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SELLING AND APPLYING

VRF TECHNOLOGY

John Chavez!
Gunder & Associates, LLC!

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 About me

Began my career in 1986!

24 years as a Mechanical Contractor!
NATE Certified!
Mini-Split Experience since 1995!

VRF Experience since 2007!

Currently: Technical Sales and Support!

About me

My Customers are:!
End Users and Building Owners
Contractors
Distributors

Mechanical Engineers

Architects
Factory Sales Personnel
 Todays Topics

! ! !1. What is VRF Technology?!

! ! !2. What are the Key System Features?!

! ! !3. How Do VRF Systems Work?!

! ! !4. Review of System Components!

! ! !5. Applications and Design!

! ! !6. Service and Maintenance!

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 Introduction to VRF?

VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW

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not your typical heat pump!
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Software !
Driving !
Hardware!

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 First Installation was 32 Years Ago!

>Two Million Installations!

World Wide! 11
Chapter 18. Variable Refrigerant Flow

Proven Technology 12
 The PLAYERS

Mitsubishi Electric! Samsung!

LG Electronics! EMI/Enviromaster!
Daikin! Midea!
Panasonic/Sanyo! Gree!
Fujitsu! MHI!
Hitachi! Sharp!
Carrier/Toshiba! about 10 more….!

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 The PLAYERS

Mitsubishi Electric! Samsung!

LG Electronics! EMI/Enviromaster!
Daikin! Midea!
Panasonic/Sanyo! Gree!
Fujitsu! MHI!
Hitachi! Sharp!
Carrier/Toshiba! about 10 more….!

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 The PLAYERS

Mitsubishi Electric! Samsung!

LG Electronics! EMI/Enviromaster!
Daikin! Midea!
Panasonic/Sanyo! Gree!
Fujitsu! MHI!
Hitachi! Sharp!
Carrier/Toshiba! about 10 more….!

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 What is VRF?

A system of singular or modular heat pumps !

and indoor fan coils that are connected !
by a common system control and !
a common set of refrigerant piping.!
!

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 What is VRF?

A system of singular or modular heat pumps !

and indoor fan coils that are connected !
by a common system control and !
a common set of refrigerant piping.!
!

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 What is VRF?

A system of singular or modular heat pumps !

and indoor fan coils that are connected !
by a common system control and !
a common set of refrigerant piping.!
!

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 What is VRF?

The refrigerant is passed through a series of !

fan coils by means of variable speed
compressors and metered by an !
electronic expansion valve (EEV) that !
regulates refrigerant flow to !
accommodate the comfort set point !
for individual fan coils and zones!

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 What is VRF?

!
The variable speed compressor increases!
or decreases the system capacity to !
satisfy the individual load requirements!

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 What is VRF?

!
The variable speed compressor increases!
or decreases the system capacity to !
satisfy the individual load requirements!

Personalized zoned
comfort control
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 What is VRF?

!
The software programming in the outdoor unit
continually scans about 250 data points to!
meet specific tolerances in target temperatures
and pressures.!

the software is a conductor in a

sophisticated symphony
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 Heat Pump vs.
Heat Pump with Heat Recovery

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 Heat Pump vs.
Heat Pump with Heat Recovery

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Heat Pump

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Heat Pump

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Heat Pump

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Heat Recovery
Simultaneous Heating and Cooling

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Heat Recovery
Simultaneous Heating and Cooling

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Heat Recovery
Simultaneous Heating and Cooling

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Common Network
Refrigerant Circuit and Control Communication Buss

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What are the Key Features? 32
 Mix and Match Indoor Units!

Inverter Driven Scroll Compressors!

Up to 150% Connected Capacity!

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 Zoned Space Control!

Flexibility in Design!

Simultaneous Heating and Cooling!

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Two or Three Pipe System!

Two Wire DDC Network!

Integrated Controls Network!

BACnet and LonWorks!

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 Diversity!
Building
Load Profile

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Distributed
Capacity!

