AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM DESIGN AND STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY – A REVIEW

Centrifugal water-cooled chiller systems consume approximately 50% of a building's total energy and are an essential component providing indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and enhancing occupant productivity in large scale buildings. Therefore, research into reducing energy consumption required for air conditioning while maintaining the desired level of IEQ has been stimulated. The relationship between thermal energy and electrical energy in this system can be used to reduce the energy consumption of the system which will involve the overall design and operating parameters of rotating equipment, static equipment for heat transfer as well as how this equipment operate in relation to each other. This review provides a holistic approach to chiller system design and the potential it has to improve energy efficiency of the system. Based on the research, energy efficient equipment selection, the use of new technology, energy efficient design techniques/practices and the use of control systems will optimize the energy consumption of the HVAC system.