CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
As global temperatures rises around the world, thermal comfort in buildings, has
become a major concern in commercial buildings and homes, it can affect the
efficiency and productivity of workers. With the development of national economy
and the improvement of living standard, the requirement of air conditioner increases
very quickly to make a comfortable environment for living and working, which also
affect the efficiency and productivity of occupants while they are at work. Due to
this reason, air conditioners are now becoming a standard accessory for household
application. Some multi-system air conditioners have been developed to satisfy the
need of several rooms in residential and light commercial buildings. It accounts for
a major share of the energy consumption of a building or facility. Energy efficiency
for air conditioners has received increasing attention in recent years with the intense
emphasis on environmental concern and high energy consumption. As the main
energy consumption component of air conditioner, compressor needs further work
to accomplish the transition of performance evaluation from one operation condition
to its actual usage. Due to increment in energy consumption and prices, the need for
less energy consumption has become a global concern. The Energy consumption for
air-conditioning in buildings accounts almost 50 per cent of the total energy
consumption. It has been acknowledged that 30 per cent of worldwide energy
consumption is due to refrigeration and air conditioning installations, and therefore
these systems has a large impact on energy demand. For this reason, it has been an
aim of many researchers to improve on conventional air conditioning systems, as
this would result in a significant energy economy. Improving the energy efficiency
of air conditioner is one of the fruitful strategies implemented in tackling energy
shortage and thermal issues.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
In sub Saharan Africa, due to the inefficiency and high energy consumption of the
conventional air conditioner system regularly used, a more efficient technology
which is the inverter air conditioner was recently introduced as a better option for
air conditioning. The inverter air conditioner, being a very recent technology and

1
having a slight high initial price, is quite uncommon in the society, and this has made
its installation, usage, maintenance and repair a bit complicated to most consumers,
as there are few skilled technicians experienced in its installation and services.
A working tool on installation analysis, usage and maintenance of an inverter air
conditioner can be used in breaching the gap and creating awareness to consumers
on the untapped potentials of its operation and maintenance, for a better thermal
performance and lesser energy consumption.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
The main objective of this project is to design, analyze, and install an inverter air
conditioner unit and the project will achieve the following sub-objective
1. To design an inverter air conditioner system that is able to control temperature
accurately while considering saving energy consumption.
2. To analyze the economic impact and effect of inverter air conditioner energy
saving performances during daily hours of operations
3. To analyze the economic benefits of an inverter air conditioner in term of
interest rate and effect of cost of repair and maintenance features.
4. To analyze the performance and efficiency of the cooling system in term of
the power consumption of an inverter split air condition.
5. To install an inverter split air conditioner that is efficient in its operating costs
reduced by at least 10%.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

The inverter air conditioner system offers a less noisy operation while maintaining
its energy saving capability. With inverter technology, the air conditioner can vary
its power output to precisely maintain room temperature. It also enables high
powered startup which enables fast cooling up to 25% faster than conventional air
conditioner.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
The scope of the study is to design analyze and install an inverter air conditioner unit
taking into consideration the economic impact, economic benefit and the
performance efficiency of the cooling system of an inverter air conditioner unit as
compared with the convention air conditioner unit .

2
1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THE PROJECT
The various stages involved so far in the development of this project have been
properly put together into three chapters to enhance comprehensive and concise
reading of this project report.
Chapter 1: In this chapter need for air conditioning is described, problem statement
objective, significance, scope as well as organization were discussed.
Chapter 2: This chapter presents the extensive literature review of the related
research work which has been done by different researchers in the past. This
literature is divided into three categories: general literature review about the air
conditioning system, types of air conditioners and components of air conditioners.
Chapter 3: In this chapter, the block diagram, system design, performance and
efficiency were analyzed.

