WHAT ARE VRV (OR VRF) AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS?

One more week we want to continue with the dissemination of content on air conditioning technologies. In this opportunity, we come to one that will resonate with you, very fundamentally to those who work on huge surfaces: VRV or VRF air conditioning. VRV systems are becoming more popular every day and their presence is increasing.

In the following lines we will bring you a little closer to this attractive criterion.

WHAT ARE VRV SYSTEMS?

First of all, let’s continue with its semantic concept. The word VRV stands for Variable Refrigerant Volume and comes from the English VRF (variable refrigerant flow).

In VRV systems there is one common external unit that is connected to multiple internal entities by means of closed copper pipes. Its nature is very similar, although not exactly the same, to what is known as multi-split systems. They are categorized under direct diffusion air conditioning equipment.

VRV air conditioning systems have the possibility of being two-pipe or three-pipe. The former offer cold or heat, but not both at the same time. On the other hand, those with three tubes do have the possibility of providing cold and heat simultaneously. The difficulty of the three-tube installation alternative seriously makes the total value more expensive relative to the two-tube variety.

Its use is fundamentally suggested for medium-sized or huge commercial installations.

HOW DO THEY WORK?

As we said in the previous section, VRV equipment or systems are included in direct propagation. The outdoor unit of VRV systems has a mechanism that uses the outside air to evaporate (heat) or condense (cold) the refrigerant gas. Now the refrigerant gas is distributed through the pipes to reach the different spaces where the internal entities are dedicated to using it to cool or heat them.

In contrast to other systems such as heat pumps, these systems explain the virtues of being able to regulate or change the volume of refrigerant supplied to the condensation-evaporation coils.

MAIN BENEFITS

• Energy saving: is one of the most important claims of the developers of this class of equipment. It is believed that the energy savings achieved by VRV systems range on average between 11 and 20%.
• Inverter technology: at least one of the compressors in VRV systems is inverting. The virtues of this technology are highly highlighted. If you want to know more, don’t miss our entry “What is inverter technology?”.
• Easy installation: in contrast to other equipment such as chillers, VRF systems are not fundamentally heavy and have a modular design.
• Financial maintenance: since they are entities of direct propagation, their care is not at all complex.
• Optimized control: they accept a more individualized administration of the spaces to be air-conditioned. Each sector can be treated as an individualized region.