Introduction

To VRF:
System
Overview,
Applications,
& Savings
Opportunities

System
Overview

What is VRF?

Zoning System

Two-Pipe / Three Pipe System

Packaged DDC Control

Operates as a Heat Pump

Simultaneous Cooling & Heating

Inverter Technology / Variable Speed

Compressor

Multiple Indoor Units Up to 50 Indoor

Units Per System

Variable

Connected Diversity Up to 150%

Refrigerant

Variable Capacity Indoor Units

Flow

EMS / BMS Compatibility

High Turn Down Ratios Below 10% In

Many Cases

INVERTER Technology

Changes electrical frequency from 60 Hz (line Power) to a varying

range (10 Hertz to 110 Hertz depending on the system)

SETPOINT

VRF

VRF
CONVENTIONAL

VR
F

Room Temperature

INVERTER Technology

Automatically adjusts compressor speed to meet load

Sizing flexibility with variable capacity

Strives to run long periods at lower speeds.
Reduced / eliminated cyclic losses

Improved temperature control
No more minimum cycle timers no temperature
overshoot.

Time

AHRI Standard 1230 VRF HAS ARRIVED !

3.27

VRF Multi-Split System. A split system air-conditioner or heat

pump incorporating a single refrigerant circuit, with one or
more outdoor units, at least one variable speed compressor or
an alternative compressor combination for varying the capacity
of the system by three or more steps, multiple indoor fan coil
units, each of which is individually metered and individually
controlled by a proprietary control device and common
communications network. The system shall be capable of
operating either as an air conditioner or a heat pump. Variable
refrigerant flow implies three or more steps of control on
common, inter-connecting piping.

The Evolution VRF

Example (Mitsubishi City Multi):

Japan

20+ Years, Tried and Proven!

Europe

15+ Years, depending on the country

Latin America

10+ Years, from Mitsubishi US

Bermuda 10+ Years

USA since 2002!

Simultaneous Systems Components

OUTDOOR
UNIT

BC / Branch
CONTROLLER

or
WATER-SOURCE UNIT

INDOOR
UNITS

Remote
Controllers

Typical Simultaneous 2-Pipe VRF System Layout

Changeover Systems Components

OUTDOOR
UNIT

or
WATER-SOURCE UNIT

INDOOR
UNITS

CONTROLS

Typical Changeover VRF Systems Layout

HEATING
COOLING

Controls Example
Central Controllers
PC
Control

TG-2000

LAN
Hub
Power Supply

TG-2000

Power Supply
Remote Controllers

Building Management Systems

Building Management System (BMS)
BACnet

LonTalk

May Be A
Hardware
Interface
Ethernet
Hub

Central Controller

Applications
& System
Capabilities

Target Commercial Applications

Universities
Multi-Story Office Buildings

Banks
Hotels

Churches

Buildings where
zoning is required
Applications where sound is important

Historic
Renovations

Additional Applications

BANKS

Hospital Admin Areas /

MOB Non Procedure

RESIDENTIAL

SEACOAST PROTECTION

Cooling Diversity 3 Types

Solar Load

Occupant Load

Building Use

VRF Excels at Heat Recovery Applications !

H
ea

Typical Winter Loads

CHILLER,
COOLING
TOWER, &
PUMPS

Why Spend
Money On
Both?

Heat

He
at

BOILER
& PUMPS

BTU/$ - VRF Makes Good Sense !

Diversity - Heating
Minimal Diversity Available !
Ambient Modification Charts
Available capacity decreases
Both outdoor and indoor units de-rated
Defrost Operation
Evaluation of De-ratings Important!
Use tools available from VRF manufacturer to
accurately access de-ratings.
Auxiliary Heating Changeover Point
Try and maximize heat pump hours depends on
climate.
Columbus Ohio:
90% of heating hours above 25 Deg F based on
Hourly Average Weather Data.
Evaluation of De-ratings Important !
Use tools available from VRF manufacturer to
accurately access de-ratings.

