chiller vs vrf

1/14 Copyright 2008 All rights reserved LG Electronics Inc.ⓒ

Chiller vs VRF system

LG Electronics Inc. LGEHQ CAC Team


1. Design Comparison

VRF is very simplified refrigerant piping system. More flexible than water piping.VRF is very simplified refrigerant piping system. More flexible than water piping.

Chiller

MULTI V Plus Ⅱ (VRF)Chiller system

• Outdoor unit (air-cooled type)• Indoor unit• Refrigerant piping

• Chiller• FCU (Fan Coil Unit)• AHU (Air Handling Unit)

Systemcomposition

Feature

• Cooling tower• Water piping, Duct working• Water pumps

System concept

DesignDesign CommissioningOperation MaintenanceInstallation Reliability


Network

Feature Chiller system

• Complicated wiring

MULTI V Plus Ⅱ (VRF)

• Simple wiring


Easy network wiringEasy network wiring

1. Design Comparison Network design

ACP


1. Design Comparison Total management


[Manufacturer]

VAV boxes supplier

Controlsystem

Feature Chiller system MULTI V Plus Ⅱ (VRF)

(For VRF) Manufacturer provide all equipment(For VRF) Manufacturer provide all equipment

• Simple control structure

No additional control provider• Central control and energy monitoring with

low cost available

• Complicated control structure, additional

control manager in the system needed,

increasing cost• Third part control provider needed,

interconnectivity problems.


Design Commissioning


• The systems condition only the necessary rooms with regard to user demands.

• The systems commonly condition the entire building at predetermined times, with no regard to user demands. (very hot midnight, weekend, holiday etc)

Capacitycontrol

Feature

After office hours operation, VRF could be operated for the user demands.After office hours operation, VRF could be operated for the user demands.

<Better Capacity operation>

Operating Area

< Limited operation>

Individual operation

OperationOperation MaintenanceInstallation Reliability

2. Operation Comparison


Temperature

control


Require

1 ℃ or 2℃

MULTI V Plus (VRF)Ⅱ

Very precise

± 0.5℃

Precise temperature controlPrecise temperature control

3030

2525

2020

1515

1010 2020 3030 4040 5050 6060 7070

CoolingCooling

MIN.MIN.

Chiller system MULTI V system

Ro

om

tem

p.

Ro

om

tem

p. 0.5 0 C from set point

Design CommissioningOperationOperation MaintenanceInstallation Reliability

Temp. control2. Operation Comparison


VRF system doesn’t need a duct space.VRF system doesn’t need a duct space.

SpaceEfficiency

Feature MULTI V Plus Ⅱ (VRF)

• Small refrigerant space

Chiller system

• Large duct space

Design CommissioningOperation MaintenanceInstallationInstallation Reliability

Space (Duct working)3. Installation Comparison


Chiller

Pump

Boiler

Cooling tower

(On the rooftop)

(Machine room drawing)

OutdoorUnit

(On the rooftop)

(Rooftop drawing)

VRF system is no need for a machine room. VRF system is no need for a machine room.

Installationspace

Feature MULTI V Plus Ⅱ (VRF)

• No need a machine room

Chiller system

• Need a machine room


Installation space3. Installation Comparison


Efficient use of space is possible for VRF systemEfficient use of space is possible for VRF system

Chiller system

SpaceEfficiency

Feature

P P

1/3

CHILLER SYSTEMCHILLER SYSTEM

• Large pipe shaft is needed for water piping


VRF SystemVRF System

• Small pipe shaft is needed


Space (Pipe shaft)3. Installation Comparison


VRF system expansion is very easy with extra outdoor & indoor unit.VRF system expansion is very easy with extra outdoor & indoor unit.

Chiller system

SystemExpansion

Feature

• Capacity addition is difficult

as additional mechanical room, pump, cooling tower,

panel and piping is required.