3
 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 HISTORY OF AIR CONDITIONER
The history of air conditioner started in the early days with the need to preserve
foods. Foods that are kept at room temperature spoil easily due to the growth of
bacteria. At temperature below 4°C (40°F), the growth of bacteria is reduced rapidly.
As a result of the development in food refrigeration, other applications that follows
include air conditioning, humidity control and manufacturing processes. The
discovery of the principles of the absorption type of refrigeration in 1824 showed
that liquefied ammonia could chill air when it is allowed to evaporate. Ice was
created using compressor technology in the year 1842 by a physician named John
Gorrie. The commercially available of air conditioning applications started based on
the need to cool air for industrial processes than for personal comfort. The first
electrical air conditioning was invented by Willis Haviland Carrier in the year 1902.
He was also known as the Father of Modern Air Conditioning. His invention was
designed to improve the manufacturing process of a printing plant. By controlling
the temperature and humidity of the plant, the processes were made more efficient
as the paper size and the ink alignment were consistently maintained. The Carrier
Air Conditioning Company of America was established by him to meet the demand
of better productivity in the workplace. Today, Carrier Corporation is the biggest air
conditioner manufacturer and marketing corporation in the world in central air
conditioning. The discovery of Freon in 1928 by Thomas Midgley, a safer refrigerant
to humans compared to the toxic and flammable gases such as ammonia, propane
and methyl chloride sparks the invention of air conditioning systems for residential,
industrial and commercial applications.
Aprea et al (2003) analyzed the performance of R22 and R407C in a vapor
compression plant using semi-hermetic compressor. COP as a function of outlet
water temperature at the condenser shows that the overall energetic performance of
R22 is always better than that of R407C and the difference is in the range 8 - 14 %.
This study also shows that R407C has smaller actual volumetric efficiency due to
smaller mass flow rate and lower iso-entropic compressor efficiency than that
pertaining to R22

4
D evotta et al (2005) conducted experiments on 5.13 kW (1.5 TR) window air
conditioner retrofitted with R410 inverter air conditioner and concluded that for
R410, the cooling capacity was lower in the range of 2.1 - 7.9 %, power consumption
was higher in the range of 6 - 7 %, COP was lowered by 8.2 - 13.6%, discharge
pressure was higher in the range of 11 -13 % and evaporator capacity was lower by
3.3 - 6 %. Their results indicated that the pressure drop of R410 in condensers and
evaporators was lower than that of R22.
hen and Yu (2008) theoretically compared the performance of a new modified
refrigeration cycle composed of a compressor, a phase separator, a sub cooler, two
condensers, two evaporators, two recuperators and two expansion valves with the
conventional refrigeration cycle using nonazeotropic mixture R32/ R134a in
residential air conditioner and reported that the refrigerant mixture composed of
R32/R134a in the ratio of 0.3 : 0.7 (by mass fraction) has 9.5 % higher volumetric
refrigeration capacity with 8 - 9 % higher COP compared with the conventional
refrigeration cycle. In the conventional cycle, the performance of the mixture was
closer to R22
Tu et al (2011) compared the performance using R32 and R410A in a
thermodynamic model and conducted experiments at different operating conditions
in a 3.2 kW residential heat pump unit. Experimental results showed that R32
outperformed R410A by 8 % and 3 % in cooling and heating capacities, respectively,
and by 3 % and 2 % in cooling and heating COPs, respectively.
Guo et al (2012) tested the compressor used for air conditioning applications in
China by using the refrigerants R32, R22 and R410A and compared the compressor
performance and reliability impact. For the development of R410 compressor,
design improvements suggested are, selection of polyol ester (POE) B oil as
lubricant to minimize the wear, Enhanced Vapour Injection (EVI) technology to
improve the EER/COP and to control variable compressor discharge line
temperature, optimization of scroll suction inlet to get lower suction superheat and
optimization of scroll wrap to take care of higher R410 running temperature, internal
heat management and also proved that the performance of R410 variable compressor
is increased.
Sarntichartsak et al (2007) conducted experiments on inverter air conditioner with
variation of capillary tube using R22 and R407C to check for efficiency. The two

5
zone model, the distributed model and combined model were compared to estimate
the optimal charge inventory. The model prediction agrees with the experimental
data in the range of 40 - 50 HZ. The inverter air conditioner after the experiment was
better in terms of energy consumption and efficiency.
2.2 TYPES OF AIR CONDITIONER
The choice of which air conditioner system to use depends upon a number of factors
including how large the area is to be cooled, the total heat generated inside the
enclosed area. There are six (6) types of air conditioners.
1. Central Air Conditioning
2. Ductless, Mini-Split Air Conditioner
3. Window Air Conditioner
4. Portable Air Conditioner
5. Hybrid Air Conditioners
6. Geothermal Heating and Cooling

2.2.1 CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING

The working of central air conditioner cools is it with an outdoor compressor and
condenser coil connected to an indoor furnace fill with an evaporator coil. Then the
air handler pushes the warm air across the coil, the refrigerant absorbs so much heat
from the air that it turns into vapor. Installing of central air conditioning system
needs a lot of planning and preparation as sizing is crucial to the functionality of the
system.