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Flexible Piping Design

3280 FT

540 FT
295 FT

49 FT
295 FT

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8 inches Tall

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Economy of Scale

80 Tons
Economy of Scale

Fits into a Six Person Elevator

Economy of Scale

Space required to deliver 20 tons of cooling

Water
2 1/2” Iron Pipe
2” Iron Pipe
Air
30” Diameter
Ductwork
Refrigerant R410A
1 1/8” Copper Pipe
 Economy of Scale

Refrigerant R410A Water Air

57 Watts/kg 5.8 Watts/kg .3 Watts/kg
 Economy of Scale

Refrigerant R410A Water Air

57 Watts/kg 5.8 Watts/kg .3 Watts/kg

Refrigerant has 10x the heat transfer capacity of chilled water and 190x that of air

Transporting expensively generated conditioned air

Is probably not the best method to heat and cool a building
Economy of Scale

Ceiling Space
Integrated Controls
 Low Sound Rating

VRF Heat Pump

VRF Indoor Units

 Energy Efficient

System Automatically Matches the Zone Load

Adjusts the Flow of Refrigerant and Energy

Adjusts the Compressor Speed and Fan Speed

Improves Temperature Control

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soft starts
no lock rotor amps

Inverter driven compressor matches

compressor speed to meet
the full or part load demand

off the charts energy efficiency

when in part load conditions

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allows for precise temperature
and humidity control

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 Load Matching Refrigerant Flow
Room
Temperature
80F
Very fast! Comfortable!

Room temperature is steady.

Set Point 75F

High rotation speed up to 120Hz 150Hz

adjusts rotation speed precisely

60Hz
keeps steady space temperature
30Hz

ON 0Hz
Very Efficient
Compressor
“soft start” Low Current at start Keeps rotation speed low
after temperature stabilizes.
Lower Electrical Loads
Lower Architectural Costs
Lower Structural Costs
Total Building First Costs
Typical HVAC Efficiency Ratings

rating systems are based at part load capacity

• IEER – Integrated Energy Efficiency Rating = Took the place of IPLV, is

used for VRF product, and is explained in detail on the next slide

• SCHE – Simultaneous Cooling & Heating Efficiency = the efficiency of

VRF Heat Recovery at simultaneous 50% heating & 50% cooling
 Federal Guidelines-AHRI Standard 1230

!Establishes Testing Procedures"

"
!VRF Efficiency Database "
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" " !Part-Load Efficiencies"
!! " " "
""
! "
"

Schematic Design Phase System Benefits

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 Reliability

.05% (Five Hundredths of One Percent) Warranty Return

“ If installed correctly,!

”
VRF systems are bullet proof.!
!
-Large Texas Based Commercial Contractor!

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Lower Life Cycle
 Lower Life Cycle

the cost of an hvac system is about more than the cost of

design, equipment and installation.

you need to consider operation, service,

maintenance and replacement in the
total cost equation.

VRF zoning systems are more efficient, easier to design,

takes less time to install and require significantly less
maintenance than conventional hvac systems.
How Do VRF Systems Work?

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 SMART COIL

Coil Outlet

Constantly monitoring
to keep a target
Return Air Stream Sensor
Superheat or
or Room Space Sensor Subcooling
Temperature

Coil Inet
LEV
 SMART COIL

Coil Outlet

Constantly monitoring
to keep a TARGET
Return Air Stream Sensor
Superheat or
or Room Space Sensor Subcooling
Temperature

Coil Inlet
LEV
SMART COIL
2000 Steps

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DIFFERENCES IN VRF SYSTEMS

Programming Logic

Two vs Three Pipe Heat Recovery Systems

Controls Network

Piping Rules

Inverter+Fixed or Inverter Only

Service Access to Components

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DIFFERENCES IN VRF SYSTEMS

Information Available to the Public

Service Software Tools

Selection Software Tools

Oil Management

Defrost Strategy

Capacities at Low Ambient Conditions

Customer Support/Training
Review of System Components

Air and Water Source Heat Pumps

DOAS
ERV
Indoor Fan Coils
Zone Control
Central Control
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Air and Water Source Heat Pumps

94 Models
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 Outdoor Units
Heat Recovery !
Heat Pump with Branch Controller!

