|
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) launched a new certification program for Variable Refrigerant Flow Multi-Split Air-Conditioners and Heat Pumps (VRF). This is AHRI's 37th certification program.
The equipment in the VRF program are rated and tested in accordance with AHRI Standard 1230, Performance Rating of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Multi-Split Air-Conditioning and Heat Pump Equipment. Systems sized under 65MBH are currently certified to AHRI Standard 210/240.
Bill Tritsis, AHRI vice president, Certification, noted that VRFs are more popular, making the launch of the new certification program timely. "Having a VRF program will provide the assurance that manufacturers' performance ratings for the equipment have been independently verified, which will likely increase awareness of these products within the United States," Tritsis said.
The certification program covers matched variable refrigerant flow multi-split air-conditioner and multi-split heat pump systems that comply with either the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) or the Energy Policy Act (EPACT), and use distributed refrigerant technology with cooling and heating capacities for:
• outdoor units from 12,000 Btu/h [3508 W] to 300,000 Btu/h [87,692 W]
• indoor units from 5,000 Btu/h [1,462 W] to 60,000 Btu/h [17,538 W]. Each indoor unit is designed to condition a single zone.
The certification program applies to variable refrigerant flow multi-split systems consisting of the following matched components:
• An outdoor unit with single or multiple compressors or variable capacity compressor or with a variable speed drive.
• Indoor unit(s) that have a coil, air movement device intended for single zone air distribution, and a temperature sensing control.
• A zone temperature control device.
The certification program covers VRF multi-split systems and heat recovery VRF multi-split systems covered in AHRI Standard 1230. Included are multi-split, matched system air-conditioners and heat pumps irrespective of their type of electric power source, or secondary fluid (e.g. air-to-air or water-to-air).
There are currently five participants in the program:
• Carrier
• Daikin
• LG Electronics
• Mitsubishi
• Sanyo.
Testing will be conducted at Intertek's testing facility in Plano, Tex. Performance data for certified products can be found in the AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance (www.ahridirectory.org).
Back
to Daily News
|
