Regulating air quality inside a building is sometimes a matter of personal preference. It is because not everyone has the same level of tolerance to heat or cold. And sometimes, people have preexisting conditions requiring a suitable temperature. It is where the VRF system excels.
Variable refrigerant flow is an advanced HVAC technology that allows you to heat or cool individual zones within a building. This air conditioning system has a hyper-efficiency rating and considers both the indoor and outdoor temperature when delivering regulated air.
Variable refrigerant volume is highly effective in circulating air within multiple units, even without ductwork installations. The entire HVAC system works using motor speed and variable refrigerant flows to regulate room temperature and provide occupants with quality ambience.
What Makes the Variable Refrigerant Flow System Ideal?
VRF has been around for decades. But the system has only gained popularity in recent years because it works similar to the enhanced version of the multi-split HVAC. The VRF unit simultaneously cools and heats a space while functioning at higher energy efficiency with its heat-recovery capacity.
Most modern VRF units have features like individual temperature control, reduced ductwork, zoning, and hot or chilled water distribution. Because of its capacity, the HVAC is the ideal setup for commercial spaces. Some of its discernible advantages include:
- Flexible design,
- Easy installation
- Energy efficiency
- Design and specs customization
- High-performance rating
- Cheaper installation costs
The VRF system comes in different shapes and sizes, accommodating varying commercial spaces. The system fits any application, including building areas with limited spaces like the back areas of a warehouse or office building. Additionally, a VRF HVAC unit weighs less because it does not have to attach ductworks.
A Rundown of the Basics of the VRF System
A VRF heating and cooling system has a similar workflow with the mini-split unit. First, the refrigerant is conditioned through the condensing unit, located outdoors. Then, conditioned air is circulated through zones using individual air handlers.
Unlike the standard air conditioning unit with a single on or off operation, the VRF HVAC system allows occupants to regulate room temperature based on their preferred temperature setting. Each zone has a thermostat, and when needed, multiple zones can be controlled as separate cells to provide the right amount of heat or conditioned air.
The system is energy efficient because it has an inverter compressor with low power consumption. As a result, it can partially heat or cool multiple indoor units using the same refrigerant loop. In addition, a VRF unit’s modular and ductless design allows you to grow the entire system to accommodate more heating and cooling capacity.
The HVAC system also works by calculating the indoor requirements of individual units. The system increases compressor load based on the occupants’ demands, making the entire system effective compared to traditional heating and cooling systems.
VFR System Installations are Easier
The VRF system is an umbrella of products encompassing several categories from the heat pump systems, cooling-only, and heat recovery units that can simultaneously heat and cool space.
A typical unit will have at least one outdoor VRF unit with several indoor systems, refrigerant piping, air handlers, and communications wiring. Individual units located indoors are controlled by a wired panel or a wireless remote that connects to a centralized controller.
Installations are easier than most HVAC systems because the outdoor unit is lightweight and installed on the rooftop or the service elevator without a supporting structure.
