VRF Air Conditioning
As we specialize in HVAC Domain, provide VRV( Variable Refrigerant Volume) & VRF( Variable Refrigerant Flow) services to our clients on turnkey basis. We’re leading VRF abd VRV air conditioning manufactures and providing VRF VRV air conditioning service all across India.
VRV / VRF is a modern and sophisticated technology which helps in reducing electricity consumption by regualting refrigerant flow of liquid. Hence, the machine performs efficiently according to human occupancy, orientation, direction of sun, heat generating equipment with a pay back period of approximately three and half years.
VRF stands for variable refrigerant flow, which goes a surprisingly long way toward describing how this system uses refrigerant for both air conditioning and heating. In a nutshell, VRF is a ductless, large-scale system for HVAC that performs at a high capacity.
Unlike split AC equipment, VRF allows multiple indoor units to run on the same system, which is designed differently depending on the application. VRF systems are considered either a heat pump system or a heat recovery system, which can heat and cool simultaneously.
VRF systems obtain their high efficiency through the use of inverter compressors. Inverter systems allow the compressor to ramp up or down based on the needs within each space. A non-inverter system ramps up the compressor at full capacity all the time. Essentially it’s either on or off. With inverter systems operating at lower speeds and capacity, the efficiency gains can be substantial.
This versatility means VRF products are customizable to meet the specifications of virtually any project, making them particularly appealing for commercial spaces and facility managers.
The VRF system diagram below shows refrigerant branch (RB) lines for cooling as well as single and group connections for individual and simultaneous cooling and heating.
How does VRF work?
In a VRF system, the refrigerant passes through condenser units to indoor units, cutting down on the need for extensive ductwork and air handlers. The smaller pipes make it a bit easier to retrofit in older buildings than traditional HVAC systems.
As technology advances, previous limitations are disappearing. VRF systems can now be an ideal choice for commercial buildings and residential homes.
Removing ducts from the equation is part of the increased energy efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Saver reports that more than 30% of energy consumption could be due to losses of cool air through ducts.
What are the types of VRF systems?
There are several types of these systems that contractors discuss: heat recovery or heat pump, two-pipe or three-pipe, and air-cooled or water-cooled.
A three-pipe VRF heat recovery system enables users to heat one zone while simultaneously cooling another. Three-pipe systems can be useful for facility managers of buildings with mixed temperature needs who are striving to reduce energy consumption. Typical applications would include multifamily buildings, large office complexes and religious buildings with multiple classrooms, among others.
A VRF heat pump system typically uses two pipes and can also heat and cool but not at the same time. Two-pipe systems have their own advantages, such as less pipe and connections to create opportunities for leaks. Less lifetime maintenance means more savings on the system over the long term.
Air-cooled VRF systems rely on outside air (even using ducts occasionally). Water-cooled VRF can be hidden away inside and, in some situations, can use geothermal systems already in place for increased efficiency.