Comparison between conventional

chilled water system and VRF

system
Comparison between conventional
chilled water system and VRF system

INTRODUCTION

• Comparison between conventional chilled water system

and VRF system shall be presented next.

• Final selection of the type of HVAC system to be used in

the project shall be according to client’s decision
 Comparison between conventional
chilled water system and VRF system
Cost of ownership Comparison
Cost Comparison VRF Chilled Water Remarks
Initial Cost
Approx. Installed Cost (JOD/Ton) 1600 1500
Total Estimated Load (TONS) 400 400
- Chiller under investigation is the
Total Initial Installation Cost (JOD) 640,000 600,000 air-cooled water chiller with
Running Cost constant speed screw compressor.
Estimated kW/TR 1.55 1.85 A new generation of chillers with
Estimated hours of operation, 2496 Hr 2496 2496 VFD compressors is now available
at 100% capacity(Hr) Price of 1 KWH - Cost of spare parts is included in
0.12 0.12 maintenance cost.
(JOD)
Running Cost per year (JOD) 92,851 110,822 - VRF average lifetime is 15
years. Centralized Chiller lifetime
Maintenance Cost
is 20 years.
Operation & Maintenance cost
31.1 31.1 - 8 working Hours / day; 6 Days
(JOD/TR/Year)
per week, 52 Week per year
Annual Admin Cost- 15% of O&M cost 4.7 4.7
Total Maintenance Cost per year 14,320 14,320
Estimated Total cost after 1year (JOD) 840,022 835,965
Comparison between conventional
chilled water system and VRF system

Cost Comparison VRF Chilled Water

Estimated total cost after 5 Years (JOD) 1,175,856 1,225,712
Estimated total cost after 10 Years (JOD) 1,711,712 1,851,424
Estimated total cost after 20 Years (JOD) 3,423,424 3,102,848
 Comparison between conventional
chilled water system and VRF system
Technical Criteria and environmental aspects Comparison
Criteria of Comparison VRF Chilled Water
System Description In a VRF system, multiple indoor fan Air cooled chillers produce chilled
coil units may be connected to one water with 7°C which shall be
outdoor unit. The outdoor unit has circulated through the generation
one or more compressors that are system (air cooled chillers) by
inverter driven, so their speed can be constant primary centrifugal water
varied by changing the frequency of pumps, a secondary variable
the power supply to the compressor. frequency driven pumps will
As the compressor speed changes, so circulate the water to serve the fan
does the amount of refrigerant coil units or air handling units, based
delivered by the compressor. Each on the indoor preset temperatures,
indoor fan coil unit has its own the thermostats will control the
metering device that is controlled by functional space temperature by
the indoor unit itself, or by the varying the water quantity going
outdoor unit. As each indoor unit through the two way valves installed
sends a demand to the outdoor unit, on the fan coil unit / AHU,
the outdoor unit delivers the amount consequently, the total chilled water
of refrigerant needed to meet the flow produced by the secondary
individual requirements of each indoor chilled water pumps shall be varied
unit. by means of the variable frequency
drive installed on the secondary
system.
 Comparison between conventional
chilled water system and VRF system
Technical Criteria and environmental aspects Comparison
Criteria of Comparison VRF Chilled Water
COP Higher COP than Chillers, in Cooling Lower COP
and Heating Modes, and Higher COP
at partial load compared to a water
system.
Total Weight Less Weight per square meters than Larger weights per square meters
chillers,( Less installation cost and resulting in higher installation and
less structure cost). structure cost
Required Area Requires more area Requires less area
Pipe Sizes Smaller pipes sizes Larger pipes sizes
Piping Length There are limitations on piping No limitations on piping length as
length between indoor and outdoor pumps are used in the system.
units.
Total Cooling Capacity Selection might not be possible to Selection will always meet the
be equal to both the thermal load thermal load
and the air flow
 Comparison between conventional
chilled water system and VRF system
Technical Criteria and environmental aspects Comparison
Criteria of Comparison VRF Chilled Water
capacity control Capacity control via an inverter; a frequency controlled compressor
frequency controlled compressor. chillers have been recently
introduced to market. For
constant speed compressors
chillers, the power control is made
by sliding valve on suction line and
variable speed secondary pumps
Heat Transfer Media Refrigerant (R-410a) throughout the Refrigerant to Water, and water
system, which reduces losses in the throughout the system which
system increases losses
Freezing No Freezing At temperatures below zero
freezing can happen
 Comparison between conventional
chilled water system and VRF system
Technical Criteria and environmental aspects Comparison
Criteria of Comparison VRF Chilled Water
Refrigerant Lines All over the building, might be limited in technical areas only
Safety and Leakage difficult to control and locate the
leakage of refrigerant
Reaction Time No big water-mass in the system - Longer reaction time
very quick reaction time.
Labor Cost no additional parts necessary except Chiller, water pumps, buffer tank,
outdoor units, indoor units and expansion vessel, Flow Switch,
pipes. control Valve distribution system
etc. necessary
No. of Compressors Many Numbers of Compressors Limited number of compressors
Compressors life cycle shorter than chillers compressors Longer
life cycle
Nature of Line Product Industrial type
Manufacturing
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