VRV®, the operation, results of characterization tests,
and issues related to application and installation. The report also documents the responses from
the occupants relating to the comfort achieved using this system as compared to the ducted split
system.
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CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................1-1
Objectives ............................................................................................................................1-1
2 DESCRIPTION OF VRF TECHNOLOGY ...............................................................................2-1

Company Overview..............................................................................................................2-1
Evolution of VRF Technology.........................................................................................2-1
How Does VRF Work? ...................................................................................................2-3
Daikin’s VRF System .....................................................................................................2-4
3 INSTALLATION......................................................................................................................3-1
Load Calculation ..................................................................................................................3-1
Results ...........................................................................................................................3-1
List of Building Modifications................................................................................................3-2
Schematic ............................................................................................................................3-2
System Description ..............................................................................................................3-3
Dimensions ....................................................................................................................3-7
Existing Ducted Split System .......................................................................................3-10
4 DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM..............................................................................................4-1
5 CHARACTERIZATION TESTS ..............................................................................................5-1

Test Modes ..........................................................................................................................5-1
Validity of Measurement.......................................................................................................5-1
Pseudo Steady-State ...........................................................................................................5-2
Performance Analysis ....................................................................................................5-3
Fixed Time Period ................................................................................................................5-4
Power Consumption Profile............................................................................................5-4
Cooling Delivered Profile................................................................................................5-5
Indoor Conditions Profile................................................................................................5-7
Establishment of Similar Environmental Conditions.......................................................5-8
Establishment of Stated Conditions .............................................................................5-10
Comparison of Energy Consumption, Cooling Delivered, and Efficiency ..........................5-10
Energy Consumption....................................................................................................5-10
Cooling Delivered.........................................................................................................5-11
Efficiency......................................................................................................................5-12
6 SURVEY AND RESULTS.......................................................................................................6-1

Temperature and Comfort....................................................................................................6-1
Results ...........................................................................................................................6-1
Discussion......................................................................................................................6-5
Installation ............................................................................................................................6-5
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Results ...........................................................................................................................6-5
Discussion............................................................................................................................6-6
7 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .........................................................................................7-1
8 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................8-1
9 GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................9-1
Definitions ............................................................................................................................9-1
A DUCTED SPLIT SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................... A-1

®
B DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – CEILING MOUNT UNIT, CASSETTE TYPE ............... B-1
®
C DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – WALL MOUNT UNIT ................................................... C-1
®
D DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICIATONS – CONCEALTED CEILING UNIT ................................... D-1
®
E DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – REMOTE CONTROL ................................................... E-1
®
F DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – INTELLIGENT TOUCH CONTROLLER .......................F-1
13524559 x
1
INTRODUCTION
This report describes and documents the installation, performance, and application of an air
conditioning system that uses variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology. The system, which
is called the Daikin VRV® system, is manufactured by Daikin Industries, Ltd., located in
Osaka, Japan.1 The system is designed to provide cooling to interior spaces by circulating
refrigerant using copper pipes and individual evaporator coils as opposed to ducted cool air.
VRF technology uses smart integrated controls, variable speed drives, and refrigerant piping to
provide energy efficiency, flexible operation, ease of installation, low noise, zone control, and
comfort using all-electric technology. VRF technology is relatively new in the United States but
prevalent in Asia.
Alternative air conditioning technologies, such as VRF systems, have the potential to provide
cooling to office space at a lower cost and with more comfort than traditional ducted systems.
Anecdotal claims are made that VRF technology is up to 40% more efficient than traditional
ducted systems. However, EPRI has not seen independent test results comparing the efficiencies
of the two systems. This research is focused on comparing the performance of the VRV® system
to the existing ducted split system; it should be of interest to utility personnel who are providing
incentives to energy efficient air conditioning technologies that are applicable to commercial
facilities.
Objectives
®
There are four primary objectives for testing the Daikin VRV system at the EPRI Living
Laboratory in Knoxville, TN in 2008:
1. To compare the performance and efficiency of a vrf system to a traditional ducted
split system
2. To conduct testing of the vrf system at EPRI’s living laboratory in an actual field
condition (i.e., a building with several offices)
3. To determine how occupants of the offices respond to vrf technology as opposed to
traditional ducted split system technology
4. To serve as a precursor to EPRI’s industry demonstration project on energy efficiency
To accomplish these objectives, experiments were conducted at EPRI’s Living Laboratory in

summer and fall 2008. EPRI also conducted a parallel project with ice storage integrated with
VRF technology in order to characterize the peak shifting capability of a thermal energy storage
component that can be integrated with the Daikin VRV® system. The integrated system, referred
®
to as the Daikin IS-VRV , was tested in summer 2008. The characterization tests and results of
®
the Daikin IS-VRV system will be continued in 2009, and the final report will be published in
late 2009.
1
Daikin defines their variable refrigerant flow heat pump systems as VRV® and IS-VRV®. These are registered
trademarks by Daikin Industries, Ltd.
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2
DESCRIPTION OF VRF TECHNOLOGY
Company Overview
Daikin Industries, Ltd., which is based in Osaka, Japan, is a global manufacturer of air
conditioning systems for homes, businesses and industry. The North American business is
called Daikin AC (Americas) Inc. Daikin Industries manufactures ductless air-conditioning
systems for residential and industrial use worldwide. Its residential air conditioning products
include air cleaners, dehumidifiers, and room air conditioners. Industrial products range from
infrared ceramic space heaters to marine vessel air conditioners and refrigerators to spot air
conditioners.
®
The keystone for Daikin’s U.S. activity is its Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV ) technology,
which Daikin developed in 1982. According to Daikin, VRV® offers advanced zoning
capabilities, flexible design and makes use of Daikin’s inverter technology, which varies
refrigerant flow throughout the system. The technology was given UL certification in 2003.
Evolution of VRF Technology

