The Variable Refrigerant Volume system, or simply VRV system, allows to air condition large spaces with many rooms individually. Discover the advantages of this technology over other options on the market.
How the VRV system works
The VRV system starts with a heat pump, an outdoor unit located on the roof of the building. The outdoor unit will be connected by piping to the indoor units (wall, floor, cassette, etc.) inside the building. Like other systems, it uses a refrigerant gas that is subjected to pressure changes in order to cool or heat the air.
This technology can air condition any home or building, no matter how big it is. It can provide heat and cold, so it can be useful to air-condition rooms, provide domestic hot water (for toilets, showers, etc.) or to feed a radiant floor or a network of radiators.
The VRV system is a Daikin invention from the early 1980s. This innovation sought to improve multisplit air conditioning systems. More than 40 years later, this technology is widely used to air condition large areas that require variable temperature in each room of the building.
As you can imagine, this type of systems are the ideal solution for hotels, hospitals, business centers with multiple rooms and offices, among others. In general, we install them mainly for commercial use of medium or large size, as well as in medium and large homes such as those found in La Zagaleta, Sotogrande, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella and other enclaves of the Costal del Sol.
Difference between VRV and VRF
The difference between VRV and VRF is due to patents. Originally, when Daikin brought this innovation to market in Japan called Variable Refrigerant Volume and patented the term VRV. This forced other manufacturers to develop this technology to use a different acronym: Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF).
Both acronyms refer to the same technology, in Spanish we call it Variable Refrigerant Volume and in English Variable Refrigerant Flow. We can find it in both ways, you just have to be clear that it refers to the same technology.
Differences between multisplit and VRV systems
Both systems have similarities because VRV tries to improve the Multisplit system.
One of the big differences comes when VRV has a heat recovery system. To understand this you must know that a VRV system can be a two-pipe or a three-pipe system. When it is a 2-pipe system, it can provide cooling or heating, but not both at the same time. On the other hand, 3-pipe systems are able to provide cooling and heating simultaneously to the different rooms.
In addition, VRVs have a control box that regulates the flow of refrigerant between the outdoor unit and the indoor units, in order to be more efficient. That is, when an indoor unit does not need air conditioning, it sends a signal to the control box, which cuts the refrigerant flow and reduces the activity of the outdoor unit.
These details are very important because, depending on the manufacturer, energy savings of up to 20% can be achieved. In large installations and making long-term calculations we can be talking about significant sums of money.
In summary, VRV systems are capable of producing cooling and heating at the same time, something that conventional multisplit systems cannot do. In addition, a VRV system is capable of recovering hot air from certain rooms to heat rooms that require a higher temperature. A very smart way to save energy, which cannot be done by a conventional multispit system.
Advantages of the VRV system
We come to one of the most important sections, you may have already deduced some of them, but to dispel doubts these are the advantages of the VRV or VRF system:
Centralized control, when it comes to management, both for efficiency and convenience, it is a great advantage to control all indoor units from a single point. Depending on the manufacturer, we can have a very simple touch screen interface and even connect remotely via the Internet.
Simultaneous cooling and heating, both systems can operate at the same time to heat or cool certain rooms.
Zoning, a very important plus in centralized systems is to be able to air-condition each room with a different temperature, and even turn off those that are not empty of people.
Energy saving, is a maxim in modern air conditioning systems, the VRV send refrigerant only to the unit that needs it to reduce the workload of the compressor, they are also able to recover heat from the heated rooms to heat the cooler rooms.
Lightweight equipment, compared to a traditional multisplit, the VRV requires a much simpler installation, they are lighter and modular systems.
If you want to install a VRV system in your home or business, contact us. In Climanova we are experts installing Variable Refrigerant Volume systems in Malaga. We can advise you and show success stories of work done on the Costa del Sol.
Installer of air conditioning, heating, solar energy and aerothermal equipment with more than 20 years of experience. We create comfortable and efficient environments, using cutting-edge technologies. In each project, we seek to exceed expectations, providing durable and environmentally friendly solutions.
