Five years ago, Daikin’s pioneering revolutionary VRV IV system set a new standard in the industry, pioneering new levels of seasonal efficiency and comfort. In 2019, the launch of VRV IV+ systems has set a new benchmark for seasonal efficiency. Five years ago, Daikin’s pioneering revolutionary VRV IV system set a new standard in the industry, pioneering new levels of seasonal efficiency and comfort. In 2019, the launch of VRV IV+ systems has set a new benchmark for seasonal efficiency.

At the heart of the latest system, existing VRV IV features such as Variable Refrigerant Temperature (VRT) and continuous heating during defrost are matched by a completely redesigned compressor, which is fully optimised to ensure high performance at part loads – the main operation mode throughout the year. As a result VRV IV+ already far exceeds the new ENER LOT21 Tier 2 due to come into force in 2021.

As well as brand new compressor technology that increases seasonal efficiency by an average of 15% in cooling, compared with VRV IV, the VRV IV+ Heat Recovery is being manufactured with 100% reclaimed R410A refrigerant based on the ‘allocated certified reclaimed refrigerant’ principle, an industry leading initiative that will help to drastically decrease carbon footprint as the need to product new refrigerant is reduced.

The uses of the product and its applications
Daikin VRV IV+ systems provide a total climate control solution – including heating, cooling, air curtains and hot water – and can manage up to 70% of a building’s energy consumption, providing major potential cost savings.  VRV IV+ systems deliver simultaneous heating and cooling for maximum comfort in many types of buildings, such as offices, hotels, education, retail and leisure environments, as well as major industrial applications and data centres.

Precise multi-zone control of different floors and rooms reduces overall energy consumption, while heat recovery technology reuses energy to provide free heating and hot water production.

VRV IV+ Heat Recovery systems now make it even easier for building owners and tenants to make a positive choice to reduce the environmental impact of air conditioning systems, because VRV IV+ heat recovery units now have reclaimed refrigerant allocated to them during production.

The quantity of reclaimed refrigerant allocated to these units avoids more than 300,000 tons of CO2eq from being generated in the production of virgin refrigerant.
What does Certified Reclaimed Refrigerant Allocation mean?

“Certified Reclaimed Refrigerant Allocation” means both the quantity and quality of the reclaimed refrigerant is confirmed by independent auditors as being of:• Certified quantity: the reclaimed refrigerant allocated administratively to the unit is equivalent to 100% of its factory charge, so the unit has zero F-Gas quota impact• Certified quality: the reclaimed refrigerant has been reclaimed to AHRI700 certified standards to be of the same quality as virgin R410A

Daikin’s VRV IV+ Heat Recovery with certified reclaimed refrigerant allocation means it has zero impact on the F-Gas quota. Ultimately, this means it will be vital to the security of refrigerant supply over the next decade. Using reclaimed refrigerant in Daikin’s units will become both an environmental and an economic necessity, as the industry progresses through the F-Gas phase down.
No other systems on the market are manufactured using 100% reclaimed refrigerant, which means Daikin’s VRV IV+ Heat Recovery is leading the way in reducing emissions with less energy used with the new compressor but also a lower carbon footprint as no new refrigerant is required for the system.

Exclusive to Daikin, reclaimed refrigerant is now used in our units and:

– Independently certified as being the same quality as virgin refrigerant.
– Is administratively allocated 100% to VRV IV+ Heat Recovery and VRV IV S-series units.
-Has zero impact on F-gas quota, as it is reclaimed and reused within Europe.
-Saves more than 300,000 tons CO2eq of virgin gas being manufactured each year.
– Supports the development of a circular economy in our industry.

Key technological features
VRV IV+ systems now boast a completely redesigned compressor with patented back pressure control to ensure the optimum efficiency curve is followed through all load conditions – especially at part loads – the main operation mode throughout the year.  The new compressor addresses a key issue that can occur during low load operation, which is that refrigerant leaks can occur from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side in the compression chamber, resulting in loss of efficiency.

In the new compressor, this has been resolved with the inclusion of a back-pressure control port that sends a small amount of high-pressure refrigerant from the compression chamber to the back of the scroll. This optimal separation of lower and higher pressure sides within the compression chamber boosts seasonal efficiency to a new standard.