Ductless space conditioning products, the forerunner of multi-split and VRF systems, were first
introduced in Japan and elsewhere in the 1950s as ductless split systems with single indoor units
and outdoor units. These ductless products were designed as quieter, more efficient alternatives
to window units (Smith, 2007).
Products have evolved from a few indoor units operating off each outdoor unit, to multi-split
products with 4 units to 8 units in the late 1980s, to 16 units in the early 1990s, to 32 units by
1999. Today’s advanced systems permit as many as 60 or more indoor units to operate off one
outdoor unit, enabling application in large commercial buildings. Electronically commutated
motors, inverter-driven/capacity modulated scroll compressors, multiple compressors, versatile
configurations and complex refrigerant and oil circuitry, returns, and controls have enabled this
addition of up to 60 indoor units.
Refrigerants have also changed. The early “mini-split” systems used R-22 refrigerant, then
R-407C, and today’s systems rely on R-410A. Figure 2-1 shows the piping and refrigerant flow
for conventional ducted split systems (one indoor and one outdoor unit) multi-split systems, and
variable refrigerant flow systems (Dyer, 2006).
Multi-splits offer some of the major advantages of VRF systems, such as zoning, capacity
control, ease of retrofit, low installation costs, and minimizing ducting and use of secondary
fluids and associated costs and losses. On the other hand, their simpler piping results in longer
total length of piping compared to VRF systems. Similarly, multi-split heat pumps do not have
the opportunity for heat recovery between units that are cooling and units that are heating. As
such, multi-split systems should be considered for smaller, simpler buildings where heat
recovery is not a possibility and fewer numbers of zones need to be conditioned.
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Figure 2-1
Split, multi-split and VRF operation in a 4-zone building (cooling mode)
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How Does VRF Work?
Multi-splits include multiple indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit. Ductless
products are fundamentally different from ducted systems in that heat is transferred to or from
the space directly by circulating refrigerant to indoor units (evaporators or condensers) located
near or within the conditioned space. (When the indoor units are in the cooling mode they act
as evaporators and when they are in the heating mode they act as condensers.) In contrast,
conventional ducted systems transfer heat from the space to the refrigerant by circulating air
(in ducted systems) throughout the building.
VRF systems are enhanced versions of ductless multi-split systems, permitting more indoor
units to be connected to each outdoor unit and providing additional features such as simultaneous
heating and cooling and heat recovery. The Daikin VRV® installed at EPRI permits heating in all
of the indoor units, or cooling of the all the units, but not simultaneous heating and cooling. Heat
recovery systems, also provided by Daikin, provide simultaneous heating and cooling as well as
heat recovery to reduce energy use by transferring heat from one area to another.
Over the past 15 years the technology has advanced in a number of areas:
• Standard compressors to variable speed and capacity modulated scroll compressors
• Direct driven outdoor fans to variable frequency drive, inverter-driven fans
• Direct driven indoor coil motors to direct current or ECM-type motors2
• Variable capacity indoor units
• Better heat exchanger surfaces with multi-segmented coils
• Improved controls and diagnostics
• R-22 to R-410A
• Better refrigerant charge and oil management
Other features include the addition of concealed ducted units and ceiling cassette configurations
to the traditional wall-mounted units. Refrigerant piping runs of more than 200 feet are possible
and outdoor units are available in sizes up to 20 ton (240,000 Btu/h).
The term “variable refrigerant flow” refers to the ability of the system to control the amount of
refrigerant flowing to each of the evaporators, enabling the use of many evaporators of differing
capacities and configurations, individualized comfort control, simultaneous heating and cooling
in different zones, and heat recovery from one zone to another. Most VRF compressors use
variable frequency drives to control the flow of refrigerant to the evaporators. Refrigerant flow
control lies at the heart of VRF systems and is the major technical challenge as well as the source
of many of the system’s advantages (Goetzler, 2007).
In most cases, two-pipe systems can be used effectively (in VRF heat pump systems) when all
the zones in the facility require cooling or all require heating during the same operating period.
Three-pipe (a heating pipe, a cooling pipe and a return pipe) systems work best when there is a
need for some of the spaces to be cooled and some of them to be heated during the same period.
(This often occurs in the winter in medium-sized to large-sized buildings with a substantial core.)
One manufacturer has a two-pipe system than can be used to provide simultaneous heating and
cooling as well as heat recovery operations.
2
Electronically commutated motor (ECM).
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Daikin’s VRF System
Called the RSYP series, Daikin’s air conditioning system with ice storage is available in model
sizes ranging from 28 kW (8 ton) up to 117.4 kW (33.4 ton). The Daikin system is designed for
distributed cooling in application where the total system piping is 300 m or less.3
® ®
The ice-storage VRV system (IS-VRV ) is not designed to provide cooling during the night
time hours when making ice. Also, the system is not designed to offset the entire cooling load.
Rather, the total system design is 10 ton, with 8 ton for standard compressor-based cooling and
2 ton provided by the ice system. The amount of ice used is a function of the total loading.
Daikin did not share the exact algorithm with EPRI. See the data section for more description
as well as graphs with actual data showing the discharge profile for both total cooling and ice
cooling.
Operation
A simplified schematic showing system configuration of the Daikin VRF is shown in Figure 2-2.
Note that the system contains both a fixed-speed and a variable-speed compressor. A separate
compressor is not provided to create the ice. For this reason Daikin does not recommend both
cooling of the office space and creation of ice simultaneously. The air conditioning of the office
space is turned off during the night-time hours. Figure 2-3, Figure 2-4, and Figure 2-5 illustrate
system operation.
Figure 2-2
Simplified schematic showing system configuration of the Daikin VRV® with ice storage
3
Restrictions may apply. For example, there are limits on the distance between compressing units, distance between
compressor and ice storage, and distance between the first indoor evaporator and the last. See the specific model
data sheet for details.
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Figure 2-3
Simplified schematic illustrating refrigerant flow while making ice
Figure 2-4
Simplified schematic showing refrigerant flow when cooling with ice
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Figure 2-5
Simplified schematic showing refrigerant flow when cooling without ice
SEER Rating
To the best of our knowledge Daikin does not publish SEER information and we have not been
given any SEER or EER information. The purpose of our testing will help establish performance
metrics from an independent perspective.
Refrigerant
Refrigerant used is 410A. In 1991 Honeywell (then known as AlliedSignal) announced its
solution, a refrigerant called AZ-20®, and which was later assigned the generic name R-410A.
After years of effort, and a cooperative development program with the air conditioner
manufacturer Carrier Corporation, the first air conditioners using R-410A were launched in
®
1995 under the name PURON .
The refrigerant 410A contains difluoromethane and pentafluoroethane and is a colorless, volatile
liquid with ethereal and faint sweetish odor. R410A is a non-flammable material. Overexposure
may cause dizziness and loss of concentration. At higher levels, central nervous system (CNS)
depression and cardiac arrhythmia may result from exposure. Vapors displace air and can cause
asphyxiation within confined spaces.
Potential health hazards include: skin irritation that results from a defatting action on tissue.
Liquid contact could cause frostbite. For the eyes, liquid contact can cause severe irritation
and frostbite and the mist may cause irritation; if inhaled, R-410A is low in acute toxicity in
animals, but when oxygen levels in air are reduced to 12 – 14% by displacement, symptoms of
asphyxiation, loss of coordination, increased pulse rate and deeper respiration will occur. At high
levels, cardiac arrhythmia may occur (Honeywell, 2008).
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Compresor Design
The system uses an advanced scroll compressor design. There are actually two compressors; one
fixed and one variable speed with up to 42 capacity steps.
Heat Pump
The system is designed to operate as a heat pump. However, there are only two refrigerant pipes
so the system is not able to pump heat from one location to another. It is able only to turn on
individual office units so that the load is truly variable and matched to the space and the cooling
required at any instance in time.
Cost
Daikin does not publish pricing information; prices are quoted on specific site basis. However,
®
in general, the price of the VRV system is normally higher than the equivalent ducted system.
Service
As with any HVAC installation, it’s best to have an authorized factory representative to perform
maintenance and troubleshooting. This is a complex system not common within the U.S. perhaps
in the future service will become more common knowledge, but for now it’s best to use an
expert.
Leak
See the section on refrigerant for hazard information. In terms of operation, the system will
operate with +/-10% charge. Loss of refrigerant beyond that requires a minimum one day process
to empty, check for a leak using a vacuum system, and then recharge.
Fresh Air
During installation the VRF typically requires an additional ducted fresh air system. So why
run both refrigerant pipes and air ducts when a conventional system needs air ducts only? The
answer depends on the application. Depending on the design the VRF still may serve as a better
alternative.
Daikin’s AirNet® System

