Experimental performance assessment of DC-inverter operated split packaged air conditioner using HC-290.

HC-290 has been successfully experimented as replacement for HCFC-22 air conditioners by many researchers especially in last decade. The performance data of split air conditioner using HC-290 that operated on constant speed compressor is available in the literature. An EN 378 has been applied to a few of these air conditioning systems. In this paper, the performance of split air conditioner using HC-290 that operated on DC-inverter compressor has been assessed and compared with HCFC-22. In later part of this paper, the performance of split air conditioners that operated on constant speed compressor and DC-inverter compressor is compared. A typical split packaged air conditioner with nominal cooling capacity of 3.5 kW that was originally designed for HCFC-22 was selected for experimental performance evaluation using HC-290 as a substitute to HCFC-22. The performance parameters considered are cooling capacity, EER, power input, and discharge temperature. A well-equipped psychrometric test chamber facility consisting two equal size rooms (indoor room and outdoor room) was used for this purpose. The air conditions maintained were as per Indian standards IS 1391 part 1. Initially the performance of HC-290 has been compared with HCFC-22 at Capacity Rating Test conditions as per IS 1391 standard. Further, HC-290 performance was assessed at high ambient conditions. These conditions are closer to the conditions prescribed in SASO standards. At capacity rating conditions HC-290 gave 13.4% lower cooling capacity and 14.4 % higher EER compared to HCFC-22. At high ambient conditions HC-290 cooling capacity and EER were degraded to 61.7% and 54.6% respectively than that of baseline test with HCFC-22.