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VRF Energy Modeling Savings Estimates

Regional Technical Forum Variable Capacity
Heat Pump Sub-Committee Meeting
August 31, 2011

Energy Solutions
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Outline
• Requested Analysis

• Modeling Parameters

• Assumptions

• Results

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Requested Analysis
• Model VRF energy savings for buildings in
Seattle and Spokane using EnergyPro 5
• Based on SCE analysis
• Mitsubishi VRF heat pump and heat recovery systems
• Small office
• 7,200 sf
• Medium office
• 41,500 sf

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Baseline Systems
• Small office
• Packaged rooftop air conditioner with gas furnace and
constant volume fan
• ASHRAE system type 3
• 4 units, 6-8 tons each, fixed temp economizer, 1080 cfm of
OSA
• Modeling software included conductive duct losses for electric
cooling
• Fan energy increased to compensate for duct leakage

• Packaged rooftop heat pump and constant volume fan

• ASHRAE system type 4
• 4 units, 6-8 tons each, fixed temp economizer, 1080 cfm of
OSA
• Modeling software included conductive duct losses for both
electric cooling and heating
• Fan energy increased to compensate
4 for duct leakage 4
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Baseline Systems
• Medium office
• Packaged rooftop VAV with gas boiler reheat
• ASHRAE system type 5
• 6 units, 19-26 tons each, fixed temp economizer, 6015 cfm of
OSA
• Increased electric cooling energy to compensate for conductive
duct losses
• Fan energy increased to compensate for duct leakage

• Packaged rooftop VAV with electric resistance reheat

• ASHRAE system type 6
• 6 units, 19-26 tons each, fixed temp economizer, 6015 cfm of
OSA
• Increased electric cooling energy to compensate for conductive
duct losses
• Fan energy increased to compensate for duct leakage
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VRF Systems
• Small office
• VRF heat pump system with DOAS
• 2 units, 10 to 12 tons each, no economizer, 1080 cfm of OSA
• VRF heat recovery system with DOAS
• 2 units, 10 to 12 tons each, no economizer, 1080 cfm of OSA

• Medium office
• VRF heat pump system with DOAS
• 6 units, 12 to 16 tons each, no economizer, 6015 cfm of OSA
• VRF heat recovery system with DOAS
• 6 units, 12 to 16 tons each, no economizer, 6015 cfm of OSA

• No duct conductive losses or leakage

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Modeling Parameters
• ASHRAE 90.1 - 2007 Baseline
• Small office – Packaged RTU w/ gas heat or heat
pump
• Separate baseline models created using 90.1 parameters
• Base case had 4 total zones and 4 rooftop units
• VRFs were modeled with 8 zones and 2 outdoor units
• Baseline equipment was modeled on typical sizes, VRFs were
based on actual Mitsubishi equipment in EnergyPro
• Medium office – VAV w/ boiler or electric reheat
• Used standard VAV energy models auto-generated by
EnergyPro for the VRF simulation baselines
• Program assigned the same number of VAV air handlers as
VRF outdoor units – 6 total; more AHUs than normal for
capacity
• Baseline VAV capacities were sized by EnergyPro to satisfy
peak block loads for assigned zones; capacities did not fall
into typical VAV size categories
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Modeling Parameters
• Energy savings
• Baseline energy use: cooling, electric heating, fans, and
pumps
• VRF and DOAS system energy use: cooling, heating,
fans, and branch selector boxes

• Peak demand analysis

• Evaluated summer and winter, comparing total building
peak demand between measure and base

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Assumptions
• 28% increase in electric heating and cooling
energy to account for duct losses1
• Not included for VAV electric reheat

• 37% increase in fan energy due to air leakage

from ducts2

1. Fisk, William J, et al., Duct systems in large commercial buildings: physical characterization, air leakage, and heat
conduction gains, LBNL-42339, page 110, November 1999

2. Diamond, Rick, et al., Thermal Distribution Systems in Commercial Buildings, LBNL-51860, page 12, May2003

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Energy Usage – Small Office

VRF Heat Pump
Cooling (kWh) Heating (kWh) Fans (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 8,959 5,164 5,195 19,318
Spokane 9,712 11,338 5,865 26,915

VRF Heat Recovery

Cooling (kWh) Heating (kWh) Fans (kWh) Branch Box (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 9,511 5,498 5,195 310 20,514
Spokane 10,283 12,219 5,865 303 28,670