• System Expansion is Easy

+


System expansion3. Installation Comparison


1 step Commissioning6 steps Commissioning


Commissioning

Feature

There are a lot of commissioning points for the chiller systemThere are a lot of commissioning points for the chiller system

• 6 Steps Commissioning • 1 Step Commissioning

Water cooled chiller (3)

(4)

Design CommissioningCommissioningOperation MaintenanceInstallation Reliability

NO. of commissioning point4. Commissioning Comparison


Maintenance

Feature

Maintenance costs for a Multi V is lower than chilled water systems.Maintenance costs for a Multi V is lower than chilled water systems.

Water cooled chiller (3)

(4)


• Filter cleaning• Heat exchanger cleaning• Cycle check by notebook (LG MV)

Chiller system

• Filter cleaning• Duct cleaning• Water pipe – maintenance• Periodical oil change, overhaul

• Pump• Water treatment• Cooling tower cleaning

Design CommissioningOperation MaintenanceMaintenanceInstallation Reliability

Maintenance list5. Maintenance Comparison


(For Chiller Water treatment is required for clean water)(For Chiller Water treatment is required for clean water)

<Polluted Cooling Tower>

Watertreatment


• Water treatment is required (deficient service can cause legionary disease in the system)


• No water treatment is needed


Water treatment5. Maintenance Comparison


Scalecleaning


< The system is consist of refrigerant pipes >

• No water pipes : No scale (use

refrigerant)

• Need to clean the water pipes

System efficiency drop & origin of germs

After 2~3year After 5~6year After 7~8year10% 25~30% 35~40%

thickness of scale

En

ergy

Lo

ss

Unit : mm

Unit : %

(For Chiller) Maintenance & cleaning periodically by exclusive company(For Chiller) Maintenance & cleaning periodically by exclusive company


Scale cleaning5. Maintenance Comparison


Maintenance Staff5. Maintenance Comparison


MaintenanceStaff


(For Chiller) Certified maintenance staff is needed(For Chiller) Certified maintenance staff is needed

• No need special maintenance staff.• Economic and easy maintenance

• The system requires certified maintenance

staff not only for chillers but also pumps,

boilers, cooling towers etc. • More expensive maintenance cost.

<NO Maintenance Staff>< Maintenance Staff>


Pipe Erosion6. Reliability Comparison

Design CommissioningOperation MaintenanceInstallation ReliabilityReliability

PipeErosion


(For Chiller) Certified maintenance staff is needed(For Chiller) Certified maintenance staff is needed

• Refrigerant does not cause corrosion therefore

no pipe damage occurred

• Pipe erosion can cause leakage.• System capacity reduction.• Brines use increase corrosion, anti corrosion

additives needed

<Cooper Pipe>< Water pipe leakage >


Category ProductInitial Cost

(USD)Initial Cost(USD)Total

Water Cooled Chiller

Chiller Price 355,484

877,097AHU / Cooling Tower / Pump,

Price148,065

Installation 383,871

VRVMulti V 874,498

1,109,660Installation 235,161

•April 2008•Cooling Only•Air Duct Included

Initial CostInitial Cost Running Cost Maintenance Cost Total cost

• Type of Building: Shopping Mall• Total area 9,000 m2 : 6 storey Building :1,500 m2/floor• Actual cooling area : 1,500 m2 * 80 % * 6 Floor = 7,200 m2• Cooling Load (Tr) / m2 : 700 Tr *12000 Btu/Hr = 1,166 Btu/m2 • Equipment : Water cooled chiller /Multi V unit - Water Cooled Chiller :Trane Water cooled chiller 350 Tr x 2 set =700 Tr + 300 Back up Pump’s =400 Tr x 2 set AHU = 8000 CFM x 36 set Cooling Tower =1200 Gpm x 3 +3 Back up - VRF System :LG Multi V Plus II 48 Hp x 19 set=912 Hp 726 Tr • Air conditioning time : Operation - 13 hour a day (09:00 ~ 22:00) - 30 days a month - average load by month

Equipments & Installation costEquipments & Installation cost

MULTI V vs Chiller7. Economic analysis


Multi V running cost is 65 % compare to chiller

Category Product

RunningCost

(USD)Total


Chiller Price

308,697AHU /

Cooling Tower /

Pump, Price

Multi V Price 200,158

•Based on KW data chiller/Multi V•Based on, Thailand electrical standard•ARI-Air conditioning & Refrigeration Institute

