Apartment Split System installation

EZYAIR specialise in the installation of split system air conditioners into a high rise apartments in Melbourne.

Here is a picture of a job we recently did in Fitzroy... the fourth unit we have installed into the block.

Split System Heating - More Efficient than Natural Gas.

Gas Vs Split System Heating

This procedure will explain how to calculate the running costs of natural gas heating appliances and split system air conditioners, then illustrate how to compare their running costs and efficiency when both are used as heaters.

How to Calculate the running cost of a Heating Appliance

1. Find out the appliance's input power in MegaJoules or Kilowatt. (Depending if it’s a gas appliance or split system).
2. Multiply the input power by the energy Tariff (MJ for gas / Kilowatt for electricity).

Measurement	Cost (Peak)	Supplier	Date of Publication
Gas MegaJoule (MJ)	$0.03 per MJ	Origin Energy	September 2013
Electrical Kilowatt (kW)	$0.23 per kW	Red Energy	September 2013

Gas Appliance Consumption Analysis

Gas Appliance	Input of Energy	Output of Heat	Cost per hour
Rinnai Energysaver 309FT	9.5MJ/h	2.9kW	$0.28
Rinnai Energysaver 561FT	16MJ/h	5.0kW	$0.48
Rinnai Energysaver 1004FTR	24MJ/h	8.6kW	$0.72

Split System Air Conditioning Analysis

Split System	Input of Energy	Output of Heat	Cost per hour
Panasonic CS/CU-E09PKR	0.75kW/h	2.6kW	$0.17
Panasonic CS/CU-E189PKR	1.69kW/h	5.0kW	$0.38
Panasonic CS/CU-E28PKR	2.64kW/h	8.0kW	$0.60

Result - Split System air conditioners are more efficient heaters than gas appliances.

As you can see from the analysis above, split system air conditioning can be up to 30% more efficient heaters than natural gas.

The Reason

Natural gas heating appliances burn natural gas to create a flame. This flame then heats up a heat exchanger within the gas heating appliance and air is drawn over the heat exchanger to add heat to the air. This is a very basic form of heat exchange and not very energy efficient.

Split systems compress refrigerant to create heat. As when a refrigerant is compressed, it get’s hot. The air is then drawn over the coils, and the air is heated. All the electricity does, is run two small fans (one in the indoor unit and one in the outdoor unit) and a small compressor. All of the hard work is done by a thermodynamic process of the refrigerant changing state from a liquid to a gas. For more information on vapour compression, please see the article on our website - “How does an air conditioner work”

At EZYAIR, we strive to provide our customers with the most relevant information to assist them to make the right decision. If you would like more information, please contact us by phone: 1300 EZYAIR (1300 399 247) or via email: info@ezyair.com.au

If I put an air conditioner into one room, it will cool the other room, right?

No.

Not unless there are two points of ventilation joining the two rooms. EG: two doorways. The basic rule is that hot air is high pressure and cool air is low pressure.

High pressure will flow to low pressure every time.

This means that the hot air (high pressure in the room next door) will naturally ventilate to the low pressure, (the room with the air conditioner in it).

And here's the problem... The air conditioner is blowing air out the door way - and the velocity of this air will prevent the hot air from ventilating into the room with the air conditioner.

The hot air will be trapped at the point of juncture (the doorway) and the room without the air conditioner will stay hot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"But what if I put a SUPER DUPER, EXTRA LARGE air conditioner into my room - surely it will have an effect on the other room?"

Unfortunately not. You will be wasting your time and money - and void your warranty.

An air conditioner which is too large for the room that it's in will not only cost more to buy, cost more to install, cost more to run - and it will not have ANY effect on the room next door.

"Hm. So how do I do this?"

In order to allow an air conditioner to air condition two rooms, you need ventilation (air movement). To create ventilation, you need two points where the air can be sent and received. (Two doorways, an internal window or a doorway which represents more than half of the width of the room).

By providing ventilation, this not only allows hot to travel to cold but it allows the positive pressure created by the air conditioner to ventilate into the adjacent room.

"HEY PRESTO, I've done it!"

This is what we like to hear. Air conditioning and ventilation are interesting topics - and something we like to talk about every day.

To find out more information or to organise a complimentary estimate on the best way to air condition your home, please call EZYAIR on 1300 399 247 or email: info@ezyair.com.au

Rock.

How to calculate energy efficiency of an air conditioner

As you can see from our blog on how to read an energy label, a split system air conditioner will ALWAYS output more energy than it consumes.

So how do we work out exactly how efficient a split system is, so we can compare products?

Well, there are two calculations:

1. This calculation in cooling mode is called EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio)
2. This calculation in heating mode is called COP (Coefficient of performance).