RTU Gas Furnace

Cooling (kWh) Heating (therms) Fans (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 5,158 339 46,366 51,524
Spokane 8,308 913 46,953 55,261

RTU Heat Pump

Cooling (kWh) Heating (kWh) Fans (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 5,158 4,108 46,364 55,630
Spokane 8,308 13,213 46,932 68,453

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Energy Usage – Medium Office

VRF Heat Pump
Cooling (kWh) Heating (kWh) Fans (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 52,759 17,252 22,320 92,331
Spokane 55,515 34,124 24,510 114,149

VRF Heat Recovery

Cooling (kWh) Heating (kWh) Fans (kWh) Branch Box (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 53,069 9,439 22,320 1,956 86,784
Spokane 52,075 29,633 24,510 1,917 108,135

VAV Gas Boiler Reheat

Cooling (kWh) Heating (therms) Fans (kWh) Pumps (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 87,880 3,400 53,437 618 141,935
Spokane 89,446 4,938 61,871 902 152,219

VAV Electric Reheat

Cooling (kWh) Heating (kWh) Fans (kWh) Total (kWh)
Seattle 85,708 58,628 52,853 197,189
Spokane 86,970 84,725 60,665 232,360

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Results – Small Office

VRF Heat Pump
Packaged RTU w/ Gas Heat Base Case - ASHRAE system type
Packaged RTU Heat Pump Base Case - ASHRAE system type 4
3
Normalized Demand Gas Heat Normalized Demand Demand
Savings Savings Reduction Offset Savings Savings Reduction (summ) Reduction (wint)
(kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (therms) (kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (kW/ton)
Seattle 4.47 1464 0.45 339 5.04 1651 0.45 0.45
Spokane 3.94 1288 0.45 913 5.77 1888 0.45 1.95
Average 4.20 1376 0.45 626 5.41 1769 0.45 1.20

VRF Heat Recovery

Packaged RTU w/ Gas Heat Base Case - ASHRAE system type
Packaged RTU Heat Pump Base Case - ASHRAE system type 4
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Normalized Demand Gas Heat Normalized Demand Demand
Savings Savings Reduction Offset Savings Savings Reduction (summ) Reduction (wint)
(kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (therms) (kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (kW/ton)
Seattle 4.31 1410 0.45 339 4.88 1596 0.45 0.45
Spokane 3.69 1209 0.41 913 5.53 1808 0.41 1.91
Average 4.00 1309 0.43 626 5.20 1702 0.43 1.18

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Results – Medium Office

VRF Heat Pump
VAV w/ Gas Boiler Reheat Base Case - ASHRAE system type
VAV w/ Electric Reheat Base Case - ASHRAE system type 6
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Normalized Demand Gas Heat Normalized Demand Demand
Savings Savings Reduction Offset Savings Savings Reduction (summ) Reduction (wint)
(kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (therms) (kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (kW/ton)
Seattle 1.20 620 0.44 3400 2.53 1311 0.43 0.70
Spokane 0.92 453 0.61 4938 2.85 1407 0.58 0.87
Average 1.06 537 0.52 4169 2.69 1359 0.50 0.78

VRF Heat Recovery

VAV w/ Gas Boiler Reheat Base Case - ASHRAE system type
VAV w/ Electric Reheat Base Case - ASHRAE system type 6
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Normalized Demand Gas Heat Normalized Demand Demand
Savings Savings Reduction Offset Savings Savings Reduction (summ) Reduction (wint)
(kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (therms) (kWh/SF) (kWh/ton) (kW/ton) (kW/ton)
Seattle 1.33 689 0.41 3400 2.66 1380 0.39 0.81
Spokane 1.06 525 0.58 4938 2.99 1479 0.56 0.89
Average 1.20 607 0.50 4169 2.83 1429 0.47 0.85

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Savings Summary
VRF Heat Pump
% Electricity Savings over Baseline with Gas Heat % Electricity Savings over Baseline with Electric Heat

Medium Office Small Office Medium Office Small Office

Seattle 34.9% 62.5% 31.5% 65.3%
Spokane 25.0% 51.3% 42.5% 60.7%
Average 30.0% 56.9% 37.0% 63.0%

VRF Heat Recovery

% Electricity Savings over Baseline with Gas Heat % Electricity Savings over Baseline with Electric Heat

Medium Office Small Office Medium Office Small Office

Seattle 38.9% 60.2% 33.2% 63.1%
Spokane 29.0% 48.1% 44.7% 58.1%
Average 33.9% 54.2% 38.9% 60.6%

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