Typical Range Of Available VRF Systems

Air Cooled
6 24 Ton (Simultaneous)
6 30 Ton (Change Over)
208/230, 460 Volt 3 Phase
62 dB(A) Operating Sound Level

Single Phase
Water Cooled

3, 4 Ton (Change Over)

6 20 Ton (Simultaneous)

208/230, 1 - Phase

6 30 Ton (Change Over)

208/230, 460 Volt 3 Phase

Partial Back-up Operation

Partial Backup capability with multiple / twinned units.

The remaining one or two units will perform backup operation
Twinned Units Typically Required above 12 Tons

Typical Outdoor Temperature Operating Range

NOT your typical Heat Pump Technology !
Cooling Can be extended with low ambient options (as low as -10 F)

-20
-4

-15
5

-10
14

-5
23

23 F

Single Phase Air Cooled

115 F

23 F

Simultaneous & Changeover Air Cooled

115 F

23 F

Extended Heat Capacity Air Cooled

115 F

0
32

5
41

10
15
20
50
59
68
Outdoor Temperature

25
77

30
86

35
95

40
104

45
113

50 CDB
122 oFDB

20
68

25
77

30
86

35
95

40 CWB
104 oFWB

Heating
0F
-4 F

-13
-10

Simultaneous & Changeover Air Cooled

Extended Heat Capacity Air Cooled

-13 F

-24
-13

Single Phase Air Cooled

-20
-4

-15
5

-10
14

-5
23

0
5
10
32
41
50
Outdoor Temperature

60 F
60 F
60 F

15
59

Extended Range Heat Pump Technology

Not Your Typical Heat Pump !
120
% Heating Capacity

100%

100
80

87%
75%

70oF
entering
air temp

60
50%

40
20
0
-13

-4

17

25

30

35

40

47

Outdoor Temperature FWB

Extended Rang VRF

Standard VRF

Water-source VRF Units - Changeover Systems

Heat Recovery In Water Loop Only

Cooling

Heat is
recovered
between the
units within
the water
loop

PQHY
Unit A

Cooling

System A in
COOLING Mode
(refrigerant
absorbing heat)

Cooling

Cooling
Heating
PQHY
Unit B

Heating

Heating

Water Circuit

Heating

System B in
HEATING Mode
(refrigerant
discharging heat)

Water-source VRF Units Simultaneous Systems

Heat Recovery In Two Locations

Heating

Heat recovery
Heat is
recovered
between the
units within
the water
loop

Cooling

PQRY

Cooling

Indoor units

Heat recovery
Cooling
Heating
PQRY

Heating

Heating

Water circuit

Cooling

Indoor units

Water-source VRF Units

Installations not allowed!
Directly Coupled to a
Lake or Pond
Open Loop

NO
Directly Coupled to
Ground water
Open Loop

NO
NO

Water-source VRF Units

Installations allowed
Coupled to a Lake or Pond
Closed Loop

YES
Coupled to Ground Water
Closed Loop

HX

HX

YES
Heat Exchanger
Isolation

YES
Heat Exchanger
Isolation

Water-source VRF Units

Installations allowed
Coupled to Earth
Vertical Closed Loop

YES

YES
Coupled to Earth
Horizontal Closed Loop

YES

Closed Piping Loop

Closed Piping
Loop

Indoor
Equipment
Flexibility

Indoor Unit Flexibility



Multiple styles ranging from 6,000 to 96,000 Btu/h

Typically single phase below 6 Nominal Tons

Linear Expansion Valve

Variable Capacity Operation

Mode: Fan, Cool, Dry, Auto,

Auto Heat

Built in or accessory condensate removal options from factory.