Fig 2.1 Central Air Conditioner

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2.2.2 DUCTLESS, MINI-SPLIT AIR CONDITIONER
It works consistent central air conditioner but without the duct. The indoor unit
blows warm air from our home or office over cold evaporator coils. Then, the
refrigerant running through these coils absorbs the heat from the air and brings it.
The ductless mini-split conditioner is very discreet and efficient because of that
compressor sits outside.

Fig 2.2 Split Air Conditioner

2.2.3 WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER
The working of the window air conditioner is to cool only one particular room.
Commonly known as “unitary unit”. This type of ac is installed in the window of a
room. It will cool a room be emitting the warm air out the back of it and blowing
cool air into it. The window air conditioner is only suitable for those who live in
small spaces.

Fig 2.3 Window Air Conditioner

2.2.4 PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER
The portable air conditioner is worked by taking an air from outside through one
hose and using that air to cool the unit. The hot exhaust air is expelled through the

7
second hose. So this process does not make negative pressure inside the room and
always it will be cooled.

Fig 2.4 Portable Air Conditioner

2.2.5 HYBRID AIR CONDITIONERS
In the hybrid air conditioner, an external heat source in the form of a solar panel can
be exploited to collect ambient temperature. After that heat onto the refrigerant. This
will create pressure within a closed loop of refrigerant, allowing the solar to AC to
work. your refrigerant. Now, the extracted heat can be turned into warm, conditioned
air for your home

Fig 2.5 Hybrid Air Conditioner

2.2.6 GEOTHERMAL HEATING AND COOLING
Geothermal energy is sustainable, energy efficient, and has a long lifespan
subsequently, the ground temperature below remains a fairly consistent 55 degrees
no matter how hot or cold it is in the atmosphere, this technology is able to extract
the heat from below and transfer it into the house. A geothermal coil is installed deep
in the ground and can be used to heat and cool the house. In the winter, heat is

8
extracted from the earth; in the summer, heat is extracted from the house and
distributed back into the ground.

Fig 2.6 Geothermal Air conditioner

These air conditioners are non-inverter air conditioners, they have a fixed speed and
has a constant compressor and tonnage that runs continuously. One of the major
drawbacks of these air conditioners is that they over cool the room. The inverter air
conditioner on the other hand have different tonnage and speed. Talking of the heat
load of a room, it constantly varies according to season and temperature.

2.3 THE INVERTER AIR CONDITIONER

In an inverter Air Conditioner, the compressor and controller are different from
normal non-inverter AC. The heart of Inverter AC is a variable speed compressor.
An Inverter is used to control the speed of the compressor motor, so as to
continuously regulate the temperature. The DC Inverter units have a variable-
frequency drive that comprises an adjustable electrical inverter to control the speed
of the electromotor, which means the compressor and the cooling / heating output.
The drive converts the incoming AC current to DC and then through a modulation
in an electrical inverter produces current of desired frequency. A microcontroller can
sample each ambient air temperature and adjust accordingly the speed of the
compressor, the controller varies the AC frequency of power to compressor. This
frequency variation changes the compressor speed and results in cooling capacity
changes.

9
2.4 INVERTER COMPRESSOR
This uses an external variable-frequency drive to control the speed of the
compressor. The refrigerant flow rate is changed by the change in the speed of
compressor. The turndown ratio depends on the system configuration and
manufacturer. It modulates from 15 or 25% up to 100% at full capacity with a single
inverter from 12 to 100% with a hybrid tandem
2.4.1 VARIABLE-FREQUENCY DRIVE
The variable-frequency drive controls the speed of compressor motor. The
compressor is specifically designed to run at different motor speeds to modulate
cooling output by controlling the frequency and voltage of the power supplied to the
motor. An inverter provides the controlled power. In most cases, the variable-
frequency drive includes a rectifier so that DC power for the inverter can be provided
from main AC power. Since an inverter is the key component, variable frequency
drives are sometimes called inverter drives or just inverters.
2.5 COMPONENTS OF AN AIR CONDITIONER
The purpose of an air conditioner is to remove heat from your home, leaving you
cool and comfortable even on the hottest afternoons. Components of an air
conditioning system which enable it to provide cooling and heating, as required.
These components are discussed below
Blower: Air flowing from supply registers is the work of the blower. This
component, which also works with your furnace, circulates cooled air into your
home and pulls room-temperature air back for re-cooling.

