VRF systems. Benefits, functionality and new technologies.

Multizone air conditioning system or in other words – VRF-system.

VRF is an abbreviation for Variable Refrigerant Flow. This air conditioning system consists of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units (up to 64 indoor units in one system).

Thanks to the application of modern and advanced technologies, the multizone system is the most energy efficient air conditioning system.

What are the best energy efficiency indicators? First of all, thanks to the use of inverter compressors, which, with the help of smooth capacity control, always produce exactly as much power as is currently required in the building.

When the user sets the desired temperature in the room, the system calculates several parameters (including the outdoor temperature) and starts the compressor at a power that will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the user who now needs air conditioning, rather than cooling the whole building. When another indoor unit is turned on, the outdoor unit will recalculate the demand from all running indoor units and increase the compressor capacity to meet the new required demand level. This process occurs with any change that is generated in the system.

The multizone system is fully automatic and adjusts the power consumption according to the demand from the indoor units and the outside temperatures. This is the distinguishing feature of VRF-systems.

There are two main types of multizone systems. The first provides only cooling or heating at one time, which means that all zones will either be cooled or heated. The second type of system allows simultaneous cooling and heating.

As a rule, these two systems are referred to as «2-pipe» and «3-pipe».

A «3-pipe» system is often referred to as a «VRF heat recovery system» because the heat that the outdoor unit may have emitted to the atmosphere is used to heat spaces where heating is required. A vivid example is an office center with glass facades, where during the transitional period the side on which the sun shines requires air conditioning, and the shady side requires heating.

At facilities with the need for simultaneous production of cold and heat, «3-pipe» multizone systems show their best side, having energy efficiency indicators unattainable by other types of climate technology.

The latest generation VRF-systems use EVI-compressors with hot vapor injection into the compressor chamber, which significantly expands the operating range of the equipment, improving its productivity. Thanks to this technology, multizone systems can be considered as the only source of heat at the facility.

It is also worth paying attention to the ease of installation, especially in comparison with other air conditioning systems.

The outdoor units are modular in design, compact in size and light in weight. Access to any floor can be done using a freight elevator or a pioneer crane, without resorting to expensive equipment and blocking traffic. Maintenance of the system also does not require a large space.

Well, not to mention the ease of operation. Despite the complexity of the automation of VRF-systems, they remain extremely easy to manage for the user. You can even control the temperature in the room using a mobile device!

The advantages of multizone systems cannot be overestimated – they perform the function of air conditioning, the function of heating, or both at the same time. It is the ideal choice of microclimate system for most properties.