6~28 Tons!
208~230, 460 Volt!
Inverter Driven Scroll Compressor!
Sound Rating as Low as 48 dB’s!
Connect 50:1!
Connect up to 150%!

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Branch Circuit Controller

Daikin = Branch Selector

LG = Heat Recovery Unit
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 Outdoor Units

Three Phase Heat Pump!

6~36 Tons!
208~230, 460 Volt!
Inverter Driven Scroll Compressor!
Sound Rating as Low as 48 dB’s!

Connect 50:1!
Connect up to 130%!

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 Outdoor Units

Single Phase Heat Pump!

3,4, & 5 Tons!

208~230 Volt, Single Phase!
Inverter Driven Scroll Compressor!
Sound Rating as Low as 49 dB!

Connect 8:1!
Connect up to 130%!

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Indoor Units

11 Styles and 64 Models

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Space Mounted Units

High Wall Mounted

Ceiling Suspended

Floor Standing
(PFFY-NRMU for recessed
mounting not shown)

CITY MULTI VRF

Ceiling Recessed Cassettes

Four Way 33x33

Ceiling Cassette

Four Way 24x24

Ceiling Cassette

One Way Cassette

CITY MULTI VRF

Concealed Ducted Units

Ceiling Concealed
Medium Static Up to
.6 In W.C.

High Static up to
1 In W.C.

Low Profile
Up to .2 In W.C.

Fan Coil
Down/Horizontal Left/
Vertical Ducted

Product Review CITY MULTI VRF

Controls Network

Integrated Digital Control System

• 2 Wire DDC System

– 16 GA. Stranded & Shielded
– Daisy Chain Connection
– Non-Polarized
• Customizable Control Scheme
• Integration into BMS & EMS
• Third Party Equipment Control
Controls Network

Zone Control

Central System Control

Controls Network

PC-Based Controls
Web Browser Functionality

Product Review CITY MULTI VRF

Controls Network

iPhone, iPad, iTouch App

CITY MULTI VRF

Typical Controls Wiring

Zone Zone Zone

1 2 3
IN
F1 F2
P1 P2 P1 P2 P1 P2

P1 P2 F1 F2 P1 P2 F1 F2 P1 P2 F1 F2
 Selection Software
Selection Software

•Easy to Use
•Drag & Drop System Components
•Input Project Information
•Output Layout and System Design

System Design
AutoCAD Output
AutoCAD

Document Design Phase System Design

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Target Applications!
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College Dormitory!

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 Hospitals!

Churches!

Hotels! 105
The Element Hotel!
Dallas, Texas!

Reduced Electrical Panel from 5kVA to 2kVA!

System is Activate by a Key Card!
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Roosevelt Tower!
12-Story Luxury Office Building!

Waco, Texas! 107

SandRidge Energy!
30-Story Office Building!

Oklahoma City, OK! 108

 Location of CDU

217 ft
384 ft

How to
overcome
higher
167 ft level
difference
 CDU on Upper Roof

217 ft
1454 Tons

167 ft
 CDU on Lower Roof

217 ft

1259 Tons
167 ft
[ Custom Home ]!

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Service And Maintenance
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Maintenance

Just wash or replace the air filters and clean

the coils with fresh water. That’s it!!

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 Service

The number one thing you need when!

troubleshooting a VRF or DFS system is…….!

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 Ohm-meter!
Selectable!
DC Voltmeter! Range up to!
500k Ohm!

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 VRF Systems
are changing the way we
Heat and Cool buildings

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Contact me

http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkchavez!

john@gunderllc.com!
Open Forum
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