How to calculate EER (Cooling efficiency)

• In cooling mode, the air conditioner consumes 1.58kW and outputs 5.2kW.
• Divide the output (5.2kW) by the input (1.58kW).
• Therefore this split systems EER is: 3.41 to 1.
• This means the air conditioner will output 3.41 times as much energy as it consumes!

How to calculate COP (Heating efficiency)

• In heating mode, the air conditioner consumes 1.63kW and outputs 6.7kW.
• Divide the output (6.7kW) by the input (1.63kW).
• Therefore this split systems COP is: 4.1 to 1.
• This means the air conditioner will output 4.1 times as much energy as it consumes!

This sounds great, but how do I compare products?
The EER and COP readings are the easiest and fastest way for you to compare energy efficiency between air conditioners. Most reputable split system manufacturers include the EER and COP readings on their promotional material. Grab the most information you can get, and compare COP and EER's between products.

Conclusion
This co-efficiency is typical of most split system air conditioners and is the reason why split system air conditioning is one of the most energy efficient forms of heating and cooling available on the market today.

Resources

• Compare air conditioners through the Australian Government website
• Browse the Australian Governments' Energy Rating website
• Read about the Minimum Energy Perfomance Standards (MEPS)

Contact us!
At Ezy Air, we strive to provide our customers with the most relevant information to assist them to make the right decision. If you would like more information, please contact us by phone: 1300 EZY AIR (1300 399 247) or via our contact page!

How to read an energy label.

If you take a look at the above energy label, you will notice two red and two blue readings.
The top two readings (red and blue) represent the power output in heating and cooling modes.
The bottom two readings (red and blue) represent power input in heating and cooling modes.

• In cooling mode (top blue corner) - this air conditioner will output 5.2kW.

• In cooling mode (bottom blue corner) - this air conditioner will input 1.58kW.

• (For every 1.58kW you input, you output 5.2kW!)

• In heating mode (top red corner) - this air conditioner will output 6.7kW.

• In heating mode (bottom red corner) - this air conditioner will input 1.63kW.

• (For every 1.63kW you input, you output 6.7kW!)

As you can see, a split system air conditioner will output far more energy than it consumes!

How does a split system air conditioner work?

Split system air conditioners operate on a vapour compression refrigeration cycle. This is a thermodynamic process of refrigerant changing state (from a vapour to a liquid to a vapour again) which enables air conditioners to heat or cool.

Figure above: Condenser = 1, TX Valve = 2, Evaporator = 3, Compressor = 4.

1. Super Heated Vapour
We will start the example just before the compressor (No. 4), on the right hand side, where the refrigerant entering the compressor is a saturated vapour. After it goes through the compressor - it's compressed, so it's pressure and temperature of the saturated vapour goes up and it becomes a super heated vapour.

2. Sub Cooled Liquid
The super heated refrigerant is then forced through the condenser coil (No. 1), which has a fan blowing over the coils. This enables the heat to be released from the refrigerant. This process of cooling the refrigerant through the condenser brings the temperature of the vapour down and it changes state, to a sub cooled liquid.

3. Saturated Liquid
Before this sub cooled liquid reaches the evaporator (No. 3), a component inside the evaporator called the pressure release valve ( or TX valve - No.2) abruptly releases the pressure of the refrigerant. This abrupt pressure loss causes flash evaporation of some of the refrigerant and this brings the temperature of the refrigerant down again. The refrigerant is now a sub cooled, saturated liquid.

4. Saturated Vapour
This saturated liquid travels through the evaporator coil (No. 3). The evaporator fan sucks air over the coil and the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the coil. This causes the temperature of the refrigerant to go up, and the temperature of the air to go down. This heat exchange causes the refrigerant to boil and evaporate into a saturated vapour (keep in mind that R410A boils at minus 48.5 degrees, so it's still super cold).

And the Cycle Continues
The saturated vapour then travels through the refrigerant piping back to the compressor, where the refrigerant (in a vapour state) is compressed into a super heated vapour and the cycle continues.

Post Script
If you are learning about refrigeration for the first time. Please keep in mind that it took a colleague of the author, who has a Ph.D in plasma physics, magnetohydrodynamics & astrophysics around a year to get his head around vapour compression refrigeration... so don't sweat it if it doesn't make sense right now!

If you would like to research more on the matter, please follow the links to the following Wikipedia documents:
Wikipedia - Refrigeration
Wikipedia - Vapour Compression Refrigeration

Contact us!
At EZYAIR we strive to provide our customers with the most relevant information to assist them to make the right decision. If you would like more information, please contact us by phone: 1300 EZY AIR (1300 399 247) or via our contact page!