Included with the Daikin VRV® is a remote monitoring and diagnostic system called AirNet®.
®
Each major component of the Daikin VRV system includes built-in sensors and controls that
can be monitored remotely using a single dedicated Internet Protocol (IP) address. Through
AirNet®, Daikin can offer preventative maintenance, system performance reports, and monitor
the overall VRV® status. AirNet® is a ready-only system, so Daikin cannot change occupants’
settings remotely.
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3
INSTALLATION
Load Calculation
As an aid in proper selection of equipment for the installation, a consultant was hired to perform
a load calculation based on a field survey. For each space dimensional data was taken for walls
and glass. Actual lighting loads and exterior wall construction were recorded. A single-line
schematic of the duct system was made and nameplates were noted for all equipment.
The space was modeled using software authored by the Carrier Corporation entitled Hourly
Analysis Program (HAP), which calculates thermal load characteristics for the modeled system
on an hour-by-hour basis. Peak loads are summarized, along with other pertinent system sizing
data.
The space envelope was modeled to include the masonry plus frame walls that represent the
exterior façade of the building. Walls were modeled to include an R-7 board insulation typical
of light commercial office space in the Knoxville area. Exterior glass is double-pane, but without
any type of low-emisivity coatings. The building roof is ten feet above the ceiling, so heat
transfer at the ceiling was modeled as a partition, with the unconditioned space temperature
above based on a programmed relationship with the outside temperature.
Internal loads include people, lights, and equipment. Each office was assigned one person, and
one computer at an average of 150 watts. Lights were modeled per actual conditions. Most
offices having fluorescent fixtures with four T12 bulbs, however a few had fixtures with only
two bulbs. Space loads were calculated as one system, which is strictly true with the VRF
system. Actual conditions include two separate ducted split systems.
Results
The peak cooling load for the system, which initially included fourteen offices, one vestibule,
and associated hallways, was conducted with September solar loads at 4:00 p.m. The total load
was 10.4 ton, with a sensible load of 9.4 ton. It was desired to use a maximum 10 ton system so,
based in part on the recommendation of the thermal consultant, the number of offices was
reduced to nine with one vestibule. Decreasing the space reduced the total cooling load to 6.6 ton
and the sensible cooling load to 6.2 ton, which met the system requirements.
Because the target spaces are not thermally separated from adjacent offices in the building,
there is a possibility that variations from those zones to the target spaces could influence the
energy usage. In order to evaluate the magnitude of this effect, additional load calculation
iteration was performed. This iteration assumed a five-degree difference that would normally not
be experienced, but is considered a worst-case evaluation. The evaluation resulted in a peak load
increase of 0.3 ton from the baseline value.4 Based on this the expected error due to mixing with
other existing system is expected to be less than 5%.
4
The 0.3 ton includes the additional offices.
13524559 3-1
List of Building Modifications
1. Placement of outdoor units.
• Units are placed on the southwest side of the building and reside on a new concrete
slab adjacent to the windows of office 137. This placement did not disturb the
existing landscaping in the front of the building but occupied space on the southwest
side of the building.
2. Exterior wall penetrations
• Electrical power supplied to each outdoor unit (1 to 2 penetrations)
• Refrigerant piping (two pipes total)
• Condensate drain line(s) for expelling water from indoor units to outdoors (1 or more
penetrations). (It may be possible to tie into the existing condensate drain system in
the ceiling, perhaps elimination that penetration.)
• Fresh air ventilation supply and exhaust ducting (2 penetrations) (It may be possible
to draw air for the new fresh air system from the existing fresh air duct in the plenum
space that has its intake at the rear of the building, eliminating these penetrations.)
• Multiple measurement sensors (could possibly share other penetrations)
3. Existing HVAC modifications (only for affected zones):
• Replace existing wall-mounted thermostats with communicating thermostats
• Reroute electrical power for existing outdoor and indoor units to new circuit panel
for taking power measurements
• Install duct-penetrating sensors on both the supply and return ducts for each air
handler unit
• Install refrigerant flow sensors in-line with refrigerant piping
• Close off fresh air supply through existing HVAC in lieu of new, dedicated fresh air
ventilation installment
4. Other building modifications foreseen:
• Suspend new VRV indoor units from roof purlins for flush ceiling-tile mounting, for
®
each office affected (4) (see).

• Suspend refrigerant piping, condensate lines, and electrical wiring above ceiling tiles
across all affected zones
• Install new VRV® wall-mounted thermostats in each affected office (it is possible that
some are wireless)
• Install new, dedicated fresh air ventilation system in affected zones
• Firewall penetrations (for power and data lines) above the area between office #133
and the lab (where Circuit Panel C is located)
Schematic
A total of nine offices and one vestibule area were selected for installation of the Daikin system.
Figure 3-1 shows a schematic of the southwest corner of the EPRI building at 942 Corridor Park
Blvd.
13524559 3-2
Figure 3-1
Schematic showing the office layout with approximate location of the indoor evaporator coils
System Description
The test setup includes both the new Daikin system (Daikin IS-VRV®) and the existing ducted
split system (see Figure 3-2). Each are described separately below.
Heat Pump
(Air
Conditioner)
Existing Ice
Split Storage
Systems Tank
(2)
Figure 3-2
Photograph of the installed system (Daikin IS-VRV®) outside the EPRI Knoxville facility
13524559 3-3
See Table 3-1 for a list of equipment installed at the EPRI test site. Table 3-2 is a list of
cooling capacity provided by each indoor unit by office location and Table 3-3, system cooling
capacities. In addition to the heat pump and ice storage unit, the installation consists of four
ceiling mount cassette indoor evaporators, four wall mount indoor evaporators, and one
concealed locally ducted evaporator. Each system is controlled by both a remote controller
located within each office space (see Appendix E) and a centralized controller mounted on the
wall in the vestibule area (see Appendix F). Figure 3-3 and Figure 3-4 are photographs of the
cassette and wall mount indoor air handlers. A photograph of a partially-installed cassette unit
is shown in Figure 3-5.
Table 3-1
List of Daikin equipment installed at the EPRI test site
Model Qty Description

®
RSXYP280P 1 Heat pump VRV R410A
TSSP560P 1 Ice Storage Tank Unit
DST302B1 1 Ice Storage Controller
FXAQ07MVJU 1 A-Wall Mounted Unit
FXAQ09MVJU 3 A-Wall Mounted Unit
FXFQ12MVJU 2 F-4-Way Discharge Ceiling Mounted Cassette (3' x 3')
FXSQ18MVJU 1 S-Concealed Ducted (Standard Static)
KHRP26A22T 7 REFNET branch piping kit
KHRP26A33T 1 REFNET branch piping kit
DCS601C71
1 i-touch
(64 GROUPS)
Wireless remote controller-
BRC4C82 1
FXSQ/FXMQ/FXLQ/FXNQ/FXDQ/FXOQ
BRC7C812 4 Wireless remote controller-FXFQ
BRC7E818 4 Wireless remote controller-FXAQ
BYC125K-W1 4 Decoration panel-All FXFQ
DACA-CP1-1 4 Small Condensate Pump (Local)-Up to 24mbh
KRCS01-1A 9 Remote Sensor Kit-All VRV® Indoor Units
TYPE III 1 Service Checker
13524559 3-4
Table 3-2
Table of VRV® equipment cooling capacity by office location
Total Available Available Sensible

Name Cooling Capacity Cooling Capacity
Btu/h Btu/h
Office 133 6548 5654
Office 134 10477 8607
Office 135 8295 6607
Office 136 8295 6607
Office 137 20955 15920
Office 138 10477 8607
Vestibule +
15716 11750
Corridor B
Office 154 8295 6607
Office 155 15716 12103
Total 104775 82462
Table 3-3
Table showing outdoor thermal capacities
System RSYP355P
Outdoor unit model RSXYP280P
Component
Ice storage unit model TSSP560P
Cool with storage 121000 Btu/h
Cooling capacity
Cool without storage 97200 Btu/h
Heating capacity 107000 Btu/h
Cool storage capacity 303000 Btu
Thermal storage capacity
Heat storage capacity 96600 Btu
Cool with storage 7.04 kW
Power consumption Cool without storage 7.16 kW
Heat 7.16 kW
Cooling 32.9 kWh
Energy consumed for
Cooling (high outdoor air temp) 35.9 kWh
thermal storage
Heat 9.4 kWh
Cooling capacity keep time 8 h
Cool storage operation available time 10 h
Normal mode 58 dB
Operation noise
Silent mode 50 dB
13524559 3-5
Figure 3-3
Photograph of a Daikin wall mount unit
Figure 3-4
Photograph of a Daikin ceiling cassette
13524559 3-6
Figure 3-5
Photograph of a cassette unit partially installed
Dimensions
The outdoor condensing unit model number is RSXYP280P, rated 200 V ac, 3 phase. The device
is 36.6 in wide, 63.0 in high and 30.1 in deep. The weight is 507 lb; it is rated at 28 kW or 8 ton
capacity. The ice storage tank has model number TSSP560P, rated 200 V ac, single phase. The
device is 49.4 in wide, 67.9 in high, and 55.1 in deep. The weight is 827 lb dry and 3,520 lb with
a fill capacity of 322 gallons of water. It is rated at 2 ton capacity.
A photograph of the outside heat exchanger and ice tank is shown in Figure 3-6. A schematic of
the piping is shown in Figure 3-7.
In addition to the refrigerant lines, a condensate drain system is added. All the local units drain to
a centralized location using individual pumps. A master pump with collection tank periodically
empties via PVC pipe to the outdoors.
13524559 3-7
Figure 3-6
Photograph of the outdoor located heat exchanger (left) and ice storage tank
Figure 3-7
Schematic of the Daikin installation showing details on the piping configuration
13524559 3-8
Installation Considerations
There are several considerations for placement of the system. Because of the solenoid and the
possibility for ignition Daikin recommends placing the system in a location away from gas lines
and meters where there is no possibility for flammable gas. The ice storage unit is heavy
(approximately 3,500 lb) so the chosen site and base must be capable of withstanding the weight
of the unit and, because of the water, have a level orientation without any protrusions that may
damage the system. Also, Daikin recommend a level orientation to within 1/100 to prevent
generation of vibration or noise. Fastening the ice tank is recommended using M16 anchor bolts,
nuts, and washers. Periodic maintenance is required so additional space is needed for access by
service personnel. In locations with a possibility of freezing temperature, provisions are needed
to protect the water piping and water tank.5 Details for water piping to the system are shown in
Figure 3-8. Clearance dimensions to facilitate servicing are shown in Figure 3-9.
Figure 3-8
Schematic showing details of the plumbing for both filling and draining the ice storage tank
Figure 3-9
Diagram showing example dimensions to insure proper clearance for service
5
Contacting a qualified installer is recommended.
13524559 3-9
A controller for the ice storage system is available. A photograph of the ice storage controller is
given in Figure 3-10. Callouts are provided to highlight what the controller can display and to
explain basic operability.
Figure 3-10
Illustration of the controller for the ice storage system
Existing Ducted Split System