Fig 2.7 Blower

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Compressor: It is recognized as the engine of the air conditioning system. The
compressor functions together with the refrigerant which transforms from gas into a
liquid. The main task of the compressor is to convert low-pressure gas into a high
pressure gas, which also has high temperature. In this process, the gap regions
between molecules get narrowed down, creating energized gas. From here, the
energized gas or refrigerant comes out of the compressor to enter into the condenser.

Fig 2.8 Compressor

Condensing coil: This is the outdoor equivalent to the evaporator coil. As
refrigerant travels from the compressor to the condenser, it expels the heat collected
from indoors to the outside. Once the refrigerant is cooled to a liquid, it circulates
back inside to collect more heat in the evaporator coil.

Fig 2.9 Condensing Coil

Evaporator coil: This indoor component, located near the blower, is responsible for
extracting heat and humidity from the air. This is possible thanks to the refrigerant
running through the coil. It is linked with the condenser with an extremely thin pipe.
The high pressure gas which is now transformed into the low pressure liquid reaches
this section of the air conditioning system. The decreasing pressure in this section
turns the liquid into a gas again. In this process, the working fluid or refrigerant takes
away the heat from the air and cools it off. Next, the working fluid comes out of the

11
evaporator in the form of a gas to again get compressed by the compressor. All this
happens in a cyclic fashion.

Fig 2.10 Evaporator Coil

Fan: The outdoor condensing unit becomes very hot with all that overheated
refrigerant running through it. A fan and fins that act as heat syncs draw the heat
away so the unit doesn’t overheat.

Fig 2.11 Fan

Air filter: While an air conditioner can function without the air filter, dust and dirt
in the air would quickly collect on A/C components and possibly damage them
without the filter in place. Install an efficient enough filter and you can even improve
indoor air quality while the air conditioner operates.

Fig 2.12 Air filter

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Thermostat: This is the control center of the entire air conditioning process, reading
the indoor temperature and telling the air conditioner when to turn on and off. This
component helps you maintain the temperature of your air conditioning system by
regulating the heat energy flowing inside and outside of it. The thermostat can be set
manually or automatically, depending on its features.

Fig 2.13 Thermostat

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 CHAPTER THREE
DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The goal of an inverter air conditioner system design is to provide good control
strategies to maintain comfort for the occupants of a building under variable load
conditions with minimal use of energy. Therefore, reducing energy consumption
becomes one of the most important aspects in Air conditioner control system design.
3.2 BLOCK DIAGRAM

INPUT INVERTER VARIABLE CONDENSER

VOLTAGE COMPRESSOR

OUTPUT EXPANSION
EVAPORATOR
VALVE

Fig 3.1 Block Diagram of an Inverter Air Conditioner

Inverter: An Inverter is used to control the speed of the compressor motor, so as to

continuously regulate the temperature. The DC Inverter units have a variable-
frequency drive that comprises an adjustable electrical inverter to control the speed
of the electromotor, which means the compressor and the cooling / heating output.
The drive converts the incoming AC current to DC and then through a modulation
in an electrical inverter produces current of desired frequency. A microcontroller can
sample each ambient air temperature and adjust accordingly the speed of the
compressor.
Variable compressor: This type of compressor uses a special drive to control the
speed (RPM) of the unit, which in turn saves energy compared to a fixed speed
equivalent.
Condenser: A condenser is a device or unit used to condense a substance from its
gaseous to it liquid state, by cooling it.in so doing, the latent heat is given by the
substance, and will transfer to the condenser coolant.

