• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.571-579
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• 2011

Heat pump systems for commercial building with variable refrigerant flow(VRF) are expanding a market due to high energy efficiency, lower maintenance cost and easy installation comparing with the conventional heat pump with the constant refrigerant flow. In general, heat pump systems degrade the energy efficiency in the extremely low temperature regions. In this study, VRF heat pump system with refrigerant heating is experimentally investigated to overcome the low heating performance in the extremely low temperature regions. VRF heat pump system with refrigerant heating is found out the sufficient heating performance in the -25 degree temperature condition comparing with the conventional heat pump system and is obtained more than 2,500 kPa high pressure in the evaporator at low temperature.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.9-16
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• 2019

This study aimed at developing control algorithms for operating a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system with optimal system parameter set-points. Two artificial neural network (ANN) models, which were respectively designed to predict the heating energy cost and cooling energy amount for upcoming next control cycle, was developed and embedded into the control algorithms. Performance of the algorithms were tested using the computer simulation programs - EnergyPlus, BCVTB, MATLAB in an incorporative manner. The results revealed that the proposed control algorithms remarkably saved the heating energy cost by as much as 7.93% and cooling energy consumption by as much as 28.44%, compared to a conventional control strategy. These findings support that the ANN-based predictive control algorithms showed potential for cost- and energy-effectiveness of VRF heating and cooling systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems have recently attracted attention in many countries due to a variety of advantages over conventional system. Especially, the water-cooled VRF heat pump, including geothermal heat pump, is a system that accurately controls the flow rate of refrigerant for the improved efficiency under part load operation. This paper describe the process of generating the cooling and heating energy performance curve coefficients and performance expressions for modeling water cooled VRF system using EnergyPlus. Through this study, the process for generating performance curves can be implemented into EnergyPlus or other comparable building energy analysis tools for the long-term evaluation of heat pump under dynamic conditions.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.610-619
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• 2011

This paper investigates the simplified comfort index and control logic for VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) system by using 3 environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and air flow. Indoor test under thermal load was conducted to explore relationship of each environment factors that is related to simplified comfort index. Simplified comfort function that has 3 environmental variables was proposed based on survey results. Each factor is measured and comfort preference was surveyed by more than 30 subjects in the indoor comfort test. Moreover, control logic for VRF system was developed and then simulated by using thermal load calculation method and verified with test. The proposed comfort function was in good agreement with survey results, and also verification test trend of comfort change and maintenance are quite similar with survey. Furthermore, through the additional test data analysis some differences of comfort according to position of people staying in the test room were additionally investigated by air flow. People being under an exit of air in the indoor air-conditioner feel more comfortable condition and speed of response to comfort change is relatively fast.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.357-362
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• 2008

The present study has been conducted variable refrigerant flow system applied building. Multi air-conditioning system has some benefits : easier building management and maintenance and energy saving. Recently, the system heat pump has been employed in medium-sized and tall buildings. However, the performance data and design method for system heat pump are limited in literature due to complicated system parameters and operating conditions. In the present study, case study of a system heat pump applied various building. The aim of this paper is to application multi air-conditioners and to inform the benefits of multi air-conditioners.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.27-34
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• 2018

This study compared constant water bath performances of conventional water-cooled refrigerator and electric heater with an air-cooled VRF chiller and electric heater equipped with optimal control algorithm. In heating mode, the air cooled VRF chiller and electric heater combination reduced the set temperature arrival time by an average of 42 minutes, and energy was also reduced by 18%. In cooling mode, the two systems took 70 minutes to reach the set temperature and showed no difference. Energy was reduced by 33.5% with the new system. For constant temperature maintaining experiment, after reaching the set temperature of $15^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$ and $22^{\circ}C$, temperature deviations were all in the range of $-0.2^{\circ}C$ to $+0.1^{\circ}C$. Energy was reduced by an average of 84.9%. Through this study, possibility of precise temperature control by an air cooled VRF chiller system was confirmed.

• Architectural research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.71-77
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• 2017

Dynamic pricing refers to a system in which a tariff varies, according to a level of charging and applied time depending on time change. The power billing system used in the Korean Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is based on time of use (TOU) pricing, which is one of the dynamic pricing systems. This paper aimed to determine the operational results of a variable refrigerant flow system, to which a new control algorithm was applied, in order to respond to dynamic pricing, in summer and the utility of the new control. To do this, real measured data was acquired from a VRF system installed in a building for educational purposes, where dynamic pricing was applied for about 100 days during summer time. At the maximum load operation time period in TOU, the new control minimized operation within the indoor comfort range, an increase in refrigerant evaporation temperature in the indoor unit and the number of revolutions in a compressor in the outdoor unit was limited. As a result, power usage was decreased by 11%, and the operational cost by 14.6%. Furthermore, measurement results using the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model, that represented satisfaction of thermal environment, showed that 82.8% to 90.4% of the occupants of the building were satisfied during operation when the new control was applied.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.30-40
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• 2021

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.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.69-76
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed at developing an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model for predicting the amount of cooling energy consumption of the variable refrigerant flow (VRF) cooling system by the different set-points of the control variables, such as supply air temperature of air handling unit (AHU), condenser fluid temperature, condenser fluid pressure, and refrigerant evaporation temperature. Applying the predicted results for the different set-points, the control algorithm, which embedded the ANN model, will determine the most energy efficient control strategy. Method: The ANN model was developed and tested its prediction accuracy by using matrix laboratory (MATLAB) and its neural network toolbox. The field data sets were collected for the model training and performance evaluation. For completing the prediction model, three major steps were conducted - i) initial model development including input variable selection, ii) model optimization, and iii) performance evaluation. Result: Eight meaningful input variables were selected in the initial model development such as outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, indoor temperature, cooling load of the previous cycle, supply air temperature of AHU, condenser fluid temperature, condenser fluid pressure, and refrigerant evaporation temperature. The initial model was optimized to have 2 hidden layers with 15 hidden neurons each, 0.3 learning rate, and 0.3 momentum. The optimized model proved its prediction accuracy with stable prediction results.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.67-74
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• 2017

Purpose: As the recent climate environment changes so rapidly, environmental problems such as hot weather and fine dust have occurred, and interest in environmental policies and technology development is increasing in countries around the world. Similarly in the Architecture, researches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce energy application are actively conducted. Looking at previous studies, it is analyzed that the electric VRF is more energy efficient than the gas engine VRF. However, energy costs have changed due to recent price hikes and discounts on gas charges due to high electricity consumption in summer. Method: In this study, the actual building of Gas Engine VRF system was modeled using SketchUp program, and EnergyPlus was used to simulate actual building. Also, Electric VRF system was simulated, and compared with Gas Engine VRF system. Result: The total secondary energy requirement of Electric VRF system was 19.6% less than that of the Gas Engine VRF system, But when analyzing with primary energy requirement, EHP used 15.8% more energy. CO2 emissions were also estimated to be 16.9% more EHP. Energy costs were 14.8% more in Electric VRF systems, because their electricity charges are 0.6 to 160% more expensive than gas charges.