Research Roadmap Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology Institute, Inc .

PrefaceHeating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems are widely recognized as essential for modern day life. This strategic level roadmap has been developed to focus policy makers and industry leaders upon fundamental research that is essential for the future of American enterprise and improving our way of life. The premise of this document is that the justifi cation for performing basic HVAC&R research is well understood and therefore, this roadmap has been developed to provide a clear path forward to achieving essential goals.

Mark Menzer

The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology Institute, ARTI, is the HVAC&R industry’s fundamental research organization. For the past 15 years, ARTI has been successfully coordinating and sponsoring cooperative research in the HVAC&R and building sectors. Driven

refrigerants to help protect the ozone layer, ARTI’s research programs have expanded to address improving integration of HVAC&R technology into buildings to provide more energy effi cient structures with improved indoor environments.

Who is ARTI?

Senior Vice President, ARTI

initially by the common challenge to develop non ozone-depleting

The roadmap has identifi ed a need to focus on basic and early stage research to develop the next generation of HVAC&R equipment and services. The American HVAC&R industry functions in a business and energy climate today that discourages investment in basic research leading to an increasing innovation gap with competitors abroad. The need for a strong research public/private partnership for this vital industry is clear, immediate and necessary.

Strategic Focus

Basic Research

Early Stage ProductResearch & Development

Late Stage ProductDevelopment and

Demonstration

Commercialization(Market Conditioning)

ARTIUS DOE

ARTIUS DOE

Manufacturers

ManufacturersGovernments

Utilities

Manufacturers(Governments

Utilities)

Strategic Impact of this Research

Signifi cant Energy Effi ciency GainsNational Economic Growth

Large Peak Electric Demand ReductionIndoor Air Quality Improvement

Increased Food SafetyEnhanced Homeland Security

Air conditioning has had an incredible impact on the way we live, giving us the option to work, play and relax in controlled environments. Refrigeration assures the freshness, health and safety of our food supply, helps develop modern medicines and is essential to thousands of chemical processes. Investing in research today means more than improving our way of life. Investment today assures jobs and exports for tomorrow, stabilizes our electric grid, conserves energy and provides for the health and welfare of our citizens. There are few other research investments that have a greater impact on our future.

Return on Investment

Fossil energy is fi nite, global climate change is signifi cant, safeguarding against food borne bacteria requires more care and our indoor environments need improvement and indeed protection. Today’s HVAC&R marketplace does not value these important and inevitable forces that policy makers and scientists have identifi ed. These “national interests” are being researched in a systematic fashion in Europe and Asia. America’s focus is near term incremental improvement of technology, which will naturally limit our future progress and success. There is a real danger of the American HVAC&R industry being rendered obsolete by foreign research. This roadmap and partnership will assure America’s rightful leadership role in this essential technology both in the near term and in the future.

The following entities have invested along with

Basic Research is Important

ARTI to meet their future energy goals

Air conditioning and refrigeration transformed the 20th century. These defi ning technologies have altered the way we live, work, and play. From suburban tract houses to glass skyscrapers, indoor entertainment centers, supermarkets, restaurants, high-tech manufacturers’ clean rooms, and pressurized modules for space exploration, many of the nation’s modern structures and products would not exist without the invention of air conditioning and refrigeration. Air conditioning and refrigeration have changed our relationship with nature itself by creating indoor artifi cial climates, shifting seasonal patterns of work and play, and making America’s geographic differences environmentally insignifi cant.

HVAC&R is Important!

Research GoalsThis roadmap provides the collective thought of hundreds of professional engineers, scientists, manufacturers, contractors, architects and policy makers all focusing on providing a strong scientifi c and economic foundation – through basic research – to provide answers that allow anyone to leverage the fi ndings and quickly apply them

Residential Buildings:Achieve a 50% reduction in HVAC&R annual energy consumption and peak electric energy demand in new buildings by 2020.

Commercial Buildings:Realize energy consumption and peak electric energy demand reductions of 25% in new buildings by 2020.