Energy efficiency advantages
VRV IV+ has on average an increased efficiency of 15% in cooling, across the range, however for some capacities the increase is much greater. For example with an 8 HP system connected to ducted units the seasonal efficiency increase is an impressive 38% increase in cooling. Since January 2018, with the introduction of LOT 21 , which is part of the Energy Related Products Directive, systems have been designed for optimum efficiency throughout the course of the year. Prior to this systems were designed to perform for maximum nominal efficiency which set one condition at which the system was measured.

This means that systems designed after the January 2018 date are significantly more efficient than previous models. For VRV III systems; that ran on R407C or R22, moving to VRV IV already increased the efficiency by around 30-40%. And so with the latest increase the energy consumed by the system can be as much as half of the previous system taken across a year.
As a result, the VRV IV+ easily exceeds the standards of the Lot 21 Ecodesign Directive, which covers minimum energy efficiency requirements for air conditioning systems greater than 12kW. VRV IV+ is already compliant with the increased energy efficiency requirements of Lot 21 Tier 2, which is coming into force in 2021.

How it compares in cost to competitive units as well as the lifetime running costs and payback period.
When looking at running costs, a historic system could use 90,000 kwhr/yr at £0.10/kwhr. Compare this with a modern VRV IV+ system and it uses half the energy which reduces the annual running cost from £9,000 to £4,500. Taking into consideration an installation cost of £15,000 for the VRV system, this would provide a 3 year payback which would meet the requirements of most discerning building owners.

If any, what are the environmental issues the product addresses?
By using reclaimed refrigerant in VRV Heat Recovery systems Daikin has avoided more than 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from being generated for these systems. Based on figures published by the Forestry Commission, it would take about 835 hectares of forest to absorb this much carbon dioxide – this is the size of about 2063 football pitches.

Using reclaimed refrigerant not only shows the industry that Daikin really is leading the way in delivering truly sustainable products into the market by being able to reclaim and reuse refrigerant but also demonstrates the necessity to reclaim refrigerant from existing systems at the end of their life.

Following best practice in recovery and reclamation of R410a will ensure the maximum possible amount of refrigerant is available to us in the future. With over 1,000 tonnes of refrigerant in current systems, being able to reclaim and reuse refrigerant is an extremely valuable resource that doesn’t count towards the F-Gas quota, so is not subject to phase down.

Features that simplify installation and maintenance
The VRV IV+ system has been designed with ease of maintenance in mind. With the drive towards increased efficiency heat exchanger sizes have increased making access to the switch box, compressor and other components potentially more difficult. Daikin has designed the unit carefully to ensure ease of maintenance. Features such as rotating switch boxes and defined access paths allow for quick and easy maintenance.

Installation has also been made easier with features such as pre-configuration, which can be carried out the comfort of the office then downloaded on site through to auto refrigerant charging. These features along with the seven segment display make VRV IV+ even easier to install and set up.

Target market and what sets this product apart from its competitors
Daikin’s new VRV IV+ system is perfect for commercial applications such as offices, hotels, data centres, retail, leisure and education environments, as well as industrial process cooling.

As well as containing a unique sustainable source of refrigerant VRV IV+ also contains the least refrigerant per metre of pipe compared with the vast majority of other comparable VRF systems. In some instances this can be as much as 30% less which makes a substantial difference to trim charge and servicing costs.
It is very unusual for leak detection systems to be required for VRV IV+ as per the requirements of EN378 due to the low charge and high level of design flexibility. This features makes it ideal for hotel applications.
The efficiency of the system really sets it apart with VRV IV+ delivering a 15% higher average SEER, compared with VRV IV, but when designed using an 8HP unit with indoor ducts, the system SEER can be as much as 38% higher and with indoor cassettes up to 41% higher.

In heating mode, the VRV IV+ delivers 13% higher SCOP on average and 16% higher SCOP for an 8HP unit with indoor ducts. The combination of these innovations together make this the most sustainable VRV system on the market today by far.

Pump Manager is a part of the Armstrong Active Performance Management Suite. It is a cloud-based application, powered by IBM Watson analytics, which leverages the embedded intelligence and connectivity available through Armstrong Design Envelope pumps to make active performance management available on all models as standard. The aim of Pump Manager is to offer continuous optimisation for maximum efficiency. Online trending and analysis across multiple parameters on single pumps, or on an aggregated basis for multiple pumps, assists in identifying performance degradation and allows a predictive and proactive approach to users. Pump Manager is a part of the Armstrong Active Performance Management Suite. It is a cloud-based application, powered by IBM Watson analytics, which leverages the embedded intelligence and connectivity available through Armstrong Design Envelope pumps to make active performance management available on all models as standard. The aim of Pump Manager is to offer continuous optimisation for maximum efficiency. Online trending and analysis across multiple parameters on single pumps, or on an aggregated basis for multiple pumps, assists in identifying performance degradation and allows a predictive and proactive approach to users. 

