VRF or Variable Refrigerant Flow air conditioning is a direct expansion type of air conditioning system where one outdoor condensing unit is connected via piping with multiple indoor units to provide heating or cooling to the internal spaces.
Its ultimate purpose is to regulate the internal room air temperature and comfort levels effectively and efficiently, and in modern advanced VRF systems it can offset VRF heating requirements by using otherwise wasted heat from cooling areas.
The system intelligently modulates the flow of a refrigerant through the VRF pipework depending upon the capacity requirements of each zone within the building.This is why VRF systems are also described as variable refrigerant flow AC systems or variable refrigerant systems. You will find the term VRF Air Conditioning used interchangeably with VRF AC, VRF air conditioner, VRF air con and VRF air conditioning system.
Why Choose a VRF for AC in a commercial setting?
Commercial building specifiers choose VRFs for AC as the spaces they are planning for are increasingly airtight and filled with heat-generating office equipment and lighting. This presents a challenge for anyone trying to maintain a stable and comfortable internal environment. It is especially useful in properties where different areas have different heating and cooling demands. VRFs have zoning capabilities that support more flexible layouts and reduce the need for oversized ductwork.
In addition, the choice of a VRF for AC is a point of regulation and VRFs fit the need to be compliant with new energy legislation when planning any new build developments.
This makes VRF air conditioning systems ideal for hotels, offices, retail and leisure facilities.
Katie Mathers Marketing Executive
What is the difference between VRF and VRV air conditioning?
VRV and VRF air conditioning are essentially the same technology, with the difference coming down to branding rather than performance. VRV stands for ‘variable refrigerant volume’ and is Daikin’s trademarked term. While ‘VRF’ stands for ‘variable refrigerant flow’. VRF is the more widely used industry description across the market.
Why are sustainable cooling options so important in today’s world?
In the UK, buildings account for over 40% of our carbon emissions, and nearly 90% of this is generated from heating and cooling systems.
The use of more energy efficient equipment helps keep operational costs down for building owners and reduces, and the carbon footprint of operating the building and therefore the impact on the environment is reduced – helping us all adhere to corporate and social responsibility directives.
As part of the global roadmap to achieve net zero carbon, ambitious standards are being set for the energy performance of new and existing buildings.
As a result, the UK needs to develop, adapt and embrace cleaner and greener technologies. Adopting a well-structured VRF AC system, this supports effective business and green energy efficient goals by matching output to demand instead of wasting energy. VRF pipework is a key part of this efficiency. This is because it carries refrigerant between the outdoor unit and many indoor units, enabling precise control of heating and cooling in each zone while avoiding the energy losses typical of large air duct systems.
VRF R32 and R290 refrigerants
City Multi VRF provides simultaneous heating and cooling with the benefit of heat recovery. By moving energy where it’s needed, power input is reduced by up to 30%, offering flexibility, operability, comfort and control.
City Multi R32 VRF and HVRF units are ideal for end users looking to future-proof their air conditioning in line with the next stage of the F-Gas Regulations and the phase down of high Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants.
Both R32 and R290 are now the refrigerants of choice for many air conditioning systems because they offer a lower GWP (675) than R410A (2088) whilst complying with the latest legislation. Using R32 and R290 refrigerant systems enables end users to enhance their CSR with equipment that minimises the effect on climate change.
R32 is a single component refrigerant, meaning it is easier to reuse and to recycle. It is also relatively inexpensive to produce, is easier to handle because it doesn’t separate and utilises familiar technology, keeping costs similar.
While R32 is a high-efficiency refrigerant with low global warming potential, it is classified as mildly flammable and for some VRF installations requires appropriate safety measures. R290 refrigerant (propane) offers an even more sustainable alternative with an extremely low GWP of just 3. However, specifiers, architects and consultants understand that it is also flammable and requires careful installation and handling.
This is why for projects where safety reassurance is the top priority alongside energy efficiency, non-flammable refrigerants such as R32 with proper safety controls are often preferred over R290.
Features and benefits of VRF air conditioning
VRF systems from Mitsubishi Electric can incorporate up to 64 indoor units on a single outdoor unit. This depends on the specific VRF system model and configuration, which can be located throughout a building as ceiling cassettes, wall-mounted or floor units, or concealed ducted units. This scale is a key advantage of enabling one outdoor unit to serve many zones across large offices, schools, hotels and mixed-use buildings and more.
The outdoor condensers can be installed in modules meaning that they can fit in spaces around a building or rooftop to offer design flexibility. This modular approach is specific to Mitsubishi Electric’s City Multi VRF systems. It helps with VRF installations where roof space, plant room access and refurbishment constraints matter.
