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Impact of high-efficiency and variable-speed motors on the performance of a residential split-system air conditioning system.

Number: 2392

Author(s) : BREHM J. K., RADITSCH F. R., HEPPERLA R., ZIVIANI D., GROLL E. A.

Summary

In the current marketplace, most of the ducted split-type heat pump systems feature single-speed compressors and fans. To meet forthcoming minimum energy rating requirements, reduce operational costs of the heat pumps, and increase environmental sustainability, the seasonal heating and cooling efficiencies of heat pump systems must be improved. Variable-speed equipment offers significant advantages for load modulation and has the ability to increase the seasonal performance greatly. Additionally, novel electrical motor technologies, such as permanent magnet (PM) motors, can reduce the power consumption of the motors by up to 25-55% compared to the widely used permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor and electronically commutated (EC) motor.
In this study, a low cost ducted single-speed heat pump system with a cooling capacity of 10.55 kW and a SEER rating of 14 BTU/Wh was analyzed to quantify the impact of fan and compressor motor efficiency on seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP). Furthermore, the performance increase by replacing the single-speed components with state-of-the-art variable-speed equipment was evaluated. The single-speed heat pump was experimentally tested, and the results were used to tune a detailed simulation model for further performance analyses. The efficiency was evaluated in heating and cooling mode according to AHRI standard 210/240 (2023).
The conversion of the of the fan motors to high efficiency PM magnet motors increased the SCOP by 3% to 7%. The impact was dependent on the initial motor efficiency and the operational mode, where the indoor unit fan motor had a large impact on SCOP in cooling mode and a low impact in heating mode because of the motor waste heat impact on capacity. The conversion to a fully variable-speed system greatly increased the cooling SCOP by 72% and the heating SCOP by 19%.
In conclusion, current entry level ducted split systems are equipped with low efficiency PSC and EC motors, which efficiency can be increased by an upgrade to state-of-the-art PM motors, leading to an SCOP increase under low development efforts.

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  • Original title: Impact of high-efficiency and variable-speed motors on the performance of a residential split-system air conditioning system.
  • Record ID : 30030708
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: 2022 Purdue Conferences. 19th International Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Conference at Purdue.
  • Publication date: 2022

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