Pump Manager will, for example, report issues such as excessive vibration, a broken coupling or a dead head should they occur, or conditions such as impeller imbalance, bearing failure, seal failures and shaft misalignment that would impact on operation of the pump if undetected. In June 2019 an additional parameter was added to those already available making it possible for Pump Manager to detect and alert building managers about impending pump cavitation. The new feature that detects cavitation is now standard on all Armstrong Design Envelope pumps. This new capability will limit the energy losses and equipment damage that cavitation can cause.

Pump Manager brings a number of important benefits. Firstly, it can reduce operating costs by providing continuous optimisation of pump performance for maximum energy efficiency, and by lowering maintenance costs. Secondly, it increases pump availability and reliability, reducing unexpected failures and providing early problem detection. This reduces downtime and enables the pump to be returned to service more quickly, whilst lowering the maintenance costs associated with fault diagnosis at a later stage. Thirdly, Pump Manager can improve tenant comfort and productivity by maintaining flows in the desired range, reducing temperature swings. 

Finally Pump Manager offers a number of important benefits for building owners in terms of environmental reporting, making it particularly valuable for those sites needing to report their energy consumption data for the first time. The government’s new Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) policy means that nearly three times as many companies will now have to measure their energy usage and report this data to the government. The decision means that the number of UK companies having to report their energy and emissions data will increase from around 4,000 (under the earlier Carbon Reduction Commitment) to around 11,900 companies. Pump Manager is the ideal solution. It provides a fully reactive and integrated vision of an individual building, able to integrate with BMS, EMS and CMMS, as well as offering API-APP integration. 
Information is readily available via real-time data and reports. Performance reports supplied by Pump Manager include:

– The average flow profile over time
– The average energy consumption profile
– Current operation conditions relative to design conditions
– Flow and head relationships
– Three dimensional pump vibration
– Carbon footprint report

By installing the new pumps ahead of a more comprehensive energy upgrade, and using them to supply the necessary data, building owners and occupiers could be saving energy whilst financial and technical discussions are underway. When the time comes to prepare the business case for a more fundamental energy upgrade, a body of data on the actual energy savings made possible by new pump technology will have already been collected. This information can be reviewed by those with budgetary control, and the business case for capital expenditure can be based on actual cost-savings, instead of relying on theoretical calculations alone.

The new Testo 300 flue gas analyser allows boiler engineers to truly work in a ‘smarter’ way.

As the first analyser on the market with a fully embedded android operating platform and 5” HD touchscreen display, the Testo 300 allows engineers to directly email reports from the analyser and to link to 3rd party apps for true integration into fleet software.

Another benefit of the Testo 300 is its fully integrated data management of customer site details, including address information, and potential to store information on type of heating system, boiler manufacturer and type, and installation data.

Unlike other flue gas analysers on the market that rely on the engineer linking a mobile phone running an app (which then ties up the phone and stops the engineer making/taking phone calls) the ‘smart’ capability is built into the 300 and the only thing it needs a phone for is to create a mobile hotspot to connect to the built-in WiFi.

With onboard diagnostics, including a gas pathway check to ensure tightness of connections, the Testo 300 gives users a very intuitive operating menu structure, with many features carried over direct from the smartphone operation we have all become used to.

Key innovations of the Testo 300 include :

• The first truly ‘smart’ flue gas analyser with full colour touchscreen operating system, allowing gas engineers a simpler and smarter way to measure/record/report on boiler combustion readings. The user interface is like using a modern smartphone, with the same intuitive operation.

• The first flue gas analyser to incorporate ‘on-board’ Wlan, allowing direct emailing of reports to customers. The integrated Android operating system means a mobile phone app is not required for operation.

• The future ability to fully integrate 3rd party apps / workforce reporting software into the analyser, to allow seamless transfer of data into reports.

• The Testo design of a single connector connecting the analyser to the flue probe ensures a fully gastight connection (with integrated gas path check function) and integrates flue temperature sensor connections into one single rugged connector, leading to long-term reliability.

• Customer contact database integrated into the device allowing engineers to have full address and location information available within any reports (including type of appliance/system information).