14
Expansion Valve: A thermal expansion valve is a component in refrigeration and
air conditioning systems that controls the amount of refrigerant flow into the
evaporator thereby controlling the superheating at the outlet of the evaporator
Evaporator: is a device in a process used to turn the liquid form of a chemical
substance such as water into its gaseous-form/vapor. The liquid is evaporated, or
vaporized, into a gas form of the targeted substance in that process.
Flow chart

Fig3.2 Flow Chart Comparison of an Inverter and Non-Inverter Air Conditioner

3.3 WORKING OPERATION OF AN INVERTER AIR CONDITIONER
An Inverter is a device in the air conditioner, which controls the frequency of power
supplied to compressor motor. The Compressor motor controls the rotational speed
of the compressor and the compressor ensures refrigerant flow is commensurate with
the cooling requirement of the room. In contrast non-inverter air conditioners which
has fixed compressor that cannot increase or decrease their speed and refrigerant
flow rate as per cooling requirement of the room and works only at one given
capacity. The variable-speed capacity control works by means of a closed loop

15
control system. An adjustment signal dependent on the outside and indoor
temperatures as well as the set temperature is used to match the required heat load.
This signal controls the frequency of the inverter, which changes the speed of the
motor and thus of the compressor. As the compressor speed is reduced, the mass
flow rate decreases as less refrigerant is discharged out of the compressor, adjusting
the cooling capacity to match the load. But at very small loads, the variable-speed
system cannot run constantly, since minimum speed constraints will restrict the
operation of the machine. If the cooling capacity supplied by the system at minimum
speed is still too large for the load, then the air conditioning system will cycle on/off,
as in a conventional air conditioner. Thus the variable speed of the compressor
ensures not only better temperature control but also reduces the power consumption.
3.4 INVERTER AIR CONDITIONER DESIGN
The inverter air conditioning system design takes into consideration the appropriate
air conditioning system configuration. The configuration of air conditioning system
includes the decision of system type, the selection of components and the choice of
control strategies. The configuration has to match the characteristics of the building,
its usage and occupancy, and the climate in which it is situated. The inverter air
conditioner control design works by means of a closed loop control system. An
adjustment signal dependent on the outside and indoor temperatures as well as the
set temperature is used to match the required heat load. This signal controls the
frequency of the inverter, which changes the speed of the motor and thus of the
compressor. As the compressor speed is reduced, the mass flow rate decreases as
less refrigerant is discharged out of the compressor, adjusting the cooling capacity
to match the load.
To design the type of inverter required for the cooling, the room analyzed for the
installation measures 3 m wide, 3 m high and 6 m deep. One of the two 3 m walls
faces west and contains a double glazed glass window of size 1.5 m by 1.5 m,
mounted flush with the wall with no external shading. There are no heat gains
through the walls other than the one facing west. C, latent and total heat gains on the
room, room sensible heat factor from the following information. The amount of
cooling required
o
Inside conditions: 25 C dry bulb,
o o
Outside conditions: 43 C dry bulb, 24 C wet bulb

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 2
U-value for wall: 1.78 W/m .K
2
U-value for roof: 1.316 W/m .K
2
U-value for floor: 1.2 W/m .K
o
Effective Temp. Difference (ETD) for wall: 25 C
o
Effective Temp. Difference (ETD) for roof: 30 C
2
U-value for glass; 3.12 W/m .K
2
Solar Heat Gain (SHG) of glass; 300 W/m
Internal Shading Coefficient (SC) of glass: 0.86
Occupancy: 4 (90 W sensible heat/person)
(40 W latent heat/person)
2
Lighting load: 33 W/m of floor area
Appliance load: 600 W (Sensible) + 300 W (latent)
Infiltration: 0.5 Air Changes per Hour
Barometric pressure: 101 kPa
For the inside conditions of 25oC dry bulb, 50 percent RH:
-3
Wi = 9, 9167 x 10 kgw/kgda

For the outside conditions of 43oC dry bulb, 24oC wet bulb:
3
Wo = 0.0107 kgw/kgda, density of dry air = 1.095 kg/m

External loads:
a) Heat transfer rate through the walls: Since only west wall measuring 3m x 3m
with a glass windows of 1.5m x 1.5m is exposed; the heat transfer rate through this
wall is given by:
Qwall = UwallAwallETDwall = 1.78 x (9-2.25) x 25 = 300.38 W (Sensible)