Refrigeration:Reduce refrigerant leakage in supermarket refrigeration systems by 90% and reduce energy consumption in supermarkets by 25% by 2020.

Emerging Technologies:Continually review and monitor research in the HVAC&R arena and elsewhere for breakthroughs that could contribute to achieving the roadmap’s goals.

to the next generation of goods and services. The ARTI Research Program is dedicated to the following goals:

Residential BuildingsGOAL: Achieve a 50% reduction in HVAC annual energy consumption and peak electric energy demand in new residential buildings by 2020.

Impr

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pone

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Impr

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Impr

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20% PerformanceImprovement in Motor/

Compressors andHeat Exchangers

50% Reduction in Energy Consumption at a Price Assuring Widespread Use

25% Reduction in Building Envelope Energy Losses

and a 50% Reduction in Duct Losses

This project addressed the cooling capacity and system performance drop-off of residential air conditioners at high ambient outdoor temperatures and updated two modeling tools that assist in the design of heat exchangers and air-conditioning systems. The updated modeling tools provide manufacturers with more accurate tools for developing residential systems with enhanced performance at high ambient temperature conditions.

Refrigerant Blends Operating Near and Above Critical Temperature

SUCC

ESS S

TORY

GOAL: Realize energy consumption and peak electric energy demand reductions of 25% in new buildings by 2020. This would include reducing average annual ventilation and air conditioning use from 8,800 BTU/ft2 to 6,600 BTU/ft2.

Commercial BuildingsR

oofto

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ondi

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Affordable 13 EER

Rooftop Air Conditioner

Spac

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onst

rain

ed P

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fort

and

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ReduceEnergy Use by 15% Through Improved

Distribution Systems

ImproveComfort and

Reduce Noise in Commercial

HVAC&R Equipment

DecreaseEnergy Use by 10% Through

Better Selection of Equipment and

Components

ImproveEffi ciency of Space

Constrained Productsby 25%

Chi

llers

IncreaseEnergy

Effi ciencyof Chillersby 25%

RefrigerationGOAL: Reduce refrigerant leakage in supermarket refrigeration systems by 90%, reduce refrigerant charge in supermarkets systems by 60% and reduce energy consumption in supermarkets by 25% by 2020.

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issi

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Ref

riger

ant

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25% More Effi cient Refrigerated Display Case

90% Reduction inRefrigerant Leakage in

Supermarkets

60% SmallerRefrigerant Charge

Several projects have addressed the potential enhancement in the performance of heat exchangers through the use of small tube, oval, and fl attened-tube designs. In addition to taking advantage of reduced air-side pressure losses over the coil and its associated reduction in fan power consumption, these tube designs have the potential of providing the same cooling capacity with a much smaller refrigerant charge. Manufacturing cost, tube integrity and durability will play a key role in enhanced coil tube design and marketability.

High Performance Heat Exchangers Small Tube, Non-circular and Flattened-Tube Heat Exchangers

SUCC

ESS S

TORY

GOAL: Continually review and monitor research in the HVAC&R arena and elsewhere for breakthroughs that could contribute to achieving the goals within the three application sectors.

Emerging Technologies

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s

Nov

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uipm

ent

Nov

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stem

s

For Example: NovelHeat Exchangers

(Microchannel, Plastic, Carbon Foam)

For Example: Magnetic Cooling and Other

Advanced Cycles.

For Example: EnhancedCarbon Dioxide

Refrigeration, Heat Pumpand Air Conditioners

Nov

elC

ompo

nent

s

The Path ForwardEnergy markets, environmental concerns and global competition are key issues facing America’s HVAC&R

Potential Projects for the Future Research:

Air Conditioning and Refrigerant Technology Database – Web based database of various cooling, dehumidifi cation, and air treatment technologies with an assessment of their current performance capabilities and commercialization potential.

