Enhancing the Efficiency of VRF Air Conditioning Systems: A Case Study of Hospital Buildings

The global warming crisis currently affecting the world has led to a steady increase in ambient temperatures each year. As a result, the demand for air conditioning systems in various sectors has surged accordingly. Thailand, a country characterized by its hot and humid climate, also faces the impact of global warming, necessitating an even greater reliance on air conditioning systems. This requirement spans across different businesses, including the healthcare sector, where air conditioning is essential for service provision and patient care. The increasing temperatures not only heighten the demand for air conditioning systems but also diminish their efficiency, leading to higher energy consumption and contributing further to the global warming cycle. This research focuses on studying and identifying methods to enhance the efficiency of the air conditioning system in a sample hospital building in Thailand. The hospital utilizes a VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) air conditioning system, which was initially installed improperly. The objective is to improve its efficiency by lowering the temperature of the air used for heat dissipation, based on performance and efficiency data from the manufacturer. The study's findings indicate that the sample hospital building has the potential to reduce the temperature of the air used for heat dissipation by an average of 5.8°C. Moreover, the efficiency in terms of power consumption per ton of refrigeration (Coefficient of Performance, COP) can be increased by up to 18.1%.