Commercial air conditioning system: eco solutions for large surfaces

Air conditioning systems play a crucial role especially in commercial and industrial environments. 
Let’s have a look at some solutions.

Air conditioning systems play a decisive role to ensure the best possible living comfort for those who live in a building, or those who spend a great deal of their time in it working. When it comes to systems for large commercial or industrial buildings, as opposed to solutions for residential buildings, it is important to be aware that every single application is characterised by various specific features such as, for example, the presence of certain systems or equipment, which  require an even more extensive and thorough study. In this article, we analyse the numerous solutions provided by Clivet to control temperature, humidity and air quality in large indoor areas, and outline their main features. 

Packaged systems

If you are looking for a system that is quick to install and extremely economical, and which also ensures ideal air conditioning and optimum air quality in shopping centres, railway stations, airports, restaurants, cinemas and industrial buildings, the perfect solution is called Rooftop Package.  This type of system features a range of packaged units (inverter or multiscroll heat pumps, Rooftop air-to-air or water-to-air) capable of producing locally the thermal and cooling energy required to air-condition the various rooms only when and where it is needed. Each single area is served independently, through a distribution system consisting of ducting and distribution terminals, with the heat pumps adapting their operation to the actual heat load and fresh air required, thereby ensuring the best living comfort and achieving very high seasonal efficiencies.

Find out more about packaged Rooftop systems

Clivet's Packaged system includes a wide range of units, for medium or high crowded areas and full outdoor air units, with capacity ranging from 13 to 376 kW and airflows from 2,000 to 60,000 m3/h. It ensures a clear reduction in running costs thanks to the very high efficiency of the refrigerant circuit optimised for partial load operation, free-cooling, energy recovery of the exhaust air and precise control of the airflow. And that’s not all: since each unit is autonomous of the others, the system can be subsequently expanded or the layout of the air-conditioned areas can be changed over time.
Units for environments with a high concentration of people: ClivetPack 3i. 
Among the top products in the Packaged line you will find the CLIVETPack 3i rooftop units (CSNX-iY). An evolution of the CSRN-iY range featuring Full inverter technology up to 160 kW, these units are specifically designed for environments with a high concentration of people such as cinemas, restaurants and auditoriums. Available with nominal capacity ranging from 40 kW to 120 kW, with airflow from 4,000 to 25,000 m3h, and with the possibility of handling up to 100% of outdoor air, CLIVETPack 3i models use the environmentally friendly R32 refrigerant, which requires 50% less charge and has a lower GWP index than R410A gas, leading to an 80% reduction in environmental impact. The units also have a dual refrigerant circuit with inverter compressors and, thanks to the new patented thermodynamic recovery system REVO (Recovery EVOlution), ensure market-leading seasonal efficiencies. 
Hydronic systems

The second type of systems for air-conditioning large areas are hydronic systems. As the name suggests, water plays a key role in these solutions. The thermal and cooling energy to the indoor units, which are required for heating or cooling, is distributed through water piping in which water circulates. The heat generator par excellence in these systems is a heat pump, which, as we all know, provides very high energy efficiency. On the other hand, air renewal is usually handled by an air handling unit supplied by a chiller.

Compared to other solutions, hydronic systems are the most popular and widespread for air conditioning and, as a result, are easy to design and install and require little maintenance. 

The advantages of this solution are obvious: 

  • System flexibility, as the hydronic system integrates perfectly with other systems (radiant, induction, chilled beams)
  • High energy savings, due to free-cooling of air handling units and chillers 
  • Safety, of having an environmentally friendly heat transfer fluid such as water.
Find out more about hydronic systems

The latest product releases from CLIVET that are well suited to the installation of hydronic systems are the air-cooled multi-purpose heat pump for outdoor installation SPINchiller4 PL, the full inverter free-cooling chiller Large EVO FC and the ventilation unit  with full inverter thermodynamic recovery Fresh Large EVO. 
The SPINChiller4 PL multi-purpose heat pump is the perfect solution to fulfil the simultaneous demand for hot water and chilled water in four-pipe systems (4T configuration). It is available in the Excellence energy version (EXC), which offers high efficiency: SEER up to 4.94 and SCOP up to 4.01, with a capacity range from 225 to 664 kW. The use of R32 refrigerant ensures a reduced environmental impact, while the Multiscroll technology and the EC fans with continuous speed control supply the system with only the energy actually required, under all operating conditions, thereby reducing running costs.
The Large EVO FC range is ideal for both comfort and process applications thanks to two different free-cooling versions (Excellence and Premium) and full-inverter technology. With Free-cooling coils, the nominal cooling capacity can be delivered with the compressors already at positive air temperatures and switched off. ZET (Zero Energy Temperature) levels are at the top of the category for both versions (2.1° C for the EXC and 1.1° C for the PRM), as well as very high seasonal efficiency in mechanical operation (SEER up to 4.94 and SEPR HT up to 6.18). 
For air renewal there is the new Fresh Large EVO unit which, with its full inverter thermodynamic circuit, recovers the thermal energy from the exhaust air and transfers it to the air supplied to the environments. Available in three sizes, with capacity ranging from 300 to 2,500 m3/h, the unit is perfect for both commercial & industrial applications and large residential surface applications.
VRF systems

Among the most popular air conditioning solutions in the commercial & industrial sector, VRF – Variable Refrigerant Flow systems ensure high efficiency in both winter and summer and differ from hydronic systems because refrigerant fluid instead of water flows through the distribution pipes. This type of system consists of an outdoor unit (considered the true heart of the system), copper piping in which the refrigerant fluid flows, and a range of indoor units, fitted with electronic expansion valves, which ensure a larger extension of the system compared to a residential Split system. 

Find out more about VRF systems

CLIVET’s range of VRF CVT8 heat pump outdoor units is the ideal solution for large surface areas, boasting the world’s highest capacity as a single module, up to 90 kW, and which can be combined with up to 3 units. Easy to install and maintain, the CVT8 units operate steadily with outdoor temperatures from -15°C to 55°C in cooling mode and -30°C to 30°C in heating mode, and have 15 silent modes to fulfil all  demands for acoustic comfort. They also have 3 features that are unique on the market: electronic components protected via Safebox, Multisensor control technology and the revolutionary EasyCom BUS that greatly simplifies installation. 
The VRF MSAN8 range, on the other hand, favours the compact design of the horizontal discharge without forsaking the concept of modularity: with its capacity of up to 246 kW, installations with an outdoor unit on the floor can be realised, so as to increase performance, simplify maintenance operations and reduce the amount of refrigerant. Lastly, the use of R-32 refrigerant with a low GWP makes the VRF MSAN8-Y line of heat pump outdoor units  among the most environmentally friendly and safe on the market, while maintaining its unique range of application, reliability, comfort and easy-to-install features.
 
Greener systems with propane

We’d like to conclude the overview of air conditioning solutions for large areas with Thunder, a new range of air-cooled reversible heat pumps for outdoor installation that use propane as refrigerant. Available with a capacity of 35 to 73 kW and perfect for adapting to the needs of numerous applications, from new installations to the replacement of existing systems, the heat pumps in the Thunder line are equipped with inverter scroll compressors specifically designed for the use of R290, with a GWP index of 3. 
The result is an infinitely lower environmental impact compared to traditional solutions, making the range perfectly in line with EU guidelines on the phase-out of hydrofluorocarbon gases as refrigerants.