$0k

$100k

$200k

$300k

$400k

Chiller

Multi V

Running costSavings up to 15th yr : 35%

Chiller

Multi V

Electrical costElectrical cost


Initial Cost Running CostRunning Cost Maintenance Cost Total cost


Category PriceMaintenance

Cost(USD)Total


Chiller Price

32,177AHU / Cooling Tower / Pump,

Price

Multi V Price 11,468

$0k

$100k

$200k

$300k

$400k

year

2n

d4t

h6t

h8t

h10

th12

th

14th

Chiller

Multi V

Chiller

Multi V

MaintenanceCost savings Up to 15th yr: 66%

•Maintenance breakdown•Chiller system -31 USD / Rt / yr.- 6 times/yr•Multi V- 48 USD / Indoor / yr.- 6 times/yr - 145 USD / Outdoor / yr.- 6 times/yr

Multi V maintenance cost is 24 % compare to chiller

Maintenance costMaintenance cost


Initial Cost Running Cost Maintenance CostMaintenance Cost Total cost


Category Chiller system VRF system Remarks

EconomicAnalysis

Initial cost (USD)

877,097 927,057 　

Running cost (USD)

308,698 200,158

Shopping mall

6F, 9,000㎡

Maintenace cost (USD)

32,177 11,468

Total cost (USD)

1,217,972 1,138,683

BEP - 　 1.7 years 　

7. Economic analysis

Initial Cost Running Cost Maintenance Cost Total costTotal cost


LCC (Life Cycle Cost for 15 years) : Chiller 5.99 M$ > Multi V 4.27 M$ (71%)BEP (Break Even Point) : 1.7 Years

LCC (15 years) BEP

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year

- 20K$

+10K$

+40K$

+70K$

BEP :1.7 Years

$0k

$1000k

$2000k

$3000k

$4000k

$5000k

$6000k

$7000k

year

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

Chiller

Multi V

Cost savings : 29%

BEP :1.7 Years

8. LCC


Chiller Multi V

1,228

1,109

877

32

308 200

11

1,3217%

Product &

Installation

Maintenance

Electrical Fee

Chiller Multi V

5,992

23%15%

8%

77% 73%

4%

4,274 35%

Product &Installation

Maintenance

Electrical Fee

Initial Cost (1st year) ( K US$ )

LCC (15 years)

8. LCC


Type of building : Shopping mall

Water cooled Chiller :350 TR x 2 set=700 Tr + 300Tr (back up)

VRF system:48 Hp x 19 set = 912 Hp (726TR)

Commercial Building : (Shopping Mall - 9,000 ㎡ Total Area) - 6 storey building:1500 ㎡ per floor

Actual cooling area : 1,500 ㎡ * 80% * 6F = 7,200㎡Cooling load(TR) / ㎡ : 700TR * 12,000Btu/h/TR 7,200 ㎡ = 1167 Btu/㎡

Capacity Price EA Sub total (THB) % Sub total (USD)

350 RT 3,960,000 2 7,920,000 255,484 300 RT 3,100,000 1 3,100,000 100,000 400 RT 500,000 2 1,000,000 32,258 400 RT 500,000 1 500,000 16,129

1200 GPM 100,000 3 300,000 9,677 840 GPM 90,000 3 270,000 8,710

8,000 CFM 70,000 36 2,520,000 81,290 15,610,000 57% 503,548

9,000,000 33% 290,323 2,900,000 11% 93,548

11,900,000 43% 383,871 27,510,000 100% 887,419

48 Hp 957,000 19 18,183,000 586,548 Indoor unit ceiling duct 10 Hp 91,355 90 8,221,950 265,224

2,915 90 262,350 8,463 81,125 1 81,125 2,617

141,570 1 141,570 4,567 1,650 57 94,050 3,034 3,300 38 125,400 4,045

27,109,445 79% 874,498

Indoor unit ceiling duct

36,000 90 3,240,000 104,516 7,290,000 21% 235,161

34,399,445 100% 1,109,660

I lot

back up cooling tower (open type)

Duct working

45,000

back up chiller (screw type)

Wired remote controllerCentrol controller (ACP)

Centrol control software (AC Manager)

Sub totalTotal (Product + Installation)

Pump (Evaporator) + 1 back upAHU

Outdoor unit

Sub total

130,645

Y branchODU joint

90 4,050,000

VRF Sub total

Sub total

Outdoor unit

Total (Product + Installation)

Product

Installation

duct workpiping & electrical work

Water Cooled Chiller(Screwtype)

Classification

Pipe & InsulationValve & Acc.