Typical Ventilation Air options most models

Average operating sound levels around 35 dB(A) +/-

Indoor Unit Flexibility

Wall Mounted
6 - 30 MBtu/h

Ceiling Suspended
15 - 36 MBtu/h

Floor Standing
6 24 MBtu/h

Product Review

CITY MULTI VRF

Indoor Unit Flexibility

4 Way Large Cassette
12 - 36 MBtu/h

4 - Way Small Cassette

8 15 Mbtu/h

One Way Cassette

6 15 Mbtu/h

Product Review

CITY MULTI VRF

Air Vanes 4 Way Cassettes

Independent Vane Control
Enhanced air distribution by
independent vane settings

Horizontal

Fixed

Vanes can be independently adjusted

by a remote controller

Indoor Unit Flexibility Ducted Units

Medium Static
6 54 Mbth/h

High Static
15 96 Mbtu/h

Low Profile
15 24 Mbtu/h

Vertical Ducted
12 54 Mbtu/h

Product Review

CITY MULTI VRF

Recessed Unit St. Xavier Cathedral

Refrigerant
Piping &
Refrigerant
Leakage

Refrigerant Piping Flexibility 2 Pipe Example

Simultaneous
Air Cooled

Simultaneous
Water Cooled

Changeover

Changeover

Air Cooled

Water Cooled

2-Pipe

2-Pipe

2-Pipe

2-Pipe

Total Piping Length

1,804 ft.-2,625 ft.

1,804 ft.-2,460 ft.

3,280 ft.

984 ft.1640 ft.

393 ft.

Farthest Indoor unit

541 ft.

541 ft.

541 ft.

541 ft.

262 ft.

PIPING LENGTH`

PIPING HEIGHT

Simultaneous Air
& Water Cooled

Changeover Air &

Water Cooled

2-Pipe

2-Pipe

Single
Phase Air
Cooled

Single
Phase Air
cooled

Outdoor Unit HIGHER than Indoor Unit

164 ft.*

98 ft.

Outdoor Unit LOWER than Indoor Unit

131 ft.

65 ft.

Indoor Unit to Any BC Controller

49 ft.

n/a

n/a

Two Pipe Example

12 indoor-unit system Heat Recovery

Soft Copper BC to IU
Reducers possible at BC

Three Pipe Example

12 indoor-unit system Heat Recovery

Hard copper from OU to

BS
Reducer fittings

Refrigerant Leakage Concentration Levels

What is RCL?


Refrigerant Concentration Limit (RCL): the refrigerant

concentration limit, in air, determined in accordance with this
standard and intended to reduce the risks of acute toxicity
asphyxiation and flammability hazards in normally occupied,
enclosed spaces
RCL typically expressed as lbs/1000 ft3

Determination of RCL
Referenced

Codes/Standards

International Mechanical Code

Previously set RCL for R-410A at 10 lbs/MCF
2009 Revisions raises RCL to 25 lbs/MCF

ISO-5149
ISO-5149 sets R-410A RCL as 18.7 lbs/MCF

ASHRAE 15-2007
ASHRAE 15-2007 establishes the R-410A RCL as 25lbs/MCF
through reference to ASHRAE 34.

Critical Concentration Calculation

RCL (R410A) = 25 lb./Mcf
Refrigerant Charge (Rc) of a P72 = 23 lbs 3 oz = 23.1875 lbs
MAV = Minimum Applied Volume (cubic feet)
MAV = Rc/RCL
MAV = (23.1875 lbs)/(25 lbs/1000 cu ft)
MAV = 927.5 cu ft

Appropriate Solutions

Option 3

Option 1

Option 2

Option 1-Locate Equipment within larger space

Ducted communicating spaces w/ no closure devices that restrict
airflow below 10% of peak airflow.
Option 2-Do not use equipment with refrigerant
Option 3-Increase room volume through the use of openings
Door Undercuts, transfer ducts or grilles.

The Efficiencies from VRF System Effect

Inverter-driven
compressors /
part load
performance !
Variable
capacity indoor
units !
Extended Heat
Pump (Air to Air)
Capability !
Simultaneous
cooling and
heating !