Where U is the overall heat transfer coefficient and A is the heat transfer area of the
surface on the side of the conditioned space. CLTD is the cooling load temperature
difference.
b) Heat transfer rate through roof:
Qroof = UroofAroofETDroof = 1.316 x 18 x 30 = 710.6 W (Sensible)

17
c) Heat transfer rate through floor: Since the room is in a well-ventilated ground
floor, we can assume the conditions in the ground floor to be same as that of the
o o
outside (i.e., 43 C dry bulb and 24 C wet bulb), since the floor is not much exposed
to solar radiation, the driving temperature difference for the roof is the temperature
difference between the outdoor and indoor, hence:
Qfloor = UfloorAfloorETDfloor = 1.2 x 18 x 18 = 388.8 W (Sensible)

d) Heat transfer rate through glass: This consists of the radiative as well as
conductive components. Since no information is available on the value of CLF, it is
taken as 1.0. Hence the total heat transfer rate through the glass window is given by:
Qglass = Aglass [Uglass (To−Ti) +SHGFmaxSC] = 2.25[3.12 x 18 + 300 x 0.86] = 706.9 W

(Sensible)
e) Heat transfer due to infiltration: The infiltration rate is 0.5 ACH, converting this
into mass flow rate, the infiltration rate in kg/s is given by:
minf = density of air x (ACH x volume of the room)/3600 = 1.095 x (0.5 x
3x3x6)/3600
-3
minf = 8.2125 x 10 kg/s

Sensible heat transfer rate due to infiltration, Qs,inf;

-3
Qs,inf = minfcpm(To−Ti) = 8.2125 x 10 x 1021.6 x (43 – 25) = 151 W (Sensible)

Latent heat transfer rate due to infiltration, Ql,inf:

-3 3
Ql,inf = minfhfg(Wo−Wi) = 8.8125x10 x 2501x10 (0.0107−0.0099)=16.4 W (sensible)
3
Where is the infiltration rate (in mo.V /s), ρo and cp,m are the density and specific heat
of the moist, infiltrated air, respectively. To and Ti are the outdoor and indoor dry
bulb temperatures.
The latent heat transfer
Internal loads:
a) Load due to occupants: The sensible and latent load due to occupants are:

18
Qs,occ = no.of occupants x SHG = 4 x 90 = 360 W

Ql,occ = no.of occupants x LHG = 4 x 40 = 160 W

b) Load due to lighting: Assuming a CLF value of 1.0, the load due to lighting is:
Qlights = 33 x floor area = 33 x 18 = 594 W (Sensible)

c) Load due to appliance:

Qs,app = 600 W (Sensible)

Ql,app = 300 W (Latent)

Total sensible and latent loads are obtained by summing-up all the sensible and latent
load components (both external as well as internal) as:
Qs,total = 300.38+710.6+388.8+706.9+151+360+594+600 = 3811.68 W

Ql,total = 16.4+160+300 = 476.4 W

Total load on the building is:

Qtotal = Qs,total + Ql,total = 3811.68 + 476.4 = 4288.08 W

Room Sensible Heat Factor (RSHF) is given by:

RSHF = Qs,total/Qtotal = 3811.68/4288.08 = 0.889

To calculate the required cooling capacity, one has to know the losses in return air
ducts. Ventilation may be neglected as the infiltration can take care of the small
ventilation requirement. Hence using a safety factor of 1.25, the required cooling
capacity is:
Required cooling capacity = 4288.08 x 1.25 = 5360.1 W ≈ 1.5 TR
3.5 ENERGY SAVING ANALYSIS
This report presents an analysis to investigate the energy saving between inverter
and non-inverter split type air-conditioners for household application. The selected
air conditioners used in this study are from 1.5 horse power inverter and non-inverter
type spilt unit, residential air conditioner

19
Table 3.1 Specification Table of an Inverter and Non-Inverter Air Conditioner
Inverter Air Non-Inverter Air
DETAILS Conditioner Conditioner
Model Number HSU-12NRG1 HSU-12TESN1
Cooling Capacity 3600 3520
Energy Efficiency Ratio 3.52 2.81
Running Current 5.1 5.7
Power Supply 1224-240,Vac 1368-240,Vac
50hz 50hz
Refrigerant R410a R22
Eco-Friendly Yes No
Refrigerant
Refrigerant Liquid Size 6.35 6.35
Diameter(Mm)
Refrigerant Gas Size 9.52 9.52
Diameter(Mm)
Warrant Coverage 3 Years 3 Years

