Field-based Analyses on Approach Temperatures for Performance Evaluation of Centralized Air Conditioning System in a Shopping Mall Building

Abstract

This paper presents field analyses on the influences of condenser and evaporator approach temperatures of water cooled air conditioning system for a shopping mall. The mall building comprises food and non-food retail stores and uses a centralized air conditioning (AC) system to condition the entire building. The AC system comprises three chillers with the same cooling capacity. Chillers’ performance parameters included power consumption, condensing and evaporating temperatures, evaporator-condenser approach temperatures, pressure drop and cooling capacity parameters were hourly recorded for a period of one year. Performance characteristics of each chiller were evaluated at different condenser and evaporator approach temperatures and regression analyses were also established to examine the correlations and influences of the approach temperatures on the chillers’ performance. The analyses results showed that the increase of condenser approach temperature could increase the power consumption and reduce the coefficient of performance (COP) of the chillers. While evaporator approach temperature was found to have insignificant effect to the chiller performance. The results also showed that for the investigated chillers with condenser and evaporator approach temperatures maintained below 2 K, the approach temperatures had negligible correlation to the power consumption and the overall performance of the chillers. At this operational conditions, the water cooled air conditioning systems could operate at their best possible performance.

Study on the Performance of Scroll Compressor Applied for Medium Temperature Refrigeration System

“…Higher evaporating temperature can increase refrigeration capacity; lower power consumption and improve compressor efficiency as it has been found and proven in this study. Additionally, the results are also in agreement with [24][25][26] who have reported that capacity and cooling efficiency of a refrigeration system decreases with higher condensing temperature and lower evaporating temperature.…”

“…Furthermore, transmission losses can be reduced by replacing large compressors with smaller compressors closer to the end user. The capacity and cooling efficiency of the system decreases with higher condensing temperature and lower evaporation temperature [24][25][26]. Lower system performance is associated with increased irreversibility during compression, and higher compressor discharge temperatures.…”

Analisis perbandingan berbagai sistem AC komersial pada aplikasi gedung hotel

“…Di antara utilitas bangunan, peningkatan penggunaan energi sistem pemanas, ventilasi, dan AC atau lebih dikenal dengan HVAC menjadi sangat signifikan [11]. Beberapa solusi telah diusulkan untuk mempromosikan konservasi energi seperti pengembangan sistem AC yang dilengkapi dengan sistem heat recovery untuk memanaskan air [12][13][14][15][16]; menjaga kinerja sistem melalui pemantauan ketat pada parameter kunci chiller termasuk temperatur approach evaporator dan kondensor [17]; dan mengoptimalkan distribusi sistem sirkulasi air dingin [18]. Hal ini dapat mendorong penerapan efisiensi energi yang lebih luas, untuk mendukung komitmen Pemerintah Indonesia dalam mengurangi emisi Gas Rumah Kaca (GRK) sebesar 26% pada tahun 2020 [19].…”