The “ducted split system” comprises two outdoor condensing units and two indoor air handling
units. Units consist of hermetic scroll compressor, an air-cooled coil, propeller – type condenser
fan, and a control box. Units discharge air upward and are matched to a packaged air handler. A
photograph of the outdoor unit is shown in Figure 3-11. Figure 3-12 is a photograph of one
indoor unit (air handler). Figure 3-13 is a photograph of the typical diffuser. Figure 3-14 is a
schematic of the ducted split system.
13524559 3-10
Figure 3-11
Photograph of existing system condensing units (and mass flow sensor)
Figure 3-12
Photograph of existing unit indoor air handler
13524559 3-11
Figure 3-13
Photograph of existing unit air diffuser
Figure 3-14
Schematic of existing ducted split system
13524559 3-12
The condenser fan motor is totally enclosed, 1-phase type with class B insulation and
permanently lubricated bearings. Fan blades are statically and dynamically balanced. The
compressor is hermetically sealed and mounted on rubber vibration insulators and is of the scroll
type. The condenser coil is air cooled and constructed of aluminum fins that are mechanically
bonded to copper tubes. The refrigeration circuit components include liquid line shutoff valve
with sweat connections and suction line shutoff valves with sweat connections. The system is
charged with R-22 refrigerant and compressor oil.
Physical Data
The model number for the outdoor air conditioner is 38CKC0605, which is rated 10 SEER.
Physical data for the existing system air outdoor compressor unit is given in Table 3-4.
Table 3-4
Physical data for existing ducted split system outdoor compressor unit
Description Rating
Operating weight (lb) 231
Compressor Types Scroll
Refrigerant charger (lb@ 15 feet) 8.31
Condenser fan motor (HP) ¼
Condenser Coil Face Area (sq. meter) 1.7
Valve Connection (In OD) 7/8
Refrigerant tubes (In. OD) 1-1/8
A-weighted Sound Pressure (dBA) 67.0
Voltage (AC) 208
Rated Load Amps Compressor (A) 16
Full Load Amps Fan (A) 1.4
Length (cm) 76.2
Width (cm) 76.2
Height (cm) 86.36
The ceiling supply uses a 24" by 24" louvered face with round neck and opposed damper blade.
The ceiling return is a 22" x 22" x ½" stamped face with square neck.
13524559 3-13
13524559
4
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM
The Daikin and ducted split systems are monitored with 173 data points. The purpose of the
advanced data acquisition system is to control both the Daikin VRV® and existing ducted split
system to execute controlled tests, to collect data from different measurement points to profile
performance, to log data for post-processing and analysis, and to allow generation of real-time
data metrics and graphs for on-the-spot analysis and troubleshooting. The system consists of
sensors, a data network, and a computer system that facilitate bi-directional communication
with the data network (see Figure 4-1).
Figure 4-1
Simplified schematic showing the basic layout of data acquisition system for both the VRF
and ducted split system
Successful monitoring makes use of temperature, humidity, pressure and mass flow sensors
that are all used to calculate the cooling delivered to the conditioned space. In addition to thermal
energy measurements, the data acquisition system measured electric power for both the Daikin
VRF system and the two existing ducted split systems. Electric power is measured at the main
service panel and includes separate current transducers to measure the power to each individual
office unit (wall mount, cassette, and concealed ceiling unit).
Each of the sensors connect to a data network that provides signal conditioning, analog to
digital conversion if needed, and communication protocol conversion. Ultimately the sensors
connect to a computer system with software and hardware to provide real-time analysis, control,
data collection, data backup, and displays that allow for technology transfer (tours and
demonstrations). Figure 4-2 lists the major components of the data acquisition system and
provides specific details.
The data acquisition system sensors include temperature, pressure, relative humidity, refrigerant
mass flow, air flow, and electric power measurement. The data network utilizes the Modbus
RTU protocol over a serial RS-485 network. The data network is connected to the computer
system via a Modbus RTU to Modbus TCP gateway, as shown in Figure 4-3. The gateway
can be accessed anywhere on a local area network using a network switch and Ethernet cables.
13524559 4-1
Figure 4-2
Listing of the major components used in the data acquisition system
Figure 4-3
Simplified schematic showing the architecture of the data acquisition system
Two sensors can communicate directly to the data network. Both the mass flow and electric
power measurement sensors have Modbus RTU communications ability, therefore not requiring
the use of an external input/output module. The communicating thermostats that connect the
existing HVAC system to the data network have not been installed in 2008. A general overview
of the sensors used is shown in Figure 4-4.
13524559 4-2
Figure 4-4
Details on the sensors used within the data acquisition system
The sensors used in the data acquisition system were selected based on their accuracy,
manufacturer reputability, design quality, and adaptability into EPRI’s data network established
for testing the Daikin VRV® system. As shown in Figure 4-5 and Figure 4-6, the sensors are
placed at appropriate locations in the ducted split system and Daikin VRV® system. In both
systems, refrigerant-side and air-side measurements are captured, along with system power and
room conditions.
Figure 4-5
Schematic of the ducted split system showing location of the various sensors
13524559 4-3
Figure 4-6
Schematic of the VRF system showing the location of the various sensors
A map showing the location of each measurement sensor is provided in Figure 4-7. The affected
offices and hallway is colored green, and each sensor is color-coded for its specific measurement
purpose.
Each sensor shown in Figure 4-7 can be accessed individually via the computer system that is
connected to the data network. Electrical measurements include power, energy, and reactive
power for each component of both systems. For this installation, the sensors were typically
sampled twice per minute to capture the variability of the VRF technology. All sensor wiring
was concealed above the ceiling and fed through walls to minimize their intrusiveness to the
occupants.
13524559 4-4
Figure 4-7
Schematic showing the location of the physical data network
13524559 4-5
13524559
5
CHARACTERIZATION TESTS
Test Modes
Testing is in two principal modes:
1. Pseudo steady-state
2. Fixed time period
3. Peak shifting
®
The results of the peak shifting capability using the connected ice storage module – IS-VRV
tests – will be continued in 2009, and a complementary report will be published in late 2009.
Results from testing using pseudo-steady-state and fixed-time period are discussed below.
Validity of Measurement
Measurement of in-field performance is very difficult given the dynamic nature of air
conditioning systems; basically all variables are in a continuous state of flux. Measurements
of performance are typically made within a laboratory setting under tightly controlled conditions.
Nevertheless, the purpose of this project is to attempt to benchmark performance under field
conditions. To verify the quality of measurements, two independent measurements of the system
performance were made; one by EPRI and one by the manufacturer Daikin. Each system for the
most part used a completely independent suite of sensors. A sample of hourly data values were
compared on August 30, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Each sample consisted of a total
cooling capacity (cooling delivered), ice cooling capacity (cooling contribution due to ice
storage), outdoor unit power, and coefficient of performance (based only on outdoor unit power).
A summary of the percent differences between EPRI data and Daikin’s AirNet® data is provided
in Table 5-1. The results are considered in good agreement.
Table 5-1
Sample of percent differences between EPRI data and Daikin’s AirNet® data
Measurement Description Average Percent Difference