Power & Control

Product

Installation

Chiller (screw type)

Cooling tower (open type)

Pump (Condenser) + 1 back up

App. Cost estimation


Energy consumption

/ unit

Totalenergy

consumption

(kW) (kW)

271 2 542

14.9 2 29.84 Load 100% 75% 50% 25%

55.2 6 331.2 Chillier 542 179 84 47

2.35 48 112.8 Others 474 474 474 474

1015.84 Total 1016 653 558 521

Outdoor Unit 48 HP- R410a 42 19 798

Indoor Unit 10 HP CCD 0.8 90 72 Load 100% 75% 50% 25%

870.0 VRF 870 609 287 165

13

30

100% kW portion

1% 100% 542 100% Used by Schedule 4.2.2 condition

42% 75% 179.2 33% electrical charge in Thailand

45% 50% 83.9 15% THB / month USD

12% 25% 47.2 9% VRF 517,076 16,680 Chiller 797,469 25,725

Gap 280,393 9,045

Operationhours

kWh / day kWh / monthOperation

hourskWh / day kWh / month

0.1 113.1 3,393.0 0.1 132.06 3,961.78

5.5 3,325.1 99,754.2 5.5 3,565.60 106,967.95 VRF 200,158

5.9 1,679.5 50,386.1 5.9 3,262.78 97,883.37 Chiller 308,698

1.6 257.9 7,736.0 1.6 812.82 24,384.67

13.0 5,375.6 161,269.3 13.0 7,773.3 233,197.8

■ VRF system

Cooling load portion IPLV

100% cooling load

VRF (MULTI V system) Chiller system

75% cooling load

50% cooling load

25% cooling load

VRF

AHU- 10 tr

Total

operating time / day (hours)

operating day / month

Chiller

Power consumptionLoad

operating cost 1 year

■ Chiller system

Category EA

Total

Power consumption under partial loadWater Cooled Chiller(Screwtype)

Chiller- 350 Tr

Cooling tower- 1260 GPM

Pump- 50 Hp

App. Actual running cost


Cost Unit

350 RT 105,000 Baht/unit 2 210,000

400 RT 60,000 Baht/unit 2 120,000

1200 GPM 15,600 Baht/unit 6 93,600

15 RT 2,000 Baht/unit 70 140,000

2 persons 20,000 Baht/unit 12 240,000

803,600

840 Hp 3,000 Baht/unit 90 270,000

Outdoor unit 4,500 19 85,500

355,500

THB USD RemarksChiller 997,500 32,177 6 times / year

270,000 6 times / year85,500 6 times / year

355,500 11,468

Pump

TotalVRF

1500 THB / indoor unit, year4500 THB / ODU module, year

950 THB / RT, year

Control engineer

Chiller(Screwtype)

Chiller (Screw type)

Cooling tower

AHU

Total

Total

VRF

Indoor unit

A noteCategory CapacityMaintenance cost

EAMaintenancecost / year

App. Maintenance cost


ARI Released The New Standard in 2003

Available through

the ARI web site:

WWW.ARI.ORG

Portion by cooling load (%)Portion by cooling load (%)

IPLVIPLVOROR

APLVAPLV==

0.010.01 + + 0.420.42 + + 0.450.45 + + 0.120.12 A B C DA B C D

11

kW / kW (ARI Part load weighting factors)

1% 1% 42% 45% 42% 45% 12%12%

100% 75% 50% 25%100% 75% 50% 25%

WEIGHTED (%)WEIGHTED (%)

ARI550/590-2003ARI550/590-2003

Cooling LoadCooling Load

App. Energy efficiency (IPLV)

chiller vs vrf

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