Air conditioning 1 VRF systems
VRF systems are used in about 60
per cent of commercial buildings
in the UK, but technologies are still
being developed
way, failures can be prevented and possible down time
reduced to an absolute minimum,’ the company says.
It adds: ‘This feature will also flag certain operational
issues such as blocked/contaminated air filters or heat
exchangers; this information will be passed on to the
customer to improve performance and efficiency.’
The DNSS EcoSave will continually monitor around
130 points of information from the air conditioners,
including pressures, temperatures and running
hours, says Daikin. When a malfunction occurs or is
Daikin’s I-controller > significant efficiency improvement over inverter- predicted, Daikin engineers analyse the data to identify
controlled VRF systems, which interrupt heating or the source of the problem.
cooling regularly for full-power oil recovery cycles. Energy-saving potential can be improved by
The digital scroll engineering has been pushed employing inverter-driven technology in air
still further with the digital hybrid system which conditioning equipment, and Hitachi Europe has
incorporates vapour injection technology. This two- introduced the DC Inverter driven RASC 3hp, 5hp and
stage compression is designed to increase refrigerant 10hp units into its centrifugal range of air conditioners
flow rates and – in conjunction with a turbo intercooler designed for indoor installation, reducing annual
which sub-cools the liquid refrigerant – to improve electricity usage by up to 25 per cent.
cooling and heating performance and ensure reliable DC Inverter control also increases customer
operation in systems with long pipe runs. comfort as the set temperature is reached quickly and
Like the Sanyo and HHIE systems, Samsung DVM maintained more accurately. The 3hp and 5hp models
Plus III supports pipe runs up to 1,000m. The longest are 15 per cent lighter than their predecessors, due to a
run between outdoor and indoor units is 200m. The reduction in height and the introduction of DC Inverter
systems are designed for up to 50m height difference horizontal scroll compressors. The 10hp model features
between outdoor and indoor units and 15m difference increased piping length of 30m to 50m.
between indoor units. Hitachi says all the models allow flexible inlet and
Also contributing to the high efficiency of DVM Plus outlet airflow configurations, meaning each installation
III is a new heat exchanger design. New high and slim can be tailored to individual customer needs. l
grooves are designed to reduce pressure loss in the
tubes, while the 19 per cent increase in surface area
Renewables Manufacturer
is said to improve the heat exchange process by more
than 30 per cent. Externally, the new G-fin improves
goes for airconless pump
heat transfer by 13 per cent. Airflow through the heat If you think of VRF, then cooling systems typically
exchanger is said to have been improved and quietened spring to mind. However, Mitsubishi Electric has
through an optimised fan guard. developed a range of commercial heating products
VRF technology such as the Sanyo, MHIE and based on VRF heat pump technology.
Samsung systems are typically used in larger The system is designed and manufactured as
installations, which can be difficult to monitor. Daikin heating-only to ensure that it qualifies as renewable
believes it has a solution to this with the Daikin energy because even the most advanced heat
Network Service System (DNSS EcoSave) linked via pump air conditioning systems are not defined as
the internet between the Daikin air conditioning ‘renewable’ technologies in the EU.
equipment installed on a site and Daikin’s remote Systems that cool will also be excluded from the
monitoring centre. proposed Renewable Heating Incentive scheme
A team of Daikin experts monitors the operating when it comes into force next year.
status of the system all day, every day. The primary Philip Ord, product marketing manager for
aim is to prevent malfunction and prolong the lifespan Mitsubishi Electric, says: ‘It is important to
of the systems. However, Daikin claims that an make this distinction because, individually, the
energy-saving feature of the system also optimises the components that make up the system look similar
efficiency of the equipment, resulting in reduced CO2 to our usual range of air conditioning products,
emissions and lower running costs. but we have removed any capability for these to
The DNSS EcoSave is designed to alert Daikin provide cooling.’
before the equipment actually breaks down. ‘In this
46 CIBSE Journal March 2010 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEmar10 pp43-44,46_Aircon.indd 46 25/2/10 16:11:10
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