Total Cooling Capacity 3.3%
Ice Cooling Capacity 5.3%
Outdoor Unit Power 5.5%
Coefficient of Performance 0.8%
13524559 5-1
Pseudo Steady-State
The purpose of this testing is to attempt measure, under relatively constant conditions, similar
to what would occur within a laboratory. The word pseudo is used to indicate that the conditions
are not tightly controlled. For pseudo-steady-state testing, both systems were forced to operate
over a short period of time (<1 hour) to gather steady-state operating data at a known and
relatively constant set of indoor and outdoor ambient air conditions. When operating the
IS-VRV® system in this mode all nine indoor units were on at the same time to enable
measurement of the fully loaded system capacity and efficiency. Likewise, both ducted split
systems were run together when testing the split-system performance.
In both cases, a test was begun by turning off all air conditioning to the nine areas and allowing
all rooms to reach a desired starting indoor temperature, ranging from ~70°F-80°F. After the
®
rooms reached the desired temperature range, all units (either VRV or split-system) were
started. Set points for the system under test were set sufficiently low to allow the full system
to remain on for the duration of the test. The system remained on until the indoor temperatures
were cooled through the range of interest and approximately 10-15 minutes of pseudo-steady-
state data was collected. All rooms were not at the same temperature during the cool down
process, so an average of all room sensors was designated the “indoor ambient test temperature.”
The VRV® system required ~15-20 minutes to reach a full-power state where power consumption
peaks and system pres4sures, temperatures, etc., reach a steady-state. Data
from these tests was used to build cooling capacity, power consumption and coefficient of
performance (COP) comparative graphs that act as a basis for performance comparison.
Figure 5-1
Psuedo-steady-state, split-system “B” operating at ~80°F outdoor ambient temperature on
august 25, 2008 from (~1:30 p.m.-3:40 p.m.)
13524559 5-2
Performance Analysis
Refrigerant side cooling capacity is calculated as follows:
Q& refrigerat , system = m& (hin − hout )evaporator ( s )

Here hin is the enthalpy at the inlet of the expansion valve for the two ducted split systems and
the furthest point on the common liquid line before the first evaporator on the VRV® system.
The quantity hin is calculated from measured temperature and pressure at the respective points
using an appropriate equation of state for R-22 & R-410a for the ducted split systems and the
VRV® system respectively. The quantity hout is calculated in the same way from temperature
and pressure measures at the evaporator exit. The expansion process is assumed to be nearly
adiabatic and therefore enthalpy at the expansion valve inlet is equal to that at the evaporator
inlet. For the VRV® system, total refrigerant side cooling capacity is measured, which is the
sum of the contributions of up to nine indoor units. Cooling capacity for each system is measured
and catalogued as a function of outdoor temperature, indoor temperature and indoor relative
humidity:
Capacity system = F (Tout , Tin , RH in )
For the ducted split systems, this is a relatively straight forward process where data is picked
from a period of relative steady-state, several minutes after the compressor cycles on, and that
lasts for at least one minute. The results of the COP calculation for both the ducted split system
and the Daikin VRV® are shown in Figure 5-2.
Figure 5-2
Coefficient of performance for both the ducted split system and Daikin VRV® during
pseudo-steady-state testing
13524559 5-3
Fixed Time Period
In this section, two daily profiles are presented, one for the ducted split system on Saturday,
October 11, 2008, and one for the Daikin VRV® system on Sunday, October 5, 2008. Although
these two October days appear to have similar outdoor temperature profiles, there are not enough
similar outdoor and indoor conditions to permit an accurate side-by-side comparison for the
entire day. There is, however, a fraction of these days that can be compared side-by-side. These
four-hour periods are compared in subsequent section of this report.
The data shown in Figure 5-3, Figure 5-4, Figure 5-5, Figure 5-6, Figure 5-7, and Figure 5-8
represents a sample snapshot of the typical trends in power consumption, cooling delivered and
indoor conditions by both the ducted split system and the Daikin VRV® system over a 24-hour
period. The data presented in the figures are 5-minute moving averages, except for outdoor air
temperatures, which are hourly averages. Each chart spans an interval from midnight to
midnight.
Power Consumption Profile

The power consumption profile for the ducted split system on October 11, 2008 is shown
in Figure 5-3. The peak 5-minute average that appears in the chart is 11.2 kW. Because two
condensing units comprise the ducted split system, each unit cycles independently from the
other. This results in an effect of the power consumption that is noticeable between 5.0 and
6.0 kW.
Figure 5-3
Ducted split system daily power consumption profile (october 11, 2008)
13524559 5-4
The power consumption profile for the Daikin VRV® system on October 5, 2008 is shown in
Figure 5-4. The peak 5-minute demand that appears in the chart is 4.7 kW. The Daikin VRV®
system utilizes a variable speed compressor that operates continuously throughout the day
instead of cycling on and off periodically like the ducted split system. Before 7:00 a.m. and after
®
9:00 p.m., the Daikin VRV system thermostats are disabled, and the system ceases to provide
indoor cooling. During the nighttime hours, the Daikin system uses between 0.13 and 0.15 kW
of standby power. At 7:00 a.m. the Daikin VRV® system enables the thermostats and must
remove any heat that has accumulated overnight to satisfy the desired temperature set points.
Figure 5-4
Daikin VRV® daily power consumption profile (october 5, 2008)
Cooling Delivered Profile

The cooling delivered profile for the ducted split system on October 11, 2008 is shown in Figure
5-5. As expected, the cooling delivered is approximately proportional to the power consumption
profile shown in Figure 5-3. The maximum 5-minute cooling delivered by the ducted split
system is 9.0 ton.
13524559 5-5
Figure 5-5
Ducted split system daily cooling delivered profile (october 11, 2008)
The cooling delivered profile for the Daikin VRV® on October 5, 2008 is shown in Figuer 5-6.
Similar to the power consumption profile shown in Figure 5-4, the cooling profile maintains
a contiguous pattern throughout the daytime hours. On this particular day, the peak cooling
delivered by the Daikin VRV® is 4.5 ton.
Figure 5-6
Daikin VRV® daily cooling delivered profile (october 5, 2008)
13524559 5-6
Indoor Conditions Profile
The daily profiles of indoor conditions are shown for the ducted split system in Figure 5-7
and for the Daikin VRV® in Figure 5-8. The indoor conditions profile consists of the indoor
temperature and relative humidity of each room or hallway. Nine spaces are monitored (8 rooms
and 1 hallway) in this test, so eighteen lines appear in both Figure 5-7 and Figure 5-8. The top
cluster of nine lines represents the indoor temperatures, and the bottom nine lines represent the
indoor relative humidity. Each colored line represents a room or hallway. For example, a purple
temperature line and a purple relative humidity line correspond to the same room.
Figure 5-7
Ducted split system daily indoor conditions profile (october 11, 2008)
Figure 5-8
Daikin VRV® daily indoor conditions profile (october 5, 2008)
13524559 5-7
During the October testing of the Daikin VRV® system, room occupants were given the
freedom to choose their own temperature setting while the Daikin system was operating.
As shown in Figure 5-8, the occupants chose thermostat settings that resulted in a variety
of room temperatures ranging from about 68°F to 76°F. Even though room occupants chose
®
different temperature settings, the Daikin VRV system maintained tighter regulation of room
temperatures than the ducted split system.
Occupant comfort is also affected by humidity. The individual room relative humidity values
are shown in Figure 5-7when the ducted split system is operating. The relative humidity values
ranged from about 39% to 58% during the time when the ducted split system thermostat was
set to 73°F. While operating the Daikin VRV® system, the relative humidity values ranged
from 39% to 48%, as shown in Figure 5-8. It is evident that the Daikin VRV® system maintains
tighter humidity control than the ducted split system by observing the relative closeness of the
humidity lines in both Figure 5-7 and Figure 5-8.
Establishment of Similar Environmental Conditions