With advanced control logic, each system can provide optimum levels of comfort for individual spaces by precisely modulating refrigerant flow to match the exact heating or cooling demand in each zone. The highly efficient indoor air conditioning units can meet the cooling and heating needs of each area in a building, whilst also recovering heat from zones that are cooling and redirecting it to zones that need heating, maximising the overall efficiency of the VRF system.
Modern VRF units are also designed to tackle the challenges of our modern urban environment, offering low noise levels and modular outdoor unit designs and reduced structureal impact on buildings. There are VRF system ranges that enable outdoor units to be discretely installed out of the line of sight.
This makes VRF systems ideal for commercial properties such as hotels, city-centre offices, retail, leisure facilities, schools, apartments, mixed-use buildings, hospitals and heritage refurbishments.
Are specific properties or commercial buildings best suited to VRF Air Conditioning?
Offices
Lush Ltd is best known for its sweet-smelling, handmade cosmetic and bath products and a highly ethical approach to business life. So, when it came to the comfort of their staff in a new office, energy efficiency was a key priority. Lush decided to bring together multiple contractors for the different elements and for its new air conditioning system, choosing Modern Facilities Services Ltd to lead on the installation of City Multi VRF heat recovery system to serve the entire office area.
Across the space, 12 indoor units have been fitted to one floor standing unit. The beauty of the City Multi system is that excess heat from an area being cooled can be moved to other parts of the building that need heating, helping improve the overall efficiency.
Mixed Use
A former tram station in Bristol became the first building in the UK to benefit from large scale R32 air conditioning. The Art Deco building in Gloucester Road was originally a main station for electric trams and is now occupied by one of the largest environmental business networks in the UK – Future Economy Networks.
The F-Gas Regulations and the phase down of refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP) is affecting all air conditioning systems, with the industry transitioning to R32, which has a significantly lower GWP than previous R410A systems.
Future Leap is carbon neutral in its operation and has incorporated lots of sustainable technologies and solutions, including a carpet made from disused ghost fishing nets that have been reclaimed from the bottom of the ocean. With the installation of the latest R32 system, the Hub is also able to deliver future-proof heating and cooling, regardless of the weather.
Hotel
London’s renowned Strand Palace Hotel sits in the heart of London and has been welcoming guests since 1909. Situated within walking distance of some of the most famous music theatres in London, combined with its quirky contemporary décor, the hotel offers guests a high level of comfort and experience during their stay.
After a period of incredibly hot weather, the Strand Palace knew that modernising its heating and cooling systems was fundamental to maintaining a quality experience for guests. Ensuring high levels of energy efficiency, was also a factor considered during this process.
The hotel chose the innovative Hybrid VRF air con system to provide cooling and comfort throughout its site. HVRF offers a perfect solution, with its unique 2-pipe system allowing for simultaneous heating and cooling with heat recovery. A central controller allows heating and cooling to be switched off in individual rooms, while keeping other rooms at the optimum temperature. This saves energy as there is less work to do when occupants turn the systems back on.
Why is Mitsubishi Electric seen as the market leader in VRF air conditioning systems?
Tough government regulations and stringent environmental targets on carbon emissions mean building owners are now demanding future-proof technologies that reduce running costs, improve indoor air quality and provide optimal energy efficiencies.
Our answer to these challenging demands is the City Multi VRF and Hybrid VRF air conditioning systems.
First developed over 30 years ago, City Multi is now the market leader, with a comprehensive range of systems that continues to grow through smart innovation.In 1991, Mitsubishi Electric introduced the City Multi R2 series. This was the world’s first 2-pipe heat recovery system. With this invention, the company has had one of longest and most proven histories in VRF technology.
City Multi delivers complete flexibility of design and installation. With intelligent, centralised control, these systems can be used in a wide variety of applications such as offices, hotels, hospitals, retail spaces and public buildings.
The latest City Multi R32 YXM outdoor units have a 6% smaller footprint than average. The largest outdoor model can connect to 50 indoor units on a single system. City Multi VRF can be applied as both heat recovery (R2 series) and heat pump (Y series) systems, covering 22kW to 34kW and beyond.
City Multi R32 and R210 VRF and HVRF units are ideal for customers looking to future-proof their air conditioning in line with the next stage of the F-Gas Regulations and the phase down of high Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants.
The City Multi R32 YXM range features a unique patented 2-pipe heat recovery design, a three-sided vertical flat-tube heat exchanger, new defrost technology, and market-leading seasonal efficiency. It has a 30-year lifespan low-level leak detectors compared with the industry average of 10 years. These benefits, alongside the lower GWP R32 refrigerant and plug-and-play installation, are why Mitsubishi Electric is perceived as the market leader in VRF air conditioning systems.
Katie Mathers is Marketing Executive