Width 855 855

Depth 245 240
Height 280 280

3.5.1 Energy Consumption

Energy consumption (E) = Power (P) × Time (T)
Power = V * I
When the air conditioner is operated for 24hours at a voltage of 240v
The Energy Consumed By Inverter Air Conditioner.
P=V×I
P = 240 × 5.1
P = 1224w

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Energy consumption (E) = Power (P) × Time (T)
T = 24 hours
E = 1224 × 24
E = 24480 watt-hour.
= 24.480 KwHr
The Energy Consumed By Non-Inverter Air Conditioner.
P=V×I
P = 240 × 5.7
P = 1368w
Energy consumption (E) = Power (P) × Time (T)
T = 24 hours
E = 1368 × 24
E = 32832 watt-hour.
= 32.832 KwHr
3.5.2 Energy Cost
The energy usage (EU) depends on three factor; unit capacity, energy efficiency ratio
(EER) and operating time (Almutairi et al, 2015) where
unit capacity
EU = × operating time
EER

Then, the energy cost can be determined if the cost per unit energy (CUE) is known
where
EC = EU × CUE
For Inverter Air Conditioner
3600
EU = × 24
3.52

= 24545 whr

21
= 24.545 kwhr
EC = EU × CUE
When the cost per unit = 30.93
EC = 24.545×30.93 = 759 per day
EC for a period of 30 days
= 759 × 30 = 22,770
For Conventional Air Conditioner
3500
EU = × 24
2.81

=29893whr
=29.893kwhr
EC = EU × CUE
When the cost per unit = 30.93
EC = 29.893×30.93 = 925 per day
EC for a period of 30 days
= 925 × 30 = 27,750

3.6 REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF AN INVERTER AIR

CONDITIONER
3.6.1 Repair cost
Normally, the time and cost required for repair work of any type of breakdown and
etc. is unpredictable. However, Almutairi et al. (2015) proposed simple correlation
between repair cost (RC), IC and unit’s life time,
0.5 ×IC
RC =
𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡`𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

Where RC = repair cost

IC = initial cost
22
It is expected that the average lifetime of each unit of air conditioner is 15 years
(assumption due to compressor warranty by the manufacturer). A market survey at
shopping center, Aba Abia state on the price of air conditioners. The price for
inverter air conditioner = #120,000 and for non-inverter #90,000
For Inverter Air Conditioner
0.5 ×120,000
RC =
15

= #4,000
For Conventional Air Conditioner
0.5 ×90,000
RC =
15

= #3,000
3.6.2 Maintenance Cost
To ensure an optimal performance of the air conditioners, manufacturers
recommended to perform scheduled maintenances of filter cleaning for every 2
weeks, and chemical cleaning for every 12 to 18 months. Almutairi et al. (2015)
highlighted that the MC of the air-conditioner is 2.5% of the unit price where
MC = 0.025IC
IC =initial cost (#)
For Inverter Air Conditioner
MC = 0.025 × #120,000
= # 3,000
For Conventional Air Conditioner
MC = 0.025 × #90,000
= # 2,250
The inverter air conditioner seems to be higher in terms of initial cost, repairs and
maintenance due to there are few technicians’ skilled in its repairs.

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3.7 EFFICIENCY OF AN INVERTER AIR CONDITIONER
To determine the efficiency of the inverter air conditioner with respect to the
conventional air conditioner, two factors namely, cooling capacity and power
consumption, were considered to evaluate the performance and efficiency of the
inverter air-conditioning system. Both factors depend on temperature and relative
humidity.
Coefficient of performance (COP) was used to represent the performance of the
room air conditioner. COP is the ratio of cooling capacity and the equivalent power
input to the compressor:
𝐶𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
COP =
𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

For Inverter Air Conditioner

Cooling capacity = 3600 BTU
Power consumption = 1.224kw
3600
Cop = = 2.94
1224

For Conventional Air Conditioner

Cooling capacity = 3520 BTU
Power consumption = 1.368kw
3520
Cop = = 2.57
1368

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