®
In order to compare both the ducted split system and the Daikin VRV over a period of time,
one must make the comparisons under similar environmental conditions. EPRI has considered
the term “environmental conditions” to consist of the measure of outdoor air temperature, indoor
air temperature, and indoor relative humidity. Outdoor air temperatures are obtained from a
publicly-accessible dataset from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Rotating Shadowband
Radiometer weather station.6 EPRI is located 9.4 miles from the Oak Ridge weather station.
Although EPRI is measuring outdoor temperature at the each condensing unit, the ORNL
weather station dataset provides a consistent measurement source that is located in a naturally
aspirated radiation shield. Indoor air temperature and relative humidity values are obtained from
the unweighted average of nine individual temperature and relative humidity readings, located in
each conditioned room or hallway.
For this test, environmental conditions are considered “similar” when all of the following criteria
are met:
• The hour of day must be the same when operating both systems.
• The hour average outdoor air temperature is within 1.0 °F when operating both systems.
• The hour average indoor air temperature is within 1.7 °F when operating both systems.
• The hour average indoor relative humidity is within 4.0% when operating both systems.
Because both systems condition the same space, both systems cannot be tested simultaneously.
Therefore, EPRI has paired ducted split system data with Daikin VRV® system data during
periods of similar environmental conditions. There are three sets of four-hour periods having
similar environmental conditions that occurred during the span of the October testing at EPRI.
The information in Table 5-2 provides the times and days of these pairings. The graphs
superimposed in Figure 5-9 show the hour-average values of outdoor temperature, indoor
temperature, and indoor relative humidity for each period. Additionally, a statistical summary
of the environmental conditions is provided in Table 5-3.
6
http://www.nrel.gov/midc/ornl_rsr/.
13524559 5-8
Table 5-2
Periods of similar environmental conditions
Period A B C
Time of Day 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Ducted Split System Oct. 11 (Saturday) Oct. 11 (Saturday) Oct. 11 (Saturday)
Daikin VRV® System Oct. 5 (Sunday) Oct. 14 (Tuesday) Oct. 13 (Monday)
Figure 5-9
Periods of similar environmental conditions, shown as hour-averages
Table 5-3
Summary of hour-averaged environmental conditions for each period
Period A B C
Outdoor Temperature (°F)
Average 82.4 71.6 81.8
Minimum 81.2 66.1 79.5
Maximum 83.3 80.3 83.3
Standard Deviation 0.9 6.3 1.7
Indoor Temperature (°F)
Average 71.4 71.7 71.3
Minimum 70.7 71.4 70.9
Maximum 71.9 72.1 72.3
Indoor Relative Humidity (%)
Average 45.1 47.4 44.4
Minimum 44.5 46.7 43.9
Maximum 45.5 47.9 45.0
13524559 5-9
Establishment of Stated Conditions
Although both systems are being compared under similar environmental conditions, other
factors will affect the comparison of performance and energy used to condition the space.
Two prominent factors that affect the amount of cooling delivered to the space during this test
include:
1. Effects of distributed control when using the Daikin VRV® system: Because each room
has independent control for maintaining a set temperature, the Daikin VRV® system does
not overcool a particular room. The ducted split system has only one thermostat
per condensing unit and can result in some rooms being overcooled or undercooled.
2. Effect of mixing conditioned air with adjacent systems: The ducted split system operates
by having the supply air fed to each room and the return air fed from the hallway.
Adjacent ducted split systems (not instrumented for this test) are also conditioning the
hallway, resulting in a mixed air situation from one system to another. The quantity of
mixed air and the extent of adjacent system interplay is unknown and not measured for
this test. The Daikin VRV® system operates with a different flow pattern than the ducted
split system; its return and supply air are located within the same room. There is no net
air flow into the hallway as a result of the Daikin VRV® system operation.
The above known effects combined with periods of similar environmental conditions may be
considered the “stated conditions” for comparing the ducted split system to the Daikin VRV®
system. It is under these stated conditions that a conclusion may be drawn by comparing the
ducted split system to the Daikin VRV® system.
Comparison of Energy Consumption, Cooling Delivered, and Efficiency

EPRI has generated three graphs that may be used to compare the ducted split system to the
Daikin VRV® system under certain stated conditions. Each graph contains a system-wide value
for a stated period when similar environmental conditions are met. The following comparisons
are made between the ducted split system and Daikin VRV® system:
• Energy consumption, kWh (total system electrical input)
• Cooling delivered, ton-h (total heat removed from the space)
• Average Energy Efficiency Ratio, Btu/Wh (cooling delivered divided by energy
consumption)
Energy Consumption
The energy consumption for both systems is shown in Figure 5-10. In all cases the ducted split
®
system consumes more energy than the Daikin VRV system during these four-hour periods.
In both periods A and C, the Daikin VRV® system consumed 48% and 41% less energy than the
ducted split system. During period B the Daikin VRV® system consumed 9% less energy than the
ducted split system. As shown in Figure 5-9, the environmental conditions for period B have
different trends from both periods A and C. During period B, the outdoor temperature decreases
rapidly as this period occurs during the late afternoon and evening hours. Perhaps such a
difference in conditions has resulted in more closely-matched energy consumption for both
systems during period B.
13524559 5-10
Figure 5-10
Comparison of energy consumption over each four-hour period
Cooling Delivered
The total cooling delivered for each period is shown in Figure 5-11. The cooling delivered value
is determined from refrigerant-side measurements for both systems.
In both periods A and C, the ducted split system delivers more cooling energy than the Daikin
VRV® system to maintain similar indoor temperatures and relative humidity levels. However,
in period B the Daikin VRV® system delivers more cooling during the four-hour period. This
seemingly bipolar behavior is likely to be attributed to varying environmental conditions and
is acceptable for this field test.
Figure 5-11
Comparison of total cooling delivered over each four-hour period
13524559 5-11
Efficiency
The average energy efficiency ratio for each period is shown in Figure 5-12. The average
efficiency of each system over a four-hour period is determined by the following equation:
∑[Cooling Delivered] Btu

[Average Energy Efficiency Ratio] = 4hr
∑[Electricity Consumption]
4hr
Wh
Likewise, the four-hour average coefficient of performance may be determined from the average
energy efficiency ratio by performing a unit conversion as shown in the following equation:
[Average Energy Efficiency Ratio]
[Average Coefficient of Performance] =
3.413
For each period the Daikin VRV® system has a higher average energy efficiency ratio than the
ducted split system. The efficiency ratio presents a normalized value that should be consistent
for repeated periods of similar environmental conditions.
Figure 5-12
Comparison of system efficiency over each four-hour period
For each period the Daikin VRV® system has a higher average energy efficiency ratio than the
split system. In the three periods presented in this report, the Daikin VRV® system has been
measured to be 30%, 41%, and 22% more efficient than the ducted split system. The efficiency
ratio presents a normalized value that should be consistent for repeated periods of similar
environmental conditions. However, three data points are a sparse data set that was gathered only
during the October testing period. Therefore, it is EPRI’s plan to continue these tests in 2009.
13524559 5-12
6
SURVEY AND RESULTS
During the installation and testing phases of the 2008 Daikin VRV® system field test, the
occupants were surveyed for their opinions on their perception of temperature, comfort, and
the installation process. This section explains the survey and accompanying results of what
the occupants experienced while interacting with the Daikin VRV® system as compared to the
ducted split system.
Temperature and Comfort