Smart Sensor Research – To support the development and integration of economical miniature wireless HVAC and IAQ sensors for fault detection and diagnostics, automatic and continuous commissioning, and monitoring and fi ne tuning HVAC and building performance.

Advanced Heat Exchanger Research – To support the development and demonstration of new design concepts for higher effi ciency, better performance during high temperature conditions, and greater moisture removal during part load conditions.

Supermarket Refrigeration System Research – Support the development and demonstration of tighter supermarket systems to reduce refrigerant leakage and increase energy effi ciency.

industry. Undertaking the basic research needed to achieve the HVAC&R industry goals is critical to addressing those issues. The only successful path forward for American HVAC&R manufacturing businesses is through

partnership innovation and product leadership. This can only be achieved through a strong public / privatefocusing on basic and early stage research to provide the basic foundation for industry. For the HVAC&R - the essential public / private partnership is ARTI Research Program. It is time to invest guidance, time and financial resources in American Technology.

ARI INDUSTRY RESEARCH TIMELINE• Evaluation of the Performance Potential of CO2 as a Refrigerant in Air-to-Air Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps: System Modeling and Analysis (610-10030)• Critical Literature Review of Lubricant Infl uences on Refrigerant Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop (611-20080)• Variable Primary Flow Chilled Water Systems: Potential Benefi ts and Application Issues (611- 20070)• Using Acid Number as a Leading Indicator of Refrigerant and Air Conditioning System Performance (611-50060)

• Evaluation of the Performance Potential of CO2 as a Refrigerant in Air-to-Air Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps: System Modeling and Analysis (610-10030)• CO2 Compressor-Expander Analysis (611-10060)• Application of High-Temperature Mold Materials to Die Cast Copper Motor Rotor for Improved Effi ciency (605-20030)• Critical Literature Review on Lubricant Infl uence in Refrigerant Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop (611-20080)• Methods for Automated and Continuous Commissioning of Building Systems (610-30040)• Automated Integration of Real-Time Information into Building Management Systems (611-30050)

• Measurement of Performance of Carbon Dioxide Compressors (611-10070)• Potential Benefi ts of Smart Refrigerant Distributors (605-20050) • State-of-the-Art Review, Whole Buildings and Building Envelope Simulation and Design Tools (605-30010) • State-of-the-Art Review, HVAC Component and System Simulation and Design Tools (605-30020) • Energy Savings Potential of Flexible and Adaptive HVAC Distribution Systems for Offi ce Buildings - Phase I (605-30030) • Investigation of the Causes of “Black Soot” Phenomena (605-40010) • Defi ning the Effectiveness of UV Lamps Installed in Circulating Air Ductwork (610-40030) • Investigation of Building Exhaust Air Re-Entrainment Into Outdoor Air Intakes of Packaged Outdoor HVAC Equipment - Phase I (610-40040) • Properties and Cycle Performance of Refrigerant Blends Operating Near and Above the Refrigerant Critical Point (610-50010) • Add-on Effort to ASHRAE 1073-RP: Determination of Refrigerant Lower Flammability Limits in Compliance with Proposal Addendum 34p to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34 (605-50020)

• ARTI Refrigerant Database (605-00010/610-00010)• Microchannel Heat Exchangers with Carbon Dioxide (605-10020) • Evaluating the Performance of Thermoacoustic Cooling (610-10040) • Evaluating the Ability of Unitary Equipment to Maintain Adequate Space Humidity Levels (605-20010)• An Assessment of the State-of-the-Art, and Potential Design Improvements, for Flat- Tube Heat Exchangers in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Applications – Phase I (605-20020) • Assessment of the Commercial Implications of ASHRAE A3 Flammable Refrigerants Used in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems (610-50025) • Study of the Effects of Water in Synthetic Lubricant Systems and Clathrate Formation (610-50035)

• The Effi ciency Limits of Water Vapor Compressors (605-10010)

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Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Technology Institute 4100 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 200

Arlington, Virginia 22203 phone: (+1) 703-524-8800

fax: (+1) 703-522-2349

November 2004