Summary of Refrigerant Management

 Refrigerant

Concentration Limit is a tool to protect

the public
 Informed and educated engineers can incorporate
necessary measures to meet the RCL.
 R410A is of lowest toxicity and is NOT combustible.

Energy Standards
& Savings

AHRI 1230 & IEER



AHRI Standard 1230 created a testing standard for VRF equipment above 65,000
Btu/h (below 65,000 Btu/h continues to be rated in accordance with AHRI Standard
210/240-2008)

On January 1st, 2010, IEER superseded IPLV as the testing standard for VRF
equipment above 65,000 Btu/h

Unlike testing VRF for IPLV (according to AHRI Standard 210/240), testing for IEER
involves actual testing at part load conditions and assigning weighted values to each
test point

Testing VRF for IEER involves testing at four fixed conditions: 100%, 75%,
50%, & 25% load. The equipment is still not allowed to vary compressor speed
and indoor unit capacity to meet a varying load as it was designed to do

Simultaneous Heating and Cooling Efficiency (Not Yet Tested)

SCHE = (Heating Capacity (Btu/h) + Cooling Capacity (Btu/h)) / Total System Power
Input (Watts)

ASHRAE 90.1-2010 VRF Benchmarks

ASHRAE 90.1-2010 VRF Benchmarks

Energy Star Requirements

Energy Modeling

EnergyPro
Version 5.0
Accepted by the USGBC for
Compliance with Energy and
Atmosphere Credit 1

What Makes Energy Pro Different

Sample Building in Part Load: OA Temp 50oF
3000 BTU

Cubicle Area

Lobby/
Waiting Room

Conference
Room

Elect
Break Room
3000 BTU

6000 BTU

12000 BTU

3000 BTU

Janitor

6000 BTU
Open Work
Room
6000 BTU
3000 BTU

Office #1

Office #2

3000 BTU

3000 BTU

Men

Simultaneous Load:

PURY-P72

Cooling: 27000 BTU

Heating: 21000 BTU

Women

What Makes Energy Pro Different

Cooling Power Input PURY-P72

7.00

72,000 BTUH
6.48 KW

6.00

Power Input KW

5.00

4.00

3.00

27,000 BTUH
2.38 KW

2.00

1.00

0.00
0

12000

24000

36000

48000

System Load BTUH

60000

72000

84000

What Makes Energy Pro Different

Outdoor Temperature Power Input Correction
(For a 68 Indoor WB Temperature)
2.4000

2.38 KW at 95oF

2.3000

2.2000

Powe r Input K W

2.1000

2.0000

1.87 KW at 50oF

1.9000

1.8000

1.7000

1.6000

1.5000
0

10

20

30

40

50
OA Temperature FDB

60

70

80

90

100

What does this mean



Getting 27,000 BTUH of cooling and 21,000 BTUH of

heating, while providing only 1.87 KW to the outdoor
unit.
This savings cannot be realized without the ability to
model simultaneous heating and cooling.

For this scenario,

Calculated Efficiency of 25.7 EER

School Energy Modeling Results

School--Percentage Energy Cost Savings V/S Comparable Systems

Seattle

LA

CM v/s VAV
CM v/s 4 Pipe
CM v/s WSHP

Location

Dallas

Chicago

NYC

Boston

Miami

Atlanta

0%

4%

7%

11%

14%

18%

Energy Savings

21%

25%

28%

32%

Office Building Energy Modeling Results

Percentage Energy Savings V/S Comparable Systems

Seattle
LA

Location

Dallas
CM v/s 4 Pipe

Chicago

CM v/s VAV
CM v/s WSHP

NYC
Boston
Miami
Atlanta
0%

4%

7%

11%

14%

Energy Savings

18%

21%

25%

Questions & Answers

Thank You For Having Us

Today!
We Are Here To Help Make Your VRF
Projects Successful !