The temperature and comfort levels of the offices in the west end of EPRI Knoxville Building
1 had been known to be unsatisfactory for some time, and a web-based baseline survey was
deployed in early July 2008 to assess this situation. At the time, the VRF system installation was
complete and it had just been turned on. The survey respondents were asked questions pertaining
to the time before the VRF system installation (i.e. with the original HVAC system), and the
question wording emphasized this.
Throughout the months of August and September, the system was being tested, which involved
alternating between the VRF and the original HVAC system, as well as at times controlling the
temperature of the offices with the VRF system. In early October 2008, a second follow-up
survey was sent to office occupants who received the VRF system (this survey was also web-
based). At the time of this follow-up survey, this testing had been completed, and occupants had
had full control of their VRF systems for approximately three weeks. Questions were worded to
ask about office temperature and comfort levels since the completion of the testing (i.e. from
mid-September to early October).
Both the baseline and follow-up surveys were also sent to offices not equipped with the VRF
system, but who were on the periphery of the VRF offices. However, inadequate results were
obtained due to low response rates from these office occupants, and only responses from offices
equipped with the VRF system are considered in this report.
Results
Baseline
Four out of a total of seven (57%) VRF recipients responded to the baseline survey, and
although the data are limited, the anecdotal information about variable temperature conditions
in the baseline scenario appears to be borne out in the data. All four respondents expressed
dissatisfaction with their office temperature in the summer (Figure 6-1). Two of these
respondents have south-facing windows, and two have west-facing windows.
When asked if their office temperature varied throughout the day, all four respondents reported
that it did. For a further explanation, two respondents (one with south-facing windows, one with
west-facing windows) replied that their offices became warmer in the afternoon; one respondent
(west-facing) felt that the variation related directly to outside temperature and cloud cover; and
the fourth (south-facing) indicated that the thermostat, in the west-most end of the building, was
lowered when that area of the building gets “busy.”
13524559 6-1
Figure 6-1
Perceived office temperature before VRF installation
Respondents were asked to provide any other comments regarding their office temperature that
were not captured in the previous questions, and three indicated that, because the thermostats
were located in other offices with different heating and cooling patterns, their office comfort
levels were not satisfactory. From the other (west-facing) respondent:
“summertime’ is not the problem, typically too cold in summer, and winter...with lots of windows issue is in
spring and fall when the sun is low on the horizon, office is typically too hot in the 80's. Thermostat location
was an issue as the conditions are different in that area....but I have changed it from time to time. Issue of cold
in the winter has to do with lack on floor and outside wall insulation, especially on cloudy days in winter. I sit
right next to window...not sure the new system will help much...will see.”
Post-Installation
The original intention was to deploy the follow-up survey in the summer so that questions could
be better comparable to the baseline survey (in which questions were framed with respect to the
summer season). However, due to a number of reasons this was not possible, so this should be
taken into account when comparing the results of the two surveys.
In addition to the four respondents to the initial baseline survey, an additional two occupants
also responded to the follow-up survey, for a response rate of six out of a total of seven possible
occupants (86%) with the VRF system installed in their office.
The perceived changes attributable to the VRF system were assessed through two methods: the
first involved comparing the same question about office temperature levels from the baseline to
the follow-up survey for each respondent; the second method involved asking in the follow-up
survey whether the occupant felt there was a change in their comfort level since the VRF system
installation. Note that, in addition to the hazards of comparing the two surveys described above,
these two methods are slightly different in that one focuses on temperature, and the other on
comfort-level. However, they do provide a different way of considering the data. These two
methods of comparison are summarized below in Table 6-1.
13524559 6-2
Table 6-1
Assessing changes attributable to the VRF system
Baseline
Follow-Up Survey
Survey (Early
(Early Oct 2008)
July 2008)
“In your Improvement?
“Over the Improvement?
“Before the opinion, how (Based on
past few (Comparing
Respondent VRF system, has your Follow-up
weeks, how Baseline and
ID what was the comfort level Survey
would you Follow-Up
temperature changed Question
rate the Surveys
like in your compared to Alone)
temperature
office in the before the
in your
summertime?” VRF system
office?”
installation?”
Much better than
1 Too cold Just about right Yes Yes
before
Somewhat worse
2 Way too hot Too cold No No
than before
Much better than
3 Too hot Just about right Yes Yes
before
Much better than
4 Too hot Too cold No Yes
before
The same as
NA (did not
before/can’t
5 respond to Just about right NA No
really tell the
baseline survey)
difference
NA (did not
Much better than
6 respond to Just about right NA Yes
before
baseline survey)
Using survey comparison method to assess perceived improvements, it can be interpreted that
two out of four respondents (50%) feel their office temperature has improved. Using the question
from the follow-up survey alone, four out of six respondents (67%) feel that the comfort level of
their office has improved.
Considering the follow-up survey results alone, when asked if the occupants felt they had
adequate control of their office temperature to maintain their comfort level, four out of the six
respondents (67%) reported “yes”; one reported that he/she had not been in the office enough to
really try it out; and the remaining one indicated that, although the temperature was set at 88°F,
it ran constantly, and seemed much colder than 88°F.
Half of the six respondents indicated that they adjust the temperature in their office on average
once a day; the other half reported that they never adjust their temperature.
Lastly, four out of six respondents (67%) rated their overall satisfaction with the VRF system
as either satisfied or very satisfied (Figure 6-2). It should be noted that the neutral occupant
indicated they had not been in the office very much since the system’s installation.
13524559 6-3
Figure 6-2
Satisfaction with VRF system
When asked for any remaining feedback or opinions about the VRF system, some interesting
issues were revealed. Similarly, in the baseline survey, some comments about the VRF system
were provided, as the system had just been turned on, and these are included here as well.
Humidity
In the July baseline survey, one respondent reported that the system reduced the humidity level
in his/her office, so that the temperature did not have to be set so low, an attribute which this
respondent liked. In the October follow-up survey, this same respondent remarked again that
the system kept the humidity very low, so that a thermostat reading of 77°F felt more like 70°F.
Air Flow
In the baseline survey, one respondent remarked that they were not happy with how cold air was
delivered directly onto his/her desk, and wondered if adjustments could be made. No specific
comment about the blowing air was made in the follow-up survey by this respondent, although
he/she did report that more “fine-tuning” was required. When this respondent was contacted for
more information, he/she was not able to say whether the blowing was still an issue as he/she had
been out of the office quite often. This person did comment that he/she was not able to adjust the
louvers to a position that was adequate, and that they defaulted to an oscillating motion, which
this person did not like.
A second respondent reported in the October follow-up survey that the only issue he/she had was
that the wall unit “blows directly in my face.” This respondent also said that they had adjusted it
a couple of times, but it is something to consider for future installations.
13524559 6-4
Noise
In the October follow-up survey, one respondent remarked that his/her only issue with the
system was that it made a “gurgling” noise in the early days following its installation. When
this respondent was contacted for more information, he/she commented that he/she was not
sure if it was still an issue, but that he/she did not seem to notice it anymore. This person did not
know if this was because he/she had gotten used to it, or whether it had disappeared. This person
also commented that he/she had been out of the office often.
Another respondent reported that that pump makes a noise when it starts, which can be
“annoying” when in conference calls or meetings. This person went on to say that, because the
operation of the equipment is otherwise “so quiet,” one is “more likely to notice now when the
pump kicks in.” In the July baseline survey, one respondent also reported that the system was
quiet.
Discussion
With the exception of one office occupant, most of the recipients of the VRF system report that
they are satisfied with the system in their offices, and that they feel they have control of their
office temperature and subsequent comfort level. There are still some adjustments that need to
be made to the unit in the case of the one unsatisfied occupant, as this person can not adequately
control their office temperature, or the direction of air flow. Half of the occupants do not ever
adjust their office temperature, and the other half adjust it about once a day on average. The
minimal need to adjust the temperature could be a testament to the improved comfort levels,
although the one dissatisfied occupant noted that they never adjust their temperature either, likely
because they feel it is futile.
There appears to be some additional noise issues, with the “gurgling” and the sound of the pump
switching on. In the case of the “gurgling”, this is either minor or it has been addressed, as the
occupants does not notice it anymore. In the case of the noise of the pump turning on, this issue
should be addressed with the office occupant to see if anything can be done about it.
Lastly, the performance of the VRF system in the late fall, winter, and spring can not yet be
addressed, as the system testing was intended for the summer season only, and the system will
be turned off in the winter. Its seasonal performance is a valid topic for future research.
Installation
Results
One half of the July baseline survey was devoted to having the office occupants assess the VRF
installation process. Figure 6-3 depicts the satisfaction level of the installation process for the
four survey respondents.
Of these respondents, two were displaced from their offices during the installation process.
When the respondents were asked to elaborate on their satisfaction rating, the respondent that
was “dissatisfied” suggested that arrangements should have been made to relocate those
occupants who needed to move. One of the other three respondents who was “satisfied” reported
that “[we] were given adequate notice regarding the dates of installation and the fact that we
‘may’ be displaced.” Another “satisfied” respondent reported that “[everyone] was courteous,”
and that the staff involved was professional and good at communicating events as they unfolded.
The remaining “satisfied” respondent reported that the process was “not that disruptive.”
13524559 6-5
Figure 6-3
Satisfaction level with VRF installation process
When asked for ways in which the installation process could have been improved, the following
suggestions were offered:
“More care in removing and replacing ceiling tile.”
“Prior arrangements for temp space. Better communication about the installation process itself. They made a
mess of papers and things I left out, not knowing that they would be so exposed. More information about what
would transpire: I just found out that the two systems will be rotated into use weekly.”
“I realize now my office (and perhaps other areas) should have been better prepared in advance (i.e. desk and
personal items removed as possible or covered up). Not a real problem because we were given adequate
warning.”
“Remind workers that we can hear everything they say when they are in the ceiling and remember those of us in
offices are in meetings and conference calls. Probably if I had this to do over I would have moved out of their
way into another office.”
Discussion
While the data are limited to that from four respondents, overall most were satisfied with the
VRF system installation process.
There were discrepancies in the responses regarding the level of communication provided by
the installation staff, as well as the amount of warning that was provided regarding the
inconveniences that would be necessary temporarily. These discrepancies themselves could
be an indication that communication levels could have been better. Or, if the discrepancies
were a result of different expectation levels or different understandings of the implications of
the inconveniences, the installation staff should in the future ensure that all office occupants
understand and acknowledge the implications ahead of time.
13524559 6-6
7
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
This report documents evaluation research on VRF space conditioning technology. Specifically,
a Daikin VRV® system was installed and designed to cool eight offices and one vestibule space
within EPRI’s Living Laboratory campus in Knoxville, TN. A complete instrumentation package
provided 173 measurement points. The goals of the installation were to benchmark performance
and learn through first-hand experience the installation challenges associated with variable
refrigerant flow technology.
The system was straightforward to install but disruptive, requiring two weeks of relocation
for the office occupants. The system was quiet during its operation and provided the required
cooling load and comfort to occupants. A survey conducted by EPRI found that the occupants
in general preferred the VRF system over the existing ducted system.
Three different types of indoor units were installed with the ceiling mount liked the best. Several
occupants with wall mount units complained of discomfort because of cool air blowing directly
on them. Under very specific stated conditions the VRF system exhibited significantly better
efficiency than the ducted split system.
While this report documents the installation and some performance metrics for the installed
system, additional work is needed to quantify the performance over one or more cooling seasons
in order to assess and correlate the performance over a wider variety of operating conditions and
to benchmark the reliability of the system over time.
EPRI’s measurements tally with Daikin’s AirNet® measurements within 6%, and Daikin is
in good agreement with EPRI’s results. From the 2008 testing of the Daikin VRV® system,
a couple of primary conclusions may be made, as follows:
1. Efficiency: Under the specific stated conditions (i.e., comparison over a four hour
®
period designation), the average EER of the Daikin VRV system was 22%, 30%, and
41% higher than the ducted split system. During the same operating conditions, energy
consumed by the VRF system reduced by 48%, 9% and 41% respectively.
2. Comfort: Based on occupant survey results, 4 of 6 occupants were satisfied or more than
satisfied with the VRF system.
This sparse data confirms the anecdotal reports that have been published in industry literature
relating to efficiency and comfort. Efficiency improvements could be attributed to better zone
control enabled by individual room controllers, a variable speed compressor, and little or no
duct losses. It is important to note that very few data points were gathered during the testing.
Therefore it is EPRI’s plan to continue these tests in 2009. These tests will be complementary
to the ice-storage (IS-VRV®) tests to be conducted in summer 2009.
13524559 7-1
13524559
8
REFERENCES
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 15-2007, “Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems,” ISSN 1041-
2336, 2007.
Dyer, Mark June 2006. “Approaching 20 years of VRF in the UK,” Modern Building Services,
http://www.modern-building-
services.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2127/Approaching_20_years_of_VRF_in_the_UK.html.
Goetzler, William April 2007. “Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems,” ASHRAE Journal,
http://bookstore.ashrae.biz/journal/journal_s_article.php?articleID=16.
Honeywell, 2008, MSDS sheet for R410-A refrigerant
http://www.honeywell.com/sites/docs/doc19194b8-fb3ebe9312-
3e3e4447ab3472a0c2a5e5fdc1e6517d.pdf. Retrieved on September 24, 2008.
Inman, Jon A., September 2007. “Going With The Variable Flow,” Engineered Systems,
www.esmagazine.com.
Johnson, S. June 26, 2007. “ASHRAE Headquarters Building Renovation, Mechanical Systems
Narrative”.
Load Calculation Study for Variable Refrigerant Volume System, Applied Engineering. May 23,
2008.
Roth, Kurt et al. 2002. “Energy Consumption Characteristics of Commercial Building HVAC
Systems Volume III: Energy Savings Potential,” TIAX LLC for DOE.
Siddens, Scott January 2007. “Variable Refrigerant Systems Make for Zoned HVAC Control,”
Consulting-Specifying Engineer http://www.csemag.com/article/CA6407681.html.
Smith, Lee April 30, 2007. “History Lesson: Ductless Has Come a Long Way,” ACHR News.
Variable Refrigerant Flow: An Emerging Air Conditioner and Heat Pump Technology, Ammi
Amarnath, Electric Power Research Institute, Morton Blatt, Energy Utilization Consultant.
Zhou, Y. et al. 2006. “Module Development And Simulation of The Variable Refrigerant Flow
Air Conditioning System Under Cooling Conditions In EnergyPlus,”.
13524559 8-1
13524559
9
GLOSSARY
Definitions
AHU—Air Handler Unit.
Air-Side—Pertaining to measurement of cooling performed on the air moving through an
evaporator coil.
Coefficient of Performance (COP)—The cooling capacity divided by the power input used
to provide that cooling capacity (in like units).
Compressor Power—The power consumed by the compressor.
Cooling Capacity—The amount of heat absorbed by an evaporator coil(s) located in the
corresponding zone(s).
Cooling Performance Factor (CPF)—The ratio of the cooling energy provided by the system
and the total energy consumption of the corresponding system in a given time period.
DAQ—Data Acquisition & Control System.
EER—Energy Efficiency Ratio = cooling capacity (Btu/hr) ÷ system power (Watts).
EEV—Electronic expansion valve.
Enthalpy—Energy content per unit mass.
Individual Control Mode—Individual control mode (ICM).
IU—Indoor unit.
Master Control Mode—Master control mode (MCM).
Peak Power Shifting—The amount of power shifted from the daytime to the night-time power
generation period.
Refrigerant-Side—Pertaining to measurement of cooling by measurement of the change in
energy content of the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator.
RH—Relative humidity.
Split-System—Refers to the two existing central air conditioning systems that will serve as
the baseline.
System Power—The total power consumed by all components of a cooling system.
Total Reduced Peak Power—The total measured change in power consumption from the
®
VRV system to the baseline system.
Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV®)—A vapor compression cycle employing one OU
consisted of a variable speed compressor and a fixed speed compressor and multiple IUs fed
by EEVs.
OU—Outdoor unit.
13524559 9-1
13524559
A
DUCTED SPLIT SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS
13524559 A-1
13524559 A-2
13524559 A-3
13524559
B ®
DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – CEILING MOUNT
UNIT, CASSETTE TYPE
13524559 B-1
13524559
C ®
DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – WALL MOUNT UNIT
13524559 C-1
13524559
D ®
DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICIATONS – CONCEALTED
CEILING UNIT
13524559 D-1
13524559
E ®
DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – REMOTE CONTROL
13524559 E-1
13524559
F ®
DAIKIN VRV SPECIFICATIONS – INTELLIGENT TOUCH
CONTROLLER
13524559 F-1
13524559
13524559
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Performance Assessment of A Variable Refrigerant Flow Heat Pump Air Conditioning System

