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Comparison of Energy Performance between Ground-Source Heat Pump System and Variable Refrigerant Flow(VRF) Systems using Simulation

시뮬레이션을 통한 지열 히트펌프 시스템과 VRF 시스템의 에너지 성능비교

  • Sohn, Byonghu (Department of Building Energy Research, KICT) ;
  • Lim, Hyojae (Geothermal Energy Education Center, Hoseo University) ;
  • Kang, Seongjae (Geothermal Energy Education Center, Hoseo University)
  • 손병후 (한국건설기술연구원 건축에너지연구소) ;
  • 임효재 (호서대학교 지열인력양성센터) ;
  • 강성재 (호서대학교 지열인력양성센터)
  • Received : 2021.08.04
  • Accepted : 2021.08.27
  • Published : 2021.09.01

Abstract

This paper compares the annual energy performance of four different types of air-conditioning systems in a medium-sized office building. Chiller and boiler, air-cooled VRF, ground-source VRF, and ground-source heat pump systems were selected as the systems to be compared. Specifically, the energy performance of the GSHP system and the ground-source VRF system were compared with each other and also with conventional HVAC systems including the chiller and boiler system and air-cooled VRF system. In order to evaluate and compare the energy performances of four systems for the office building, EnergyPlus, a whole-building energy simulation program, was used. The EnergyPlus simulation results show that both the GSHP and the ground-source VRF systems not only save more energy than the other two systems but also significantly reduce the electric peak demand. These make the GSHP and the VRF systems more desirable energy-efficient HVAC technologies for the utility companies and their clients. It is necessary to analyze the impact of partial load performance of ground-source heat pump and ground-source VRF on the long-term (more than 20 years) performance of ground heat exchangers and entire systems.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 논문의 내용은 산업통상자원부의 재원으로 한국에너지기술평가원의 지원을 받아 수행한 연구결과입니다(No.20172010105610). 아울러 논문의 일부 내용은 지엔원에너지(주)의 연구비 지원(2021년)으로 수행한 결과입니다.

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