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Performance Assessment of A Variable Refrigerant Flow Heat Pump Air Conditioning System

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Performance Assessment of a Variable Refrigerant

Flow Heat Pump Air Conditioning System

Daikin VRV® System

Technical Update, December 2008

EPRI Project Manager

ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE

ORGANIZATION(S) THAT PREPARED THIS DOCUMENT

Electric Power Research Institute

With support from

Results and Findings

Challenges and Objective(s)

2 DESCRIPTION OF VRF TECHNOLOGY ...............................................................................2-1

4 DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM..............................................................................................4-1

5 CHARACTERIZATION TESTS ..............................................................................................5-1

6 SURVEY AND RESULTS.......................................................................................................6-1

7 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .........................................................................................7-1

A DUCTED SPLIT SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................... A-1

To accomplish these objectives, experiments were conducted at EPRI’s Living Laboratory in

Evolution of VRF Technology

Daikin’s AirNet® System

each office affected (4) (see).

Model Qty Description

Total Available Available Sensible

Existing Ducted Split System

Measurement Description Average Percent Difference

Q& refrigerat , system = m& (hin − hout )evaporator ( s )

Power Consumption Profile

Cooling Delivered Profile

Establishment of Similar Environmental Conditions

Comparison of Energy Consumption, Cooling Delivered, and Efficiency

∑[Cooling Delivered] Btu

Temperature and Comfort

Printed on recycled paper in the United States of America 1018446

Electric Power Research Institute

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